Sin promises joy, but it never delivers. Why? Because true joy is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can be a lost person and be happy for a while. But what I’m talking about here is not happiness, because happiness depends upon what happens. Joy depends upon the Lord.
Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” If you live for happiness, you are a prisoner of circumstances, because if the circumstances change, then you are not happy anymore.
Jesus never changes. Happiness is a cosmetic; it is on the outside. Joy is character; it is on the inside. Happiness only meets your surface needs, but joy meets your deepest needs. Happiness is like a thermometer—it just registers conditions. Joy is the thermostat that controls the conditions.
Happiness evaporates in a crisis. Joy many times intensifies in a crisis. Happiness is wonderful, but let me tell you something, friend. Happiness is at its fullest when it is mingled with joy…when you know the joy of the Lord.
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