What right now is trying to “rob you” of your joy ?

I battle all the time with truly living “in joy”
sincere, inner joy….
a “genuine” joy that is complete in the LORD…

My thots ~ emotions are stirred by my surroundings.
~ What went wrong with Africa ?
~ What is next that is truly of the LORD ?
~ Why would God use someone like me ?
~ and all the ones around me……circumstances, etc.

Nehemiah 8:10
“……for the JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH”

We can bring that to our mind in a second.

Take it back a few :

Nehemiah 7:6
When Ezra first came to Jerusalem, the moral
and spiritual condition of the people was deplorable..

Ezra PRAYERFULLY taught them God’s Word

They began to RESPOND to and
to obey the laws of God.

Then later, Nehemiah asked them to trust God to
help him REBUILD the walls.

Then how it showed in their ~ character…
The more they learned
The more they obeyed
The more they wanted to KNOW GOD

THEY COULD NOT GET ENOUGH of Ezra’s teaching..
( is that how we sit under the teaching of God’s Word ?)

It touched them so deeply that it said they lifted their
hands towards Heaven….
I just told Tug, that today was a lift your hands for
an hour….Church ! You could not STOP receiving the
motivating Word of GOD….that stirred your spirit so
deeply ! You had to stand, You had to raise your hands…
YOU had to say amen…. The Word of GOD Stirs the most
inner parts of your being !

It said, “ they lifted their hands towards Heaven they
shouted, AMEN! AMEN ! * Ezra 8:6

They went from that, to falling to their knees and
bowing low as they worshipped The Lord….

The most gratifying thing :
They wanted to obey GOD, His Word…
What they heard touched their emotions
They had a contrite spirit of their sins / humility …..

NOW COMES vs. 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.”

It is the humbling of ourselves after the WORD OF GOD….
taught to us by those God has called.
It is the HUNGER of the Word of GOD to go deep into
our souls….clear down to where it stirs, convicts
and takes us to our knees…in all humility ….

When we get there ?
IS WHERE our JOY CAN NOT BE STOLEN…
When we get there ?
We are full, full in every part of our being…
When we get there….
IS WHEN WE ARE STRONG…..but it is our choice…

Do we hunger after Him ?
Do we want to let all inhibitions go…to let Him stir us ?
Do we let Him touch us to the point of OBEDIENCE ?
“do not grieve “ equals ~ a Holy Life after Him alone

Am I grieving GOD ? in my life, from my heart ?

that answer will be your “JOY GAUGE “

in the Name of JESUS, may I….. hunger
may I …. be stirred
may I…..obey His Word
“the JOY OF THE LORD…….is…….my strength.

The restoring of the walls was mortar and clay
The character of the ones who built it……
was more important to the Lord than what they did.