If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. - John 15:10-11
 
Remember times when you were a child and your mother said, “When I come back in this room you had better have it cleaned up,” and while she was gone you cleaned your room thoroughly; making the bed, even cleaning out from under the bed, sweeping and straightening everything. Do you remember how you felt when she came back into your room and gave that smile of approval? That is what Jesus is talking about in this passage, except it is more than that.

There is a certain joy that is natural to us when we have done well, or someone has recognized our efforts. Our example above demonstrates that joy. The Greek word translated joy here is chara. It is very similar to the word used for a gift and it means calm delight. When we are doing our best and can see good results we have that certain sense of accomplishment that gives us satisfaction for having done well.

Then Jesus speaks of adding to our joy. He says, “I have told you this that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” It seems that he is telling us that there is a certain level of joy that comes naturally when we have done well, but he is adding his joy to that so that our joy is complete, or is full.

He appears to be telling us that when we live in the Spirit and fulfill his commands our joy will be raised to a higher level and we will be full of joy. This joy, this calm satisfaction, is what is so attractive in believers. People have observed the way Christians respond to stressful situations and said, “I don’t know what you have, but I want it.” That is the joy of the Lord.
 
Prayer: Lord, I tend to follow my own way instead of yours. Grant me the ability to walk in obedience so that your joy will be in me and my joy will be full. Amen

Message: There is a certain joy that is natural to us when we have done well, or someone has recognized our efforts. It seems that Jesus is telling us that there is a certain level of joy that comes naturally when we have done well, but he is adding his joy to that so that our joy is complete, or is full.
 
Affirmation: I regularly submit to Christ so that His love will be predominate in my life and I will keep His commands. In doing that my joy is complete.
 
Reflection: How do you feel when you have done a job well? The Greek word for Joy in our passage today is chara. What is the primary meaning of that word and how is it applied in this devotion?
 
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The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice.  - John 3:29
 
I usually awaken early in the morning, much before my bride of many years. I will go to the kitchen, put on the coffee and go to my desk for devotions and preparation for the day. After a while I will hear a stirring in the bedroom and in just a moment I will hear my name being softly called. She is not calling out in need; it's just that little notice of, "I'm awake now." I can't tell you what hearing that voice does inside of me every morning.

Whether we are talking about brides or bridegrooms the principle is the same - Hearing that one voice affects us like no other. Our relationship with the Lord can carry the same kind of joy when we look to him with the same hope that a bride has when she thinks of her bridegroom.

I remember a time when I was particularly discouraged over a failure in my life and I knew that there was no way that God could love me, or even forgive me again for this oft repeated sin.

I was in prayer one morning, wondering why I was even prying because I knew He couldn't answer. I had failed too many times. Then in my heart I heard him say, "My son, don't you know I love you." I had a conversation with him that day that forever changed my life. From that day I have never doubted his love.
 
Prayer: Lord, I am grateful that when I fall you are there to pick me up and speak words of comfort to me. Amen.

Message: Hearing the voice of that special person in our life gives us joy and in the same way hearing the voice of God speak to our heart gives us joy.
 
Affirmation: I listen intently to hear the voice of the Lord as he speaks words of endearment to me.
 
Reflection: What voice is it that brings joy to my heart? Is it the voice of the world around me? Is it the voice of worldly ambition and opportunity? Or is it the voice of the Lord our savior?

The fruit of the Spirit is joy... Against such there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. - Galatians 5:22-23
 
Where do you go to get an apple? You go to an apple tree. Where do you go to get an orange? That's right, you go to an orange tree. Where do you go to get joy? You go to the joy tree of course. That's not as ridiculous as it sounds. If the fruit of the Spirit is joy then the tree upon which joy grows is the Spirit. When we are in Christ, Christ is in us and the fruit, or evidence of that is joy.

We sometimes watch people trying to put the fruit of joy on the tree of their life. They try really hard. They paste on a smile and use kind words, but something is missing. Somehow plastic smiles and kind words through gritted teeth just don't seem to be natural fruit. It's like putting ornaments on Christmas trees. No one believes the ornaments are natural to the tree; we all know that they are just put there for show. Is our joy just for show, or is it really fruit of the Spirit?

The way we produce the fruit of the Spirit is for our life to be an extension of the Spirit, just as a branch is the extension of the trunk of a tree. So how do we do that ? In verse 25 of this chapter Paul encourages us to "keep in step with the Spirit." I think what he means by that is to be sure that we are walking side by side with him and that we are submitted to his leadership.

We must stay connected to the tree (Holy Spirit). To do that we must maintain regular contact so Holy Spirit life can flow through us.
  
Prayer: Lord, I've tried putting on the fruit to show my spirituality, and it didn't produce joy. Grant me the grace to stay connected to the trunk. In Jesus name, amen.

Message: The fruit of our life comes from our core values. To change the fruit we must change our values. We must stay connected to the tree (Holy Spirit). To do that we must maintain regular contact so Holy Spirit life can flow through us.
  
Affirmation: I am focused on changing my values so my life will produce desirable fruit. I will stay connect to the tree so Holy Spirit life can flow through me.
  
Reflection: How do I make my life an extension of the Spirit, just as a branch is the extension of the trunk of a tree?