Joy that Last

The word happiness evokes visions of un-wrapping gifts on Christmas morning, strolling hand in hand with the one you love, being surprised on your birthday, responding with unbridled laughter to a comedian, or vacationing in an exotic locale. Everyone wants to be happy; we make chasing this elusive ideal a lifelong pursuit: spending money, collecting things, and searching for new experiences.

But if happiness depends on our circumstances, what happens when the toys rust, loved ones die, health deteriorates, money is stolen, and the party’s over? Often happiness flees and despair sets in.

In contrast to happiness stands joy. Running deeper and stronger, joy is the quiet, confident assurance of God’s love and work in our life – that he will be there no matter what. Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Christ.

The book of Philippians (one of Paul’s letters) is Paul’s joy letter. The church in that Macedonian city had been a great encouragement to Paul. The Philippian believers had enjoyed a very special relationship with Paul during his stay with them, so he wrote them a personal expression of his love and affection. They had brought him great joy. Philippians is also a joyful book because it emphasizes the real joy of the Christian life. The concept of rejoicing or joy appears sixteen times in four chapters, and the pages radiate this positive message, culminating in the exhortation to “always be full of joy in the Lord, I say it again…rejoice!” (4:4)

Although Paul was writing from prison, joy is a dominant theme in this letter. The secret of his joy is grounded in his relationship with Christ. People today desperately want to be happy but are tossed and turned by daily successes, failures, and inconveniences. Christians are to be joyful in every circumstances, even when things are going badly, even when we feel like complaining, even when no one else is joyful. Christ still reigns, and we still know him, so we can rejoice at all times.

Believers of Christ can have profound contentment, serenity, and peace no matter what happens. This joy comes from knowing Christ personally and from depending on his strength rather than our own.

We can have joy, even in hardship. Joy does not come from outward circumstances but from inward strength. As Christians, we must not rely on what we have or what we experience to give us joy but on Christ within us.

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The Greatest of All is…Love

This morning, when I was doing my morning readings, part of the chapter in the Bible I was reading just reminded me once again what love is: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

It speaks about what love is, and what it is not. I just want to share the verses that spoke into my heart while I was reading this chapter, otherwise known as the “love chapter.”

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstances.

There are three things that will endure – faith, hope and love – and the greatest of these is love.

In chapter 12, Paul gave evidence of the Corinthians’ lack of love in the utilization of spiritual gifts. Chapter 13 defines real love, and chapter 14 shows how love works.

Love is more important than all the spiritual gifts exercised in the church body. Great faith, acts of dedication or sacrifice, and miracle-working power have little effect without love. Love makes our actions and gifts useful. Although people have different gifts, love is available to everyone.

Our society confuses love and lust. Unlike lust, God’s kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is impossible to have this love unless God helps us set aside our own natural desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return. Thus, the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others.

In morally corrupt Corinth, love had become a mixed-up term with little meaning. Today people are still confused about love. Love is the greatest of all human qualities, and it is an attribute of God himself. Love involves unselfish service to others, to show it gives evidence that you care.

Faith is the foundation and content of God’s message; love is the action. When faith and hope are in line, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves.

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Anything is Possible if We Believe

I was reading a chapter in the book of Mark, and these verses just jumped out from the rest of the texts I was reading:

Mark 9:23-24

v. 23: “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

v.24: The father instantly replied, “I do believe, but help me not to doubt!”

I like what Jesus said in this verse. It does reminds us, that most of the time we don’t believe in our belief. This verses encourages me to check my belief whenever I pray and ask Jesus for something that I know He can only do.

Most of the time — if not all the time — whenever we pray for something, we actually don’t expect or believe that God will answer our prayers. And we get surprised when He does.

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