Grosey's Messages

There was once a young boy who went to spend the week with his grandfather on the farm. While walking around he noticed the chickens, they were scratching and playing around. The little lad said, “They ain’t got it.” Next he saw a colt in the field playing and kicking up its heels to which he replied, “He ain’t got it.” After examining all of the animals on his grandfather’s farm and see that none of them had “it”, this boy finally found the old donkey in the barn. When he saw the donkey’s long, frowning face and the way that the donkey just stood there, he screamed for his grandfather to come quick. “I found it! I found it!” the boy kept yelling. When his grandfather asked what he had found he said, “Pawpaw, I found an animal that has the same kind of religion that you have.”

WE SHOULD BE IN JOY, AND WE SHOULD ENJOY JOY ALL OF THE TIME. THE WORDS JOY AND JOYFUL ARE USED 250 TIMES IN THE BIBLE. THE WORD REJOICE IS USED 200 TIMES IN THE BIBLE. SO OVER 450 TIMES WE ARE TOLD TO BE JOYFUL AND REJOICE.

WE SHOULD SO REJOICE THAT WE CAN REJOICE OVER OUR REJOICING. IF YOU GET AROUND GOD AT ALL, YOU’RE GOING TO BE FULL OF JOY, BECAUSE "IN HIS PRESENCE IS FULLNESS OF JOY." THE PSALMIST SAID: "BUT LET ALL THOSE REJOICE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN YOU; LET THEM EVER SHOUT FOR JOY, BECAUSE YOU DEFEND THEM; LET THOSE ALSO WHO LOVE YOUR NAME BE JOYFUL IN YOU." (PS. 5:11)

A JOYLESS CHRISTIAN IS A SLANDER AGAINST JESUS CHRIST. BILLY SUNDAY WISELY AND RIGHTLY SAID: "IF YOU HAVE NO JOY IN YOUR RELIGION, THERE IS A LEAK IN YOUR CHRISTIANITY."

DO YOU KNOW WHY JESUS SAID ALL THAT HE SAID, AND WHY JESUS TAUGHT ALL THAT HE TAUGHT? HE SAID IN JN.15:11, "THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT MY JOY MAY REMAIN IN YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL." YOU SEE, WHEN YOU GET JESUS YOU GET JOY, JOY INEXPRESSIBLE AND FULL OF GLORY.

The attitude we have in church and in our daily lives has an effect on how people perceive us as Christians. If all they see is a long frowning face religion that does nothing what will they think of Christianity? I don’t see Jesus as some long faced; foot sliding, shoulder drooping, and slow talking depressed man. Why would crowed be attracted to that? I see Jesus as an enthusiastic, dynamic man full of joy and charisma. If the crowed were attracted to Jesus while He was here on this earth, then doesn’t it make sense that they would be attracted to a church that lifted Him up today?

The great newspaper publisher of the early 20th century, William Randolph Hearst, was a great patron of ART works, he spent a great deal of time and money collecting great works of art. One day he found a description of an artwork that he felt he must own so he sent agents around the world looking for it. After months of searching for this one piece overseas they returned empty-handed, but they discovered some amazing information. The art work was actually near-by, it was found in a warehouse owned by William Randolph Hearst!!! HE ALREADY OWNED IT BUT HAD FAILED YEARS EARLIER TO UNCRATE IT. HE HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR A TREASURE HE ALREADY HAD BUT DIDN'T REALIZE HE HAD IT!

This is true of Christian JOY . we have it already in Christ; we just need to discover it and enjoy it! To find anything however, you must know what it is you're looking for. So, we are going to look at Christian joy ... something every saved person possesses in Christ!

I like the story about 3 prospectors who found a rich vein of gold in California during the gold rush days. They realized what a great discovery they had, & decided, "We’ve a really good thing going here as long as no one else finds out about it." So they each took a vow to keep it secret.

Then they headed for town to file their claims & get the equipment necessary to mine the gold. True to their vows, they didn’t say a word to anybody. They filed their claim, bought the equipment, & headed back to their mine. But when they did, a crowd of people followed them.

And the reason was because the expression on their faces had given them away. Their faces were aglow in anticipation of the wealth that soon would be theirs. People knew that they must have found something very special. So a crowd followed them out of town.

Let's play "what if..." What if tomorrow everything you have was taken away? What if the government imprisoned your family, confiscated your possessions, tortured you to the point of death and then put you in solitary confinement? Would you be happy? No! Could you have joy? Yes! In fact this sort of thing has happened to God's people from the beginning. It is happening in many places in the world today, places like China and the Arab nations.

In Philippians 4:4, Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" Note again the word "always." Whether circumstances are favorable or unfavorable, whether we are abounding or suffering need, whether we are outwardly happy or sad, the growing Christian can still "rejoice in the Lord." I read this as though Paul anticipates the Philippians question. He says, "Rejoice in the Lord always," and someone says, "Yes, except when..." and then Paul responds, "Again I will say rejoice!" In spite of the circumstances, we are to rejoice!

1. Peace Under Pressure

1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Here we have the root of the Christian's joy: peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian can come to God in prayer because we have access by faith into this grace. We're living in a pressure-packed age, where many are depressed, despondent, and suicidal. Is peace possible? Jesus said in John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. The peace of God has to be experienced to be experienced! The world cannot offer it. All of the world's distractions: TV, radio, books, movies, magazines, casinos, alcohol and drugs, cars, boats, sports events, and on and on, cannot give the peace that Christ gives. When you have the peace of God, then your joy has fertile ground in which to grow and increase.

THERE IS NO GREATER JOY THAN THE JOY OF BEING SAVED, KNOWING THAT YOU ARE SAVED, AND KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED. WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN SALVATION TO ENDURE, WE’VE BEEN GIVEN SALVATION TO ENJOY. ISAIAH SAID: "THEREFORE WITH JOY YOU WILL DRAW WATER FROM THE WELLS OF SALVATION." (ISA. 12:3)

THERE ARE TWO WORDS IN THE BIBLE THAT ARE FIRST COUSINS—JOY AND GRACE. THE GREEK WORD FOR JOY IS CHARA. THE GREEK WORD FOR GRACE IS CHARIS. BOTH WORDS COME FROM THE SAME ROOT. FOR THE GRACE OF GOD ALWAYS PRODUCES THE JOY OF GOD. GRACE IS THE ROOT OF SALVATION. JOY IS THE FRUIT OF SALVATION.

THE GREAT COMPOSER, HAYDN, WAS ONCE ASKED ON ONE OCCASION WHY HIS SACRED COMPOSITIONS HAD SUCH A GLAD RING TO THEM. HE SAID: "I CANNOT COMPOSE ANYTHING WITHOUT IT. FOR I TRANSLATE INTO MUSIC THE STATE OF MY VERY HEART. WHEN I THINK OF THE GRACE OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST, MY HEART IS SO FULL OF JOY THAT THE NOTES FAIRLY DANCE AND LEAP FROM MY PEN."

2.Purpose In Problems

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Anyone knows what it is to have problems. What do you do when you have problems? You can press for your rights and spit and stomp and swear. The wise Christian, however, can recognize that in this life there will be tribulations. Yet these tribulations can be turned to joy! The Bible says in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. From this verse in Romans chapter eight, as well as the earlier verses above in chapter five, we can conclude that as Christians we don't have to question God's love every time something unpleasant comes into our lives. Rather, we can recognize this as an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to increase our hope and faith, and we can have the quiet assurance that God is going to work it out for His good purposes. Christians can face problems with joy, because they know that through problems God is working in their lives. The unbeliever does not see the hand of God in the midst of problems. They simply resist God's work in their life, and there is no joy in that.

PAUL SAID IN II COR. 7:4, "I AM EXCEEDINGLY JOYFUL IN ALL OUR TRIBULATION." JAMES SAID, "MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS."

JOY CAN SWIM IN THE STORMY WAVES OF SUFFERING LONG AFTER HAPPINESS HAS DROWNED. YOU SEE, JOY CANNOT BE TAKEN FROM YOU BY WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU. BUT JOY CAN BE TAKEN FROM YOU BY HOW YOU RESPOND TO WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU.

DR. R. A. TORREY WAS ONE OF THE GREAT BIBLE TEACHERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. HE AND MRS.TORREY WENT THROUGH A TIME OF GREAT HEARTACHE WHEN THEIR TWELVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED. THE FUNERAL WAS HELD ON A GLOOMY MISERABLE RAINY DAY. THEY STOOD AROUND THE GRAVE AND WATCHED AS THE BODY OF THEIR PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL WAS LOWERED INTO THE GROUND. AS THEY TURNED AWAY, MRS. TORREY SAID: "I AM SO GLAD THAT ELIZABETH IS WITH THE LORD AND NOT IN THAT BOX."

BUT EVEN KNOWING THIS WAS TRUE, THEIR HEARTS WERE BROKEN. DR. TORREY SAID THAT THE NEXT DAY HE JUST WENT OUT WALKING BY HIMSELF. THE GRIEF WAS JUST SO OVERWHELMING. HE SAID, AS HE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET, HIS HEART BROKE APART ALL OVER AGAIN AS HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE LONELINESS OF THE YEARS AHEAD WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF HIS BEAUTIFUL PRECIOUS DAUGHTER; ABOUT THE HEARTBREAK OF AN EMPTY HOUSE, AND ALL OF THE OTHER PAINFUL MEMORIES HE HAD.

HE WAS SO BURDENED BY THIS THAT HE LOOKED UP INTO THE HEAVENS AND ASKED GOD TO HELP HIM. HE SAID: "JUST AT THAT MOMENT THIS FOUNTAIN, THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT I HAD IN MY HEART, BROKE FORTH WITH SUCH POWER AS I THINK I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE, AND IT WAS THE MOST JOYFUL MOMENT I HAD EVER KNOWN IN MY LIFE. OH HOW WONDERFUL IS THE JOY OF THE HOLY GHOST! IT IS AN UNSPEAKABLE GLORIOUS THING TO HAVE YOUR JOY, NOT IN THINGS ABOUT YOU, NOT EVEN IN YOUR MOST DEARLY LOVED FRIENDS, BUT TO HAVE WITHIN YOU A FOUNTAIN EVER SPRINGING UP, SPRINGING UP, SPRINGING UP, ALWAYS SPRINGING UP THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE DAYS IN EVERY YEAR SPRINGING UP UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE!"

-- Peter Marshall, Sr., "Who Can Take It?," When Handel wrote the "Hallelujah Chorus," his health and his fortunes had reached the lowest possible ebb. His right side had become paralyzed, and all his money was gone. He was heavily in debt and threatened with imprisonment. He was tempted to give up the fight. The odds seemed entirely too great. And it was then he composed his greatest work--Messiah. Could we not say of Handel that the Spirit entered into him and set him upon his feet.

3. Pardon from Penalty

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth [demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

I know God loves me; He demonstrated His love for me. He proved it. What are these three verses saying? Simply this: When all was lost for us (there was no hope, and when there is no hope there is no joy), Christ died for us. We didn't have to die ourselves. But consider this: For a good man some have given their lives (and only a precious few would do that), yet, while we were sinners not even seeking God, Christ died for us. Who else would do that? There are those who would want to reject the Pardon offered by God and pay the penalty for their sins themselves. Those persons, by their choice, reject the call of God and live self-seeking lives wrought with misery, unhappiness, disappointment, and uncertainty. Then they die and miss heaven, the greatest tragedy of them all. When you've been pardoned, there is reason for joy! When the prisoner is pardoned, there is joy, how much more when the high court of Heaven pronounces pardon upon us because the penalty for our sin against God has been paid!

4. Privilege That Is Personal

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. … reconciliation

ONE OF THE MOST JOYFUL CHRISTIANS, ACCORDING TO ALL ACCOUNTS, THAT HAS EVER LIVED, WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE SALVATION ARMY, WILLIAM BOOTH. SOMEONE ONCE SAID TO HIM: "DR. BOOTH, WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL US WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR GREAT JOY?" WILLIAM BOOTH SAID: "IT IS VERY SIMPLE. I NEVER SAY ‘NO’ TO THE LORD."

HAVE THE RIGHT MIND SET:

In the book of Philippians Paul reveals to us the four fold mind set that we need to have in order to Have Joy.

A. THE SINGLE MIND. James 1:8 tells us that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Many Christians are robbed of their joy because they are not sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many Christians are like thermometers. A thermometer registers the temperature, or it’s surrounding. The thermometer goes up or down depending on its surroundings. What we need are more Christians that are like thermostats. Thermostats change their surroundings. The thermostat’s job is to keep the temperature at a constant and consistent setting.

Christians that do not have a single-minded devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ are up and down. They are in and out. They are controlled by their problems, by people, by their possession and the pressure and worry of the world. Philippians 1: 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

B. THE SUBMISSIVE MIND Philippians 2: 3 Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Care about them as much as you care about yourselves 5 and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: The Contemporary English One of the reason that we have problems with people at times is because we can’t have our own way. The Christian with the submissive mind is not looking for someone to serve them. They are looking for someone to serve. Submissive minded Christians considers the good of others to be more important than their on desires.

C. THE SPIRITUAL MIND. The spiritual mind wants to know Christ and become more like Christ. Paul points out in chapter 3:19 that most people mind earthly things. I know that you have heard the saying about spiritual minded Christians. They are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. Well let me tell you about the earthly minded Christians. They are so earthly mind that they are no heavenly good. The bible instructs us to set our affections on things above and not below. Jesus said where your treasure is that’s where your heart will be. We need to be spiritual minded.

D. THE SECURE MIND. There are a few Christians who are insecure in their relationship with God. They live their lives in fear rather than enjoying the blessing of God. We need to learn to rest in the love of God for His children. We need to be secure in our relationship with God.