HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TOLD BY A COMPLETE STRANGER to tone it down? For example: we who are wise truly have the revelation that the customer is not always right. Simple to understand. If they were always right why do stores have store detectives? When someone cruelly demands for you to tone it down, what he is meaning is: “Your cheerfulness is getting on my nerves!” Even when you just say, “Good morning!” some assuredly miserable of our population may snap back, “What’s so good about it!!??”

I have often noticed that many people look like they have just come from or are going to a funeral… the funeral of someone who died and was not in awe of God, did not give to Him his very soul. Perhaps though, it is the one on his way to that funeral whom God is dealing to offer to the LORD of all his own contrition.

I’ve heard it said that there are people who claim they can spot a Christian within five minutes. Beloved: beware! Don’t ever forget those ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing! Perhaps it is pretty easy to spot a sinner better; but again, only God knows the heart of man.

The point of this teaching is to remain true to God by not giving any consideration at all to the crotchety old man (or even a young one) because he has absolutely no right to command your personality! God does!

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Beloved: have you ever notice that some people are seriously looking for a fight? In that case, give them one! Fight the good fight! Use the oil of joy!

Psalm 45:7
You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

You know what? I agree with Scrooge! Pre-Scrooge, not post-Scrooge… He said something to the effect that tact is a quality he despised. Where’s the truth in that? Tact, my friends, can be sheer tackiness, fakeness in order to get along and go along. Jesus offended people! Who? Those who didn’t honor The Godhead!

Matthew 15:10-14
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS FOR THIS JOY STORY:

Matthew 7:15-20
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Romans 8:27
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

1 Timothy 6:11-16
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,  who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.