2.  Happiness depends on happenings; joy depends on Jesus.  A kingdom perspective: Engaging with the Holy Spirit, His teachings and our life experiences gives us opportunity for maturing the fruit of the Spirit.

3.  Webster: Excitement/pleasurable feeling caused by the acquisition or expectation of something good; gladness or delight  Kingdom: The tangible & affable response to the presence of God in one’s life  Joy is NOT the absence of challenges, trials or disappointments; it is responding to the Presence of God in the midst of our life’s circumstances.

4.  Life’s events don’t determine the growth of fruit, but how we respond to those events will. God is always the solution, never the problem God is always the solution, never the problem  Cultivating joy (or any other fruit of the spirit) is not an event, it’s a lifelong process The joy of the Lord is contagious & healing The joy of the Lord is contagious & healing

5.  Challenges create opportunities to ask “What are you trying to teach (cultivate in) me, Lord?”  The first lesson - It’s never about how I feel Phil 4:4 - We rejoice (give joy) because He is worthy Phil 4:4 - We rejoice (give joy) because He is worthy Neh 8:10 - He rejoices over us. His joy becomes our strength Neh 8:10 - He rejoices over us. His joy becomes our strength

6.  Ps 45:7 – “God has anointed You (Christ) with the oil of joy above Your fellows”  1 Chron 16:27 – “Splendor & majesty are before Him, strength and joy are in His place.”  Lk 10:21 – Jesus was filled by the Holy Spirit with (rapturous-dancing) joy.

7.  Ps 16:11 – “In Your presence is fullness of joy…”  Jn 17:13 – “…so that they may have MY joy made full in themselves.”  Jesus’ joy was that He and the Father are one.  Our joy is that we, the branches, are in relationship with the Father through Jesus the Vine Jn 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.”

8.  Deut 28:47 – “Serve the Lord your God with joy…for the abundance of all things…”  Ps 100:2 – “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him w/joyful singing.”  Rom 14:17 – “for the kingdom of God is righteousness/peace/joy in the Holy Spirit”  1 Thes 5:16 &18– “…rejoice always…in (not for) everything give thanks.”

9.  I will NEVER leave or forsake you.  We are joint heirs w/Jesus.   Nothing that comes into our lives is “uncommon” to man – BUT remember we are in relationship w/an uncommon God.  We are ordinary people in relationship with an extraordinary God!

10.  For what are you known among those who know you, AND among those who don’t? 

11.  Eph 3: 20-21 > “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever, Amen!”