John 16:22-33 ~ no one will take your joy from you †

 

John 16:22-33

 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 

23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

25 "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 

28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father." 

29 His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God." 

31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. 

Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. 

In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

March is my birthday season. I'm sure my favorite new leaf green color comes from how much I adore my Birthday.  My great-grandmother loved to grow plants and flowers, generations were raised knowing all the trees and flower names. I loved our Elm tree, being a very dark bark with bright green leaves.

As an only child, of only child parents, being the first grandchild, waited upon for more than 5 years of grandparent and parent hopes:  my grandmothers and mother would make elaborate, homemade Easter Egg Birthday Invitations. My Birthday Party would be a miniature dining tables and miniature chairs, set up to look like a Hallmark Paper Easter Dinner Table.

The Entertainment was... Easter Egg Hunting. And the Mothers would stay to watch, to call encouragement or settle a scuttle. 

Birthdays were tremendous for me.

However, all this joy has NOT carried over to all Birthdays.  Time and situation changed Birthdays for all of us. And child birthdays of perfection can be a very tough act to follow.

Adult birthdays are more reasonable, with direct communication and tempering the expectation with the birthday-ness of those around you. Advance notification and advance warning if applicable and heeded. Some women I've done Bible Study with, put up an invitation for their family to consider planning and consideration invitation on - the - refrigerator.

This year, 

Kind and thoughtful people have been so kind, and the joy of Birthdays is here again. For those of you, who made this Birthday season lovely, God bless you. Joy is Joyful.

Is God really thinking about our happiness? Are we heathens to wonder this... again? Or include this in Lent?

The Scriptures express ideas about anger at least 800 times in various forms. Pretty formidable. Honest. 

God has emotions and plans we don't fathom or see. So, again, how heathen are we to wonder during the weird Pandemic recovery life about Happiness.

Let's ask... Moses! And throw in David too... Psalm 90 begins with a fairly dramatically observation of life in upheaval, like the Exodus, and continues.

Psalm 90

So teach us to number our days

    that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord! How long?

    Have pity on your servants!

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

    and for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 Let your work be shown to your servants,

    and your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

    and establish the work of our hands upon us;

    yes, establish the work of our hands!

Happiness is truly being considered when the children are included in ideas of happiness. Generational happiness exceeding self. 

In this generation, we should consider the Holiday Classic Movie from 1987, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."  This generation may not know Robert Mitchum, Clark Gable or Ricky Nelson, but you'd be hard-pressed not to know this Holiday Classic Movie.  And in this movie, you are not going to find The Spanish Inquisition. Because you don't want to Holiday Travel with the tortuously minded.  And is God really going to want you or the grumpy or idiotic in His Heavenly Kingdom. If you are always unhappy, complaining - are you invited?  Hitler isn't part of this movie. 

If we are careful where we want to sit to travel, are we going to see ourselves in God's Invitation of Salvation? Life has a Purpose. Life has a Purpose. Life has a Purpose. 

We didn't hurl through eons of space in the cold, airless vastness of the Universe and plan to land on the blue and then green, planet earth, with earth, sunlight and oxygen. 

We didn't plan to miss the Renaissance. Or miss the deathly Spanish Flu and the insane, incredible cruelty of World War I.  

We don't create babies from apple seeds or clouds or even soil. Instead, we create life with the physical tools God gives us.  Without a doubt, undoubtably, we are subject to the Plan of God. 

We have yet to meet people who have decided they only live the Renaissance era or World War I by choice and self-determination. No one is wearing wooden dentures. Maybe we should... force wooden teeth ... this dentistry,  on children, so they understand .... modern dentistry?

Does God want us to be "Happy"

Are you the Prodigal Son or are you the Older Brother. Will you be called to be the Prodigal Father?

If we consider the Prodigal Son, we have an answer. 

Luke 15:11-32

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 

14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. 

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 

28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 

31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 

32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

The Father wants the prodigal son to be happy. Enough to give him time to depart and mature.The Father wants the older son to be happy.

We don't know if the Father is angry or upset, stewing during the ruinous years. Forgiveness is time taken. With an opportunity to act upon mercy. The Father wants the older brother to be happy. Life is arranged to bring about Eternal Happiness.  And time is given to allow the growth of maturity.

God tells us farmers, who labor, should allow the oxen the liberty to eat and participate in the Harvest. A Good man cares for His farm animals.

Jesus was separated from His Brothers, but still traveled to see them in Luke Chapter 2.

Does God want us to be Happy? Love John 14, John 15, John 16 and Jesus prays for us yesterday, today and tomorrow. John 17.

John 16:22-33

 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 

23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

25 "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 

28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father." 

29 His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God." 

31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. 

Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. 

In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Abba, Father,

You have given us
Jesus
and 
He is Living Water.

Let the balm of Jesus Christ
enter into our difficulties.

Love with Sincerity.

Creating a path of peace.
Dwell in us each day,
Live in those we Love,
Surround us, we pray, to be filled
with Hope and Love
Please help us to seek You first.
And we will finish well in Jesus Christ.

Give us Your Will

and we will see
more of Heaven on earth
this day.

We ask for help in healing
in our Nation
and in Your Good Creation.
Bless You as our Living Bread.

The Blessing of Jesus
surrounds us,
open our gratitude
and expectation
we ask
in Jesus.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless The Lord Jesus

Yes Jesus Bless Asbury

† †