More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:11

I continue my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter twenty-six - Apostle of the Happy God and the Hard Life of Spreading   Joy.  Here, John Piper loves and admires Paul for his joy in Christ and consequently his love of others such that "his aim was their joy*" in Christ. First, Piper shares how it is an uncommon combination of traits for Paul to posses a great intellect, be logically rigorous, careful and cerebral in thought - yet deeply happy and joy...in all circumstances.  Of course God is the source of this happiness and joy.  Piper describes how God is happy, pointing to Jesus's parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:22-24) and how the Master "welcomes his servants home*" into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:21).  He further describes that "Paul knew that a gloomy God could not be the source, let alone the center, of all-satisfying good news. No. If Jesus came into the world with “good news of great joy,” as the angels said (Luke 2:10), then God is not a gloomy God, but a God of overflowing joy.*"  This joy is the result of how joy originates in God through His Son Jesus.  Piper then moves to share how the focus of Paul's ministry was to bring others into this same joy, referring us to Philippians 1:23-26.  Piper makes a point of saying that "Paul is not ashamed to sum up his ministry goal as 'for your joy.'*"  He makes this point because he sees that joy is the "essence*" of what Christians are to pursue, explaining that "Christianity is a divine project of replacing inferior joys in inferior objects with superior joys in God himself. That is why Christ came to die. He died to remove every barrier (like God’s wrath and our sin) between us and God so that we could say with Paul, “We . .  . rejoice in God” (Romans 5:11).*"  Piper closes the chapter by answering why 1 Corinthians 13:13 does not explicitly mention joy as key - Piper shares that it does not have to because "[l]ove is the overflow of joy in God that seeks to meet the needs of others, especially the need of eternal joy.*"

*John Piper. 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me, and a God who gives me great joy in You - the One True God.  Thank You Jesus for these blessings and joy.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[T]hey shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

2 Chronicles 12

[T]hey shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 2 Chronicles 12:8

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at text in the Old Testament where God shows Solomon's son Rehoboam mercy in bringing a prophet Shemaiah to him to warn him of punishment God was about to deliver for abandoning Him for foreign gods (2 Chronicles 12:1-5). In response to Shemaiah's message, Rehoboam humbled himself and repented of his sins (v6). In turn, God delivered Rehoboam from the hand of his attackers (v7). However, Rehoboam was placed in the service of his attackers (Egypt and its King Shishak - v8), and Piper uses this text to illustrate how God wants us to see how service to Him is not burdensome but joyful and we do it not because God needs anything (He doesn't), but because it is life giving.  Piper shares that [t]he point is plain: serving the enemy and serving God are very different. How so? Serving God is a receiving and a blessing and a joy and a benefit. Serving Shishak is exhausting and depleting and sorrowful. God is a giver. Shishak is a taker." To bolster his point, Piper refers us to Acts 17:25 where Paul is speaking and he is explicit in describing how God does not need anything. Piper also provides Psalm 100:2 where it is written that we are to "[s]erve the Lord with gladness." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are great and You provide for all of my needs and Your mercies are new every morning.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 2

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. v26

While our approach to the Old Testament ceremonial law has undergone a "dramatic change", all of scripture, including the Old Testament moral law, applies.  God has roles for each of us to play and He has expectations for His children.  Yet God does not want to compel us into service - just like He wants us to be cheerful givers (see 2 Corinthians 9:7), God wants us to serve Him with gladness.

Similarly, we are not to grumble and complain.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has given me a new heart and new life - freedom indeed.  I know You are not done with me yet but I am grateful how You have transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  I worry and I have other sin.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.