The Word of God and the Joy of Man

'Rejoice in the Lord always...'

1. INTRODUCTION: COMMANDED TO JOY

It seems strange that we should be commanded to joy! Joy, we generally think, is something which comes unbidden and spontaneously. This may often be so, but it is not always the case. Human beings are often negative, and tend towards the difficult and mournful in life. Those who believe in God have to be commanded to faith-'Have faith in God!'- and likewise need to be commanded to see things as they truly are, and not as man so often misjudges them to be. This is not to say that there are not many reasons for sorrow, but joy should be the underlying state of all persons of faith.