OCCUPIED WITH GLADNESS OF HEART
BREAD
20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. 1 Kings 4:20 (NIV)
6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.” 1 Kings 10:6-9 (NIV)
3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Psalms 68:3 (NIV)
4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!” Psalms 70:4 (NIV)
13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful. Proverbs 15:13 (NIV)
12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil–this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV)
18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him–for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (NIV)
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.” Luke 10:17-21 (NIV)
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:9-10 (NIV)
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:9-11 (NIV)
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” John 17:13 (NIV)
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Jesus had great joy in pleasing His Father by living a fruitful life. The purpose of His teaching is to give man an abundant life, not a joyless existence. The commands for His disciples to obey are for their joy.” Bible Knowledge Commentary
“Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” Mother Teresa
“Let us in the same way show to the people of the world who think our religion to be slavery, that it is a delight and a joy; that it is no more a burden to us to pray than it is for the fish to swim; that it is no more bondage for us to serve God than for a bird to fly. True godliness is our natural element now that we have a new nature given us by the Spirit of God. On that matter be witnesses for God.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“Happiness is a feeling, but it’s also a decision. It’s a choice we get to make every day, even on our hardest days.” Jennifer Dukes Lee
“Happiness, as contentment, is a learned secret. It is the fixed certainty that we know God has our best interest at heart even in circumstances, as Paul states, that ‘are far beyond our ability to endure’. With Christ, grace is always sufficient to meet each need. There are no empty spaces left when God fills the soul. Not that grief isn’t experienced when we ‘pass through the Valley of Baca (tears)’ in this broken world, yet neither do establish residence and wallow there. ‘Set your hearts on things above’ and ‘Set your minds on things above’ and the gifts that God has given us on our earthly trek which are exceeding great. Let us not be murmurers as the Israelites in the desert rather joyful and thankful sojourners.” BHY
“Those who are ‘beloved of the Lord’ must be the most happy and joyful people to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“The single most important principal I ever discovered is this: the goal or purpose of the Christian is precisely the pursuit of happiness in God. The reason for this is that there is no greater way to glorify God than to find in Him the happiness that my soul so desperately craves.” Sam Storms
“Happiness is an outward expression of an inward joy that is found in Jesus.” Jennifer Dukes Lee
“You will find in Jesus the happiness you’ve always longed for.” Randy Alcorn
HEART SAVOR
• There is not only victory in Jesus but great joy and delight and happiness of heart.
• Joy is wooing. Disgruntled souls make poor witnesses.
• Jesus is the ultimate soul satisfier.
Beth Yoe's Sharing Bread 