In the movie Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury needs to give away all his possessions.He invites in the poor. They start taking away his things. He looks to the cross and says, “You! You! You are the only one who knows how easy this is!”Pardon? That’s not what we expect him to say. We expect him … Continue reading The highest joy?
joy
Rejoice—always?
It’s one of the most frequently-quoted verses in the letter. Philippians 4:4 says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” It’s a frequent theme throughout the letter. In fact, a form of this word is used 9 times in 4 short chapters. Seems fairly positive, doesn’t it? But can we really … Continue reading Rejoice—always?
Glory, then joy
There's a famous (and historic) teaching tool which presents deep biblical truths in question and answer format. It's called the Westminster Shorter Catechism. The first entry is the most famous. Question: "What is the chief end of man?" These days, we might say it like this: What is the ultimate goal of a person's life? … Continue reading Glory, then joy
Permission to smile
There are problems everywhere. But there aren’t ONLY problems. There are blessings too. They are gifts from God. To notice you may need to give yourself permission to smile and to enjoy life a little more often. Life can be hard. There are serious issues in the world. Because of this, we can focus (almost … Continue reading Permission to smile
Deeply rooted joy
Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? In John 17 he prayed for his apostles. But then in verse 20 he said this: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message…” That means us! A little while ago I went through and … Continue reading Deeply rooted joy
Joy is a diet (not a pill)
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence…” (Psalm 16:11) We live in the age of the quick-fix. Instant gratification is on the menu. If I have a craving for a cheeseburger I can go to a drive-thru window. If I want my house to … Continue reading Joy is a diet (not a pill)
Hope is kindled
Today is a new day. Honestly. It is. Yesterday was its own thing. Sure, each new day is influenced by what happened the day before. But there’s nothing you can do about that now, is there? The same goes for last week, last year, or even the last decade. That was then. This is now. … Continue reading Hope is kindled
Fear vs. joy and peace
When the shepherds saw the angel, and when God’s glory shone around them, “they were terrified” (Luke 2:9). Literally it says that “they feared a great fear.” No kidding! But then the angel tells them to not be afraid. After all, he’s about to give them good news, not bad: “I bring you good news … Continue reading Fear vs. joy and peace
Joy is what happens when…
Yesterday I highlighted Act 14:17 where Paul was telling the people of Lystra about God: “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” He told them how God was personally involved in their lives and … Continue reading Joy is what happens when…
Sorrow to sweetness
Hardship isn’t the end of the story, nor is it the end of your story. This is easy to agree with when you’re experiencing smooth sailing. It’s harder to do so when times are tough. William Gurnall has some helpful, scriptural perspective: “Scripture gives three illustrations of great joy: the joy of a new mother, … Continue reading Sorrow to sweetness
