Tag: joy
I’m a Christian. I believe Jesus died for me and He is the Saviour of the world. I believe my sins are forgiven by His immeasurable grace. I declare that He is Lord of all Creation and my life. Still… I just don’t feel it. At the moment, life isn’t great or amazing. I’m not filled with overflowing emotions of happiness. But that’s okay. I don’t have to feel it. My faith is not shaken. I know full well that my life is secure in the hands of the God who loves me. I am fully assured that my sins…
Where does the Christian find joy? The apostle John gives us some insights from his first letter. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us;…
Cover to Cover Reading: Psalms 45-50 Focus: Psalm 47 One of the curiosities of modern Christianity is the aspect of worship. Indeed, most religions have an aspect of worship, but they are often solemn and reserved. The images often associated with worship are rituals, chants, ceremonies, liturgies, etc. However, worship in the Judeo-Christian movement is marked by something often lacking in other forms of worship. It is marked by praise. Yes, it is filled with awe of the deity, at times even fear, it is filled with recognition of authority and power; but greater than all of these, worship is…
James 1:25 For most people, the two words ‘freedom’ and ‘obedience’ simply are not compatible. To be ‘free’ is to be unbound by submission to another authority, to be ‘obedient’ is to relinquish one’s freedom and submit to authority. Logically, they are incompatible ideals but James, and throughout the Bible, brings these two, seemingly opposite, ideas together as a part of the Christian life. Where most of us would immediately associate faith with obedience, James brings into the picture ‘freedom’ found what some might consider a rigid framework. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives…
