Daily writing prompt

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Find joy in low places! Luke 19:6 tells us that Zacchaeus came down from his tree and gladly welcomed Jesus. Perhaps we should do likewise.

If you want to be strong in the Lord, humble yourself, (James 4:10) come down from your high places, and gladly welcome the living Jesus into your heart, your home, and your life. Open up your heart to surrender to and to overflow with God’s joy.

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) God wants to flood you with His indescribable and glorious joy. (1 Peter 1:8) Jesus says that He wants His joy to be in you and for your joy to be full. (John 15:11) Do you want Christ’s joyfulness?

The Bible says that the kingdom of God is not about religious rules or rituals. It’s about right living, inner peace, and Holy Spirit produced joy. (Romans 14:17) If you aren’t experiencing ongoing joy, you are quenching the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Begin to allow God the Holy Spirit to continually produce the fruit of His joy (Galatians 5:22-23) within and through you. Then you will “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)) You’ll discover that a cheerful heart is good medicine. (Proverbs 17:22)

Be glad and rejoice in the Lord. (Psalm 9:2) Let His written words be the joy of your heart. (Psalm 119:111-112) Even when you are persecuted for your faith, rejoice and be glad! (Matthew 5:12) Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. (Luke 6:23)

God keeps me glad by what He has done and is doing within and around me. (Psalm 92:4) Day by day gladness and everlasting joy overtake me and sorrow and sighing flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)

Go beyond routine religion to pure joy. Sermons are too often attempts to explain the unexplainable (Philippians 4:7) and to describe the indescribably glorious, (1 Peter 1:8) but the Bible teaches that the “enticing words of men’s wisdom” (1 Corinthians 2:4) are not fully able to communicate the reality of risen Jesus. (1 Corinthians 4:20)

People need to see actual demonstrations of Christ’s presence, of His power, and of the fruit of His Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) like Zacchaeus did. People need to continually experience the reality of divine revelation imparted directly to their heart, (Matthew 16:17) not just hear a mentally prepared classroom-style lesson once a week. (2 Corinthians 4:6) People need Christ’s words to burn like fire within them, (Luke 24:32) not merely to be explained to their mind.