Skip to main content

chara = joy

chara: joy, gladness, delight, enjoyment, often enhanced by phrases like exceedingly great joy

In the fruits of the Spirit, the Greek word chara is translated as joy.  This word is found in many other places in the New Testament all of which are linked below.  Notice that happiness is not a fruit of the spirit but joy is listed as the second of the virtues.

Do not mistake happiness, which can be rude or thoughtless for the cares of others, for true joy.  Joy is that spark in the eye where we can be filled with gladness even during a terrible personal catastrophe because we know that God is with us and will never let us go.  You see joy is not selfish.  You can have joy for another person when something good happens for them.  In that way it is the opposite of envy.  Be strengthened today by these verses about joy.  The second fruit of the Holy Spirit living through us is that we delight in Him and find our Joy in knowing Jesus Christ in a personal relationship.  Don't just smile and be happy but have the true joy that comes from the Holy Spirit.

CS Lewis said that :
"It is not the part of the Christian to be perpetually solemn... our joy must be that kind, and it is the purest kind where we take each other seriously."

ClickHere for All verses containing this word chara/joy throughout the New Testament

Link back to the Fruits of the Spirit

Comments

Most Popular Posts

What does "Deep Cries Out to Deep” mean?

There is a new song that the Worship Team at Abundant Life Fellowship has been working on. As you learn this song and give Him praise through it, our prayer is that you let go of your deep and let it call out to the Deep in God.  Here is some background to the biblical roots of the song with a link to the music video done by Bethel Church at the bottom. Background for the Background: In Numbers 16 the Bible records an event in the life of a man named Korah. He was of the tribe of Levi and therefore set apart to be a member of the priesthood in Israel. He rebuked Moses, saying: " You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly? " -Numbers 16:3   He resented Moses' and Aaron's authority, and felt that he and his supporters could lead the Israelites more effectively. Later in the chapter, the earth opens underneath him and swallows him along with the others

The Fruits of the Spirit Series

Simple Translation into English: But the fruit   of the Spirit is love,   joy, peace,   patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,   gentleness and self-control.   Against such things there is no law.   Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature   with its passions and desires.   Since we live by the Spirit,   let us keep in step with the Spirit.   - Galatians 9:22-25 In the original Greek:  But the fruit of the Spirit is agape , chara , eirene , makrothymia , chrestotes, agathosyne, pistis, praotes, and egkrateia .  Against such things there is no law. The fruit of the spirit are commonly referenced in sermons, conversation, and even children's songs.  I will be blogging a series which contains an in-depth study of each word in the original Greek with my commentary on its meaning.  In the original language of the Biblical writers there is a connotation for each word that can be lost with a simple translation.  Therefore, since these are extr

ereine = peace

Peace is a gift from God: Peace being a fruit of the spirit is interesting because the word can be used as a political term referring to entire countries or as a very personal word referring to an inner state of being.  I think that it is obvious that as a fruit of the Spirit the Bible is using this second meaning of the word peace and throughout the New Testament we can see that peace does not mean safety.  Peace does not mean that there aren't people deliberately trying to destroy you.  Many, if not all, of the writers of the New Testament were being persecuted for their beliefs and the early church was not at peace in the sense of the opposite of being at war.  However, it shows God's Spirit dwelling inside of you when you have inner peace in the middle of this type of persecution.  When you lose your job the fruit of the Spirit is still peace.  When loved ones die the fruit of the Spirit is still peace.  When people hate you and slander you saying all sorts of lies about

All verses with chara in the New Testament

The Gospel usage of the word chara: Click to go back to the word study on chara. Mat 2:10 KJV - When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great chara . Mat 13:20 KJV - But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with chara receiveth it; Mat 13:44 KJV - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found , he hideth , and for chara thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath , and buyeth that field. Mat 25:21 KJV -  His lord said unto him, Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the chara of thy lord. Mat 25:23 KJV - His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the chara of thy lord. Mat

One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture

Why study what we sing? When I worship through music, it is very helpful to me to look into how the Bible  lines up to what I'm singing. This knowledge makes a superficial singing of the  words much more difficult for me, and I hope that sharing this will help you to  focus better on what you are singing and who you are singing to. The newest  song that we’ve sung as a congregation is “One Thing Remains,” by Jesus  Culture: The lyrics to the song: Verse 1 Higher than the mountains that I face, Stronger than the power of the grave, Constant in the trial and the change, One thing remains. Chorus Your love never fails Never gives up It never runs out on me! Your love! Verse 2 On and on and on and on it goes. It overwhelms and satisfies my soul. And I never ever have to be afraid: One thing remains. BRIDGE In death. in life I’m confident and Covered by the power of Your great love. My debt is paid there’s nothing that Can separate my heart from Your great

Prophecies of Jesus fulfilled Part 1 [Genesis]

Well here is an ambitious project.  There are hundreds of prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament which are fulfilled in the New Testament.  My aim is to catalog them all and show where they are fulfilled.  In this first installment, I will concentrate only on the Prophecies about Jesus contained in the book of Genesis.  My hope is that this will also be a helpful reference for others when it is finished.   The prophecies are in bold followed by an outline of what the prophecy says [sometimes multiple ideas in a single verse] then the references to where it is fulfilled int he New Testament.  I have left out commentary on these passages for now and am letting the Scripture speak for itself. [All Scripture references are from the NASB translation.] -Genesis 3:15-  "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." He will be the seed of a woman [virgin birth].

Rich Men North of Richmond: A Christian's Perspective

Millions of people in just a few days have been listening to Oliver Anthony (Christopher Lunsford) sing passionately about the plight of blue collar America.  After coming out with his viral song "Rich Men North of Richmond," followed up by a plethora of reaction videos, providing more songs and comments himself, the news channels weighing in, the media influencers seizing the moment to get a few more clicks and ad revenue, even the politicians themselves having commented on how much they agree (it of course being the other side of the political spectrum that is being sung about...) I am left to ponder. What is the Biblical View of Rich Men North of Richmond? Here are the lyrics: I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all day / Overtime hours for bullshit pay / So I can sit out here and waste my life away / Drag back home and drown my troubles away. Pre-Chorus: It's a damn shame what the world's gotten to / For people like me and people like you / Wish I could

Ecclesiastes Part 2 The Meaning of Life

Ecclesiastes 2 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Meaning of Life: Part 2:  When will you be happy? ____________________  Chapter 1:12-2:11  12 I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem,  13 applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with.  14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.  15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.  16 I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”  17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.  18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.  Chapter 2  1I said to myself, “Come now, I

Prophecies of Jesus fulfilled Part II [Exodus]

Click here to see Prophecies of Jesus fulfilled Part 1 [Genesis] Here is the second installment of prophecies in the Old Testament that have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ in the New Testament.  Please let me know in the comments what you think.  Do you like this kind of reference-series? Or would you rather have analysis and commentary? -Exodus 3:13-15- " Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”   God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”   God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘ The  Lord , the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My  memorial-name to all generations." Jesus is The Great

Logos: The Reason for the Season

Heraclitus was a Greek philosopher in the 6th century B.C.  He was the first man to use the term Logos.  In his writing, he used it to show that there is a divine reason or plan that coordinates a changing universe.  [http://www.iep.utm.edu/heraclit/] In the New Testament book of John, this word "logos" is translated into "word" however, there is a connotation that we lose in the english rendition where logos means " the reason behind the universe ."  So, I'd like to share with you my rendition of John 1:1-18 in this Christmas season, where I'm replaced each instance of logos and references to Him and He [the personal pronouns referring to the Logos] with "" the reason behind the universe. "  I hope it helps you contemplate the true reason for the season. John 1:1-18 1   In the  beginning  was  the  reason behind the universe , and the  reason behind the universe  was  with  God , and  the  reason behind the universe  was  God