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Blogroll
Tag Archives: joy
Walking in the newness of life (Romans 6)
Just meditating today on verse 4 where Paul says, Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may … Continue reading
Joy (Psalm 30)
This psalm was written by David, probably after his sin that took place in I Chronicles 21. And it talks about the joy of forgiveness and restoration. But I also see Jesus in this psalm. On the cross, the Father hid … Continue reading
The joy of our salvation (1 Chronicles 16)
In this passage, we see David doing something very important in the psalm he wrote: he recalls the joy of his salvation. (You also might want to read Psalms 96, 105, and 106, where this psalm came from…or vice versa). … Continue reading
Hebrews 3-4 — The need for faith
Many people want to know God’s blessings in life. Many people want to find true life and joy. But far too few are willing to put their trust in God in order to obtain these things. And that’s the problem that … Continue reading
I Thessalonians 5:16-28 — Because the Lord is coming (part 2)
As Paul concludes this letter, he gives the Thessalonians some final instructions on how to live in light of the Lord’s coming. He told them, Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for … Continue reading
Posted in I Thessalonians, New Testament, Pauline epistles
Tagged holiness, joy, prayer, rejoice, Spirit's fire
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Philippians 1:1-11 — What God is doing in us
This letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians is one that is filled with joy, despite all the trials Paul was going through. Paul was writing this in prison, probably from Rome, and yet time and again, you see the … Continue reading
Posted in New Testament, Pauline epistles, Philippians
Tagged fruit, God's work, joy, vine
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Galatians 4:14-16 — How to lose our joy (and blessing)
You can really see how perplexed Paul is with the Galatians in this passage (actually going all the way to verse 20). When he had first come to the Galatians, he had had some sort of physical problem, and yet, … Continue reading
Posted in Galatians, New Testament, Pauline epistles
Tagged blessedness, grace, joy, legalism
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Acts 8:1-8 — Spreading the joy
Well, Christmas season is upon us. It is officially December 1st here in Japan, and my 5 year old daughter and I put up our Christmas tree and all the Christmas decorations yesterday. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but this … Continue reading
Acts 3:11-16 — Not about us
As the man Peter and John had healed was making a ruckus in the temple courts, all the people gathered around, amazed first that this man who had been crippled for 40 years was walking, and then looking at Peter … Continue reading
John 19:25-27 — Seeing beyond our misery
I suppose one of the biggest tests of how selfish we are is how we respond in times of misery. When we are suffering, when we are going through trials, where is our focus? Is it on us? That would … Continue reading
John 16:16-33 — Finding peace and joy
It’s very clear from this passage that all that Jesus was saying was weighing heavily on the disciples, mostly because they were so focused on the idea that Jesus was leaving. As a result, it overshadowed everything else he was saying. … Continue reading
John 11:17-44 — Uncovering our pain before Jesus
So often in our lives, we go through pain and hurt, but instead of dealing with it, we bury it. We try to ignore the pain. Or we cover it over with other things, busyness, food, pleasure, or whatever else we can … Continue reading
Luke 13:33-35 — What God longs to do, what he won’t do, what he can’t do
This is one of the more poignant portions of scripture. After dealing with the Pharisees, Jesus weeps, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children … Continue reading
John 7:37-39 — The waters of salvation
Yes, we will eventually get past this chapter. In fact, this will be our last look at it as we look at verses 37-39. On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus probably watched as the priests took … Continue reading
Posted in Gospels, John, New Testament
Tagged Holy Spirit, joy, living water, salvation
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Luke 2:36-40 — A heart prepared for the King
Every Christmas, we sing a song that says, Joy to the World, The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare him room. And in this passage, we see a woman who did just that. She … Continue reading
Luke 2:8-14 — When Joy came
As I write this, it is Christmas Eve. And as I reflect on that first Christmas night, it’s hard to truly fathom. For it was on that day that joy truly did come to the world. When the angel appeared … Continue reading
Psalm 126 — Set free!
I would guess that this was written after the Babylonian captivity, perhaps during the time of Ezra or Nehemiah, or perhaps sometime after as the Jews looked back on their return to Jerusalem. And as you look at this psalm, … Continue reading
Psalm 98 — Rejoicing in our salvation
This psalm is anonymous, so it could’ve been written in any number of contexts. It could’ve been written following the Israelites deliverance from Egypt, or perhaps it was written by David after his reign was firmly established, or it could’ve … Continue reading
Posted in Books of Poetry, Old Testament, Psalms
Tagged Hope, joy, judgment, salvation
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Psalm 65 — The God who saves us and fills us
It’s hard to tell in what situation this psalm was written. It’s possible it was written after a time of famine or drought as a result of God’s judgment, followed by a time of repentance and blessing. The psalmist starts … Continue reading
Posted in Books of Poetry, Old Testament, Psalms
Tagged forgiveness, God's Spirit, grace, joy
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Psalm 36:5-12 — The goodness of God
In the first half of this psalm, we saw the evil of mankind. In the second half, we see the goodness of God. I love how David describes the character of God here. Your love, O LORD, reaches to the … Continue reading
Nehemiah 8 – Joy
After the wall was built, the Jews came to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets as commanded by God in Leviticus 23. And on this day, Ezra the priest read the law of God to the people. Several things strike me … Continue reading
Posted in Books of History, Nehemiah, Old Testament
Tagged God's word, joy, repentance
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Ezra 3 — Joy and regret
In this passage, we see several things. First, we see the restarting of sacrifices and offerings, and the first Feast of Tabernacles in years. But we also see the start of the rebuilding of the temple. And after the Israelites … Continue reading
Isaiah 12 — The joy of salvation
Last Sunday, I was listening to a message on John 3 at church. And our pastor was talking about verse 16, probably one of the most famous, if not the most famous verse in the Bible. And he asked a … Continue reading