Seven Sources of Joy

In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. (2 Corinthians 7:4)

What is extraordinary about Paul is how unbelievably durable his joy was when things weren’t going well.

Where did this come from?

First of all it was taught by Jesus: “Blessed are you when people hate you. . . . Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:22–23). Troubles for Jesus compound your interest in heaven — which lasts a lot longer than earth.

Second, it comes from the Holy Spirit, not our own efforts or imagination or family upbringing. “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy” (Galatians 5:22). “You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Third, it comes from belonging to the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Fourth, it comes through faith, that is, from believing God. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). “I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25).

Fifth, it comes from seeing and knowing Jesus as Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

Sixth, it comes from fellow believers who work hard to help us focus on these sources of joy, rather than deceitful circumstances. “We work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

Seventh, it comes from the sanctifying effects of tribulations. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4).

If we are not yet like Paul when he says, “I am overflowing with joy,” he calls us to be. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And for most of us this is a call to earnest prayer. Because a life of joy in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural life.

John Piper

Rounding third? Headed for home?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 

2 Timothy 4:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When Jesus came to the end of His life, He said, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4).

He stayed on the track, and so did Paul. They accomplished what God had set out for them to do.

Every man has a race that he must run. Every woman has a race set before her. God knows the course. And everything God commands of you, He will empower you to do. Whether you’re nine or ninety, young or old, rich or poor, God has a plan for your life! God has a race He wants you to run!

ACTION POINT:

What is the race God has set before you? If you are not certain, inquire of Him. What He asks of you, He will empower you to do. Thank God for the power to finish the course.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

A Dangerous Motive

Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. (Romans 11:35–36)

When it comes to obedience, gratitude is a dangerous motive. It tends to get expressed in debtor’s terms. For example, “Look how much God has done for you. Shouldn’t you, out of gratitude, do much for him?” Or, “You owe God everything that you are and have. What have you done for him in return?”

I have at least three problems with this kind of motivation.

First, it is impossible to pay God back for all the grace he has given us. We can’t even begin to pay him back, because Romans 11:35–36 says, “‘Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?’ [Answer: Nobody!] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.” We can’t pay him back because he already owns all we have to give him — including all our efforts.

Secondly, even if we succeeded in paying him back for all his grace to us, we would only succeed in turning grace into a business transaction. If we can pay him back, it was not grace. If someone tries to show you a special favor of love by having you over for dinner, and you end the evening by saying that you will pay them back by having them over next week, you nullify their grace and turn it into a trade. God does not like to have his grace nullified. He likes to have it glorified (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

Thirdly, focusing on gratitude as a motive for obedience tends to overlook the crucial importance of having faith in God’s future grace. Gratitude looks back to grace received in the past and feels thankful. Faith looks forward to grace promised in the future — whether five minutes from now or five centuries from now — and feels hopeful. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1).

This faith in future grace is the motive for obedience that preserves the gracious quality of human obedience. Obedience does not consist in paying God back and thus turning grace into a trade. Obedience comes from trusting in God for more grace — future grace — and thus magnifying the infinite resources of God’s love and power. Faith looks to the promise, I will be “with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), and ventures, in obedience, to take the land.

John Piper 

Finding trip-ups on your track?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.  1 Corinthians 9:24

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Runners not only need to untangle themselves from weights that may slow them down; they also need to remove what’s on the track that may trip them up!

As a Christian, good things in life may slow us down, but sin will stop us dead in our tracks—it will trip us up. You had better learn to treat sin as sin would treat you: Sin will be merciless to you, and you need to be merciless to sin.

2 Timothy 2:19 says “Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

ACTION POINT:

Is there any unconfessed sin in your life that is tripping you up today? Pray Psalm 139:23-24—“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How to Ask Forgiveness

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)

I recall hearing one of my professors in seminary say that one of the best tests of a person’s theology was the effect it has on our prayers.

This struck me as true because of what was happening in my own life. Noël and I had just been married and we were making it our practice to pray together each evening. I noticed that during the biblical courses which were shaping my theology most profoundly, my prayers were changing dramatically.

Probably the most significant change in those days was that I was learning to make my case before God on the ground of his glory. Beginning with “Hallowed be Thy name” and ending with “In Jesus’s name” meant that the glory of God’s name was the goal and the ground of everything I prayed.

And what a strength came into my life when I learned that praying for forgiveness should be based not only on an appeal to God’s mercy, but also on an appeal to his justice in crediting the worth of his Son’s obedience. God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins (1 John 1:9).

In the New Testament, the basis of all forgiveness of sins is revealed more clearly than it was in the Old Testament, but the basis, namely, God’s commitment to his name, does not change.

Paul teaches that the death of Christ demonstrated God’s righteousness in passing over sins, and vindicated God’s justice in justifying the ungodly who bank on Jesus and not themselves (Romans 3:25–26).

In other words, Christ died once for all to clear the name of God in what looks like a gross miscarriage of justice — the acquittal of guilty sinners simply for Jesus’s sake. But Jesus died in such a way that forgiveness “for Jesus’s sake” is the same as forgiveness “for the sake of God’s name.” There is no miscarriage of justice. God’s name, his righteousness, his justice is vindicated in the very act of providing such a God-honoring sacrifice.

As Jesus said as he faced that last hour, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27–28). That is exactly what he did — so that he might be both just and the justifier of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26).

John Piper 

What slows down your race?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians 6:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

If you want to be a victor in the race God has for you, you must learn the discipline of laying aside some weights. Many times these weights are good things in our lives. But good things are bad things when they keep us from doing the best things.

Life would be simple if it were a choice between good and bad. But typically it’s a choice between good and best.

Our verse says “all things are not expedient.” When you think of the word “expedient,” think of the word “expedition.” You are going somewhere, and if something doesn’t speed you on your way, it’s excess baggage and you need to get rid of it.

ACTION POINT:

Ask God, “Are there legitimate, lawful things in my life that are keeping me from running the race You’ve given me?” If revealed, ask for discipline to lay them aside!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Our Amen To God For His Glory

20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,

22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. - 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." 

10 And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." 

11 And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him." 

12 And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope." 

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - Romans 15:8-13

"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. - Revelation 3:14

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him.

17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. - Colossians 1:15-20

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.

15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. - 1 Corinthians 14:14-17

22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 

23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  - Proverbs 8:22-24

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. - John 17:1-5

Christ is a servant and a King.

God establishes you when you become Christ's. 

We give God the glory for Christ. 

Christ is the firstborn of creation, given a purpose by God before time began.

By Christ alone we can be reconciled to God.

There is a judgment coming.

There will be an eternal resting place for you.

There are two places, heaven or hell. 

They are a real places. 

Hell, a place of torment and separation or heaven, a place of worship, hope and joy.

You must be obedient and turn from your sin recognizing that Christ death and resurrection hold the power for your salvation.

There is salvation in no one else!