Title: True Joy in God
Isaiah (115) True joy in God (Isaiah 47:8-15)
< What it looks like when you leave God >
For the believer, justice is 'right relationship with God'. When discussing justice, ‘God’ must not be omitted. Without God, there is no justice. Human justice is relative. The definition advocated by the ruling party is completely different from the definition advocated by the opposition party. That is the reality of human justice. On the other hand, God is the standard of absolute justice and the source of justice.
When we read the Bible, we encounter God's commands that are not well understood. Nevertheless, obey God's will. Since the highest definition in Christianity is ‘the will of God’, when making a decision, rather than seeking an answer to the question, “What is righteous?”, “What does God want?” Ask the question, “What is it that pleases God?” and set off. If you leave God, you become a miserable existence without justice, without happiness, and without joy.
The text well describes Babylon's fall from God and falling into pride. If we turn away from God, we fall into luxury and pride (verse 8). God does not ignore Babylon's arrogant accusations, but eventually takes away her children and makes them widows (verse 9). Also, if we depart from God, disasters and ruins that cannot be understood well and cannot be measured suddenly come (verse 11). There is no benefit in using various spells and witchcraft to try to get out of the plague, and they try to get out of the disaster through astrologers or false prophets, but that doesn't work either (verses 12-15).
The only way out of disaster is to turn to God. Stop relying on your own wisdom, understanding, and tricks. All problems in the world eventually stem from their own problems. Therefore, the most urgent task is to break up in God and die. In the world, when I break and die, everything comes to an end, but in God, when I break and die, the power of resurrection appears and the grace of heaven unfolds.
< True Joy in God >
Don't be too discouraged by your own faults and faults. God's love and grace far outweigh his faults. Think of God's grace and love and always please God. That should be the purpose of life. The purpose of man is to please God. If you lose that purpose, the fountain of joy will not come out of any land.
Various civilizations and means are being developed to please the people of the fortress. Yet there is no true joy. Even TV shows can make you laugh and have fun, but they don't give you true joy. When you please God, that is joy. A person departs from God and cannot find true joy outside of God.
The true happiness of human beings lies in meeting and socializing. Meetings with people often leave only scars, but such encounters also make people happy. How much more joy does meeting and fellowship with God bring? In the end, living closer to the Word and closer to God is grace. It's okay if you don't own a lot. What you need is provided by God in a timely manner. It's okay if you don't have good health. If you get along with God, you can live a happy and happy life even in the midst of your shortcomings.
There is an elder who established 12 pioneering churches in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The elder did not have any legs, but he lived a life of joy more than anyone while having a deep relationship with God. One day, the elder crossed the rope made by the children with one foot, and fell off the rope and rolled over. Then the elder soon got up and sat down and prayed. “Heavenly Father! Thank you so much. I don’t know who knocked me down today, but let them all believe in Jesus and become elders!” The children cried when they saw the scene, and it is said that in the end they all became elders.
It's not happy to have two feet and healthy, and it's not happy to be wealthy. True joy comes from fellowship with God. Man finds true joy when he pleases God. The essence of Christianity is joy. Jesus wants to give us joy. Joy is a gift from heaven given when we are caught up in God's dream and live according to God's will.