Are You Looking For Joy?

O. T. #2128 "Are You Looking For Joy?"

Feb. 14, 2022

Amos 7-Part 4

LET IT GLOW

Now who couldn't use some joy today? I think we all could. Here is how we can get it.

John was an apostle who walked with Jesus. He was the beloved disciple of his Lord. He wrote one of the gospels, letters of I,II, III John, and Revelation. I thought we could use some love and encouraging, lovely words in this time. So turn your Bible open to I John and dig in with me.

John tells us how to enjoy our Christian life, walk of faith. In order to have this kind of life, we must first come to Jesus Christ as our Savior through repentance of our sins and by faith that He is the Son of God. Have you done so?

John is not delivering second-hand information, but he talks of what he heard Jesus say. Not only did John see Jesus, but he also observed and touched Him.

What does John tell us in the first chapter?

• Jesus is the Word of life. (verse 1)
• Eternal life is with the Father God. (verse 2)
• Fellowship with God come through His son Jesus Christ, thus we have fellowship with other believers, too. (verse 3)
• We can have joy that is full. (verse 4)

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.   (1 John 1:4)

Joy means cheerfulness; (calm ) delight; gladness; full refers to satisfy; finish; perfect.

So, you and I can be cheerful, delightful, and glad as we are satisfied in Jesus, who is the perfector of our faith. He finished completing the requirements God set for eternal life in heaven. Since we cannot live a perfect life, Jesus did for us, so He was the Sacrificial Lamb that takes away our sins.

Our challenge today is to be cheerful and delightful as we show the love of Jesus in our life to a dying world. Only Jesus can satisfy the soul.

Joy is not dependent upon our circumstances. It comes through knowing Jesus, walking with Him daily, surrendering to His will.

True joy transcends external circumstances. (Tony Evans)

 

LET IT GROW

In verses 7-17, we find that Israel had nothing joyful to look forward to according to Amos. The third vision he had was about a plumb line. This is like a string with a weight attached at the bottom. It was used in order to see if a building or wall was straight so it would not fall. In this vision, the Lord was standing on a wall made by a plumb line.

What was the meaning of this?

• High places where idols were on mountains in the northern kingdom, would be desolate, since they were not built on the plumb line of God's Word.
• Sanctuaries would be torn down, for Israel did not worship God there.
• The house of Jeroboam II the first king would be effected as the king is going to be killed.
• The king's wife becomes a harlot, his children slaughtered, the land divided among the invaders, and Israel goes into captivity.

Just as the plumb line was crooked on the wall, so were the people and they would be punished as Assyria comes to conquer them.

Is God's Word our plumb line by which we live? Do we recognize our sin as we read it, causing us to repent? Do we make decisions according to God's plumb line? When we do, we will have that joy that John spoke about to us.

 

LET IT GO

Jesus, be our joy today.

Fill us full and running over with Your love.

May we share this joy of peace with God and salvation in Jesus.

Thank You for heaven awaiting us.