Joy, gladness and true happiness—where are they found in this world today? Everybody craves them and is set upon finding them. God is the author of every good and perfect gift, so what is necessary is to find God. He Himself is perfectly good and above all evil. But God still desires good for His creature, even though sin has come in and, through sin, man is alienated from God.
Wrongfully, man's idea of joy is to be as happy as he can make himself without God and away from Film. Nearly the whole world, at this time, is a witness of just how wrong is this idea. If you really want joy and peace, you can yet find it in God. You will learn that God also finds His joy in the repentance of the sinner that returns to seek Him.
When the light of God's love, revealed in the gift and death of His Son to put away our sins, enters the heart, it is filled at once "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." This is true joy found in God. After listing many things in Romans 5, it says in verse 11, "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Having found God and true joy, you would think that believers would never turn from God and look for mere pleasures that this world offers. But there are pleasures in this world, and the Scriptures call them "the pleasures of sin." Have you thought about how long they last? The answer is "for a season," and an exceedingly short season when compared to eternity.
In this world as we approach the end of another millennium, there are many riches. Do we think that having them would give us joy, or peace and lasting happiness? Listen to what Solomon said: "Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven" (Prov. 23:4-54Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:4‑5)).
Let us who have put our trust in God and found joy and lasting peace in Him continue in obedience to Him and walk with Him. Obedience and happiness go together.
“The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joie in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:1717For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)). The fruit of the Spirit is love and joy with other beautiful things, and this is produced in the believer's heart by the Spirit for God's glory. Our joy and peace is in believing God.
In contrast, true joy is unknown in the world in its present state. Do you, then, want joy and peace as you pass through this present evil world? Of course you do! "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 15:1313Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)). Ed.
The secret of real progress is personal attachment
to Himself.