• The word “hell” occurs 14 times.
• The word “pray” occurs 121 times
• The word “believe” occurs 160 times.
• The word “grace” occurs 131 times.

•  Joy occurs 218 times

Luke 2:10–11

“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

John 2:11

This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

John 15:11

I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

John 16:24

Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

John 17:13

Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.

Celebration — Remembering and Rejoicing in the goodness of God

I can become so consumed with the problem before me that I forget the deliverance behind me.

The decision to set the mind on the higher things of life is an act of the will. That is why celebration is a discipline. . . It is the result of a consciously chosen way of thinking and living.

Philippians 4:4–5

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Romans 8:38–39

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 4:6,8

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. . . Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Surrender the illusion of control over to God

God has established a created order full of excellent and good things, and it follows naturally that as we give our attention to those things, we will be happy. That is God’s appointed way of joy . . . if we fill our lives with simple, good things and constantly thank God for them, we will be joyful, that is full of joy.