SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/30/2022 10:19 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
“The Kingdom is the Source of True Joy”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
Matt 13:44-46
Message of the verses: “44 "The
kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and
hid again; and from
joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon
finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought
it.”
We
can see from the highlighted words in verse 44 that it was in joy that the man
sold all he had in order to buy the field which held the priceless
treasure. I believe that it is true that
joy is a basic joy in every human being and is the desire that all the others
either directly or indirectly serve.
MacArthur writes “We like to eat because food brings joy and
satisfaction to our palate and a good feeling and health to our bodies. The desire for money is primarily based in
the joy we hope to find in the things money can buy. Fame, power, knowledge, and all other things
we long after are desired for the joy it is hoped they will bring. Even the miser, who seems to love money for
its own sake, hordes his possessions for the joy the hording brings. Some people thrive on misery, because they
find joy in feeling sorry for themselves.”
Now
as we look at the different types of things that bring joy to use as humans
that are listed in the quotation above one thing is for sure and that is that
all of those joys are temporary and are for the most part disappointing. You set your heart on buying the car of your
dreams and then after you have had it for a while the newness of it wears off
and that joy that you had in anticipating that new care leaves too. The only true and eternal joy is the joy
found in Christ and His kingdom, and the reason is because man was made by God
for Himself. Human satisfaction can be
found only in God’s divine provision.
Let
us look at a rather long quotation from the 15th chapter of John
where Jesus will teach us about joy. “1 "I
am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 “Every branch in Me that
does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit,
He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 “You are already clean because
of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can
you unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who
abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do
nothing. 6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries
up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 “If
you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be done for you. 8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit,
and so prove to be My disciples. 9 "Just as the Father has loved
Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 “If you keep My commandments,
you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and
abide in His love. 11 “These
things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your
joy may be made full.” John 16:24
says “24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will
receive, so that your joy may
be made full.”
John
writes the following in his opening of his first letter “These things we write,
so that our joy may be made complete” (1 John 1:4). Paul writes in Romans 14:17 “for the kingdom
of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit.” “Now may the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by
the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
MacArthur
concludes this section by writing “True joy comes only in the discovery and
appropriation of Christ and His kingdom through trust in Him.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Perhaps the greatest joy that I was involved
in that has to do with the kingdom of heaven is to lead someone to a saving
knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God has given me the privilege of doing this
on a number of occasions and the result for me was great joy.
My Steps of Faith for Today: “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an
account for the hope that
is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet. 3:15).
4/30/2022 10:47 AM
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