The apostle John reminded everyone how to fill up their JOY bucket to overflowing.
Check out his prescription for “complete joy.”
1 JOHN 1:1-4
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched— this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
4 We write this to make our joy complete. “Complete joy” pours out of “fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Fellowship with God is only possible through the blood of Christ. (1 John 1:7)
Before we are saved, we are at enmity with God (Colossians 1:21).
But Jesus reconciled us to God through His death on the cross (Romans 5:10).
When we repent of our sin and surrender to Christ, the result is that we are “called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)
But what is “fellowship”?
The Greek word translated “fellowship” in the New Testament is koinonia, meaning “partnership, sharing in common, or communion,” and at the heart of partnership is agreement & unity of purpose.
So here is the bottom line of this “fellowship” relationship.
True believers are called into a relationship of unity with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ where, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we aim each day at the purposes set by the Father and His Son.
When we do that, our JOY will be complete, full to overflowing.
So if your JOY bucket is low or even empty, you now have the remedy, straight from the Holy Spirit, who inspired John to write the words in 1 John 1:1-4.
May your JOY bucket be full before the sun sets today.
God bless.
Mike Sublett is a pastor at Hi-Land Christian Church, 1615 N. Banks St., Pampa, Texas 79065. Email him at pawdad@nts-online.net.
