Call to be joyful

Friends, I know that many posts are “heavy,” and this “Call” series of posts have been filled with the many calls of Christ. Today, we will have a “lighter” call - which is one of the most important calls for a Christ-follower: The call to be joyful. Before we explore...

Friends, I know that many posts are “heavy,” and this “Call” series of posts have been filled with the many calls of Christ. Today, we will have a “lighter” call – which is one of the most important calls for a Christ-follower: The call to be joyful.

Before we explore that, let me do a quick review of all the posts in the “Call Series” from the past number of days. They have been, in the order of the posts:

1. Call to Think
2. Call to Shepherd
3. Call to Look Up
4. Call to Surrender
5. Call to Meditate
6. Call to be Transformed

Review them at www.SOLIDpastors.org, in English or Spanish. And please pray for our expansion into China. My prayer is that next year, they will also be in Chinese!

COMPELLING REASONS TO BE JOYFUL

Here are ten reasons why a devoted Christ-follower should be joyful, each supported by a scripture. If we want to be effective in fulfilling the Great Commission, the world needs to see us joyful. Amen?

     1.  Salvation through Christ:

• Romans 5:8-9: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”

     2.  Eternal Life:

• John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

     3.  Presence of the Holy Spirit:

• Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

    4.  Assurance of God’s Love:

• Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    5.  Promise of God’s Faithfulness:

• Philippians 1:6: “Being confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

    6.  Overcoming the World:

• John 16:33: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

    7.  The Blessed Hope of Christ’s Return:

• Titus 2:13: “While we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

    8.  The Christian’s Inheritance:

• 1 Peter 1:3-4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade.”

    9.  The Privilege of Prayer:

• Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

    10.  Being Part of the Body of Christ:

• 1 Corinthians 12:27: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

​Each of these verses reveals an aspect of the Christian faith that is a source of immense joy for believers.

CONCLUSION

Let us have great joy. We have compelling reasons to be joyful, meaning “full of joy.” Please join me in having a joy-filled day. This is way beyond being “happy,” which is a human desire. You can be unhappy with a circumstance and still have joy. Try it, and let me know how it goes for you. There are things that we can be unhappy about, but we can still have great joy in our hearts. It is a divine emotion, not based on feelings but on facts, like the Top Ten reasons we just reviewed.

Go make a joyful noise, my sisters and brothers in Christ. What a glorious journey we are on together!

Your aspiring servant,

Daniel M.

August 23, 2023

POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this daily, transparent “Conversations with Christ” blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. Note: For ease of reference, all scriptures quoted are from the NIV.

If you ever want to chat, you can reach me at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate, daily conversations with Christ.