Where's my joy at?

Listening to: John Piper – Jesus Christ and the Rescue of Joy Part 1

Deu 28:47
(47) Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;


Isa 55:1-3
(1) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
(2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
(3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Joh 6:35
(35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Piper: The Nature of Saving Faith – is a coming to Jesus Christ to have your soul-hunger satisfied.

Piper: We were created to worship, and therefore we will worship something – pleasure, money, people – there are many options. But only the One who created the hearts with a void shaped just for Him will satisfy and fill eternally. Come to Him – believe in Him – and He will be most glorified when you are satisfied in Him.



Jer 2:13
(13) For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

(this morning – Lutzer was teaching on Laodicea. Not only were they lukewarm – worst of all, they THOUGHT THEY WERE ON FIRE FOR GOD. No repentance)

Piper: we are offered an all-satisfying fountain of life in Jesus Christ – and we are presented with it, sniff it, and we turn from it and say “Nope”. Then we turn to the dirt and scratch and dig and scratch and dig – I need water – I need water… hewing out our own cisterns which cannot hold water.

Lord Jesus... I fail seek You as my only source of joy, and I end up feeling frustrated and empty. In those times I fail to magnify and glorify You... help me stop seeking and expecting my joy to come from the world, and help me glorify God in whatever I do - and say like Paul said - to live is Christ, and to die is gain.