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THIEF
DE
JOY
Jorge Linhares
First Edition - 2004 Transcription, proofreading and stylization: Rita Leite Pub
lisher Gethsemane Ltda. Cardoso Rua Leopoldina, 326 Bairro Dona Clara 31260-240
Belo Horizonte, MG Contact by fax: (0xx31) 3491 -2266
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semane Baptist Church Street Cassiano Campolina Miss Clara 360 31260-210 Belo Ho
rizonte, MG (0xx31) 3491-7676 Cover: Salvador Santana
CONTENTS Introduction 1. The Joy of the Lord 2. The Sadness of Envy 3. Parents s
addening 4. 0 Waste 5. Joy To Give and Sell Conclusion
"And God said: Go, eat the fat, take sweet drinks and send portions to those who
have nothing prepared for you, because this day is holy to our Lord, so do not
be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. " (Nehemiah 8:10.) "All th
e days of the afflicted are bad, but the joy of the heart is continual feast." (
Proverbs 15:15.) "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Rejoice." (Philipp
ians 4.4).
INTRODUCTION
"A man had two sons, the younger of them said to his father:" Father, give me th
e portion of goods that fit me. And he will split the belongings. "Not many days
, the younger son gathered all his belongings, left for a distant country and th
ere wasted all his substance with riotous living." (Luke 15.11-13.) This is one
of the best known parables of the Bible. I have also heard many sermons on this
text. Jesus talked about a boy who left his father's house and was trying things
from the outside world. Went to live without limits. Did not care about any rul
es. Did what he enjoyed at the time. With that, he spent all the money his fathe
r had given him. Had to work under precarious conditions. When he realized his r
eal condition, was caring for feeding pigs and worse than those animals. Sorry,
decided to return home. The father was waiting with open arms. His joy at seeing
his son back safe and sound, was overflowing. I was so happy that he wanted to
share his joy with everyone. He decided to celebrate. Initiated a huge party. We
ll, almost everyone knows the story. And here I want to talk about the other son
- the eldest. Consider the continuation of the parable. "Now the older son was
in the field, and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and danc
ing." He called a servant and asked him what it was. "And he said: Thy brother i
s come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because recovered in good he
alth." He was angry and would not go, leaving, however, the father, sought to re
concile it. "But he answered his father so many years to serve you without ever
violating an order yours, and never gave me a kid even to rejoice with my friend
s:" Come, however, that your son, who wasted your living with harlots, thou hast
killed for him the fatted calf. "Then the father replied: Son, thou art ever wi
th me, all that is mine is yours." However, we needed to be glad and
alegrássemos, for this thy brother was dead and is alive, he was lost and found
. "(Luke 15.25-32.) Normally we stop only at the procedure of the youngest child
. However, the attitude of the elder is also negative. The first squandered the
goods away from home. The other time was wasted by the father. I never enjoyed t
he wealth that was all the time at his disposal. When you think helped his fathe
r, saving on non-party was wasting was the joy that was always at your fingertip
s. This child only bitterness accumulated during life. Then everything turned ou
t the father, at the time experiencing this joy with the return of another child
. One day it was to be only joy and celebration was marred by the attitude that
boy. As this thief of joy, we found a handful of others who can steal from us th
e joy of the Lord. You should not be a thief of joy. God wants you to be a sower
is joy.
Rejoice in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous, all ye that are upright in heart
(Psalm 32.11)
1 JOY
OF
LORD
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?" Tell me, if thou has
t understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who str
etched the line upon it? "On what were its bases or who laid its cornerstone," w
hen the morning stars together, sang and shouted all the sons of God "(Job 38.4-
7). Happiness is something God invented. The Bible shows that even before the ea
rth exists, the joy was already present. It was with joy that the angels sang an
d expressed their love for God.€GOD IS A GOD GAY! God is a God of joy. The Lord
is happy. Some think that God is a sad, moody, a real killjoy. The Bible, howev
er, shows that this is another big lie of Satan. The Lord has created joy, and i
t is for us, "But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create: for, behold, I c
reate Jerusalem a rejoicing, and his people, rejoicing." And I will rejoice over
Jerusalem and Will delight in my people, and never hear her voice or cry or to
cry. "(Isaiah 65.18,19.) It was God himself who said:" I create joy and delight!
"One of the feasts of Israel was to feature seven days of dances, rest, food an
d drinks! It was the Feast of Tabernacles. It was a commandment with joy, as the
Bible itself: "Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou and thy son and thy daught
er, and your servant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, the orp
han and the widow who are within thy gates. "Seven days a solemn feast unto the
LORD thy God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the Lord your God, is
abençoarte in all your harvest and in all the works of thy hands, so to
all rejoice. "(Deuteronomy 16.14,15). The Jewish people were a happy people. Tha
t was God's will for them. The Lord's blessing was upon them. People are blessed
people happy. And we Christians, we have to live with joy, for we are blessed b
y the Lord. Our worship must be gay: "We will celebrate with joy your victory in
the name of our God hoisted banners, indulging the Lord for all your votes." (P
salm 05.20). In Numbers, the Lord tells Moses to make playing trumpets to summon
the people: "In like manner, on the day of your gladness, and in your solemn da
ys, and in the beginnings of your months, blow your trumpets over your burnt off
erings and over your offerings, and they shall be for a memorial before your God
. I am the Lord your God. "(Numbers 10:10). When the people returned from Babylo
nian captivity, Nehemiah records the following:" Nehemiah, who was the governor,
and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught all the people said
to him: This day is holy to the Lord your God and do not mourn, nor weep. For a
ll the people wept when they heard the words of the law "And God said: Go, eat t
he fat, take sweet drinks and send portions to those who have nothing prepared f
or you, because this day is holy to our Lord, so not grieve, for the joy of the
Lord is your strength. "The Levites stilled all the people, saying, Be silent, b
ecause this day is holy, and be not grieved. "Then all the people went to eat, d
rink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they had understood the word
s that were explained to them ..." They found written in the law which the Lord
commanded by Moses that the children of Israel dwell in booths during the feast
of the seventh month ... "Went, the people, brought the branches and made themse
lves booths, each on its terrace, and in their courts, and courts of the house o
f God, and the square of the water gate, and the square of the Port Ephraim.
"All the congregation of those who had returned from captivity made booths and d
welt in them, because they never did so the children of Israel from the days of
Joshua son of Nun to that day, and there was very great joy." (Nehemiah 8.9-17.)
Later, when the walls were rebuilt and dedicated to the Lord, all the Levites w
ere called: "The dedication of the walls of Jerusalem they sought the Levites fr
om all their places, to make them come in order to who made the dedication with
gladness, praise, singing, cymbals, and harps ... "On the same day they offered
great sacrifices and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy, als
o women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar
off. "(Nehemiah 12:43). And when the people, for the first time after the captiv
ity, celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread, was also with joy:" They celebrat
ed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with rejoicing, because the Lord
had made them joyful, changing the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to str
engthen their hands in the work of the House of God, the God of Israel. "(Ezra 6
:22)." God rejoice . This expression is wonderful. It shows that God is the auth
or of joy. It is he who makes us happy. Several biblical authors speak rather of
the joy of the Lord: DAVID "More joy you put me in the heart of what their joy
when they there is plenty of corn and wine. "(Psalm 4.7)." You will show me the
path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand are pleasure
s forevermore. "(Psalm 16:11)." convert my mourning into mirth ; you took my sac
kcloth and girded me with joy. "(Psalm 30.11.)" But I€sing of thy power; mornin
g praise with joy thy mercy: for thou hast been a refuge and protection on the d
ay of my distress. "(Psalm 59.16)." Indeed, the Lord has done great things for u
s, so we are glad. "(Psalm 126.3). ISAIAH
"We also will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer: t
heir burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar, because
my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples." (Isaiah 56.7.) "Sha
ll have a song you like the night we celebrate the holy feast, and joy of heart,
as when one goes out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lor
d, the Rock of Israel." (Isaiah 30.29.) JOEL "Fear not, O land, rejoice and be g
lad, because the Lord has done great things." (Joel 2:21). "Rejoice, sons of Zio
n, rejoice in the Lord your God, because he will give you rain in just measure,
will fall, as then, the former rain and latter rain". (Joel 2:23). The Lord rejo
ices For Us "... As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so you will rejoice
thy God." (Isaiah 62.5.) Jeremiah speaks of a God who feels joy for us: "I will
rejoice because of them and make them good, I will plant them firmly on this ear
th, with all my heart and all my soul . (Jeremiah 32.41). "Thus saith the Lord:
In this place, that ye say, that is desolate without man or beast, in the cities
of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man, without i
nhabitant and without beast, even will hear the voice of joy and gladness, the v
oice of the bridegroom and the bride, and the voice of those who sing: "Give tha
nks to the Lord of hosts, he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever ..." (Jere
miah 33.10,11.) The joy of God comes not of natural things in life. Is not cause
d by good physical and mental disposition. It is a joy that comes from the Lord
Himself. Comes from a God who is contagious and from whom the prophet says: "The
Lord your God is with thee, mighty to salvarte, he will rejoice over thee with
joy; will renew you in his love, rejoice will be over thee with joy. (Zephaniah
3:17).
The Lord delights in us vibrates with joy and jubilation! Glad, therefore, the h
eart of God. In the New Testament The beginning of the New Testament is gay. The
birth of Jesus would be a joy for everyone - not only joy but great joy: "An an
gel of the Lord came down to where they were, and the glory of the Lord shone ar
ound them, and were struck with great fear." The angel However, they said: Fear
not, for behold I bring you boanova of great joy, which shall be to all people:
"And today I was born in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (
Luke 2.9-11). And Jesus says that heaven is a place of joy, gladness and joy: "I
 tell you, so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than
over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need repentance. "(Luke 15.7.) The
book of Acts account of the early church. It is a story of suffering, persecuti
on and death for Christ's sake. But it is also full of joy: "So Paul and Barnaba
s speaking boldly, said, He fulfilled that unto you, first, to be preached the w
ord of God, but since you reject it yourselves and judge yourselves unworthy of
life everlasting, behold, we turn to the Gentiles ... "the Gentiles heard this,
they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and believed all that had been
destined for eternal life. And spread the word of the Lord in all that region.
"But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the main city and ra
ised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from its territory
..." The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. "(Acts 13.46-52.)
Sent therefore, and to some extent by the assembly, passed through the provinces
of Phoenicia and Samaria, telling the conversion of the Gentiles, caused great
joy to all the brothers. "(Acts 15.3.)
The apostle Paul, despite all the persecutions and sufferings by which it passed
, he wrote to the Philippians: "So you also, for the same reason, rejoice and co
ngratulai unto me." (Philippians 2:18). "Finally, brothers mine, rejoice in the
Lord ... " (Philippians 3.1). "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Rejoi
ce." (Philippians 4.4). Why does the Bible show so much joy? Because God is a Go
d happy, and it is his will that all of us to be full of joy. Joy is a gift from
God. Indeed, it is the Lord. It should be our joy, a joy that gives us strength
to live. "Then I will go to the altar of God, God who is my great joy, the harp
I will praise thee, O God, my God." (Psalm 43.4.)
Ugly face does not make friends! But one thing it produces: wrinkles!
2 A SADNESS
DA
ENVY
"Cohabit the man knew Eve his wife. This conceived and bore Cain ..." Then she g
ave birth to Abel his brother. "Abel was a shepherd, and Cain, a farmer. "It hap
pened that at the end of a time Cain brought the fruit of the ground an offering
unto the Lord." Abel, in turn, brought the first fruits of his flock and of the
ir fat. It pleased the Lord to Abel and his offering, while Cain and his offerin
g was not pleased. Was angry because, overwhelmingly, Cain, and sagged his count
enance. "Then the Lord said: Why are you angry, and why did your face fall? ..."
Cain said to Abel his brother: Let the field. When they were in the field, it c
ame to pass that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. "(Genesis
4.1-8). Envy. Ladra joy. The Bible says that Cain was wroth and his countenance
sagged." The Envy robs the joy, harmony, and peace. That's what happened with t
he brother of the prodigal son: "Now the elder son is in the field: and as he ca
me and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. "He called a servant
and asked him what it was." And he said: Thy brother is come, and thy father hat
h killed the fatted calf, because recovered in good health. "He was angry and wo
uld not go; ... leaving, however, the father, sought to reconcile it. "But he an
swered his father so many years to serve you without ever violating an order you
rs, and never gave me a kid even to rejoice with my friends:" Come, however, tha
t your son, who wasted your living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fa
tted calf ... "(Luke 15.25-32.) When the younger son returned, the father ran to
meet him, embraced him, kissed him and took him home. he put new clothes on him
, put a ring on his finger and had to kill the fatted calf, a calf again, the mo
re special.
He called the musicians, who played guitar and did a big party. It was one of th
ose festivals sudden, what we do when someone who was away back home. And everyo
ne rejoiced and danced, celebrating the return of that child who was lost and re
turned home. Imagine their joy! Who has lost a loved one, can imagine the joy th
at father and his friends were feeling. The eldest son was in the field, working
. In the afternoon he returns, he hears the noise of the party, the sound. He ca
lls the waiter: "What is happening here at home? What's that sound festive?" The
employee says, "Your brother has returned. His brother, who was lost, he return
ed home, and his father is very happy about it. He killed the fatted calf, gave
a barbecue. And a holiday here on the farm." The older brother became angry. He
was sulking. He was upset. And stayed outside. Did not enter. He went inside and
told his father: "His eldest son arrived. But there is a problem because he did
not want to go." The father had to leave the party. He went outside and said to
the eldest son: "My son, let's go. It's okay. Let's go." And the son, then "ope
n the tap and pours," Look, that his son spent with prostitutes all the money yo
u gave to him. It is worth nothing. He went away without thinking of you. Now he
returns to home and you do a party for him. I'm always here working for you, ne
ver disobeyed him, never hurt, and you never gave me even a young goat to celebr
ate with my friends. To this your son, you give the fatted calf. " And the fathe
r says: "My son, you were always here with me, near me. Your brother was dead an
d is alive. He was lost and is found. Let's go, let us rejoice, let's jump for j
oy." That boy was jealous of his brother. He envied the love the father had for
him. He could see that he was loved anyway. And with that stole the joy of the f
ather. Envy is the cause of most of the acts that steal the joy and end with the
party. "Wrath is cruel, and anger, wrath, envy but who can resist?" (Proverbs 2
7.4.) There are people who are not satisfied with the joy of
others. They do not feel good when they see someone happy. We have the impressio
n that people who live near the evangelical churches want to see a regret, pain
and suffering, a memorial service every day. How uncomfortable praising God! How
uncomfortable the joy of believers! It's amazing how people do not like seeing
others happy. One day a sister said to me, "Pastor, I got ready, I made arrangem
ents, I was all beautiful. It was coming to church to meet women. I was very hap
py. I approached my husband and said, ' Honey, I'll come back wiser for you. I'm
going to meet women. I'll come back happier for you. " Ironically, the husband
replied, "You do not fool me, no. This is going to meet with the pastor." The wo
man was unarmed. It was an expression so ugly, so heavy,€it hurt her soul. She
went to the gate, tried to get the car to the garage, but could not even drive.
He entered the house, changed clothes and told her husband: "I will not leave."
Seeing that his wife deeply wounded, he said: "No, I was joking. Go ahead. But h
e had already stolen the joy from his wife. Even though she attended church, wou
ld never be the same. That perhaps envious of the husband happiness and joy that
his wife showed when he spoke of the things of God, the wonders that living in
the church. So said those things to hurt her, steal her joy of being in communio
n with the Lord and with fellow church . There are people who are like that. The
y do not like to see anyone happy. They do not like seeing anyone expressing the
ir dreams. They give just a way to kill the dream of the person. They give a way
to hurt, to hurt. At the time of rejoicing, the joy, celebration, pleasure, sat
isfaction, they go there and give a word, a ministry that takes away peace and h
appiness. They can not be happy, have no joy. So, try to steal the joy of others
. One time, our church gave a luncheon, the most beautiful thing in fellowship,
communion. The goal was to raise funds for the purchase of land. At the time I s
till was not the pastor of the church, but I heard the story. When ready to serv
e lunch, the person in charge of serving the chicken thigh in a dish placed on a
wing and a brother in another dish. the problem was armed. He got angry:
"In his thigh, wing for me?" He dropped his plate and said, "Never come back her
e, take one leg, other, wings." The brother who received his thigh still tried t
o calm him, offering him the thigh. But he no longer wanted. He stole the life o
f the party. Everyone was embarrassed. One moment it was just joy and brotherhoo
d was shattered by a thief of joy. There are those who do not dream, do not have
a target life. But if they see someone with dreams, with plans soon provide a w
ay to end it all. Downplay the dream of the person or else the critics, saying t
hey can not afford to achieve what he dreamed. Steal the joy, hurt, hurt. Satan
was the first thief of joy. Envied man in Eden and did everything to end with jo
y. If he could not have the joy of communion with the Lord, nobody else could ha
ve. Unfortunately, he did. He made Eve eat the forbidden fruit. So he took the p
eace. The pleasure of communion with God was stolen by the devil. "This is not t
he wisdom that descends from above, rather it is earthly, sensual, demonic." (Ja
mes 3:15).
The wise man is he who is not sad about things that do not, but rejoices with th
ose who have.
3 saddens PARENTS
Once, I went to visit a dear sister church here. Her dream was that the pastor t
o visit. She was always inviting me to go to her house. That showed that sister
would be happy too with a visit to my home. I was very moved by the affection of
her. Sometime later, a moment of great joy, great satisfaction, she has to invi
te me, "Pastor, I would be very happy if you could go to my house." I really wan
ted to go to her house, but I had no chance, because at that time my schedule wa
s always full. That day, however, I felt it was past time for me to give a joy t
o that sister. Actually, I also rejoice greatly, because it is good to know that
we are loved and that our presence is desired. So I marked the day of her visit
. At the appointed hour, I came to her house and was met with much attention. Sh
e prepared a cheese bread, and coffee. It was felt very happy - the pastor was a
t her house! Tremendous thing, right? When I was a pastor, I wondered how it wou
ld be good if the pastor went to my house. Should be a tremendous bargain. And s
he was joyous, happy. When we were at the height of conversation in the room, ea
ting a cheese bread, a coffee, that joy, her daughter arrived. The mother told h
er: "Daughter, looks at the pastor there. Greets the pastor. And the girl gave m
e a cold look and said," Hi, how are you? "I thought:" You thief of joy in the p
iece. "Hence the Rather, it passes through the room and go there for the room. I
t is evident when a person wants to spoil the happiness of others. Then about fi
ve minutes, she screamed, "Mom! Come here! Mother! "And the mother said," Pastor
, wait a little while I go there, OK? My daughter came home from service. "Then
the mother came and took about ten minutes. We hear a whisper, is not it! Even w
ithout meaning to, I felt she was
trying to calm her daughter. Shortly after, I heard the door slam. The mother ca
me and said: "It does not repair, a pastor, this port comes and hits it. This po
rt is anyway. I'll get some more cheese bread." She sought the cheese bread, put
the coffee.€He continued talking, "But pastor, as an agent was telling ..." Jo
y that sister was visible. As it was good to know that we were the cause of joy
to anyone! Shortly after, the girl comes into the room and angrily said: "The mo
ther, where's my shirt?" I've talked with you I do not want my sister using my s
hirt! " "Oh, daughter, wait, go with another. Use other clothes. That girl was a
" pit viper "same, full of poison." The mother, then you talk there, after seein
g these things the church there. I want my shirt. Now! Turn around. "Oh, I saw h
ow the joy is gone. How did that person has stolen the joy, I did not know he wa
s leaving, because when someone is fighting well, you are seen, but do not know
will not know if it is, do not know if either do not know if you try to break up
the fight, trying to calm down. So I kept quiet. I stood silent. We is not acti
on. And the mother, "Pastor, she is nervous, she is ... That girl is a bit nervo
us these days. Come, my child. "" No, I want the shirt! When she arrives, you'll
see. "And she opened and closed the bedroom door, hitting hard, complaining and
making threats. Confusion, an ugly thing. That woman had planned a night of joy
a night of partying. And her daughter not reassured until he stole the joy of t
hat night. At the end of the story, around half past nine, quarter to ten, I got
up to leave, and mother told me, "Pastor, you forgive me, the Lord forgive me f
or my daughter? "" I forgive you, sister. I'm used to these thieves of joy. "But
she followed me outside, crying. It was terrible. It was a night of partying, a
night of pleasure. That girl, however, stole joy, stole the mother's right to b
e happy. Who has brothers, should be very careful not to be a person who steals
the joy of your home. You must respect the visits. Must meet the conditions insi
de the house. That's what the brother of the prodigal son did. He took away the
joy of home. Many do. children are problematic. steal the happiness of others, h
ave pleasure and do not like the others
have pleasure. Are unpalatable, sullen, angry, upset. Nobody can move things in
them. We must learn to live well. We must understand that a life at home must be
well-lived, with joy, understanding and camaraderie. Parents can not steal the
joy of children, the spouse can not steal the joy of his wife, nor his wife, the
joy of her husband. The home was designed by God to be a place of joy, not disc
ussions, fights and arguments. "Better to dwell in the wilderness than with a co
ntentious and an angry woman." (Proverbs 21:19). "And, ye fathers, provoke not y
our children to anger ..." (Ephesians 6.4.)
"... They were glad, therefore, the disciples saw the Lord." (John 20:20).
4 WASTE
I once heard of a gentleman who was unhappy with his job, his family, with life
in general, and decided to get away. He entered a monastery where he made a vow
of silence. Was allowed to say only two words every five years. This is great! t
hought. I will have no stress, no one will bother me, and everything around me i
s silence. He remained there five years without saying a word. At this time, his
supervisor called him and said, "You are entitled to two words. I say something
?" Answering yes with a nod, said: "Bad food!" After more than five years, durin
g which not a single syllable uttered once more his superior called him and aske
d him if he wanted to say something. Again, anuindo with a nod, said: "Bed hard!
" This was followed by further five years and, like the previous times, his supe
rvisor called him and asked him if he wanted to say something. This time, he sai
d: "I quit!" His superior replied: "No surprise me one bit. Ever since you came
here the only thing he did was complain!" Waste: the man wasted his double life,
departed from the world and its because of dissatisfaction, and the monastery r
emained unsatisfied. And, despite not speaking, he showed his dissatisfaction to
ok the peace of others. The dictionary says prodigal is one who "spends in exces
s; sink, wasteful." Despite knowing only the youngest son as prodigal, who squan
dered the money he received from her father and had departed from the paternal p
resence, the same can be said of the elder. He was also a destroyer. Like his yo
unger brother did not know the blessings and enjoy the fellowship of the family
home. The youngest was dissatisfied with life and left home, the eldest, however
, was dissatisfied and did nothing.
Continued at home - dead, lost and frustrated. And as this young man, many are u
nhappy and frustrated. Live to murmur, to complain, the brood failures, injustic
es,€with the dark and gritty soul. They are thieves of joy. And unfortunately,
the church is full of them. How many times I had to comfort a brother wounded by
one of those thieves of joy! They hurt, they hurt, take away the joy. Examples
are numerous: Someone pass the entrance exam, and has been happily tell someone:
"Look, I passed the entrance exam! "He what?", The "thief" question. "In pedago
gy." "Ah! Anyone going into teaching. I read in the newspaper that was neither a
Wave." This is terrible! It kills the joy of the person. She was so happy, got
something that I dreamed for so long! Or a brother arrives happily at the church
, calling for their graduation. Then, a "thief" question: "You're building on wh
at?" "Right. I'll be a lawyer, to honor the Lord!" "Gee! In my service is 'well'
of selling free lawyer, working up the administrative assistant." Thief of joy!
It steals the joy of others. When I bought my Fiat 147, I was ecstatic. He was
whole damn, nice. I stopped in front of the church, satisfied by showing the bro
thers. Then someone came and said, "Pastor, you know what it means to Fiat?" "No
." "I was Fooled, It is now late." Thief of joy. But, thank God, he gave me many
joys cart. It was very helpful in building the church. I could write many more
pages about the "prodigal" means "thieves of happiness." Unfortunately, such is
not lacking. All have one characteristic in common: they lose the blessing of re
lationships with people. Wasting love, affection, peace of a good living. It was
what made the brother of the prodigal son: the same as his brother, despite bei
ng with the father, lived isolated, lonely, unhappy, sad. And did everything to
make others feel that way too.
5 JOY TO GIVE
E
SELL
I once read a story about a gentleman called "Papi", who had died at eighty-odd
years. Friends who attended the funeral came from several states. He was born in
Georgia, USA; had moved to Detroit. Except that his burial was not the typical
one of those occasions. Five minutes before the service, relatives and friends s
urrounded the casket and were actually hugging, smiling and even laughing out lo
ud. It seemed more a celebration of a festive day! After all, someone realized w
hat was happening and decided to explain. "You understand. Papi wish it were lik
e that. And if he could, as a guarantee would be standing here with us enjoying
themselves in earnest." And it was true. Papi loved life. He was always smiling.
And no one cared to deviate from their way to help someone. So when his friends
came to greet him last time, brought him the best gift possible joy. "Every day
of the afflicted are bad, but the joy of the heart is continual feast." (Prover
bs 15:15.) We must be sowers of joy. We must "spread" the joy of God around us.
For this we are called to speak of that wonderful love that gives us joy, draws
strength from weakness, feeds our dreams. We can not "make the game of Satan", s
tealing the joy of those who approach us. I have tried to act as a feeder of joy
. We make people happy, not leave them sad. On one occasion, a brother got all e
xcited and told me: "Pastor, I bought the car looks. It is not tidy?" The car wa
s old, but was saved. Instead of emphasizing the "old" car, I answered: "Yes, br
other, your car is well maintained. It will be a blessing in your life." He went
away happy. That is our mission: to encourage
people, make them happy. Unfortunately, the majority does not. The girl cuts hai
r, the person says, "Gee! It looks like a man!" One sister comes close to a smal
l group and says: "I am making arrangements. I lost weight a couple pounds!" The
n someone says: "It seems, you are even fatter." That is not what God wants us t
o. Let's emphasize the positive characteristics of people. Let us encourage thos
e who are near us. Let us be like Jesus, not as Satan. Let us do everything to m
ake our house a home party, joy, pleasure. If someone shows us something, and we
can not praise, remain silent. If someone says they received an increase of thi
rty real, not disparage, saying it won a day. Instead, show joy, cheer the perso
n to continue working well so it can be honored. Do not belittle the achievement
s of anyone. Do not take the joy of others. God calls us to be sowers of joy. Ou
r mission is the same as Jesus: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lo
rd has anointed me to preach good news to the broken, he sent me to heal the bro
kenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and put in freedom are bound;€"To p
roclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to c
omfort all who mourn" and put on those who mourn in Zion a crown instead of ashe
s, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise in the spirit
of heaviness; in order that they might be called trees of righteousness, planted
by the Lord for his glory. "(Isaiah 61:1-3.) This is God's will for us: to sow
joy. preach the Good news to the brokenhearted. comfort the crying. Put the oil
of gladness instead of mourning, praise instead of a spirit of despair. Let's st
art right now "to have joy to spare!
CONCLUSION
The joy for us who know the Lord Jesus, is not an option. Our God is a source of
joy and gladness. Throughout the Bible we find guidance to rejoice. The joy of
the Lord is our strength. If we are not appropriating this joy that is available
 to us, we will weaken. She is our "vitamin." We can not, no way, adopt the same
stance of the eldest son. This grieves the heart of the Father We should rejoic
e with our brothers. We must grasp the joy that the Lord gives us graciously. On
ly then, overflowing with joy, we can sow the joy in the hearts of those who suf
fer. You should not be a thief of joy. God wants you to be a sower of joys. "How
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of announcing the good news that peac
e is heard, announcing the good things, which makes listening to salvation, that
saith unto Zion, Thy God reign" (Isaiah 52.7).