JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HOLINESS - by Russ Fochler

Last Saturday was full of God engaging with us - and our hearts engaging with God.  Thank you Todd, for leading us in worship - and pressing forward through the resistance, the sense of feeling “stuck” and into the joy and freedom of more of God’s presence.  And thank you to all those who shared: Jim Hedlund, Sheila, Esther, Todd, Susan, Karena, Diane, Joi, Solange, and Bill.  Here is a link to the service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLubULsBzoA

We’ve started a series about The Beatitudes.  Jesus preached these profound messages so we could wrestle with how God’s realm works.  Living from God’s realm is only possible when we live in communion with Jesus, Holy Spirit, and Abba who dwell in each of us.

We’ve considered “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3) This Saturday November 8th we’ll be hearing from Joel Pollard.  Then we’ll focus upon the next beatitude: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”.

I felt a longing this week to remember that engaging with God and living in God’s Kingdom is more than taking serious things seriously.  What about joy and laughter?

Joy, Laughter, and Holiness

Do joy and laughter go with holiness?   When we engage with the One who is holy - could joy and laughter be part of our experience with the Trinity?  Thankfully, yes!

Jesus said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And while we think of child-like trust, simplicity, and wonder - how do you imagine your heavenly Dad responds to you experiencing joy, laughter, and even innocent silliness in His presence?  Like rolling on the floor laughing because Abba and Jesus are so much fun!  Young Ezra is a vivid example to us.  Many of us have experienced joyful laughter because God touched us.  What a gift!

Then our mouth was filled with laughter

And our tongue with joyful shouting;

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them”  Psalm 126:2

A merry heart does good, like medicine    Proverbs 17:22a

You lead me in the path of life.
I experience absolute joy in your presence (experiencing the joy in God’s face);
you always give me sheer delight.  Psalm 16:11 NET

The Lord your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you.”   Zephaniah 3:17 NET

Intended and Empowered to Be Holy

14 As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. 15Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. 16For Scripture says: “You are to be holy, because I am holy”  (1 Peter 1:14-16 TPT).  (See Lev 11:45 and Lev 19:2)

Our Abba’s intention is for us to be holy like Him and like Jesus.  This means becoming like the Trinity  including shouting with joy, taking great delight, experiencing absolute joy in His presence, having a merry heart, etc.

Being holy means being free from idolatry, cruelty, manipulation, coercion, lying, etc.  It doesn’t mean always being serious and fearful of God’s judgment.  Indeed, as the Apostle John writes: “Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.”  1 John 4:18 TPT

Kingdom Life

God’s invitation/empowerment for us to live in and from God’s Kingdom is such good news!: “For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NET)  The word righteousness means virtually the same thing as holiness.  And each of these three components of God’s kingdom are built up by the other two.  Holy Spirit leads us and empowers us to live this way.  The Way of Jesus.

Enjoying Kingdom Life as His Family with you,

 - Russ Fochler

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