[Biblemat] A) YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Monday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my recent files:

YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL

     God wants us to have joy.  He wants us to have full and
complete joy in Him, in His Son, and with one another (1 Jno.
1-4).  The apostle John wanted all believers to know that he
and other apostles knew what it was to physically be with 
Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

     The majority of Christians will never know what it was like
to be with Jesus in the flesh.  The importance of Jesus com-
ing in the physical body should not be overlooked.  Jesus
Christ's physical death and physical resurrection must be
accepted in the full assurance of faith to truly know the recon-
ciliation we have with the God of all creation (Col. 1:9-23).

     John's description of hearing, seeing, and touching the
Word of Life emphasizes the importance of Jesus coming in
the flesh.  This is so important that John writes: "By this you
know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that
does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.  And 
this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you 
have heard was coming, and is now already in the world" (1
Jno. 4:2,3).

     Jesus's physical death on the cross would bring sorrow
but after His resurrection the hearts of the disciples would
rejoice and no one would be ablt to take their joy from them
(Jno. 16:22).  God's love is demonstrated through the death
of His Son. Christ's death allows us to come into fellowship
with the Father (1 Jno. 4:7-11).

     Full joy in Christ is centered in fellowship with God the 
Father.  That fellowship is realized through the physical death
and resurrection of Jesus.  God loved His Son and His Son
loved His disciples.  We keep His commandments because we
love Him.  Our joy is made full and complete when we love Him, and love one 
another (Jno. 15:9-12).

     We have joy that is full because we know Jesus came in
the flesh, lived a pure and sinless life, died on the cross, and
arose from the grave on the third day.  Christ's death brought
us into fellowship with God and with one another.  The bless-
ings of love and fellowship, and the hope of the resurrection
gives us joy and peace beyond measure!  ------ Ron Drumm.   </HTML>
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