PLEASURE VS JOY

There are three kinds of pleasure spoken about in the Bible, but only one joy.

First, I’d like to start off with some comparisons from my experiences:

· Pleasure is sitting on the deck of a great ship feeling the warm ocean breezes (85 degrees in the shade) - joy is contemplating the fact that God measured the waters in the palm of His hand. (Isa 40:12)

· Pleasure is lying down to tan on a beautiful sandy beach in St. Maartin and realizing that you are only 16 degrees from the equator and at this time of the year that puts the sun DIRECTLY overhead - joy is realizing that your Father SPOKE and that sun came into being !

· Pleasure is seeing Caribbean waters so blue that it refreshes your soul - joy is knowing that God carefully made my eyes so that I could see it :)

Now lets look at 4 scriptures:

#1) THE GOOD KIND OF PLEASURE -

1 Tim 6:17-19 (NIV)

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with EVERYTHING FOR OUR ENJOYMENT.

18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

#2) THE BAD KIND OF PLEASURE -

Heb 11:24-25 (NIV)

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the PLEASURES OF SIN for a short time.

#3) WHEN GOOD PLEASURE BECOMES BAD -

Mark 4:18-19 (NIV)

18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;

19 but the worries of this life, the DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH AND THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

#4) AND NOW THE WORD ON JOY :)

Ps 16:11 (KJV)

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Allow me now a few more pleasure vs. joy comparisons from our recent experiences :)

· Pleasure is hearing REAL island musicians playing REAL Reggae music - joy will be teaching JT the same beat they played so we can worship God with it right HERE :)

· Pleasure is eggs benedict, escargot, beef wellington, baked Alaska, cherries jubilee, (and being able to tell our Jamaican waiter, “I’ll have another ... and another ... and another) - joy is knowing that God created these things for our enjoyment !

· Pleasure is conversation with nice folks from around the world - JOY is conversation with GOD ! !

I’ve said it before ... I’ll say it again: I have experienced many pleasures in this life - I traveled Europe twice in my youth - I have seen Paris, Rome, the former Yugoslavia - I have seen the sunset on the Adriatic Ocean - I have made music in some of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals - I have experienced the pleasure of Michigan lakes in the evening with the moon rising and loons calling - and now I have experienced the islands of the Caribbean . . . NOTHING COMPARES to my GOD :)

In His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand there are pleasures for evermore :)