7/31/2019 Devotion Week of June 20 2012

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DevotionJoy can be a challenging value to live out for us stoic Minnesotans. Many of us grew up being taught that joy was an emotion to avoid.

We didnt want to get too full of ourselves or too emotional.

Joy is more than a strong expression of enthusiasm. It is this, and it is more than this. Joy starts because of our connection with God.We can experience exuberant joy, quiet joy, connective joy, and other types of joy

The Scriptures offer all sorts of teachings about joy. The word joy is used 211 times in the Bible. The following Scriptures are asmall sample of what the Scriptures teach about joy. Enjoy!!

Thursday, June 21Read Psalm 16Joy is a profoundly spiritual quality that takes place because of our connection to God. Joy is like happiness, but it goes beyondhappiness. Happiness often depends on our external situation. Were happy because were doing well with our family, work, health,or finances.

Joy is deeperlife can be going terrible and we can still experience joy. This happens because of our realization of what God has donefor us.

Take a moment to reflect deeply on verse 11. Read it over and over. If you have time, take time to memorize the verse. In Godpresence there is fullness of joy. Take a moment to reflect on how youve experienced Gods presence in the past 24 hours. Mostlikely joy accompanied this experience.

Today, as you pray, pray for a deepened sense of Gods presence. When this happens we will experience joy!

Friday, June 22

Read Exodus 15:1-21The Song of Mosesthe first 19 versesand the Song of Miriamthe final two versesare recognized as the oldest and one of themost important poems in the Old Testament. If youve ever wondered about the basics of the Old Testament, study these poems.

Both Moses and Miriam expressed a sense of release. The Israelites were released from death when God opened the Red Sea to them.

At Chain of Lakes when we explained the Core Value of Joyful Love, we started out with this idea of release. We said that we arereleased to love each other with joy

7/31/2019 Devotion Week of June 20 2012

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7/31/2019 Devotion Week of June 20 2012

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Read John 15:1-11This passage is part of Jesus High Priestly prayer. The prayer covers chapters 14-17 in John. Jesus closed these eleven verses bypraying that his joy may be made complete.

Jesus joy was made complete when his followers abided in God. God is the vine and we are the branches. The more we abide in God

the more Gods joy is complete in us. Rememberjoy is a profoundly spiritual quality. It starts with God.

Joy depends on how deeply we abide with God that is how deeply we allow God to be home in us. When we are connected spirituallyin a deep way into the vine, others will see and experience our joy. Today as you pray, pray that you will be known as a joyful person.Pray that our joy will take place because of our connection into the vine.

Tuesday, June 26

Read 2 Samuel 6:1-5Joy can be a once-in-a-lifetime event. An event like the birth of a baby, or meeting our spouse, our marriage, or getting the job wealways wanted.

David experienced this type of event in this story. He had been successful in taking the ark from the Philistines. He and his followersdanced before the Lord with all of their might.

When are some instances when you experienced this intensity of joy? As you pray today, give thanks for these times.