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What is joy?

10/14/2025

These things I have spoken to you; that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11

Christ promises us joy. There is a lot of confusion between joy and happiness. Therefore, when people are not happy, they think it is impossible to have joy. Joy is much more than happiness. Although a wonderful gift from God, happiness will always depend on forces outside of ourselves. Happiness is external. It is based on situations, events, people, places, things and thoughts. Happiness depends on what happens; joy depends on Jesus. Joy is knowing that God loves us, will take care of us, and has saved us through Jesus Christ.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14

Biblical joy is ours when we choose to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in us.

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Joy of Christian Prayer

10/11/2025

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I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:3-5

Lutheran pastor Johann Albrecht Bengel (1687-1752) summarized Philippians this way: ”The whole point of the letter is to rejoice! Do you rejoice?”

Christian joy manifests itself in different forms—first, the joy of praying for others. In his book No Common Task, George Raindrop tells how a nurse taught a disgruntled and depressed man to pray. Using her strategy for prayer, he became a man of joy.

She used her hands as a strategy for prayer since most of her work was done with her hands. Each finger stood for someone.

Since her thumb was nearest her, it reminded her to pray for those closest to her.
The second finger was used to point and stand for all who showed others the way forward.
The third finger was the tallest, and it stood for the leaders in every sphere of life.
The fourth finger was the weakest, as every pianist knows, and it stood for those who were in trouble and pain.
The little finger was the smallest and the least important; to the nurse, it stood for herself.

Use this strategy for prayer daily. You will be amazed at how it changes your perspective.

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A blessing from prison

8/29/2025

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2 (ESV)
As we study Paul’s letter to the Philippians in the following insights, let us remember that, from Paul's perspective, these could well be his final words to his faithful Christian friends. As a result, all words are chosen carefully. This includes Paul’s greeting, where the words grace (Greek word charis) and peace (Greek word Eirene) have special meaning.

Here, Paul combines the greeting phrases of two great nations: Charis (Greek) and Eirene (Jewish). For Christians, the precious flavour of each word is enriched because it comes from God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the basic ideas in charis of joy and pleasure, brightness and beauty are added to the merciful kindness of God that strengthens us.

Eirene speaks of a unique peace that is much more than the absence of trouble. It refers to total well-being and harmony only found in Jesus, which prospers all aspects of life, builds good relationships, and keeps things safe.

Despite suffering in prison, Paul experienced this grace and peace. If you have a personal relationship with Christ, you can experience the same regardless of circumstances.

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Rejoicing from prison

8/29/2025

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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4

Paul wrote these words while suffering in prison. He was weary, knowing he might soon be put to death. When soldiers face the uncertainties of war, they look for ways to comfort themselves and their loved ones back home. In many ways, Paul's letter is similar to a letter from a soldier facing the possibility of imminent death. Yet, the key words in this letter are Joy and Rejoice!

How is this possible? We will answer this question in future insights because it will help deal with grief, loss and trauma. For now, my prayer for each reader is that regardless of your circumstances, you will experience the grace and peace that Paul begins his letter with.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2 (ESV)

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God has a special book

8/29/2025

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You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Psalms 56:8

The third amazing idea in this verse is that God cares so much about every aspect of our life that he records them in a book. What may seem to us to be aimless and uncontrolled occurrences are to him important details about our life that are worth recording. This is an allusion (or reference) to the Book of Life.
"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books" (Revelation 20:12).

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name" (Malachi 3:16).

God cares! Even though we seem insignificant compared to creation.
"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4).

Are you crying out to Him? Are you spending time praying and reading the Bible? He is waiting for you!

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What is joy?

Joy of Christian Prayer

A blessing from prison

Rejoicing from prison

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