How do you have JOY? This is a common acronym: J-O-Y: Jesus first, Others next, Yourself last.
2 Timothy 4: 1-5: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
The first ingredient in JOY is Jesus first. Preach the word means that we go by the Bible route, and that’s why the world hates us. Why aren’t we like all the other people/churches? Everything that we do and practice is by the word of God. Satan has infiltrated the higher education with modernism so that it casts doubt on God through evolution, mythology, the resurrection of the dead, etc. There is such a great attack on the word of God even from Genesis 1.
KJV only
There are now more than 200 Bible versions. Why? Because one version was not enough? That’s what Satan has done. He has attacked the word of God. If a person you immensely love wrote you a love letter, and words had been removed or added, would you appreciate that?
People may read KJV but not believe every word. Leave it alone. What God wants to speak to us is in the KJV Bible. If our lover has been gone for many years, every minute detail in the love letter he has left is important.
Pastors these days may only cover the fundamentals/basics about the doctrine of salvation. But it is important to also go deeper into the word of God. There are many doctrines apart from salvation. “It’s not a big deal about pre-tribulation rapture, blue-blooded aliens, etc.?” A lot of people do not have a love for God’s word. One day, a false teacher will teach something outside of the basic doctrines, and since the members are starving, he/she will manage to take your members away from the church.
Abide and practice the word of God
If you know about the eternal hellfire, would that not make you want to tell these souls how to be saved since eternal hell is so real? If you know about the pre-tribulation rapture, you will not be packing up food and preparing for the tribulation. You will be attending church faithfully, soul-winning because you know Jesus is coming for you. You will be dressing the best for the king of kings, Lord of lords. You will not be playing modern music at the church because it is sensual and appeals to the flesh. Cherishing and practicing the word of God is that which shows that you love Jesus, not your emotions and feelings. What good is faith or sincerity if you have it in the wrong thing?
The three ingredients in JOY
The first ingredient in the recipe of Joy is Jesus. Abiding and practicing the word of God.
The second ingredient of Joy is Others. The closest thing we can see to Jesus is the body of Christ in the believers and church. We are representatives of Jesus; so, dress and behave well.
Jesus can put up with us and live in us every day: “I know everything that is wrong about you, but I still want to love you.” So why can’t you love your brothers and sisters? Different ages, genders, classes, nationalities are present in the church, but we look at the body of Jesus Christ, and we love everyone in the Lord. Encourage the brothers and sisters who are volunteering and serving through serving them, praying for them, and encouraging them.
Pastors are not patient to work down at the level that their congregation is at (milk) and then work up to the deep doctrines (meat). We must patiently do both.
The third ingredient of Joy is Yourself. When we take care (spend time) of ourselves, we will love Jesus and others more. God gave you everything on earth to enjoy – you are meant also to enjoy and spend time for yourself – physical and mental health.
How do you know you’re not spending too much time on yourself?
If Y comes before J or O, then you know that something is wrong.
How much time are you spending on Jesus? Jesus should be #1.
How much time are you spending on others? Others should be #2.
How much time are you spending on yourself? You should be #3, last and the least.