Tag Archives: complete joy

Loving Along the Way, Seeking the Kingdom of God

In the Moments (Simplicity in Christ)

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The sun is breaking through the clouds on this chilly, late January morning. As I approach the house, from Jack’s mid-morning walk, the warmth lures me to stay outside. Jack is a twelve-week-old Australian Shepherd, who became a member of our family a few weeks ago.

But, by the time I secure Jack, grab my lawn chair, journal, and water, the sun hides behind the greyness of the day. Hopeful it’s just a temporary pause in my winter “sun bath”, I toss Jack a treat, sip some water, and open my Bible.

I turn  to the verse I’ve been draw to often this month. “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”  (II Corinthians 11:3 NKJV).

Paul’s concern for the church at Corinth is about them being deceived. I get it. I believe I’ve been deceived as well.

My life seems anything but simple. From the divorce of my parents, earning an IT degree, raising four kids, maintaining a home, owning a business …   Simple is not how I’d describe things.  

Maybe my definition of the word is part of the problem. To me, simplicity seems to mean freedom from the complexities of life, uncomplicated. This can’t be what Paul meant. A smooth life was never promised.   

The sun is peeking through again. A bit of warmth slathers my face.

Have I been wearing myself out seeking something that’s not possible? 

From Jesus’ very words, I get my answer.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27 NASB).

Simplicity isn’t peace as the world gives it.

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NASB).

Simplicity isn’t a life free of conflict and tribulation.

I know simplicity is possible, but I need understanding.  What does true, Biblical simplicity really mean?

Pondering the question, I’m struck by two things:

  • The word we translate as “simplicity” in the original Greek means singular focus, sincerity, God seeking and not self-seeking, mental honesty.
  • Our simplicity is ‘in Christ‘.

Jack is getting restless. I know I need to stop soon. I press into God, Lord, show me how to live this life Paul is referring to.

Seek First

Tossing Jack a toy, Jesus’ words come to mind. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33 NASB).

The verses before this warn us against having a narrow focus on the world and the necessities of life. Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (Matthew 6:31-32 NASB).

Jesus tells us to have a singular focus on God, His righteousness, and the reign of His ever-unfolding kingdom.  

This seems hard, but God empowers us every step of the way. “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 NASB).

Love as He’s Loved us

Hours before He was crucified, Jesus said, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. 12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:9-12 NASB).

Jesus boils things down to simple terms.

Love.

How do we love? As He’s loved us.

How much is that? As much as the Father loves Him.

And He tells us if we love others as He’s loved us, two amazing things happen:

  • We abide in His love
  • We receive His full joy

Wow, This is the kind of life I want.

Challenge

What’s crowding your mind this very moment? What thoughts and emotions seem to keep swirling around in your soul? It could be feelings of hurt, illnesses, concerns for loved ones, money problems …

Would you trade it all for a singular focus of seeking God’s kingdom by loving others?

Use the following verses as a type of vacuum cleaner for your soul, giving everyone and everything to God.

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (I Peter 5:6-7 NASB).

Linger in the ever presence peace of Christ.

Prayer

Lord, like Eve, I’ve been deceived. I’ve too often allowed the cares of this life to be my focus. I’ve allowed circumstances to make my life feel complicated and anything but simple. Peace as the world gives it is never possible. You are my Peace.

You have given me understanding and insight.

With you working in me, I have all I need to live a life of simplicity in You.

Please remind me quickly when I allow the worries and distractions of this world to draw me from pure and simple devotion to you.

Keep me in the narrow focus of seeking Your kingdom as I love those You place in my path. May I view the challenges and duties of life, not as distraction and bothers, but as ways to serve you and love others.

With all my love, Amen. 

Other posts in our series In The Moments:

As Sea Gulls Fly

The Gift of Presence

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Being Poured Out, Loving like Jesus, The Joy of Serving

Rhythms: IN (The Joy of Putting Others First)

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Story

A while back, a grey cloud settled over my heart. It blew in suddenly and lingered for a while. My wife confirmed my outward mood matched my inward discouragement. She said it seemed as if someone had thrown a wet blanket on my heart to try and steal my joy.  As I shuffled around, what she said resonated, but I had nothing inside to fight it.

Frankly, the last thing I wanted to do was read scripture, but I knew I needed truth. I asked God to guide me and looked at some verses on joy.

As I read, I was struck by how much Paul cared about the joy of others.

He wrote to the Corinthians that he was working for their joy.

But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.  Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm (II Corinthians 1:23-24 NASB).

And to the Philippians, Paul wrote that he’d continue in the fight for their progress and joy in the faith.

 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again (Philippians 1:25-26 NASB).

What struck me was how committed Paul was to being sure the believers at Corinth and Philippi had a growing joy. He seemed to be equating joy with their progress in the faith. And he was willing to fight for them to have it. 

Continuing, I read what Paul wrote in Philippians 2 about considering other’s interest above our own. As these words settled in, a spark of joy flickered in my heart. Clarity grew and I began to understand some of what had killed my joy.

Looking back, I can’t even remember exactly what I was going through, but I had fixated on me and how I was doing. Unaware of the shift in my heart, I had taken up the familiar position of focusing on my own desires for ease of circumstances and comfort. My intense concern for me had zapped my joy.

Being Poured Out

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.  You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me (Philippians 2:17-18 NASB).

In light of what I learned in my “me focused” funk, what Paul wrote in the above verse is the exact opposite of where my heart was. Paul was selflessly willing to have his life blood poured out for the sake of others. 

To get a better understanding of what Paul meant by a drink offering, Old Testament passages mention them, along with other offerings, as sacrifices to the Lord.[2]

Paul was consumed with his relationship with Christ and sharing it with others. He had no fear of death because dying meant more of Jesus.

In the meantime, while God delayed calling him home, his life was characterized by a joy which flowed from his faith.

And here’s the interesting fact, which is undeniable when we study Paul’s life. His joy grew, and seemed to overflow, when he served others.

 Paul held loosely to his life for the sake of building others up. This kind of sacrificial love was not burdensome to him. It filled his heart with a contagious joy.

I ask myself if I’m willing to sacrifice what I want, and even my own life for the sake of God’s kingdom and the spreading of His love?

This seems to be the call for us all. I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1 NASB).

But this sacrificial attitude of putting others didn’t originate with Paul. Following are the verses which sparked joy in my heart from the story above.  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-9 NASB).

Jesus’ example

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (including Judas’ and Peter’s, whom He knew would betray and deny Him).

Afterwards, He told them, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 NASB)

He later promised that if we follow His example, of pouring ourselves out for others, His love and His joy would be ours in abundance.

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:9-12 NASB)

As we abide in the love of Jesus, His love overflows from our lives to those around us. This yielding and depending on the Holy Spirit keeps us in the experience of His love and gives us His complete joy.

But following Jesus’ example of being poured out for the sake of others can never happen in our own strength. Loving like Jesus is totally dependent upon His Spirit at work in us to produce fruit designed for loving others.

Conclusion

Kill Joy – The fastest way to kill your own joy is to focus on you. True joy flows as we delight in the Lord’s nearness and work on behalf of others.

As we lay aside our own interests, we’re invited to join the Holy Spirit in a dance of love and joy. Rejoicing in our relationship with Jesus, and the overflowing of His love for others, frees us from the need to produce our own happiness. In His strength and guidance, we ask, “Lord, who do You want to love through me today?”

Prayer

Lord, receiving Your love and giving it away can never happen without the work of Your Spirit within me. Apart from You, I can do nothing. I don’t want to get in the way anymore. I desire to pour myself out for the spreading of Your love and joy. Please keep me from focusing on me, my duties, my circumstances, my happiness. May the people You bring my way be my highest priority. May I love them with Your love and share the joy of faith in You. Amen.

Personal Study

Highlight John 12:1-8

Explain it in your own words

Apply it to your life

Respond to God in prayer 

[1] Philippians 1:25

[2] Exodus 29:41, Numbers 6:17

Previous posts in our Discipleship Rhythms Series:

UP:  God’s Amazing Love

UP: God’s Essential Love

UP: What Hides God’s Love

UP: Christ Lives in Me

UP: Raised up with Christ

UP: Who’s your Treasure?

UP: Obtaining the Joy of Jesus 

UP: Orienting Life from Above

UP: When Things Get Hard

UP: Communing with God

IN: Receiving God’s Love to Give it Away

IN: Having a Love First Mentality 

Please Check out the new Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child with the gospel.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

Loving like Jesus, The Joy of Serving

Our Highest Joy (The Joy of Being Poured Out)

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But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.  You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me (Philippians 2:17-18 NASB).

The above verse is shocking. But, considering Paul’s longing to be with Jesus, it’s understandable. Paul was consumed with his relationship with Christ and sharing it with others. He had no fear of death because dying meant more of Jesus. In the meantime, while God delayed calling him home, he wrote to the Philippians, “I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith.”[1] Joy flowing from faith, and from serving others, characterized Paul’s life. As followers of Jesus, our lives can have the same markings.

Being Poured Out

In the verse quoted above, Paul mentions being poured out like a drink offering. In the Old Testament, drink was poured out, along with other offerings, as sacrifice to the Lord.[2]  Paul held loosely to his life for the sake of building others up. This kind of sacrificial love was not burdensome to him, but filled his heart with a contagious joy.

To follow, we too must be willing to sacrifice our lives for the sake of God’s kingdom and the spreading of His love.

To the Roman disciples, Paul wrote, I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1 NASB).

To become a disciple of Jesus, we’re to follow His example of presenting our lives for God’s purposes. Jesus put aside His rights and reputation for our sakes. He obeyed even to the point of death, pouring out His life for us.

 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-9 NASB).

Jesus’ example

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (including Judas’ and Peter’s, whom He knew would betray and deny Him). Afterwards, He told them, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 NASB)

He later promised that if we follow His example of pouring ourselves out for others, His love and His joy would be ours in abundance.

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (John 15:9-12 NASB)

As we abide in the love of Jesus, His love overflows from our lives to those around us. This yielding and depending on His Spirit keeps us in the experience of His love and gives us His complete joy.

But following Jesus’ example of being poured out for the sake of others can never happen in our own strength. Loving like Jesus is totally dependent upon His Spirit at work in us to produce fruit designed for loving others.

Conclusion

As we lay aside our own interests, were invited to join the Holy Spirit in a dance of love and joy. Rejoicing in our relationship with Jesus and the overflowing of His love for others, frees us from the need to produce our own happiness. In His strength and guidance we ask, “Lord, who do You want to love through me now?”

Prayer

Lord, receiving Your love and giving it away can never happen without the work of Your Spirit within me. Apart from You, I can do nothing. I don’t want to get in the way anymore. I desire to pour myself out for the spreading of Your love and joy. Please keep me from focusing on my duties. May the people You bring my way be my highest priority. May I love them with Your love and share the joy of faith in You. Amen.

[1] Philippians 1:25

[2] Exodus 29:41, Numbers 6:17

Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:

Unmasking the Lie

Dealing with sadness and disappointment

Eternal Thanksgiving

Fueled by the Joy of Jesus

God with Us

Fixing Our Hope

Remaining Cheerful

Not My Will

Mustering our Faith

.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Strengthening our Faith, When God seems Distant

Our Highest Joy (Mustering Our Faith)

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Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10 NASB)

It doesn’t take a pandemic and a nation marred in disunity to render us faint at heart. Life can be discouraging even without that stuff.

 And when we get a full dose and need to pause to catch our breath, life keeps on coming at us. To remain courageous, we must muster our faith.

Muster – to assemble troops as for a battle, to gather, to summon, to rouse

On a regular basis, we have repeated opportunities to gather and summon our faith. Like workouts in the gym, rousing our trust, when things aren’t smooth, builds muscle memory and strengthens our faith.

How do we muster our faith when we feel weak and God seems distant? Following are a few musts.

We Must Remember God’s Sovereignty

God is always in control. His purposes can’t be thwarted. He’s able to work all things together for His greater purposes.[1] Even the very hard situations we face are no surprise to God. In His omnipotence, the sinful choices by men, the state of this fallen world and the schemes of the enemy can not change what God is doing.

Joseph told his brothers, “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”[2]  

God used Jonah’s disobedience to illicit praise from the folks on the ship to Tarashish.[3]

The evil intent of the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus led to the salvation of all men.

God has entrusted us with each circumstance we’re in and desires us to trust Him and not our own understanding of our situations.[4]

We Must Orient Our Lives from God’s Greater Story

Paul tells believers that since we have been raised up with Christ, we’re to set our minds on things above, not on things of the earth.[5]

We need to see our lives from an eternal perspective, knowing God is at work for our greater good. He’s working all things for the purpose of conforming us into the image of Christ, not for us to experience a smooth ride.[6] It’s vital for us to understand this. If not, we can view God as a distant dictator, out to destroy our hopes and dreams.

We need to live now with the end in mind. Being more like Christ is what this life is about, not temporal happiness. For we died and our life is now hidden in Christ.[7]

We Must Realize Being with God is Our Highest Joy

The Bible has an overarching theme, woven into the fabric from Genesis to Revelation. Us being with God. We were created for fellowship with Him.

David, wrote that even in the shadow of death, he would not be afraid because He knew God was with him.[8] He also wrote that in God’s presence, joy is full.[9]

 After crying out to God concerning the unfairness of life, Asaph concluded that God’s nearness was his good, not his lot in life.[10]

From a Roman prison Paul repeatedly instructed us to be full of joy in the Lord. Not just when we feel like it, but at all times.[11]

We Must Remember God’s Love for us Never Fails

No matter how often we fall short in actions and faith, God’s love for us never fails, it’s everlasting.[12] His lovingkindness never ceases. His mercies are new every morning.[13]

 As believers, we are His children, a fact established before the world began.[14] Nothing can separate us from His great love.[15] His love for us can be described as deeper and wider and longer than an ocean and higher than the heavens. It surpasses our ability to comprehend.[16]

Prayer

Lord, we come to You now. You know the place we’re in. You’re not surprised by any of it. You’re with us and have allowed it for our greater good. Help us not to doubt Your ways. May we draw near to You and walk in utter dependence upon You. We were never to face these things alone. We depend upon Your strength in our weakness. Amen.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”[17] The Apostle Paul

[1] Ephesians 1:9-12

[2] Genesis 50:20 (NASB)

[3] Jonah 1:14-16

[4] Proverbs 3:5-6

[5] Colossians 3:1-2

[6] Romans 8:28-29

[7] Colossians 3:3

[8] Psalm 23:4

[9] Psalm 16:11b

[10] Psalm 73, 73:28

[11] Philippians 3:1, 4:4

[12] Jeremiah 31:3

[13] Lamentations 3:22-23

[14] Ephesians 1:4-5

[15] Romans 8:35

[16] Ephesians 3:14-19

[17] 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:

Unmasking the Lie

Dealing with sadness and disappointment

Eternal Thanksgiving

Fueled by the Joy of Jesus

God with Us

Fixing Our Hope

Remaining Cheerful

Not My Will

.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

All our Worship, The Bounties of God

Our Highest Joy (Remaining Cheerful )

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All the days of the afflicted are bad, But a cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15 NASB).

Solomon wrote that all the days of the afflicted are bad. Afflicted – poor, humble, wretched, needy and lowly. Though this might not describe all our days, most of us have experienced times of affliction. But, in his wisdom, Solomon gave us a remedy. We need a cheerful heart. If we have that, he says we’ll have a continual feast, the longings of our hearts will stay satisfied. No more searching for someone or somebody to fill our deep desires. A cheerful heart will fill us up to overflowing joy.

This sounds exciting, but how does it play out in the moments of our lives? Sometimes the condition of our hearts hang in the balance, based on how we’re feeling or what’s going on around us. What’s the secret of having and maintaining a cheerful heart and how do we walk in continual spiritual nourishment?

What is a Cheerful Heart?

The Hebrew word translated as “cheerful” in the above verse has a wide variety of meanings. Agreeable to the senses, such as fair to the sight, sweet to the taste, fragrant to the smell and as a cooling shadow of a tree. This brings the word into a context we can relate to in our experience, but it also encompasses terms of a broader, higher nature such as beautiful, pleasant, excellent, fruitful, fertile, advantageous, choice, fine, pure, goodly, valuable, better, merry, glad.

As I read these descriptions of the word Solomon used, I sense its magnitude and  “out of this world” richness. It congers up thoughts and feelings of complete peace and bliss, like being nurtured under the mighty wings of God.

He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may take refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and wall (Psalm 91:4 NASB).

I think of what David declared in Psalm 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound (NASB).

And verses like: “Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1b NIV)

and

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good (Psalms 73:28a NASB)

The bottom line is that God Himself is the true source of our joy. As David wrote, In your presence is fullness of Joy” (Psalms 16:11b NASB).

Though our hearts are cheered by the beauties of His creation, only God Himself can give us the kind of continual gladness which produces an ongoing buffet of spiritual nourishment.

Maintaining a Cheerful Heart.

It doesn’t have to take a difficult trial or sadness to get me off track. On any normal day I can easily rely on what’s around me to keep my heart encouraged. But eventually, this always leaves me empty. In my experience, it’s not what’s going on around me or even how I’m feeling which strengthens my heart and gives me courage.  Maintaining a joyful, cheerful heart has everything to with the focus of my worship.

Worship – to give worth or worthiness.

We all have an ongoing decision to make. Are we going to choose, as David did in the following verse, to worship God as our one desire? One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple (Psalm 27:4 NASB).

Or, are we going to put greater worth on our circumstances and how we feel?

This is not a one and done decision for the day. Delighting in the Lord, and not in how we’re doing, is a moment by moment choice. 

Over time, in countess turnings of our gaze back to Him, we begin to understand.

God Himself is not only the reason for our cheerful hearts but also the source of nourishment which fully satiates our souls with the bounties of His goodness.

Prayer

Lord, You fill my heart to overflowing with the beauties of Your magnificence. Please keep me focused on You. I want You to always by my one true worship. I depend upon You and Your Indwelling Spirit to keep me in the shadow of Your wings. Show me quickly when my hearts shifts to worshipping my own comfort. Teach me to trust in Your love and Your greater purposes.  I lay my life and my story at Your feet. I delight in the rich, sweetness of Your goodness.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)  

Amen.

 

Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:

Unmasking the Lie

Dealing with sadness and disappointment

Eternal Thanksgiving

Fueled by the Joy of Jesus

God with Us

Fixing Our Hope

.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

Our Only Hope

Our Highest Joy (Fixing Our Hope )

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Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:13 NASB).

Our hope needs fixing; at least mine does. I’m guilty of tying my sense of well-being to my circumstances. I want to fix my hope on something more substantial than a smoother year in 2021. With the deep division in our country, the global pandemic and plenty of natural disasters, having our stability tied to temporal happiness is a recipe for an emotional roller coaster ride. As mentioned previously, we were designed to find our joy in Eternal God, not in how our life is going. Our health, our relationships, our finances, or our jobs are flimsy structures to hang our hopes on. Unless we fix our hope, our courage to face the day’s activities and challenges hangs in the balance.

The Link Between Hope and Courage

As a noun, hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and trust that a certain thing will happen. Dr. David Rubin wrote, “Hope is a critical component of the complete care of a patient.”[1] Hope is critical to the human psyche. Without it, discouragement sets in.

When we’re in the midst of difficulties, we can fear our lives will never get better. With our hope fixed on circumstances, nagging, long lasting trials can drain us and zap us of the joy our hearts so desperately need. 

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NASB).

When difficulties come, Jesus tells us to take courage.  Be encouraged, not because we hope things will get better, but because Jesus has overcome the world.

Fixing Our Hope on Jesus

In the first verse quoted above, Peter charges us to keep our minds unhindered.  This includes not attaching our sense of well-being to ANY situation, relationship, or temporal joy. He tells us to fix our hope COMPLETELY on the grace to be given us at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Don’t miss this. Our hope needs to be ONLY in Jesus.

Paul says the same thing in Colossians 3:1-2. He reminds us that since we’ve been raised with Christ, we should orient our lives from where we sit with Him above, not on how things are going on earth.   

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.

Then he tells us how:

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:3-4 NASB).

It’s not about us. We’ve been crucified with Jesus and raised with Him in newness of life.[2] Jesus is our life. As believers, we’re free to rest in His life and not fret about ours. We’re in Christ and He’s in us. We’re enclosed round about and hidden in His life. The pressure is off for us having to keep trying to finding temporal happiness to remain hopeful.

But What do we do About our Sadness?

It’s great to be heavenly minded, but what do we do with life’s sadness? Some situations don’t seem to ever get better. I used to smile through them and deny their gravity, but this “grin and bear it” approach is not the answer. It produces an inauthentic, plastic kind of “joy”.

I’m learning how to embrace the fact that sadness is a part of life. And it has it’s place. When I feel sad, I cry out to Jesus. My grief becomes an invitation to call the Lord near. The pain is real, but in the midst, my Comforter brings a strange, unshakable joy.

Hardships can propel me to Jesus and keep me from fixing my hope on anything but Him.

Prayer

Lord, Your ways are so much higher than mine. I have no idea how You keep me encouraged through life’s trials. What a beautiful mystery. And because You’ve been my longstanding Comfort through it all, my Joy in You grows deeper every day. And I get to share what You’ve done for me with others.[3]   I pray I would always be more concerned about loving the people you bring my way than how I feel. I know you care about me and I trust You with my life.[4]

Amen.

 [1] The Importance of Hope in Medical Care – Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation (giresearchfoundation.org)

[2] Romans 6:3-11

[3] 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

[4] I Peter 5:6-7

Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:

Unmasking the Lie

Dealing with sadness and disappointment

Eternal Thanksgiving

Fueled by the Joy of Jesus

God with Us

.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Indwelling Christ, Our Union with Christ, The Nearness of God

Our Highest Joy (God With Us)

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Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us (Matthew 1:23 NASB)

As our unusual 2020 comes to a close, we pause to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Immanuel. God with us. The Creator of the universe brought near. But what does this really mean? And how does God being with us change who we are, our approach to life and our purpose?

But what is most important about God’s nearness is how His strength and Joy gives us the courage to face any battle we’re in. He’s an ever present help in times of trouble.

What Does “God With Us” Really Mean?

From Eternity

  • Jesus was with God in the beginning and the world was created through Him and for Him. [1] [2]
  • In Jesus all things hold together.[3]
  • Jesus is the first place in everything and God’s fulness dwells in Him [4]

What Christ Gave up for Us

  • And although He existed in the form of God, He emptied Himself taking the form a bond servant.[5]
  • He set aside His splendor to enter this world in human likeness as a baby in simple circumstances.[6]
  • Fueled by the Joy of our redemption, He endured the excruciating pain of the cross to provide us a path to God[7]

How it Becomes Personal

We can allow another Christmas to go by, singing the songs, exchanging the gifts, and eating the food. We can miss the life changing significance of Christ actually being with us in a personal way.

Christ is always in full display in the beauties of the world around us, but “God with us” can become personal:

Recognize the gap

Without Christ we are do not have an intimate relationship with God, without hope in the world, destined to be apart from Him for eternity.[8] [9] [10]

Stop trying to live a good enough life

Eternal life can’t be earned. We don’t make it to heaven by our good works outweighing our wrongs. God’s economy doesn’t work that way.[11]

Believe God

Believing means trusting in Christ’s sacrifice on your behalf, committing your life to His care and relying upon Him for every concern.  

Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24 NASB)

What Changes When “Being With God” Becomes Personal  

Who We Are Changes Forever

  • We become loved children of God But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12 NASB)
  • God lives in us Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23 NASB)
  • We are complete, fully accomplished and filled to the brim in Christ For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete (Colossians 2:9-10a NASB)

 Our Approach to Life Changes

  • We Decrease and He Increases[12] For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3 NASB)
  •  We live by faith not by sight, trusting in God’s greater story [13] [14]  Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)
  •  We live in abiding dependence upon God’s Holy Spirit within us [15]  I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20 NASB)

 Our Goals and Purposes are New

  •  Our top goal is now to Delight in God’s great worth, not worldly happiness.  One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple (Psalms 27:4 NASB)
  • God Himself is now our greatest reward not things of the earth. After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1 NIV)
  •  Our higher Daily purpose becomes loving others not just getting things done. This is My commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:12 NASB)

Prayer

Lord, You are with me right now. Thank You for leading me to slow down and ponder what Immanuel really means. You set aside so much to be with me and to die for me. Please help me fully appreciate what Your nearness means to every moment of my life. I’m yours. I pray I will delight in You throughout the day, knowing that You alone are my great reward. In Your strength, may I love others as You’ve loved me.

In everything I’ve faced and will face, You’ve been my Strength, my Joy and my Courage. May I lean into You throughout life’s journey.

Amen.

[1] John 1:1-3

[2] Colossians 1:16

[3] Colossians 1:17

[4] Colossians 1:18-19

[5] Philippians 2:6-8

[6] Philippians 2:6-8

[7] Hebrews 12:2

[8] Romans 3:23

[9] Isaiah 59:2

[10] Ephesians 2:12

[11] Ephesians 2:4-10

[12] John 3:30

[13] 2nd Corinthians 5:7

[14] Colossians 3:1-2

[15] John 15:4-5

Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:

Unmasking the Lie

Dealing with sadness and disappointment

Eternal Thanksgiving

Fueled by the Joy of Jesus

.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Enduring Joy

Our Highest Joy (Joy which brings Endurance )

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“If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.[1]” Jesus

Jesus speaks of us having His joy, a quality of joy which is unaffected by circumstances, a joy which motivates and gives endurance. He wants us to have this complete joy.  Seems joy is more than a “nice to have” optional part of our lives. It’s something Jesus intends for us.

Jesus spoke the above words the night before His crucifixion.  Yet, even knowing what awaited Him, Jesus speaks of full joy. What’s the quality of His joy and how do we step into it?

 Joy Defined

As a noun, joy is defined as a feeling of extreme cheerfulness related to acquiring or expecting to acquire something good.[2] Others would argue that joy is not an emotion at all, but a deep attitude or belief which soothes even the most sorrowful situations. [3] These two aspects of joy seem contradictory, but we see both in what we read about the joy of Jesus.

The Joy of Jesus

Motivated by Joy

The writer of Hebrews says Jesus’ joy motivated Him to endure the cross:

Looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).

Jesus, in anticipation of something good (our redemption) had a deep joy which gave Him the strength to endure the cross.  His trust in God’s plan of our reconciliation motivated Him to bravely hold fast in the midst of excruciating[4] pain.

Question: When you think of the joy of being with Jesus forever, does it give you strength? Does your trust in this benefit motivate you to endure a difficulty you’re currently facing?

Joy in what pleases God

Luke writes that after the seventy two returned with joy after having been sent out two by two to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near, Jesus greatly rejoiced and praised the Lord. It gave Him great joy that what was happening was pleasing in His Father’s eyes.[5]

Jesus was full of joy and exceedingly glad to experience what pleased His Father God.  

Question:   What is happening around you now that is pleasing to God?

Spend a few moments rejoicing that your Loving Father is a Sovereign King whose greater purposes will not be thwarted.

Joy of Salvation

In Luke 15, beginning at verse 4, Jesus gives the parable of the lost sheep. He tells us of how the owner is full of joy when the sheep is found and urges others to rejoice with him.  Comparatively, Jesus speaks of the joy experienced in all of heaven when one sinner repents.

Salvation means obtaining the gift of the Holy Spirit now and being with God now and forever. Reasons for great joy.

Challenge: Spend a few minutes pondering the far reaching joys of your own salvation.  And don’t take for granted the salvation of those you love. Rejoice in salvation.

Receiving the Joy of Jesus?

Jesus wants us to have joy, His joy; the kind of joy which gives us the courage and motivation to endure life’s toughest challenges.

Jesus’ kind of joy comes from us loving others as He’s loved us.

Jesus’ kind of joy is tied to what pleases His Father.

Jesus’ kind of joy is full when a sinner repents and believes in the finished work of Christ for salvation.

Prayer

Lord, I want Your complete joy. I know You want me to have it. I know all difficulties fade in the joy and peace of Your nearness. You tell us our present sufferings are less than nothing compared to the glories to be revealed to us.[6] When I ponder the reality that You want me to share in Your joy, I can scarcely take it in. Lord, I desire the complete joy You intend for me to have.  I open my life to receive it. Teach me to obey Paul’s command to rejoice in You at all times.

Amen

And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10b ESV).

Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:

Unmasking the Lie

Dealing with sadness and disappointment

Eternal Thanksgiving

.[1] John 15:10-12

[2] https://wikidiff.com/gladness/joy

[3] healthpsychology.org/is-there-a-relationship-between-happiness-and-joy

[4] Unbearable pain, literally “out of the cross”

[5] Luke 10:21-22

[6] Romans 8:18

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Complete Joy, Completely Loved

The Joy of Decreasing

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Before he was thrown into prison and beheaded, John the Baptizer spoke into a dispute his disciples were having. They were bothered by the fact that folks were going to Jesus to be baptized instead of them. John told them, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.”[1] He said, “I must decrease and He must increase” [2] He spoke of rejoicing and being full of joy in yielding his life to Jesus.[3]

As we yield our lives to the Lord, this frees us into the joy of caring for and focusing on others. In Philippians, Paul tells us to fight for the interest of others, to stop caring just for ourselves.[4] He says to pattern our lives after Jesus’ life, who emptied Himself and was obedient to the point of death on a cross.[5]

Then he writes, “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. (Philippians 2:17-18 NASB)

Being poured out – rejoicing and joy. We’re starting to see a pattern here.

In Romans 15, Paul challenges us not to live to please ourselves, but to patiently empower others.[6] He calls God a fountain of hope who fills us to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as we trust our lives to Him.[7]

There’s overwhelming evidence that self-promotion, self-glorification, self-serving and self-effort is the antithesis of joy. God is calling us to pour our efforts towards others. This means we must trust ourselves to His care.

 Before Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, John gives us a peek into His thoughts. “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about.” (John 13:3-4 NASB)

Peter would deny Him and Judas would betray Him, yet Jesus washed all his disciples’ feet. He needed nothing from men. He trusted in His Father’s complete love. And this same love is available to us.

Jesus tells us, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:10-12 NIV)

Jesus tells us how to remain in the Lord’s love and how to complete our joy. As you might guess, it has to do with loving and caring for others.

 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:10-12 NIV)

Following Jesus’ example of trusting His Father’s complete love and loving others sacrificially fills us to the brim with the Joy of Jesus.

Joy doesn’t come from promoting ourselves. It comes from trusting, from yielding, from decreasing, from loving others because our life belongs to God.

The Kingdom of God flows in opposition to the world. The world says – look out for yourself, seek your happiness and you’ll be satisfied. Jesus says empty yourself and trust your Father with your well-being. Serve others sacrificially and your Joy will be complete.

[1] John 3:27b

[2] John 3:30

[3] John 3:29

[4] Philippians 2:3-4

[5] Philippians 2:5-8

[6] Romans 15:1-2 TPT

[7] Romans 15:13 TPT

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains