Normally, I do not use the KJV to write or explain what GOD desires for us to know. However, I am aware that many people out of tradition prefer to read a language that is no longer in use anywhere in the world. So, what I did and may continue to do will use the KJV to find out just how many times a word is used that is profitable for our spiritual growth.
Fifty-four times in the KJV, I found the word gladness. And with every single scripture, I found nothing negative. So, this is showing to me that gladness is the desire that GOD has for HIS people. So, let us take a look at what is accompanied by gladness.
- Brings about praise
- Celebration [often involving food]
- Comes from the heart
- Encouragement and renewed strength
- Honor
- Joy
- Rejoicing
- Satisfaction
- Singing
- Thanksgiving
Our gladness is to be as JESUS gladness
A lot of times we miss the complete message JESUS gave to us directly from HIM. For instance, JESUS said that HE told us things so that our joy may be as HIS joy is, complete. But what exactly are the things that JESUS said for us to know, believe, receive, and live in? Hold on to your sock because what I am about to write for your reading will want you to take off into space with gladness.
- JESUS is the True Vine
- The FATHER is the Husbandman [master of the family; cultivator, farmer, and tiller of the soil; laborer]
- The Husbandman will strip away all things that do not bear fruit in HIM. And HE will purge [clean, purify, separate] every one that does bear fruit in HIM.
- The Word of GOD is a cleaner
- Live in JESUS and JESUS will live in you
- We are the fruit in JESUS and we produce abundantly.
- Live in JESUS, the Word of GOD must live in us so that we can ask what we will in the name of JESUS and it will be done for us.
- The FATHER is clarified in the abundance of fruit which is a showing of our being disciples of
- Exactly as the FATHER LOVES JESUS so does JESUS LOVE us as we live in HIS LOVE.
- Keep the commandments of JESUS, live in HIS LOVE, just as JESUS kept the commands of the FATHER and live in HIS LOVE.
Are you willing to lay down your life?
Okay, now we can see what JESUS has said to us now here is a simpler breakdown. Anyone may lay down his/her life for the person that they hold dearest in their heart but no one will be willing to lay down his/her life for anyone they do not know, like, or love [this type of love is different from dearest].
JESUS is the only person who laid down HIS precious sinless life for every single person who lived before HE was born in the flesh as a human. Those who lived at that very moment in time, and for all of us who came seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, generations, and millennium years later. Most of you who are reading this blog was born in the first millennium as I was and others were born in this second millennium. Until JESUS makes HIS triumphant return HIS death on that cross and HIS resurrection will be for every soul born.
Are we friends with JESUS?
In our sinful nature, JESUS called us HIS friends. What!? That’s right, what should be the correct response because sinners are not friends of JESUS. JESUS does not consider the adulterer, rapist, murderer, junkie, alcoholic, sex trafficker, sex worker, liar, cheater, criminal, haters, agnostic, atheist, satanic worshipers, anyone who is a sinner and demonstrates in their lives the action of sin. You are a friend of JESUS when you believe in HIM and obey HIM! JESUS died and was resurrected from the dead for all sinners. But we first must hear the Word before we can believe the Word. Once we receive the gift of salvation then we must do what HE has commanded. This is the friendship between you and JESUS.
Command
But what did HE command us to do? Oh, you are going to be bowled over with this one because in this one simple commandment we will be able to obey without effort the Ten Commandments which is our moral command that will never go away. This is not the law from which we have been freed from which was the Mosaic Law written by Moses regarding conditions and rituals. Here it is, are you ready for the commandment of JESUS? LOVE one another as JESUS loves you.
Keep your heart filled in gladness
Right now, many of you are experiencing sadness for various reasons we all do but we cannot live in sadness. To keep your heart filled with gladness keep remembering that JESUS is coming back, the children of GOD will live with JESUS eternally. Remembering this and other promises will keep our hearts rejoicing even when situations that we have to face cause us to become sad at the moment. Even in our sadness, our heart is filled with gladness, we will still praise GOD for HIS faithfulness towards us. I can almost hear some of you saying, yeah right, who can be glad when everything around me is going wrong. Look, I would not have included that in this blog if I had not experienced so far the worse experience in my life and that was when my home burned down and I lost everything but the lives of my family and self. I watched as everything I owned was damaged from fire and water. But in the midst of it all, I began to praise GOD. Yes, I was distraught but I believed GOD and HIS promises and for what HE is doing in my life and showing me my relationship with HIM. The best time to find out where we are in CHRIST is to be in a dilemma. We can find encouragement and strength in GOD’s Word and HIS promises for us when we go to the Word, remember what HE said to us, and speak them out. Nothing and no one can take our joy from us but we can give it away by accepting the lies satan gives to others to speak to us or accept lies satan speaks to us directly and we take hold of them, believing them than speaking them.
Nag GOD
You know, I get it and have a complete understanding of how we ask GOD for things and we seem to either never see them or they come at a time that is much later than we asked for them. Some of us lose faith because of this but I am here to encourage you to keep asking for what it is that you need or want. Be like little kids who keep on asking to the point that we just give in to get them to be quiet. Begin to nag GOD, most of us know just how to do this because some of us are experts in nagging people. When we ask, remember to ask the FATHER in the name of JESUS and the promise is that we will receive that which we are asking for. When we ask the FATHER in JESUS name for that which we need or want with pure motives then we will see the tangible answer and our hearts experience the fullness of the gladness that the FATHER desires for us to experience.
JESUS is here
Let us no longer look for JESUS to come someday but rather believe that now HE has come to us. This spiritual vision will change our entire outlook of expectation. We no longer need to look for HIS return but know that HE has come to us in the now. I am excited and within my spirit cartwheels are being done. With this revelation, the gladness within my heart is running over.
We are not religious
Religious people do not understand the meaning of love as JESUS commanded us to do. But we are not religious, we are the body of CHRIST, HIS Bride washed and purified in HIS Blood. We have been set apart from what is wicked, injustice, evil, sinful, we hate all that is against GOD but we are not to hate the people. Their stench of sin is the very same garments we once wore, their action of sin is no different from either our actions or what was once in our heart. Look how GOD sent HIS Holy Spirit to call for us and led us to JESUS to be washed in HIS blood so that we can be set free from the bondage of satan’s grasp, to be purified and set apart for HIS name’s sake. Do not forget where we once were. Love the people but hate the sin. Now, we love all things righteous, we delight in those who have integrity, who are virtuous, and whose actions and thoughts are pure. We have been set apart and the oil of gladness flows from the top of our head down towards our feet.
Fruit Orchard
I saved this tidbit for last because, with all that you have read, I need us to know that gladness is a fruit that is cultivated and grown in an orchard. Here is the proof the fruit of the Spirit produces gladness/joy. What am I trying to explain? Look at and understand how this all comes together.
- Come to the FATHER through JESUS, be washed in HIS blood
- Be baptized in the Holy Spirit, His fruit will begin to be produced within us from the inside out
- Live in JESUS and JESUS will live in us
- Get into the Word
- Speak the Word
- Love as JESUS LOVES us
John 15:11; 16:22, 24; 17:13; Galatians 5:22; Hebrews 1:9
AMFBeM ™
Awesome