Day 45
Psalm 16:11 AmplifiedVersion
"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of jay, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore."
Joy is full and complete in God's presence. So, we see how God has provided a way for us to experience, or lay hold of, or stir up the joy that is already ours. "Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace..." (Hebrews 4:16 amplified version) With a simple act of our will, we can go directly into God's presence - access the throne. The psalmist said we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Isaiah 61:3 tells us we can put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. There are things we can do, such as praise, thanksgiving and worship, to bring us into God's presence, where the fullness of joy is. However, as we grow closer to Him, we will find that we can instantly, and with great confidence, will to enter directly in His presence. Instead of coming in through praise and worship, we come in, and it causes us to praise and worship. There is no ritual to get in His presence - the veil has been torn from top to bottom, and we have immediate access by the blood of Jesus into the presence of the Almighty God. Joy is always a decision away. If there is no unconfessed sin in our lives, nothing stands in our way.
Until we reach that point in our understanding, we can praise and give thanks to help us get there. Meanwhile, the things that enable us to reach the point of understanding immediate access are the very things that cause us to experience the joy of the Lord. Praise, thanksgiving and worship help us increase our awareness of who God is. As we engage in these activities, our understanding of Him will increase, and our relationship with Him will be enriched.
Proverbs 15:23 tells us a man has joy by giving the right answer. When we answer every challenge with the right words - words that are in line with God's word - the result will be joy. Proverbs 21:15 tells us joy comes to the just when justice is done. When we decide to do what is right and fair, it brings joy to us who love what is right.
I praise and worship God.I give thanks to Him.I give the right answer to my challenges. I do what is fair and right. I maintain the joy of the Lord in my life.