Thoughts on Joy

It has been a few months since my last post. The summers are always my busiest time. In addition to an already busy season, our family, together with my wife's parents, vacationed for 17 days! Our trip to visit my parents and some other parts of the country was half a month well spent. When we were six hours from home, my father-in-law's van blew two head gaskets in La Grande, Oregon! While not out first choice in spontaneity, the temporary set back was fuel to the fire of joy! I mean, it was not my van that was in need of repair. It was definitely easier for me than for Papa! However, it was an opportunity for the Lord to provide via the time of one of my best friends. I would link to his blog, but he rarely posts! Haha! Now that is the pot calling the kettle black! Anyway, it turned out to be a rather joyous ocasion, as far as I can remember.

The summer was effectively shortened by two and a half weeks! I am still reeling from the effects at work. I do see it as an answer to prayer, though. The Lord enabled me to work with focus and diligence. Through His great grace the effort has carried over into the school year. He has also brought about much joy!

The Lord has taught me much regarding joy in the last three years. His word is replete with joy-laden commands. The Solomonic writing of Ecclesiastes teaches us to Enjoy The Process. After all, life is hard and then you die. You might as well rejoice in what you have been given! Pretty sound advice from the wisest man who ever lived! It sure beats bitterness from dwelling on your circumstances.

Then there is the guy named Paul. I mean, what is his deal? He was flogged and beaten how many times? He was shipwrecked and left for dead! Yet he commands us to rejoice always. In case you don't think he is serious, he says it again -- Rejoice! Pretty sound advice from probably the most Christ-like Christian who ever lived.

I confess I am intrigued by James. Here we have the brother of Jesus. Perhaps no man spent more time with the Son of God than James. It is believed that Jesus began his public ministry in His thirtieth year. Assuming James was born before Christ was five, James would have spent twenty-five years of his life with the Messiah! Imagine, for a moment, what it was like being the second boy behind Jesus.

Can you imagine Joseph disciplining James for some disobedience. Perhaps he would say, "James, why can't you be more like your Brother, Jesus? He didn't disobey me. Why can't you be more like your Brother?" If James had a rebellious whit, he might have replied along the lines of, "Father, He is the Son of God! He never sins! How can I be like Him? You know, Dad, you could learn a lot from Him too."

After the death and resurrection of Christ, James became a leader in the Jerusalem Church. Paul spent some time with him when he visited Jerusalem. In fact, James seems to be the one providing leadership in Acts 15, where Paul and Barnabas were seeking instruction regarding questions of the Gentiles.

After some time, James writes a letter to the believers scattered thoughout the Roman Empire. The believers to whom he writes were experiencing hardship and persecution. The very first thing he writes to those suffering away from their home: Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials! WHAT? Has he lost his mind? I don't know about you, but that is about the last thing I want to hear. Please, give me relief. Give me a strategy for defending myself. But to consider it all joy? Don't you just want to say, "James, where did that come from?"

I believe James would calmly reply, "It came from the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It came from Jesus -- my Master and my Brother!" After all, it was Christ, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God! Jesus is our example of enjoying the process! It is He who enables us to joy in Him in spite of our circumstances.

We have the command from Soloman. We have the command from Paul and James. We also have the example from Jesus. So why don't we have more joy? The answer is found starting at the beginning of Hebrews 12:2 -- Looking to Jesus. When our focus is on the Father's Beloved Son, joy will be a byproduct of our obedience. Regardless of life's trials, The Lord is waiting, providing joy for those who seek Him.

ETP or Else!

In Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, Solomon provides provocative council for his primary audience -- young people. He commands us to rejoice, to follow the impulses of our heart. He requires the young person to "follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes." He wisely instructs us to enjoy life, fulfilling our desires. Initially we think, "Yes! This is the command I have been looking for!" What a typical response for young people who are looking for someone to tell them what they want to hear.

Solomon, however, follows this command with a warning, "know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things." We are to remember that judgment is coming! Pastor Higgins made a keen observation. He pointed out that the warning of judgment immediately followed the command to rejoice in life. Why would God, writing through Solomon, instruct us to enjoy life then warn us of pending judgment if we do not?

The answer is invigorating! The solution is astonishing! The panacea is humbling! His conclusion: we are commanded to enjoy life because God's Glory depends upon it!

I still remember when the weight of this biblical truth moored to my understanding. It was devastating! If God's glory depends upon my enjoyment of Him, then I had not, at that point in my Christian life, glorified Him a SINGLE DAY! I had been a Christian for about seven years. My understanding was fed from John Piper's book "When I Don't Desire God." God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. My enjoyment of Christ brings God the most glory because I enjoy what I love. God is the only one deserving all of my enjoyment and therefore all of my love. Then, He overflows my cup so that His love abounds to others.

I am thankful to God for Solomon and his wise council. May God be enjoyed and loved by all His creation!

Waves of Grace

Last week, I was ready for Resurrection Sunday! All week I was thinking about Christ and what He was doing on what day. Palm Sunday He was entering Jerusalem. Later that week, possibly Monday, He was cleansing the temple of the money changers. Thursday night was the Last Supper and His arrest. All through the night on Friday He was on trial, being mocked, beaten, and prepared for The Cross. Around 9am on Friday, He was crucified. I remember thinking at lunch on Friday that Christ was still on The Cross. Then as school let out at 3pm, He would have cried "It is finished."

As I awoke on Saturday my thoughts were still on Christ -- He is still in the tomb, but not for long! About two and a half hours later I learned that Grant Weinberg's heart had stopped beating and he was on his way to the hospital. I was shocked. These are the kinds of things you read about. They don't happen close to home. However, The Lord has plans I know nothing about! Saturday was mostly discouraging has our church family huddled in one wing of the fourth floor, praying for the Weinbergs and providing any comfort we could. I still was thinking, "Christ is in the tomb."

Sunday came! As I awoke I began thinking about Christ and His Resurrection. I thought of Grant and the Weinbergs, praying for The Lord to intervene. It was rainy and overcast, not an ideal day to celebrate The Resurrection.

The first service brought no new reports on Grant's condition. However, at the beginning of second service, our youth pastor relayed some great news -- Grant was responding to instructions! As many people prayed for the family, love poured out from hearts through words and tears. My wife later relived through teary eyes the joyous announcement from Chuck, "Grant is moving," or something close.

Our afternoon was spend with family, savoring the tantalizing feast my wife's parents had prepared. After some of the best potato casserole mankind has ever known, I read about how Grant's breathing tube had been removed! What an answer to prayer!

Upon arriving at church, I was blessed to be able to witness two baptisms. What an awesome testimony to God's work and His glory! He changes lives uniquely. No one can duplicate His works! After some singing, Pastor Zimmer shared the latest on Grant! He was living on his own -- no machines! He was awake and responsive! He was pretty stinking tired, but doing far better than any expectations! What a weekend!

I have had the opportunity to read through all of Chuck's posts. Only one sentence fits:

God is Amazing!

We could spending the rest of eternity describing that sentence. Grant was dead. You only do CPR on dead people. On the day Christ was in the tomb, Grant died. Praise God for giving Grant more life!

Saturday morning was bad, especially for the Weinbergs. I was personally humbled. Our only hope was God. No one in our church family could do anything to help. God along could heal or simply work through the doctors as He saw fit.

Since then every report has been encouraging! On Saturday Grant was stabilized -- God's Grace. On Sunday he was responding -- God's Grace. The tube came out -- God's Grace. He is able to converse -- God's Grace! He is able to lift his appendages -- God's Grace! He cannot not remember what day it is -- God's Grace (he doesn't want to know how much school work he will have to make up!) My heart is filled to joyous overflowing -- God's Grace. I have again been reminded of the value of life -- God's Grace. I have seen firsthand how God answers the prayers of His people -- God's Grace. I have seen the very hand of God at work in people's lives -- God's Grace. My love for my wife and kids has multiplied -- God's Grace.

The list is endless, but I will stop there. The list is simply from my small perspective and describes nothing of what God is doing in the lives of the Weinbergs! I am sure their joy is exponentially greater than mine!

God takes one supposed tragedy and creates a fountain of joy, bringing glory to Himself for His mighty hand! The road ahead is a difficult one for Grant and the Weinbergs, but the endless joy of the Lord will see them through!

Dealing with Trials

I recently had the privilege of preaching from James 1:2-4. After receiving much encouragement in various forms and from numerous people, I have decided to blog through the sermon. My aim is to glorify our God and Father along with His Son, edify any who may read this blog, and hopefully mature in my own faith. Eventually I even hope to have some sermon notes on our ministry's website. So here we go with some introductory thoughts...

The complete paragraph begins in chapter 1 verse 2 and extends all the way to verse 12. It covers three main points and a conclusion:

1. Joy in Trials (1:2-4)
2. Wisdom in Trials (1:5-8)
3. An illustration (1:9-11)
4. Conclusion (1:12)

I suppose you can isolate each of these points to study them independently. In fact, you pretty much have to do that just to study the passage. However, to apply these points independently of each other takes away much of their power. While many people understand wisdom in trials to be simply a passage on wisdom, it is much more powerful to realize that the passage on wisdom logically follows the passage on joy. In fact, it helps to explain what you are to do if you are not finding joy during the trials of life! To not understand the relationship between these paragraphs is to limit the power and scope of Scripture; as well as misinterpreting the message God intended for us to hear.

I am going after this passage in a specific way. I want to learn what God is trying to teach us. He is the Author. He has a message He is trying to communicate. I want to find out what that message is. If we can understand the text the way one of the original readers would have understood it, we can then appropriately apply it to our lives.

You can read the passage here. Let me now give you a little bit of history regarding my intimacy with this passage. It all started about this time last year. Perhaps we were into July of 2006. We had just received a new class of seventh graders into our ministry. The Newecho and I had decided to ask our small group what book of the bible they wanted to work on memorizing. After some discussion, we decide on the book of James.

I did pretty well at memorizing the passages. Then something happened around January. I actually started to think about what I had memorized. I was meditating on Scripture! Now everyone knows that we are to do this, but who actually does it? Of those who do it, who actually does it effectively? Well, for whatever reason, this meditation was effective. I cannot describe what joy and peace filled my soul! I suppose if I could describe it, it would not be the peace that passes understanding.

I became fixated on these phrases. I could not get them out of my head! It was as if the Spirit of God had fastened my thinking to them. Sure I could do other stuff for awhile, but at virtually ever break I found myself thinking about these verses again! And it was not just the first twelve verses! This happened with every verse in the first chapter! I literally spent two or three months living joyfully! Now we did have some pretty big spiritual events during that time. But rather than create the joy, these events merely served to prolong it!

Honestly, there was another change! I was really looking to Christ and away from my sin. I had made a resolution to be faithful to read my bible and pray. I had a plan to fulfill that resolution. The Lord blessed that. When I focused on Christ, I was not even thinking about sinning! I was too lost in the wonder of God's Word to waste time with something so odious! Now, I still sinned. But the desire to sin and the lure of sin were almost non-existent! What a wonderful time it was!

My wife remembers the day I lost that joy. I have been fighting for it since then. However, the formula still holds true. When I am faithful to spend time with Him, I seem to have more patience. I seem to have more strength. I definitely have more joy! Joy, that bubbling happiness that finds its spring in Christ, is worth the fight because joy's Source is worth fighting for!

I hope that this mini-series on James 1 leads you to greater joy, depending on Christ for your complete satisfaction.

Joy in Trials (cont.)

As much as I love James 1:2-4, I have become convinced that it is eternally attached to verses 5-8. After reading and meditating on both sections, I think I understand the relationship between both passages.

Verses 2-4 give us the proper perspective on trials. We are to understand them in light of God's work in our lives. We are not to focus on the trial, but to keep in mind God's work to perfect us. Verses 5-8 give us the Person who will teach us the proper perspective on trials. These verses give us the Source of understanding the trial. We are simply told to ask God! Of course, we must ask in faith without any doubting, but we must still ask! What a great way to jump start your prayer life! Ask God to give you His perspective on each and every trial you undergo! Of course, this means He will have to bring trials in order to teach you the correct perspective. But this for His glory and instrumental in His perfecting of us. So, buck up; and enjoy the trials! Enjoy the highs and lows, the rejoicing and the sorrow! May God be glorified through our trials!



By the way, I will be expecting someone to keep me accountable to this command during my next trial! Thanks in advance!

Joy in Trials

I have been thinking about James 1:2-4 since our small group yesterday! James writes,

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials..."

Isn't it interesting how we respond to trials? When something difficult crosses our path, we often look for a way around the obstacle. Yet Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13 a few interesting things concerning trials or temptations.

First, they are common to man. Don't ever allow yourself to think that no one has ever navigated successfully the trials you are in! This is a deceitful lie of Satan. Isolation destroys you and allows sin to have its way with you. Find someone who has been where you are and seek their accountability!

Second, we see that God is faithful! DUH! If He is unchanging and constant - the only constant that we know - then it just follows that He is faithful! Do you want to know what faithfulness is? Think of all the times you made an appointment and were late. Think of all the plans (resolutions) you made and failed to follow through on. Think of all the times you were just plain inadequate. God is the infinite opposite of all of that.

Third, we see that God will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability! In other words, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIN!! See Romans 6 for a great reference to that! Don't ever be tempted to think that as a Christian you have no choice but to sin! If the Holy Spirit is living in you, there is the hope of victory! If you are not walking in the Spirit but are relying on your own strength to obey, you will fail. But if you are relying on Christ for His strength to live your life righteously, He will be your victory! Colossians 2:15 talks about the complete victory Christ brings!

Lastly, we see that God will provide a way of escape, that we will be able to endure it! Now, I think we forget to meditate on that last part. We love the way of escape! We long for the day when there will be no more struggle! We crave and yearn for Christ to do away with the war that is being waged withing us. The end of the verse, however, helps us understand this way of escape. The way of escape enables us to endure the trial! Paul does not guarantee that we will be removed from the trial, but that we will be able to endure!

This is so practical! When I am tempted to be angry with my children for their disobedience, I can trust that the Lord will provide a way of escape that will allow me continue dealing with my children. How ridiculous to think that the Lord would remove me from that situation when what my children need is a parent to teach them to do what is right when they are doing what is wrong! If they see me run from the sin of anger, that is what they will learn to do. But if they see me endure it, they will learn to face their problems. As they mature, by the grace of God, they will see that they cannot be victorious over their sins and trials without Christ. They will see that the way of Christ is to endure, trusting in Him to be their victory! Thus Christ is glorified!

Now, why did I not continue with James 1? Didn't I start there? Well, I think that James 1 and 1 Corinthians 10:13 are parallel perspectives. Not only should I seek Christ's assistance in enduring trials, but James says that I should consider these trials ALL JOY!

OK, if you are not sitting down, you need to sit for the next paragraph or so. What would the church look like it we considered our trials joy? Imagine, for a moment, that my son is disobeying. If he sees daddy set his jaw and discipline with anger, he sees one example of a Christian in a trial. What if my son sees daddy disciplining with joy? Not that daddy takes joy in inflicting pain upon his son, but that daddy is joyfully dealing with this trial. Let's say that instead of talking intensely and with a stern tone daddy is talking calmly with joyful understanding. I have to think that this will make a greater impression on him. Now, there is a time for anger. We need to be righteously angry over sin. But even this is an opportunity to express joy in Christ! Maybe the joy comes with explaining to my son why I disciplined him and what the Lord says in His word about our situation. I have to believe that joyful obedience brings about more God-glorifying Christ-exalting results than angry obedience.

As I was thinking and praying this morning for some of our church family, I thought about being in their situation and how joy would be manifest. Quite honestly on one hand, I don't want to have to be in that position. On the other hand, if Christ is glorified through our trials, then we need to pray for them. The issue is not the trials, but our response to them. Paul did not care about his trials. He cared only for the proclamation of the gospel to the glory of God!

James is careful to inform us that trials have a beneficial end! Trials produce endurance, which in turn brings perfection and completeness! In other words, trials serve to make us like Christ! We need trials to be made Christ-like! The Inquisinator touched on this yesterday morning.

"Pure gold has been boiled and scraped."

What an excellent truth! What encouragement we should take from this! We should not focus on the hardship of the trial, but on the perfection in the result!

The beauty of gold does not come without pain
The boiling and scraping bring much gain
Refining and purifying come with fire
A perfect product the smith's desire.

With the ultimate end in mind, we should not run from trouble (unless commanded!) as the world and its effeminate males. Rather, let us face trials and sin with the Sword of the Spirit, trusting Christ and His word to bring about a God-glorifying victory!