Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 25
Monday


DEADLY SINS

READ:
John 16:17-24
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You now have sorrow;
but I will see you again
and your heart will
rejoice, and your joy no
one will take from you.
__John 16:22
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You may be familiar with the list of seven deadly sins that was formulated during the sixth century: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, vengeance, envy, and pride. But you may not know that the original list compiled during the fourth century also included the sin of sadness. Over the years, that emotion was omitted from the inventory.

Some people are blessed with a cheerful disposition. They always seem to be happy. They wear a perpetual smile almost as if they were advertising toothpaste. But then there are others who seem to be chronically sad. They continually complain about life and its burdens. And who can deny that afflictions are discouraging?

While we acknowledge that not everybody is blessed with a bright outlook on life, we need to remember that joy is one of the gifts Jesus promised to His followers. And we need to resist any tendency to let sadness dominate our emotional lives.

Jesus promised His disciples on the night Judas betrayed Him, "Your joy no one will take from you" (John 16:22). Remember that joy is the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Let's ask the Lord to help us look beyond our sorrowful circumstances and encourage our hearts by the vision of joy that awaits us (Heb. 12:2). __Vernon Grounds
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``````````````You alone, Lord Jesus, can true joy impart,```````````
`````````````For You know the sorrow of the human heart;``````````
````````````You came here from glory many hearts to win```````````
````````And in love for sinners suffered once for sin. __Anon`````````
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Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that's always in season.

************Today's Bible Reading __ John 16:17-24***************

17 Then some of His
disciples said among
themselves, "What is this
that he says to us, 'A little
while, and you will not see
Me; and again a little while,
and you will see Me'; and,
'because I go to the
Father'?" 18 They said
therefore, "What is this that
he says, 'A little while'? We
do not know what he is
saying."

19 Now Jesus knew that
they desired to ask Him, and
He said to them, "Are you
inquiring among yourselves
about what I said, 'A little
while, and you will not see
Me; and again a little while,
and you will see Me'?

20 Most assuredly, I say to
you that you will weep and
lament, but the world will
rejoice; and you will be
sorrowful, but your sorrow
will be turned into joy. 21 a
woman, when she is in labor,
has sorrow because her hour
has come; but as soon as she
has given birth to the child,
she no longer remembers the
anguish, for joy that a human
being has been born into the
world. 22 Therefore you now
have sorrow; but I will see
you again and your heart
will rejoice, and your joy no
one will take from you.

23 "And in that day you will
ask Me nothing. Most
assuredly, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father
in My name He will give
you. 24 Until now you have
asked nothing in My name.
Ask, and you will receive,
that your joy may be full."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Warren Wiersbe writes in his Bible Exposition Commentary about
verse 21: "God brings joy to our lives, not by substitution, but by
transformation...The same baby that caused the pain also caused
the joy. In birth, God does not substitute something else to relieve the
mother's pain. Instead, He uses what is there already but transforms
it." __SIM KAY TEE