Something Greater

Oh my soul, why are you sad today? Have you forgotten the joy of forgiveness? What troubles are you keeping to yourself today, hiding from your Lord, refusing to pour out your heart to the One Who hears and cares? Is your pain caused by distrust of your Maker and Master? Do not act like a stubborn mule without understanding! Trust in the Lord and come near to his faithful love. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice in his forgiveness and favor! Find rest in God alone. Do not try to find satisfaction in circumstances of business or fame or distraction. Put no trust in defeating others, in gaining wealth, or ruling with importance. Strength belongs to God. Faithful love belongs to the Lord. He alone will have the final word on all things. He alone is just, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Rejoice, oh soul! Place into his hands all that you need and desire, and rest secure in his goodness and power over all circumstances and conditions. Trust in the Lord and come...

Temptation | A Brief Word Study | A Prayer | James 1:12-16 (Notation in parentheses refers to Strong's Greek Dictionary) James 1:12-16 (KJV) Blessed ( G3107 - supremely blest, fortunate, well off, joyful, rewarded, happier ) is the man that endures ( G5278 - to stay under or behind, remain, undergo, bear trials, have fortitude, persevere, abide, endure, take patiently, suffer, tarry behind ) temptation ( G3986 - trials, testing, putting to proof by experiment, experience of evil, solicitation, discipline or provocation, adversity ): for when he is tried ( G1384 - approved, tested, acceptable ) he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted ( G3985 - tested, tried, trapped, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline ), "I am tempted ( G3985 - tested, tried, trapped, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline ) of God": for God cannot be tempted ( G551 - tempted, tried, temptable ) with evil,...

Happy Rejoicing | Acts 5:41-42 Peter and the apostles had been imprisoned, interrogated, slandered, disbelieved, minimized, oppressed and beaten by the Jewish High Priest and council of religious rulers. And the apostles left happy. They left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:41-42 (ESV) REJOICING: chairo (to be "cheer"ful, calmly happy or well-off; used as a greeting or farewell) "Rejoice" is a good way to translate the Greek word that describes the emotion felt by the apostles after severe mistreatment. The English word derives from the Latin, gaudere (to give joy, to gladden). "Joy" is from the same word, meaning the emotion resulting from the acquisition or expectation of good; gladness or delight. The definition of "joy" includes happines...

Isaiah 9, Part 1: The Promised Prince (verses 1-7) Previously in chapter 8: With his child's name as an omen, Isaiah responded to God's inspiration and preached a warning to "this people", the Jews in Israel and Judah. They would be inundated by an invasion from Assyria, shattering their idolatrous fear and superstition. Distress, darkness and gloom would bring the people anguish. Overview of chapter 9: Those without hope in the LORD would suffer the gloom of anguish, but for those once thought contemptible there will be no such gloom. A Child would come from Zebulun Naphtali, a Son Who would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Yet the present circumstances are dire. God's anger brings Assyrians, Syrians and Philistines against Israel. The horrors of war and genocide become terrifying symbols of Israel's moral and spiritual wickedness against the LORD. The Promised Prince of Peace (verses 1-7) In t...

Caulkers: Fastening Onto God 1 Samuel 30:6 I am easily discouraged, easily frustrated and easily disheartened. David also felt overwhelmed by discouragement, distressed by circumstances of loss and weakness, or confused about what to do and where to go. He often felt pain from circumstances that were allowed and orchestrated by God. Recently I read of an instance in which David responded to a horrendous experience of loss and violence by "strengthening", or fastening, himself in God: "David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6 (ESV) David's small army had been on the front lines of war, away from their homes for three days. During that time, Amalekites had raided their hometown of Ziklag, burning it with fire and taking captive the women and all who were in it. David and his men re...

The Miracle of Joy In the violent turmoil caused by by Saul in Jerusalem, the apostle Philip saw opportunity for reaching out to an often-ignored people : Samaritans. "Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city." Acts 8:4-8 (ESV) Sudden, miraculous cleansing from demons and disease is a powerful confirmation of words of preachers and prophets. Jesus healed a man of blindness, describing it as a display of the works of God (John 9:1). Jewish Pharisees acknowledged His power, but called it satanic. Jesus revealed their blind, broken logic: How could Satan's kingdom stand if Satan...

Happiness Does the Bible say that Christians should seek happiness? It seems that "happiness" has acquired a bad reputation , at least with many Christians. The word seems to have connotations of cheap worldliness, or fleeting fancifulness. Some try to distinguish between joy and happiness, exalting joy and denigrating happiness . What does "happiness" mean? Is it something less than "joy"? Does the Bible exalt joy over happiness? HAPPINESS: (good luck, good fortune, prosperity; a state of well-being and pleasurable satisfaction; bliss) HAPPY: (favored by hap, luck or fortune) HAP: (chance, happening, luck) "Hap" is an old-fashioned word that simply means an event or incident. To be "happy" means to regard an event or incident as good or fortunate. "Happiness" is an experience that one considers to be favorable, pleasureable, or good . Because experience is closely followed by emotion, happiness has come to...

Joyful Despair "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of ...

Oh! How He Loves Us! "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." Philippians 2:1-2 (ESV) Paul describes the reward, or the conseqence, of being in Christ : ENCOURAGEMENT: paraklesis (imploration, hortation, solace); from parakaleo (to call near, invite, invoke); from para (near) and kaleo (to call aloud) COMFORT: paramythion (concrete consolation); from paramythia (abstract consolation); from paramytheomai (to relate near, encourage, console); from para (near) and mythos (a tale, a story of fiction, "myth") PARTICIPATION: koinonia (partnership, participation, intercourse, benefaction); from koinonos (a sharer, an associate); from koinos (common, shared by all or several, profane) AFFECTION: splanchnon (the intestine, figurative for pity or sympathy); from splen (the...

Repent and Turn Again "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you." Acts 3:19-20 (ESV) Paul reaches the climax of his message to the Jews. He has rebuked them for their sin: they had denied, abused and murdered Jesus, the holy, righteous Ruler of all creation. He revealed the root cause of their sin: ignorance of God's message given through prophets. Now, Paul urges them to make a radical change : REPENT: metanoeo (to think differently, reconsider); from meta (accompaniment, "amid", association, succession) and noeo (to exercise the mind, observe, comprehend, heed); from nous (the intellect, the mind); from ginosko (to know absolutely) TURN AGAIN: epistrepho (to revert); from epi (superimposition, over, upon) and strepho (to twist, turn quite around, to reverse); from trope (a turn or revolution); from trepo (to ...

Prepared for Death "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." Luke 2:34-35 (ESV) "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 (ESV) "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matt 26:26-28 (ESV) Jesus was born to die, and He knew it . His death was preached by prophets centuries before His birth. He was described as a Sacrifice and a Lamb for slaughter . I believe Jesus knew His destiny even when He was still an unborn baby . Every lullaby sang by his ...

f(x) = x Line Equation of Suffering and Joy As x increases, so increases y. Let x = suffering Let y = joy This is true only as the suffering, and the joy, are in Christ. Psalm 91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place - the Most High, who is ...