JOY

In all honesty, this week hasn't been the best. 

It started off with a few days ill, and then a few days of little sleep. But I guess more importantly than all that, it was one of those weeks when I didn't have too much desire to read my bible. A couple of days I didn't read it. Some I did the bare minimum that the daily reading book required, and some days I read it for my own enjoyment. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has weeks like this. Sometimes, life saps the pleasure away from a Christian. Circumstances, problems, people, work and doubts all can have a negative effect upon our Christian walk.


I’ve asked myself the question “How can I make my Christian life more consistent?” Firstly, I need to make sure I understand the feelings that being a Christian should bring. Most of us expect to feel ‘Happiness’ as a Christian, and that if we don’t have that feeling all of the time, there must be something wrong with us. Happiness however is defined in the dictionary as “the emotion experienced when in a state of well-being”. Happiness then, is an emotion we feel when things are going our way. When life is going well. When our hopes are fulfilled, and our dreams are met. Happiness it would seem depends on how our life is going. In Lamentations 3:17 the writer says “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is”. Because of the experiences of the writer (thought to be Jeremiah the prophet), he had no happiness in his life.


The bible mentions “Happiness” twice in the ESV, but the word “Joy (or joyful etc) is mentioned 192 times. What then is the difference between Joy and Happiness? The dictionary describes Joy as “Something or someone that provides a source of happiness”. A “Source” of happiness?! Not the feelings that we feel, but the person or object that create those feelings. For a Christian, we have Jesus Christ (person) and the fact we have the benefits of eternal salvation (object) to give us joy. Joy is an attitude that we choose to have, unaffected by circumstances or surroundings, and is always present for the Christian to be in its benefit.


“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:7. What brings Joy to God’s heart? When a person turns from sin, and trusts in the Lord Jesus.....That delights God. The verse of course doesn't say that the 99 righteous people don’t delight God, of course they do. God loves those that are His. But He rejoices when a sinner repents and returns to Him, when the prodigal son comes home, and the lost sheep is found.


“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full". John 15:11. What had Jesus told His disciples to inform them of a Joy that was theirs? He told them that He was the vine, and they could “Abide in Him”, and that “He who abides in me, and I in Him, will bear much fruit”. This is the secret for a joyful, fruitful Christian life....Abiding in Him. My daily walk would have more joy to it if I constantly abided in Christ. Sadly, so often it isn’t.


Secondly, Jesus had told them “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love” Is there a better feeling than the one of being loved? A perfect, without motive, always accepting, self sacrificing love, which is undeservedly given to us? If we can start to abide in the goodness of that, we will really have an experience of Joy! I have been guilty of trying to find happiness and love from others, and it can be found, but human love isn’t the same as the Love of God, and it can’t give us eternal, lasting, unconditional feelings of joy.


“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” John 16:22. Jesus promised His disciples that while there would be sorrow because of His death, His resurrection would bring a joy that no one could rob them of. Why was Peter so bold at Pentecost? Why did the disciples lay down their life for the Lord? Because His resurrection confirmed all of their beliefs, that He was the Son of God! We can have true lasting joy in our daily lives because our saviour has risen. He has paid the price for sin. He has gone into glory as our forerunner. And he promised “if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again; that where I am, there you may be also”. My saviour is coming again for me, which should be a source of constant joy. Maybe I’ll see Him tonight?


“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom 15:13. The Holy Spirit loves to increase our joy. He loves to remind us all that Jesus has done for us. This shows us that joy can be increased or decreased; depending upon how much time and effort we spend on the Lord. We can have the Joy of God, or fill ourselves with the temporary happiness of the world.


“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9. As a Christian, trials will come. Problems will arise. But then if we can try to see that they are all used by God for our benefit, and to mould us to be more like Christ, then even the most difficult of problems can be a source of Joy.


I’m afraid I have hardly touched the surface of what joy is in scripture, and how we can apply it in our lives, but I hope it encourages you to read a bit more into it. May our walk together be one of deep Joy, as we go on the way with our saviour. Please feel free to share this post with others, and as always your extra thoughts and comments are greatly valued. You can follow this blog at Facbook/ODCAO

Yours in Him.

Dan

CONTENT

Today’s blog is one which will look at the two aspects of the word “CONTENT”. By this I don’t mean items, like you’d find on a content list. But rather its use to describe our attitude toward something.

Let’s consider it in a negative sense first. I always prefer the bad news ahead of the good news in the hope that the good overcomes the bad. Weird I know ha ha.

In the book of Haggai, the prophet is speaking to the first group of people that returned to Jerusalem. They had begun to rebuild the temple of God, but had given up because of opposition (Samaritans). Haggai ch 1:3-6 says “Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!

“You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

God had noticed that because the spiritual work of rebuilding the temple had ceased, the people had begun to focus upon their own homes. This in itself wasn’t a bad thing, but it had become their main focus in life. They had become “Content” with their situation. They had become comfortable in their nice houses, and had lost the interest for the temple of God. What about me? Have I lost interest in the building up of the church I attend? Do i pray for, and live to further the kingdom of God? Or is my time and effort spent on building up the comfortable things in my life? Careers, relationships, sporting teams, university studies, homes? They of themselves aren't bad things, but they can become distractions very easily without us knowing.

Then comes the part I find most challenging, v6. I believe that God is criticising them for not making full use of their blessings. He is telling them that while they are sowing, eating, drinking, clothed and earning money, they could have so much more! They were content with the least of what they could of had. Just like when they first entered the promised land, the Children of Israel didn't take up God's promise that "Everywhere the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours". But they didn't make the most of it! They’re getting the bare minimum out of life. In Ephesians Paul tells us “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). Am i making the most of the many blessings God has given me? Do I walk in the Spirit, in the power of God, by unwavering faith, knowing my life is covered by the grace of God? Personally......No. Not all of the time. If I did I’d not worry, panic, doubt or fear. I’d make the most of every opportunity, make every day count. That’s what I’m trying to do this year, make each day count and be a blessing or help to someone. 

The second aspect of contentment is in a positive way. It’s Paul who writes all of the verses I’d like to consider now (If it is true as suspected that Paul was the writer of Hebrews). Paul was a man who lived a content life. In 2 Cor 12:10 (ESV) Paul writes “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” In the verse prior to this, Paul tells us that God had promised “My grace is sufficient for you”. When Paul was experiencing problems, trials and difficulties, that’s when he felt God most in his life. When life is smooth and we’re comfortable and content (In that negative way), we often forget and ignore God’s will and help. But in those difficult times, that’s when our appreciation of God, and faith in God grow most.

Then, in Philippians 4:11, Paul speaks of financial contentment. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” The world tells us to strive for wealth, to be financially comfortable. But in both poverty and wealth we have opportunities to glorify God, or to use it for sin. Agur, in proverbs 30: 7-9 says “Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; 
feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.”

Wealth can lead us to ignore God, poverty can lead us to sin against God. Godly contentment is an attitude that says “Whether God gives me much or little, I will use it all for Him.” This is much easier to say than to do at times.

Then, Paul tells Timothy that “If we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim 6:8). This goes against modern day society that wants the best of everything. We need to be content with what we have, God doesn't promise to meet our worldly desires and ambitions, but to satisfy every NEED.

And finally, in Hebrews 13:5, we read “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. The only way we can have true biblical contentment is to realise that God loves us, blesses us, and meets our need. “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” Worldly gain and wealth will never make up for storing up spiritual treasure in Heaven. I hope that we can no longer be content (In the negative sense) with what we have achieved and gained, but also learn to be content (Positively) with what God has blessed us with.

Yours in Him

Dan
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