#322 Why Series# 6, Why I Laugh!

#322 Why Series# 6, Why I Laugh!
By: Pastor D. Karl Thomas

Psalm 16:11 “…in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”                      

Psalm 2:4  (NLT) “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.

Jesus reveals the Father:
Hebrews 1:9 “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” 

Luke 10:21 “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit,…”
Agalliao:– to exult, rejoice exceedingly, be exceedingly glad, to leap, to spring up, to gush.

JOY:– Intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness, or the expression or manifestation of such a feeling. Joy 600x’s in the O.T. The Hebrew language has 27 words for expressing joy.

Psalm 21:6 (AMP)  “For You make him to be blessed and a blessing forever; You make him exceedingly glad with the joy of Your presence.”

Acts 2:28 (AMP) “You have made known to me the ways of life; You will enrapture me [diffusing my soul with joy] with and in Your presence.”

Jude 1:24 (AMP) “Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]”

“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.” Michael Pritchard
It may be urban legend but it is said that a four year old laughs 300 x’s a day and the average adult only 14.

Diary of: Robert Louis Stevenson      “I have been to Church today, and surprisingly I am not depressed.”
Charles Spurgeon  “If you would lead men to heaven wear heaven on your face.”

Martin Luther  “You have as much laughter as you have faith.”

“The Gospel is nothing less than laughter and joy.”
Soren Kierkegaard “Humor is the prelude to faith and laughter the beginning of prayer.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16  “Rejoice evermore.”
Galatians 4:15  “What has happened to all your joy?”

C.H. Spurgeon “Our apostle speaks of rejoicing as a personal, present, permanent duty to be always carried out by the people of God. The Lord has not left it to our own option whether we will sorrow or rejoice; but he has pinned us down to it by positive injunction —‘Rejoice evermore.’” 

Psychology Today, June 21,2011
“Laughter reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine; increases health-enhancing hormones (such as endorphins), neurotransmitters, and infection-fighting antibodies; …… and improves blood flow to the heart—all resulting in greater relaxation and resistance to disease, as well as improved mood and positive outlook.”

Laugh:— the chuckle, the titter, the giggle, the chortle, the cackle, the belly laugh, the sputtering burst, snicker, snigger, guffaw, the snort.
Laughter can be, joyous, happy, nervous, paradoxical, courtesy laugh, evil laughter.
Study of laughter is called Gelotology.
Laugh structure or anatomy: A normal laugh has the structure of “ha-ha-ha” or “ho-ho-ho.” It is unnatural, and one is physically unable, to have a laugh structure of “ha-ho-ha-ho.”

Laughter Strengthens Us To Embrace The Promise.
Genesis 21:6 “And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”
Isaac:— Laughter

Hebrews 11:11 “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, … she judged him faithful who had promised.”
Nehemiah 8:10 “…for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”           

Genesis 26:15-22
“For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth…And Isaac digged again the wells of water …And he removed from thence, and digged another well … the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

The Object Of Joy
Psalm 43:4 “Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy:”
Philippians 4:4  “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”

The Quality Of Joy
Divine – John 17:13 “…the full measure of my joy within them.”
Everlasting –  Is 35:10 “…and everlasting joy upon their heads:”Unlimited –Acts 13:52 “…continually filled [throughout their souls] with joy and the Holy  Spirit.”

The Source Of Joy
Holy Ghost
Romans 15:13  “…fill you with all joy… through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 14:17  Kingdom of God is, righteousness, peace and joy, in the HG.
Gal 5:22  “Friut of the Spirit is Love Joy …

Word
1 Jn 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy maybe full.”
Jeremiah 15:16 “…thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:”
1 Thessalonians 1:6  “…welcomed our message in [spite of] much persecution, with  joy [inspired] by the Holy Spirit.” 

Prayer
Ps 16:11  “…in thy presence is fullness of joy;”
John 16:24 “…ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Drinking
Psalm 36:8  “…you give them drink from your river of delights.”
John 7:37  “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
Psalm 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God. 

The Reasons For Joy
a. Salvation Isaiah 12:3 “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
b. Healing Pr 17:22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:”
c. Strength Neh 8:10 “…the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
d. Rivers John 7:38,37 “come unto me, and drink …out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
e. Recovery Jeremiah 33:11 “The voice of joy …For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the First, saith the LORD.”
f. Results 1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Believing – Rejoicing – Receiving

Hebrews 11:11 “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed,…”
Genesis 21:6 “And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.” 

Make sure that your doctrine of Joy has an experience of Joy! 

Lose your Joy you lose your stuff.

322 Why Series# 6, Why I Laugh, PowerPoint Slides

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