Good morning,
Last week we looked at the fruit of the Spirit. In the past we have looked at love. Now I would like to tackle joy. Joy is used 59 times in the New Testament. It is defined as gladness. Since joy is a characteristic, it should show action. Today we will look at Affliction/Tribulation Joy.
Affliction/Tribulation Joy
2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2 Corinthians 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
So what did we see? There is a correlation between affliction, tribulations, and joy.
- Exceeding joy/tribulation
- Great trial of affliction/abundance of their joy
- Much affliction/joy
- Chastening/fruit of righteousness
So the conclusion of the matter is summed up in 1 Peter 1:3-9:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
This is what our joy should be.
NOTE: We are working on getting the Daily Devotionals sent to your email addresses. In the meantime, each Daily Devotion is at the WASI website under Chaplain’s Services. You may even leave comments.
Tom Stearns
WASI Chaplain
907 715-4001
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