Grab bag

Some helpful articles spotted recently: The timeline for the transition between John Piper and Jason Meyer as pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church has changed again. Read the plan and rationale from John’s pen. Addressing the same theme that I did in the post, “Satan and sin — two defeated foes,” Mike Riccardi writes about “Freed from […]

A complaint against Jesus

We may not admit it, but we like to complain. We are not unlike the Israelites, who escaped from the unjust wrath of Pharaoh and then complained that they didn’t have leeks, garlic, and cucumbers to eat (Num. 11:5). We complain about colds and cold weather — grumbling against God’s sovereignty in various sufferings and […]

Praise is becoming

One of the most common commands in Scripture is, “Praise the Lord” (or some derivation of that imperative). The follower of God is to give worship to and find joy in God in all things and at all times. Sometimes, the God-follower is simply commanded to praise God, and on other occasions, as in Psalm […]

What makes you happy?

What makes you happy? Many years ago, Charles Schultz suggested that, “Happiness is a warm puppy.” The little book by that title contained many similar kinds of suggestions of the identity of happiness. Whether you care for warm puppies or not, one thing is certain, there is something you are pursuing that you believe will […]

I will sing to the Lord

Today is Sunday. So the first part of Psalm 13:6 resonates (at least a little) with us: “I will sing to the Lord.” It’s fitting. It’s right. It’s what we should do. It’s what we have to do. We will sing. But notice why David says he will sing: “because He has dealt bountifully with […]

Pursuing Joy

How are you doing in your fight for joy in Christ? Most of us need daily reminders of the goodness and grace of Christ so that we might walk in joy victory and not sorrow and defeat (insert comment here about the need for daily feeding from God’s Word to fulfill that need). In a […]

Seeking happiness through sorrow

John Piper frequently quotes the French philosopher Pascal, who wrote in Pensees, “All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. the cause of some going to war and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attending with different views. The will […]

God as our portion

The man who has God, though he has nothing else, has everything. And the man who has everything, but does not have God, has nothing. So posited C. S. Lewis. And echoing his thoughts is Jonathan Edwards, who meditates on the importance of our readiness to let go of all possessions for the sake of […]

Today’s Quote – Sorrow and Joy (Lloyd-Jones)

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: You must be made miserable before you can know true Christian joy. Indeed the real trouble with the miserable Christian is that he has never been truly made miserable because of conviction of sin. He has by-passed the essential preliminary to joy, he has been assuming something that he has no […]

Today’s Quote (9/3/08)

Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture: Let me tell you, it is a sin not to rejoice. You disparage your Husband, Christ. When a wife is always sighing and weeping, what will others say? ‘This woman has a bad husband.’ Is this the fruit of Christ’s love to you, to reflect dishonour upon Him? A […]

Missing joy?

In today’s devotional, Oswald Chambers said this: “There is no joy in the soul that has forgotten what God prizes.” Another way to say that might be, you will not be happy (joyful, content, satisfied, peaceful) if you attempt to find happiness in things that God deems unworthy of His happiness — or avoid the […]