WHAT IS THE JOY OF THE LORD?

Nehemiah 8:10 King James Version (KJV)

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

INTRODUCTION

Well mon peuple, it is that time of the month again, I tell you people can you believe it already June.  As I have always admonished anything that you are doing go ahead and do it. The Nike moniker says “Just Do it”.  Where should I begin to tell the story of what life has been (directly from the song). Sorry, I do not have any he, however, moving right along, last things first when I thought  the petits minded criminally challenged Canadians had sunk to the lowest level there they go and surprise me again. Between them and the genomic African mutants Bro. Anancy Nigerians they have gone into my things that I left in Canada and stolen my documents. If you have to resort to so much criminality to get your way there is something very wrong.  I would like to put Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on notice to rein in tyrannical and crooked Hazel McCallion. She is a loose cannon that they need to deal with. The Mississauga votes that they are trying to get might elude them and they lose the elections , people are not idiots. Anyway enough about those two bit crooks can’t waste time and ink on them.

What a month? Where did I leave you in May San Jose, Santa Clara  the last time? That Blog is not finished there are still some statistics to pull out of the statistics. I am being gravely hampered by the fact that I do not have a computer. Then i am further challenged  by the fact that people are giving me fifteen minutes on their computers, their computers are not working and shadowing me on the computer. Persons shadowing me on the computer the moment i write something they don’t like it is time to shut down the computer.  Then the Google twins, Facebook and WordPress all shut shut me down when they are ready. Bill Gates locked me out of my outlook. The land of the brave and the home of the free.

However, in spite of and despite the challenges I have managed to remain productive.  We have published two pages and the Blog. I now have June’s Blog and the third page to type.  I also have the page on the lobby for the motor vehicle industry in the states and how this has impinge on public transportation plus i have a tract to write targeted to the LGBTQ community.  All this while i am constantly on the move.

Oh California!! The Mexican state in the union.  When i look at California and San Antonio, Texas.  I wonder about this foolishness of building a wall, utter tripe. Someone went to bed and had a bad dream.  It seems the reasons the Mexican stopped coming was similar to that of the native Indians they were afraid of the violence of the whiteman.  Otherwise the border would be quite porous and the Mexicans would be coming and going. I mean California just went on and on it is very long. It has some spectacular scenery.  San Francisco to date has some of the best scenery in North America. The view from the Golden Gate is spectacular plus they have a number of very good boat trips. Los Angeles and San Jose need to deal with the homeless situations as a matter of urgency. The country of the invisible church.

The transportation in the north needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. From Cloverdale to William and William to Dunigan.  The Hispanics are people also. Then there was Chico and Redding. Leaving Redding I was dropped at a dead end where I could only use a vehicle to exit town.  I sat down and looked at the Highway Patrol Police and said i was not going to move. The Police moved then i moved up the Interstate Highway 5 and got a ride from an Indian into Portland, Oregon.

On the back road in Mendocino County I got a ride from two heroin addicts. They were good people telling me how taking the Methadone had assisted them better than the straight heroin.  They were being treated at a clinic in San Jose. My question was Are you a drug addict? They said yes. I will deal with the matter of dope on my page. They fed me and dropped me at Lucerne.  I prayed for their deliverance. That was the walk to William.

Portland, Oregon is quite nice very clean.  Thank God that persons have started planting something all my trip through the south, everywhere I went was green bush. Nobody seems to plant anything no flowers, not even a tomato tree. In Los Angeles I saw a  fruit tree over a fence. I was shocked. I rejoiced!!

While i was in San Francisco holding my state wide protest in front of Whole Foods on Rhode Island Street I saw some Pakistanis. I said to myself why are these Pakistani following me? Then I remembered that I had voted against a Liberal MP in Mississauga while i was living at Dover Crescent.  The nazis did everything to try and stop me from voting. Not only did i vote Conservative I worked at the polling station. Then I realized why all these Pakistanis were invading my French class. Eventually they had to leave though the pace that i set in French is blistering (isn’t that so Monsieur Roberge).  The poor fellow lost and seems to have become part of the cartel to destroy me.

Let us look at the nations i have following me around Caucasians of every country you can think of, then there are the Indians and Pakistanis. I don’t know what i have done the Chinese but they continue to follow me around.  Then i see the native Indians have joined the pack. Then I have the biker gangs this started over there in Alabama. I also have the hispanics.

Coming out of Portland i ended up in a city called Castle rock which had no pedestrian exit. After going around in circles for over one hour with the nazis circling like carrion crows i headed up the highway again. I was stopped by the Highway Patrol. Then out of the blue this Native Indian turn up with her dog to offer me a ride. Of course the dog had me under wraps.  The dogs are now my guard dogs, the Canadians don’t seem to trust anyone, the dogs come as a backup with my scent. Of course they get the scent from the things they smell that have been stolen. You realize that is not from lack of trying why they can’t stop me. I still need to write about the blackbirds. The Indian, Barbara dropped me in Seattle. I need to complete my Blog on the move.  When I hang around too long people start getting ideas. Since i had no intention of repeating that i don’t want to live in the USA. Never did, never will. The temperature at present in Seattle is a cross between Toronto in fall and New York in the winter. It is a beautiful state and city. The state of Washington is very clean and environmentally friendly.

 

REFLECTIONS

I was sitting on a bus when I was in Canada and I found myself singing and I said Raphleta what do you have to sing about? And I said “It is the joy of the Lord.’  I decided there and then to Blog about the Joy of the Lord. You have to realize why I asked myself that question because i had returned to Canada under the belief that i had been forgiven my trespasses by the tyrants in Mississauga only to find out that i had been inundated again with the same criminalities of the past. One lady from a small island poisoned my food one Sunday when I went to church. The most fantastic roommate had to move out because she could not stoop so low to do the illegalities that was being requested of her. She was just such a lovely person. One of the few good Caucasian I have met on my journey in this life. I had three babysitters one on my right and one on my left (that is why i posted on FB that i felt like Jesus who died between two thieves) and the landlord’s sister downstairs.I was never alone all three synchronized their schedule to mine.

Now you see why the Canadians do things such as steal what I write and eavesdrop on my conversation a part from being warp, twisted, vindictive and cruel they are control freaks on a daily basis they must know what I am doing. Persons would listen at my walls and the youngest tenant who moved in last was a terror. The young lady had sold her soul to the devil for a mess of pottage.  Nothing was off limits to her. She did all sort of thing in the kitchen. My letter to the Landlord and Tenant Board was deleted from my Google drive or i would attach it to this blog. I will attach my text messages instead. The last copy was stolen in my briefcase. Things like stagnant water in the refrigerator, spoilt food and milk, dripping things in the freezer, padding of the freezer so i had no space.  Then i bought a box of Arm and Hammer baking powder for the refrigerator and they decided to start turning off the refrigerator. Too much to tell people. Based on all the harassment there should be no joy. While all of this was going on i was developing my business and my French was exploding. I was going to work on my ‘expression oral’ in the last semester in the year because i had set myself some ambitious goals’’ Then i had to flee, the latter is the only part of Canada I miss we had a fantastic teacher in Monsieur Laurier Roberge. He really knew his business. Fantastic teacher!! To have that caliber teacher for the amount of money we were paying was just a blessing.

This also reminded me of a period in my life when i had no song. I mean i can face anything once i have a song.  I kept saying to God, Daddy what is happening? Daddy, i can face anything once i have a song. My songs normally gush forth effortlessly.  When i get up in the mornings i get up with a song. During this period there was no gushing forth. This period was when i was at my sister’s apartment and the political directorate of the country had a whole apartment complex and a little man who was the most despicable person harassing me. Then one Sunday morning while i was cooking in the early morning in the dark i felt it coming back i just lifted up my hand and my head right over the stove and started singing ‘You do miracles so great etc’.  I felt so excited i have never lost it since As Ron Kenoly would say my mother always have a song irrespective of the circumstances.Same here i always have a song. I am glad that i got saved during the charismatic renewal in Jamaica because we were taught to be very discerning in our worship.

In this Blog we are going to look at the meaning of the word joy. We will look at persons who displayed this emotion in the face of grave challenges what were their demeanour.  Of course the name that comes readily to mind is King David who was in the backside of the desert exhibiting great joy even though he was looking after sheep and his brothers had been enlisted in King Saul’s army.  Reminds me of when i was walking in the backside of California along the US 101 outside of Cloverdale. I was passing a farm and the sheep dog was barking at some black sheep (was there a message there) when the dog barked the sheep baa baa and ran forward as soon as the dog stopped barking, they stopped and started wandering and eating grass. I just looked at them and laughed and said to myself ‘sheep’ and continued walking into Mendico County.

David was anointed as King at sixteen years and spent thirteen years fleeing persecution. We will examine his posture through the Book of Psalms during and after the persecution. We will also look at King Solomon his son the prophetic song writer and writer of the Proverbs.  The Bible says he wrote three thousand and five proverbs and one thousand songs during his lifetime.

 

CRITICAL DEFINITIONS

Joy - noun A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

        Verb to rejoice

Lord - noun someone or something having power, authority or influence, a master or ruler  (the owner).

         Verb act in a superior and domineering manner toward someone.

Strength - noun the quality or state of being strong in particular.

                2. A good or beneficial quality or attribute of a person or thing.

 

THE EXODUS

Contrast the life of the Children of Israel in the wilderness with Pastor Moses to the life of King David in the wilderness. Remember, the Lord through Pastor Moses told them that they were going to the Promised Land. Now this is the promise of the Lord.  I am going to take you to the Land of Promise. However, after leaving Egypt the first challenge the crossing of the Reed Sea, their immediate reaction negativity. Oh that we had died in Egypt Numbers 14 verses 11 - 13. Having coming through that challenge they sang Exodus 15 verses 1 - 21 a beautiful song (remember I was rebuked for reading a part of this passage in a prayer meeting). Then they faced the next challenge and they opted for the default reaction complaining and grumbling Exodus 15 verse 24. Then the third challenge came up and the default reaction kicked in again Exodus 16 verse 3. Eventually they all died in the wilderness self fulfilling prophecy Numbers 14 verses 1 - 3. God killed them and used their children.  I tell you, the people even made God repented that He had chosen them Numbers 14 verses 11 - 12, The Lord just killed them slowly Numbers 14 verses 27 - 35. The men who brought the negative report God killed them immediately (who said God does not kill people Lord help my Holy Ghost, the book of Corinthians says you sleep before the time) Numbers 14 verse 37.

 

KING DAVID

Now let us contrast the life of the second King of Israel who went through the refiner’s fire before he became the king. As Dr. Myles Munroe would say God will not use anyone that he has not tested even His own son had to be tested. Let us pause here and say thank God for Jesus. Thank God for Calvary. If it was not for this successful test we would be a people without hope. From the processing of King David and some other Men of God we have the longest book in the Bible with the number of Psalms being attributed to King David been seventy six Number of Psalms David Wrote.

Psalm 3 was written when he fled from Absalom his son. Can you imagine reading this Psalm in America at the Angle Lake Light Rail Station, Seattle Washington?

Where the Sound Transit system literally abandoned you because you passed your stop by falling asleep. People when the body needs to sleep it just does that irrespective of the location. Then you saw the police of the city turned up and that alone is an indication that foul play is imminent.

In this type of situation what do you do?

Well, if you are a Raphleta who has a Blog to publish in a couple of days, you find the nearest place with a camera and plenty of lights and take your Bible and sit down dry your laundry while you start writing to complete your Blog while your laundry is drying in the cold night (you get a lemon you make lemonade).  While the nazis and the mafias are circling on the outskirts. The first Psalm you read has these verses :

 

Psalm 3:6-8 King James Version (KJV)

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Psalm 5:11 King James Version (KJV)

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

By the time I reached Psalm 8 I was on my feet praying and worshiping before i knew it the dawn had broken over the horizon.  I had to hold a throne the next night to rule and complete going through the Psalms. Yes people, I read most of those that were attributed to King David. I could not ‘bruk’ out again because I was in the people’s building, it was more contemplative this time. By daylight I had gone through the Psalms.  Let us take a walk through the Psalms

I completed the night with this song In your Presence by Paul Wilbur

Psalm 18 - Rescued from his enemies verse 35 speaks not to the carnal weapons but to supernatural ones

Psalm 22 - Seeks insight verses 17 to 18 messianic prophecies.

Psalm 23 - The Shepherd Psalm speaks to protection and direction.

Psalm 51 - After the sin with Bathsheba

Psalm 52 - Doeg’s the Edomite betrayal

Psalm 54 - Betrayal by the Ziphites

Psalm 56 - When the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Psalm 57 - The flight from King Saul to the caves

Psalm 59 - When King Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him

Psalm 60 - Seeking guidance

Psalm 63 - In the wilderness of Judah

Psalm 70 - Memorial offering

In the preview of the Psalms we see how King David’s experiences shaped his life.  You will note that he never ends one of his Psalms on a negative note.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JOY OF THE LORD

1. The joy of the Lord is supernatural
2. It is joy to all who experience its strength
3. The strength is also practical
4. The joy and strength is always in the Believer’s reach

The Joy of the Lord is Supernatural

In the opening text  Nehemiah and Ezra asked that the people do not mourn after hearing the laws that they have been transgressing. They advise them not to make the day solemn but to rejoice for the joy of the Lord is their strength.

Having repented you are not to be weeping you are to take comfort in the joy of reconciling with the Spirit of God and all that offers.  This joy is supernatural in origin as can be seen by these occurrences in the Bible. In  St. Luke 1 verse 44 the baby in Elizabeth’s tummy jumped for joy when she was greeted by Mary who was also pregnant with the Messiah. Dr Myles Munroe you are to speak to people who are pregnant like you who will make your baby leap. Greatness attract greatness!!

In St. Luke 1 verse 47 with this joy also comes rejoicing. In the announcing of the birth of the coming Messiah the angel spoke to the fact that their would be great joy St. Luke 2 verse 10.

In Romans 14 verse 17 the kingdom of God is not about temporal things but about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

In Galatians 5 verses 22 - 23 the Apostle Paul spoke of the joy being one of the fruit of the Spirit.

Joy to all who experience its Strength

The Bible says we are to count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations because this is a working out of our faith James 1 verses 2 - 3. In St. John 16 verse 24  the Lord has bid us to ask him so that our joy may be full. The Apostle Paul admonishes the church at Thessalonica to rejoice always I Thessalonians 5 verse 16. In I Peter 1 verse 8  Joy for the coming of the Lord.

The Strength reveals itself Practically

In Acts 16 verse 25 when Paul and Silas was locked up in prison it was not until they began to rejoice that there was an earthquake and the gates opened and their bands were unfastened. Further, in the book of Acts when the Apostles were flogged by the councilor put in prison they did not complain they rejoiced Acts 5 verse 41.

It is said that one of the first thing the disciples did when they entered a city was to check out the prison.  They were assured of prison or stoning as in Acts 13 verse 50 - 52.

There is a dangerous gospel going around these days that if you suffer you are either sinning or out of the will of God. If you do not look like one of the stuffed turkeys on TBN then you are not in the will of God. Mash down that lie.  The genesis and propagation of the Gospel was based on the life of men and women who were willing to suffer and not compromise as we are experiencing today. Our ultimate example is the Lord Jesus Christ Hebrews 12 verse 2 for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The article on the front page of the Seattle Weekly Losing Faith: The Closure of Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church | Seattle … is instructive. The method for church growth is stated in the book of Acts.  To my knowledge it has not changed Acts 2 verses 42 - 43. It spells work, one does not build a church by osmosis in that case all the churches would be full and not empty as I am experiencing across North America.

The Joy and Strength is Always within the Reach of the Believer

Because this joy is supernatural in origin the first thing you have to do is become a child of God.  You can not have the benefits of the kingdom, if you are not a citizen of the Kingdom. St. John 15 verse 5 there has to be an abiding.  Abiding means to dwell with.

John 15:10-11 King James Version (KJV)

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

This is the assurance that God gives us St. John 10 verses 28 - 29. He has got your back.

 

CONCLUSION

In concluding,adopting from C.H. Spurgeon ‘you shallow Christians who do not believe in christ, and barely that, whose Bibles are unread, whose closets, are unfrequented whose communion with God is a thing of spasms, you have not the joy of the Lord neither are you strong. I beseech you rest not as you are, but let your conscious feebleness provoke you to seek the means of strength and that means of strength is to be found in a  pleasant medicine, sweet as it is profitable. The delicious and effectual medicine of the Joy of the Lord.

Preaching is sowing, prayer is watering but praise is the harvest. Once you have the Joy of the Lord it is very hard to be phased. You are like the rock of Gibraltar unmoveable many tides and surfs come but you are unshakeable. This is a very potent weapon the Bible says our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of stronghold.

 

This is me Raphleta Taylor, Lillene’s baby girl coming to you from Seattle in the beautiful state of Washington.

 

À bientôt

 

REFERENCES

The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People