Tuesday, October 15, 2024:
Joy in the Gospels (morning)
Chris Coursey writes with Marcus Warner:
“As Christians, we believe God wired us for joy and that He desires to share joy with us.”
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 179.
They then quote John 15:11-12:
John 15:11-12
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Pondering Point
“These things” referenced by Jesus most likely connect to teachings of that evening, particularly abiding in Jesus. This is a good verse to connect with the next quote:
From the book Joyful Journey:
We cannot share all of ourselves or listen to everything God would share in one sitting. A vibrant relationship requires on-going interactions. Practically speaking, even in human relationships such as marriage, we have misunderstandings and must come back and ask clarifying questions. That is how relationships grow and work, even with God. God works with our ability to understand. Sometimes He allows us to have supernatural insight into situations, but often we become more attuned to God as we grow and mature.
~ Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow, Joyful Journey, page 20.
Pray aloud
Lord Jesus, cause Your joy to become full in our relationships with You and each other. May Your love for us and our love for each other “full-fill” Your desire and command of which You have spoken.
Five Minutes
Use your GO TO JOYS and ANTICIPATED JOYS to fill a 5-minute window. Remember: use an alarm. If necessary, review the explanation.
Read the identity in Christ
statement aloud
In Christ, the joy of Jesus reaches fullness in us as we learn to love one another like Jesus loves.
Closing Prayer
Close with thanks to God for these moments together.
Ask Him to bless the upcoming day, then…
GO – in JOY, with JOY anticipating JOY
Tuesday, October 15, 2024:
Sometime During Your Day
Level 3: Savoring joys of the past.
Pondering Point
As you continue revisiting joyful memories, look for God’s presence in them. Invite Him to share thoughts about joys you’re recalling. Here is a “thought” from Jesus using today’s verse.
Listening to Jesus...
I want you to hear Me speaking to you about My joy being in you, and having you be full of joy. It flows so well when you receive love from Me and love others as I have loved you.
Journal Prompt:
Joy memory about who always speaks kindly to you.
Key Words:
When you are done with your 5 minutes of joy, journal a sentence or two about what you are grateful for and then write down how Jesus might respond.
[there] is a universal angst most people experience as they look for a way to fill the longing in their hearts. Many of these people experience joy now and then but know there is still something missing. We have seen many people searching for an answer to this longing find what they are looking for in a relationship with Jesus. From this perspective, the worldview of Christianity is especially suited to help people live with joy and peace. It offers a solution to shame through the forgiveness of sins. It offers a solution to the fear of death through the promise of eternal life. It offers hope in times of despair and a God whose love cannot be measured.Top
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 155.
Joy in the Gospels (evening)
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
John 15:11-12
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:17-19
17 This is my command: Love each other.
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Pondering Point
In the middle of this lesson on love, Jesus gives us an insight into His joy – and its ability to fill up our joy. Pause on this reality before engaging the rhythm of your evening joy habit.
Pray aloud
Father God, thank You for the parts of my day where I experienced a fullness of joy and connection to some brothers and sisters in Christ.
Review
Scour the day for ANTICIPATED or SURPRISE JOYS. You are training your brain to look for joy. This builds the habit. Recall the body sensations and emotion.
This solidifies the habit. Remember: use an alarm
Read the identity in Jesus
statement aloud
In Jesus, We are the kind of people who celebrate mutual joy experiences as followers of Jesus.
Evening Prayer
Thank God for blessing the day, ask for peaceful rest, then GO to sleep – in grateful JOY, anticipating new JOY tomorrow under His grace.
“We who are Christians have a further cause for joy: like Jesus, we know that we are loved by God our Father. This love transforms our lives and fills us with joy. It makes us see that Jesus did not come to lay burdens upon us. He came to teach us what it means to be fully happy and fully human. Therefore, we discover joy when we discover truth–the truth about God our Father, the truth about Jesus our Savior, the truth about the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts.”
~ Pope John Paul II