Scripture tells us that it is God's will for us to give thanks in all circumstances.

​At first glance, this seems impossible; especially when we find ourselves neck deep in circumstances that are difficult, disappointing and downright desperate. However, the secret to unlocking our ability to honor Jesus, in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES,  is actually found within the same passage of scripture where we are commanded to do it.

How quickly we settle for immediate and inferior pleasures at the expense of the ultimate everlasting joy we have been created for. Yes, God in his infinite grace, will often times grant to us things like happiness in relationships, prosperity in our efforts, or security with our health...but these things were never intended to complete our joy. Do they offer offer semblances of peace and happiness? Of course they do, but they are inadequate replacements for the everlasting joy we have been promised in the presence of our Savior and when they are taken from us, they tend to bring us into deep states of displeasure or despair.

So, how then can we give thanks in the dreadful circumstances we often find ourselves in? By focusing our gaze on the truest and most precious treasure in the universe.

REJOICE ALWAYS

One of the quickest ways to kill thoughts of ingratitude and doubt, is worship. When we choose to worship God (in biblical ways), our thoughts and affections begin to shift from ourselves onto the Author and Perfecter of our faith. As we sing, meditate on God's promises, and preach the Gospel to ourselves...we rejoice in the reality of our Good, Good Father. It is here that we're reminded that God is good, God is near, and God loves us.

Why does scripture tell us to worship always? Because our hearts are fickle. When we allow seeds of ingratitude and doubt to take root in our minds and hearts, we are pulled away from the source of gratitude and faith. Therefore, it is crucial that we build intentional habits of worship, in the moments where things are as they ought to be, so that when sorrows like sea billows roll, we know exactly where to take our soul. Into the presence of the LORD, with our gaze focused firmly on the realities of our Good, Good, Father.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Wow, as if "giving thanks in all circumstances" wasn't difficult enough, now we're being commanded to prayer without ceasing? Yet another impossible task, right?

Except, no...it really isn't. Do you know that you're already having a continuous conversation all day long? It's true. Though the words may never leave your mouth...they're in your head and they're rolling at an average pace of about 4,000 words per minute. This is incredible.

Now, think back to the last time you found yourself in a difficult circumstance. Maybe it was today or maybe it was last week, but if we're being honest with ourselves...none of us have to go back very far.

What was the substance of the running conversation in your head? Where did your thoughts take you? If you were mad at someone, how fruitful were the thoughts? Here's our gauge for answering that question:

Again, if we're honest with ourselves, most of us rarely pass the test. If we're not careful, our feelings have a tendency to turn us into false teachers and negativity-promoters so quickly. This is why it's so important that we build the habit of "praying without ceasing".

As we have these conversations with ourselves throughout the day, why not invite the Holy Spirit to be a part of it as well? When we begin to build this habit, we are reminding ourselves of two things:

1. We have a helper (who desires to help elevate our thoughts above sin and selfishness and circumstances)
2. Our God is omnipresent and is already well aware of the conversation we're having anyway.

Scripture tells us that we must take every thought captive. Prayer is one of the most effective and efficient ways of taking our thoughts captive.

Prayer (i.e. a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God) has a way of reminding us of these truths: 1) we need help, 2) we have a helper, 3) we have so much to be thankful for.

When we remember these truths, God's grace fills our hearts and elevates our thoughts above ourselves and our circumstances. We're reminded that even though we are where we are...God promises to use all things for our good and his glory. And he also promises us that HE IS WITH US and HE WILL HELP US!

What sweet and motivating truths these are. 

So the next time you find yourself in the midst of a trying set of circumstances, remember that as you strive to walk in obedience by "giving thanks in all circumstances", God's Word gives you the keys to how you can accomplish this.

Worship and Prayer!

// dustin kensrue - rejoice //

All our sickness, all our sorrows
Jesus carried up the hill
He has walked this path before us
He is walking with us still
Turning tragedy to triumph
Turning agony to praise
There is blessing in the battle
So take heart and stand amazed

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9
 
This blog post is not aiming to review the March 4 sermon, but, as promised during the sermon, will provide four action steps that we can take to make our anger constructive rather than destructive.
 
Christians who eagerly live as “sons of God” have a heart to be like their Savior – people who walk through frustrating, broken situations and seek to be peace-MAKERS.  Therefore the four peacemaking tools presented below (and drawn from David Powlison’s important book: Good and Angry) are passed to you in hopes that Jesus-empowered hope, healing, and happiness may become the new product of your angry situations.
 
Tip: The sermon focused on how to get our hearts and thoughts submitted to God when we are angry. If we skip the inward steps that Psalm 4 presents then we will have an extremely difficult (probably impossible) time making Godly use of these constructive tools.
 
HOW CAN ANGER BECOME CONSTRUCTIVE? 
 
A few quotes from Powlison  to set our direction:
 
It is possible to say “That’s wrong!” and yet express our displeasure in ways that prove truly constructive. Actually loving. Even beautiful. Jesus saw wrong, called it wrong, and called out wrongdoers. (p.71)
 
The typical bad angers are all versions of returning evil for evil. But where mercy flows, then mercy’s displeasure [anger] brings a powerful good…Jesus gathers up our angers, not to neuter our sensitivity to evil, but to redeem how we respond. (p.72)
 
[Constructive anger travels] exactly the same ground as simple anger…but unlike just getting mad, it says, “That’s wrong – and I will be constructively merciful in pursuing whatever is just, whatever makes things right, whatever does good. (p.73)
 
4 KEY ASPECTS OF CONSTRUCTIVE ANGER
 
Each of these implies active disapproval of what’s happening. But unlike the vast bulk of anger, each breathes helpfulness in how it goes about addressing what it sees as wrong.
 
1. Patience: In It For The Long Haul. Patience acknowledges that something wrong is occurring. True patience is not passive or indifferent to offense or hurt. It’s not just putting up with bad things. Patience is being “slow to anger” (James 1:19), and it is a direct reflection of our Lord (Exodus 34:6). To be slow to anger means you are willing to work with wrong over time, making peace instead of demanding immediate justice. Patience enables you to see the wrong more clearly and deeply than if you react quickly.
 
Patience is actively choosing to work slowly, purposefully, and constructively to solve things. We consciously hang in there with people over the long haul because our relationship matters more than my momentary rightness.
 
2. Forgiveness: The Willingness To Not Get Even. Forgiveness looks wrong in the eye, names wrong for what it is and feels the sting. Then it consciously acts “unfairly” in return. Anger is all about fairness (often very distorted forms of fairness). But forgiveness is mercifully unfair. You actively choose not to give back what seems fair or reasonable.
 
Forgiveness does not ignore or excuse what’s wrong. Instead it recognizes that a debt is owed, and it forgives that debt. Forgiveness means you don’t get what you “deserve.” Rather than giving back what’s fair, we act like God treats us (Psalm 103:8-13), and act for the good of another by deliberately releasing the debt. 
 
There are many questions that Powlison answers about different forgiveness situations (p.82-87), but his (and our) key starting points are Mark 11:25 and Luke 17:3-4. If you forgive from the heart, then you become able to go constructively to the other person when it is called for.
 
3. Charity: Undeserved Acts of Kindness. Charity calls for the most difficult self-control of all: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate/hurt you.” That’s hard (impossible!) to do apart from Holy Spirit dependence. It’s unnatural. And it’s precisely what we love and worship about our Savior.
 
Destructive anger tightly grips a wrong, points it out, prosecutes it, punishes it. Mercy actively chooses to act generously toward a wrongdoer, rather than claiming a pound of flesh. Normal thinking says, “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. But if you do me wrong, I’ll hold a grudge or get even.”
 
God-empowered charity isn’t just niceness. It’s not just the right thing to do. It has a bigger goal: to live in and with the joy of God’s mercy reflecting out of my life. Constructive anger via charity shines very brightly in dark places. It is our privilege. Mercies received by us from Christ lead to having mercies to give away to others which may lead to peacemaking!
 
4. Constructive Conflict: Seeking to Redeem The Problem. Saturated in the peacemaking actions of patience, forgiveness, and charity, we seek to make right what is wrong. With an appropriate attitude, at an appropriate time and place, you actively choose to address the problem with the goal of healing, correcting, and/or putting an end to wrong. If you do this the right way then you are making the right kind of “trouble.” Your aim is not to crush the person, it is to crush the wrong for the good of the person, people or circumstance.
 
The word “redeem” defines our goal because it is connected with the heart of God. We aren’t just trying to get kids to shut up or get bosses to back off or get spouses to do better. We are seeking to make peace and health where open wrong, hostility, and destruction now operate. We want wrong to cease AND right to commence for the happiness and holiness of all involved. Powlison says, “This is the hardest and best work in the world” (p.96).

YOU ARE SENT!

What would God do in our life spaces if we commit ourselves to constructive anger? It’s what good parents and teachers keep doing with troubled and troublesome kids. It’s what good employers, workers, spouses and friends keep doing motivated by their own Gospel gratitude.  We can be part of Jesus’ work of redemption by chasing constructive anger in everyday life. 

If you desire more specific, daily wisdom for changing your anger contact me to obtain a copy of this 50-day devotional book. I purchased several copies knowing that the struggle with anger is so common. 

As a husband and a father, I can't express accurately the humiliation and indignity I feel every time I "blow it" with my family. For me, it happens far more frequently then I care to admit and no matter how hard I try to justify my unkind actions or words the sting of my sinful and selfish choices always hits me right in my heart; and leaves me feeling wounded and grieved. And if you're a husband or a father, you likely know exactly what I'm talking about.

As a pastor, I can't express the sadness I feel any time I talk with a wounded wife or mother and hear stories about how her husband is burning down their home with his choices or the way he speaks to or refuses to engage with  his family. I'm left feeling discouraged and saddened by the reality of the fallen world in which we live and the destructive nature of sin at the hands of sinners, especially men. 

I certainly don't mean to imply that men alone bear the blame for the problems in their homes or families. God's Word is clear that we all sin and fall short of God's glory. However, I am trying to explicitly say (without confusion or apology) that the primary responsibility for the spiritual well-being of our homes rests firmly in the hands of men, husbands, and fathers. God has given men the responsibility to shepherd and care for their families, and he will hold men accountable for any passive, unkind, and tyrannical leadership they may be exercising in their home.

In a sense, we are the captains of our homes. Though the vessel or it's passengers do not belong to us, It is husbands and fathers who are called to stand at the helm as we intentionally guide our home (or better yet the hearts and souls of those in our homes) towards godliness, holiness, and joy in Christ. 

​WHAT MIGHT GOD DO?

I have found it to be true that every pastor has a specific passion; a particular way in which God has wired him and called him to lead. My passion is to see men eagerly embrace and then humbly walk out the shepherding responsibilities in their home. When I look at the culture in which we live and I see the ways in which a distorted view of manhood and womanhood have marked our culture to the detriment of it's people, I can't help but wonder, "What might God do if Christian husbands and fathers set their family's course on Jesus?" 

Would God change the environment of our homes...turning grief into gladness and disquietude into joy? Could this change within our homes begin to waft outside its walls as a sweet aroma? Might God use this sweet fragrance to change our neighborhoods? Might God use this change in our neighborhoods to change our cities and our culture at large? What might God do?

​WHAT ARE WE AIMING FOR?

If men are responsible for setting the course for the spiritual and physical well-being of our homes, what direction are we heading and what tools are we using to navigate the treacherous waters of life? How do we determine if the course we have plotted is accurate or if it will lead our families where they were meant to go? What instruments do we use to ensure that we are heading in the right direction?

Feelings
Is it our feelings? I certainly hope not! Though our feelings may be good gauges, they were never intended to be guides. We cannot trust our feelings to be objective or selfless because they flow from a scuttlebutt, tainted by sin. Our hearts are imperfect vessels and we are prone to wander. Though our feelings may be able to assist in helping us understand the course we are on, they must never be our primary navigational instruments.

Appearance
Is it appearance? May it never be! May we never settle for a semblance of godliness at the expense of the real thing. Imagine a ship fancy on the outside, though deep in the hulls of its belly the captain knows the reality. Far beneath the painted and fancy decks lies the truth of a ship plagued with rot from the inside out. Men, though we may fool those on the outside looking in (or even fool ourselves into believing that an outward image of glory is enough) the truth of our ship's true condition will be known by every soul inside the ship's bulkheads. And their safety and security will be nothing more than hallucinations at sea. Appearance matters not, when our home is being tossed by the waves of the perilous ocean called life.

Control
Maybe it's control? Maybe it's the position of authority that we really wanted all along. Could it be that we don't even care what direction our ships are sailing as long as we are the men at the helms? God help us all if that be the case!

When a man's pride leads him to care more about making the rules than whether those rules are good, godly or beneficial to those whom God has entrusted to him...he is nothing more than self-serving pirate.

God's rules are given for our good and his glory. God invites us into godliness not in order that he may get his way, but rather to invite us into the fullest joy imaginable. What do our rules do for those on whom they are placed? How do our rules leave others feeling and how does our enforcement of the rules invite those under our care into a life of joy? Based on the answers to these questions, we will know if the objective of our rules centers on the captain or the King under whose flag his vessel sails.

Comfort
How about comfort? Maybe comfort is all we're aiming for. If this is the case than what right do we have to be captain of anything at all? Children settle for comfort! Men seek to provide comfort to those placed in their care. Do you not know the duties of the captain? He isn't served by the ships staff, on the contrary it is the captain who lays down his life in order that those under his care may find their comfort under his watch and protection.

In 2012, Francesco Schettino, failed in his duties as the captain of the Costa Concordia. Because of his actions, his ship hit rocks and was shipwrecked; killing 32 people. Since then, he has been dubbed "Captain Coward", not only for being derelict in his duties as he chased comfort over care...but also because he placed self-preservation over saving the lives of those under his watch as he abandoned the ship while 32 of his passengers died.

Men, regardless what is said about us at the end of our lives, may it never be said that we cared more about our own comfort than the comfort of those whom God placed under our care. May we never give room or evidence for our wife or our kids to believe that we are more concerned about a life of ease than we are a life wringing ourselves out in order that those we love may be put at ease.

To state it differently, Pastor Matt Chandler, says it this way:

WE HAVE A GUIDE

Feelings, appearance, control or comfort should never be as stand-alone tools for plotting our family's course towards godliness. Elevated to a position of guide over gauges, all of these things have one built-in weakness: they tend to serve the captain at the expense of his ship and its passengers. In the end, we know this way of living will lead to destruction both to our home and its occupants. There is no lasting reward for pirates (i.e. those with selfish ambitions). 

However, there is a trustworthy navigational tool that is available to us all; a resource that offers safety security, joy and freedom as we rightly plot our course. This resource always points to true north and will never lead us astray. This source is the Word of God and in its pages and by its power, God has granted to us "all things that pertain to life and godliness."

The question then becomes, what will we do? Will we settle for the fleeting treasures of selfishness, which will eventually leave us hanging (spiritually speaking) from the gallows, or will we lean into the tried and true source of godliness, namely, the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

OUR KING HAS GONE BEFORE US

We must never forget that it is the Gospel that shows us the way. The King of the universe, seeing the wretched and helpless state of his people, became man. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). Our King, under whose flag we live, laid down his life in order that we might have abundant life. He has set the example of what it means to be a man of God. He stepped down from his thrown in order to provide joy to those whom he loves and cares for.

This is how we are called to live. We are called to lay aside our own selfish desires (even good desires) in order that we might love and serve our families for their good and God's glory. Our mission, in spite of what the world in which we live tries to convince us of, is to wring ourselves out for the good of our wives and our kids and our churches and our communities. 

This is the example that our King has set for us and this is what he invites us into as he gives us the responsibility and the ability, through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, to captain his ship filled with his people. Our wives and our children, though fully ours, do not belong to us. They are God's and he has entrusted them to us in order that we might lead them to him.  

OUR FAMILY IS PULLING FOR US

In closing I offer this nugget of hope and encouragement: our family is pulling for us. In most cases our wives and our children are our biggest fans. As much joy as it brings me to see men stepping into their biblical role as husbands and fathers, my joy pales in comparison to that of the members of the family who are directly impacted by the man choosing God's way. Yes, it may take time to earn the trust and the faith of those whom we have hurt over the years, but with consistency and humility our family will begin to turn into our greatest cheerleaders.

My point is this. God is faithful and the Gospel is glorious. When we repent and turn our ship towards Jesus, he promises to help us get to where he desires for us to go. He who began a good work in us has promised to complete that work in us! This is really good news. As God begins to shape us into the image of his son, our family will begin to see that the "new" promises we've made really mean something and they will begin to believe that they can once again trust that we care for them. When this happens, the storm clouds will eventually begin to dissipate and the sun will once again rise; all the while our bond as a family gets stronger and our aroma to those outside our home becomes increasingly pleasant.

Brothers, be marked by godliness. Be intentional in setting your family's course towards the Savior and watch as God blesses your efforts and uses them to bless others through you. The joy is lasting, the victory is sweet, and the evidence of God's work in and through you will be compelling to others. Our culture and our world have a significant man crisis and what is needed (now more than ever) is men who are willing to humble themselves, grab the helm of their family's ship, and set their course (true and steady) on Jesus!


For His Glory,

Pastor Jason

Last Sunday’s sermon at RSBC was titled: Church, Be Grateful and Gritty.
 
In the weeks leading up to the sermon I felt led by the Holy Spirit to preach through 1 Timothy 4 as a clear call away from apathy, stagnant faith, excuse making, and lazy spiritual living. Paul’s emphasis in v.6-16 is on focused, deliberate, persistent, non-compromising efforts to grow in godliness. I called this putting forth a “gritty” effort in our spiritual lives (as opposed to unfocused, lack-luster, lazy, limp, wishy-washy, etc.).
 
You can listen to the sermon [ HERE ].
 
Toward the end of the sermon I chose to stop preaching and give space for a time of repentance and prayer. I also promised to make the following application ideas available because they represent the rubber-meeting-road gritty practices that the text calls us to pursue.
 
TRAINING FOR GRITTY CHRISTIANS
 
“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths” v.7.
#1: Get gritty about not wasting your time.

• Recall that godly gratitude means I don’t look at all created things as bad. But I should examine them for how they aid or equip me in my allegiance to Jesus. If I watch this…if I spend time on this…if I’m with this particular person how is it going to impact my growth in godliness? 
• See the four "gratitude" questions at the bottom of this post for more detailed aid here. 

 
“We have our hope set on the living God” v.10.
#2: Get gritty about guiding your thinking towards God.

• Dozens of times every day your thoughts about a person or thing influence your feelings about that person or thing and that influences your actions towards that person or thing.
• Is your thinking set with hopefulness on the living God? Are you grabbing your thoughts and examining how they do or don’t line up with Gospel truth, Gospel grace, Gospel love? Allegiance to Jesus largely includes getting our thinking about earthly things connected to the living God.

 
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example” v.12.
#3: Get gritty about focusing on progress rather than excusing weakness.

• Paul seems to say in v.12, “Timothy, are they giving you a hard time? The best way to honor Jesus and others is to keep growing and let others see that progress. Be an example of godly allegiance not whining.”
• Serious believers seek and use God’s grace, with personal grit, to grow in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Then they let God make them the right person, not worrying about the (good or bad) standards of others.

 
“Being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” v.6.
“Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” v.13.  
#4: Get gritty about knowing God’s Word.

• The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to produce the life of God in the soul. What makes people godly is reading, hearing, studying, and meditating on the Bible.
• Forming non-negotiable, daily habits for devouring God’s Word is the first key step towards growing in godliness. If we skip this then we immediately invite stunted spiritual growth.

 
“Do not neglect the gift you have…so that all may see your progress…you will save both yourself and your hearers” v.14-16.
#5: Get gritty about giving your life away for the glory of Jesus.

• Paul deliberately connects training for godliness with the impact Timothy’s life will have on other people. What a magnificent design God has woven into our lives: If we get gritty about godliness God will use our lives for good in the lives of others. If we allow apathy or boredom to rule us then our spiritual ships will start to sink, and it will weigh others down with our selfishness, unkind words, impatience, and other forms of ungodliness.

 
THE PROMISE: A life that matters today and forever.
“Train yourself for godliness…godliness is of value in every way, as it hold promise for the present life and also for the life to come” v.7-8.

• Get gritty in pursing Jesus because godliness is valuable in all situations. It is valuable in the home, the church, and the marketplace. It is valuable both in times of trouble and in times of prosperity. It helps a person deal with enemies as well as friends. Godliness is never useless or wasteful. It guides the believer in every situation and to rewards in the life to come.

 
GRATITUDE QUESTIONS
These questions were shared during the sermon as a way to examine how we are receiving and using the things of earth, to honor or dishonor Jesus.
1. Does my enjoyment of creation lead me to smile with God or feel ashamed before Him?
2.  Does my enjoyment of creation harden my heart to others or draw me toward loving others?
3. Am I fixated on or gripped by anything in creation or culture in a way that competes with or quenches my joy in God?
4. Am I allowing the imperfections or difficulties in my life to lead me to embrace ungodly attitudes or actions?

Church, let us strive to crush stagnant, bored, exhausted faith with persistent, gritty, God-dependent efforts to grow in godliness! 

Prayer kicks my butt. 
Present tense. 
I am not the prayer warrior that I would like to be.
How about you?
 
People ask me to pray for things and if I don’t stop right then and there to pray, I will forget.  No question about it.  I can easily fall into the habit of “present your requests to God,” but forget the whole “with thanksgiving” part of Philippians 4:6.  I easily get scared because of the hopefulness that prayer creates. How about you?
 
Real, raw prayer intimidates me.  And honestly, I think it should.  We (me included) shouldn’t be so lackadaisical about our prayers.  When we pray, we are connecting with, reaching for, and tapping into the power of Heaven.  We are asking God to work in us, through us and around us.  I’m not saying we should be so intimidated that you don’t pray at all but we should approach prayer with far more reverence than we do. 

JESUS, TEACH US TO PRAY
In Luke 11, one of the disciples ask Jesus to teach him to pray.  I recently listened to a sermon on prayer and the speaker said Luke 11:1 is the only time in Scripture that the disciples actually ask Jesus to teach them something.  How powerful is that?!?  These guys witnessed miracles, but they aren’t asking Jesus how to do those. They’re asking how to pray.  They understood the power of prayer and knew that miracles were fueled by it.  There is a reverence in that request.  Reverence for who God is and what He is capable of and what His mission is, not theirs. 
 
I think that’s where powerful prayer starts.  Reverence for the One to whom you are presenting your requests.  For me, reverence starts when I really take time to examine who He is.  Philippians 4:4 starts with “Rejoice in the Lord always.”  Luke 11:2 (where Jesus is teaching his disciples to pray) says “Father, hallowed be your name.”  Both of these verses encourage us to start our prayers honoring God and speaking back to Him of His goodness.

SAME PRAYING, NEW PATH
I know a lot of people have prayer journals where they write out their requests to God.  I have started numerous journals, and that is a great thing!  But for me, I saw a drastic shift in my prayer life when I started a praise journal.  Whether my heart is heavy with a need or I am just going through life and things feel normal, I have started sitting down with a notebook and writing out all I can think of that is praiseworthy about God. 
 
Some days, it’s really hard to start and other days the words just flow, but I have learned that as I worship God by speaking truth about Him, to Him and to my heart, my focus shifts.  The aches of my heart don’t seem so heavy in light of who God is.  All of the things I would normally ‘present as requests to God’ don’t seem so huge.  My eyes turn to Him and I see His goodness towards me.  I will still spend time praying those requests but the atmosphere of that time of asking feels very different. 
 
There is joy in the request when I remember the goodness of the One I am presenting my requests too, rather than feeling forgotten in my need.  It’s a beautiful transformation.  

So I invite you: in the next 24 hours join me on a praise journey with a praise notebook.
a) Plan: Set aside 10 minutes with paper and pen. 
b) Write: Start listing out God’s goodness. 
c) Praise: Tell Him who He is and also remind yourself. 
 
I’ll help you get started: He is the King of Kings, Creator of the sun and the wind, Power and Glory, Majestic, Giver of every breath I take, a Safe Place, the Mover of Mountains, Merciful Savior, my Lord, and I love Him. That's where I start with Him. How about you?

Our adversary, the devil, would have us believe that humanity must make a choice between these two things: honoring God or being happy.

And because this line of thinking is so prevalent, the question that naturally gets asked is: "do you want to be holy or do you want to be happy?" 

This question is common, as people of all bents spend time grappling with the answer, because happiness and peace with God seem to be embedded in our very nature. Is one of these desires right and the other wrong? Is one good and the other bad? Is one the offspring of our new nature and the other the spawn of our old? The war rages on in our minds and people are caught in the middle of a war that was never intended to be.

Think about movies, TV shows, and advertisements that are prevalent today. Read lyrics to songs like “Livin’ in Sin” by Dan Auerbach:

What we see clearly is a culture that unmistakably pins happiness against holiness, as if they are rivals of one another. And because of this, it should be no surprise to Christians that in the eyes of a secular culture it’s impossible to be both happy and holy. So, the assertion gets made that people must make a choice between happiness and holiness, and the choice that is so often sold as the most obvious—the choice that most frequently gets the final word—is happiness.

"If it feels right then it is right. Follow your heart. Do whatever makes you happy. Don’t settle for anything less than what you desire the most."

These are the kinds of cheers we hear from secular culture. The hedonistic battle cries of people whose hope is placed firmly on the flimsy versions of happiness they are able to manufacture in the midst of a broken and fallen world. But this is not the world God intended for humanity nor is it the world he desires for humanity.

Sadly, the Church is guilty of propagating a very similar misnomer; though likely in less intentional ways. Instead of elevating happiness over holiness (though some churches certainly do) the Church has instead, over the centuries, exalted holiness over happiness. The narrative has been perpetuated that somehow God cares more about a Christian’s holiness than he does their joy. The church’s cheers aren’t usually as blatantly dismissive or indifferent of God's Word, but subtle as they are the errant theology can be just as harmful to the Christian and the world at large.

When churches elevate the pursuit of godliness over the pursuit of joy, consequently they are making a truth claim that simply isn’t biblical. And though the intentions of these claims may be noble, we know that what is intended and what is achieved are two very different realities.

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God is actively at work, in the lives of Christians, as the chief architect and cheerleader of our holiness (sanctification) and our joy; and both of these things are intended to be found in his presence not apart from him.

Psalm 16:11
 
                [11] You make known to me the path of life;
                        in your presence there is fullness of joy;
                           at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Therefore, Christians are not left to make a choice between happiness and holiness, but rather are invited to choose both and to choose them both in their purest, deepest, and richest forms; in the person and the work of Jesus Christ.

A man who sets his heart and mind firmly and fully on Christ, will not only be marked by his growth in holiness but will also be blessed with a deeper experience of joy. This is what God offers to the Christian and this is what God desires us to experience in our renewed mind and our restored relationship with him.
 
But knowing truth is only half the battle. Genuine faith in God's Word means that a truth known should lead to a truth lived. Faith leads to action and action is a crucial step to a Christian's ability to experience the joy of godliness. 

What good does it do a man to know truth, if that truth doesn't somehow alter how he chooses to live?  James says, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22).
 
We must not only learn rich truths from God’s Word, but we must also put these truths into practice in our everyday lives. Much of scripture leads us to the understanding that Christians should be the most joyful people on earth. Does this mean that Christians won’t have difficulties, or trials, or earth-shattering tragedies that interrupt their lives and cause them to experience immeasurable amounts of pain? No way! Jesus told his disciples, "in this world you WILL have troubles." However, he also encouraged them with this truth, "take heart, for I have overcome the world." 

The apostle Paul (who knew affliction) gives us these words to be champions for our joy:

Now, let's be clear, Paul is in no way suggesting that our afflictions will always “feel” trifling or insignificant. He knows affliction far too well (and far too personally) to make that claim. Paul was writing as a man who had very intense and very real and very personal experiences with affliction (see 2 Cor. 11:16-33). Paul's appeal is based on an appraisal of the momentary afflictions he faced (as a Christian) vs. the eternal glory provided to him by the Father, purchased for him by the Son, and protected for him by the Holy Spirit. Paul said, the joy of my salvation and my future glory far surpasses the momentary and temporal pain I am feeling--to such an extent--that I can honestly say with assurance and confidence that it's beyond all comparison.

Friends, this is the joy God invites Christians into, through the person and work of Jesus Christ, and this is the joy God desires for Christians to know and experience. A joy filled with hopeful expectation and a joy that will make all other joys pale in comparison to God’s best.

This reality leaves Christians with decisions to make in the here and now. Will we settle for momentary gratification or eternal joy? God is inviting us into the fullest joy imaginable--a joy that far outlasts the transient (brief) pleasures the world can offer. God offers Christians, in himself, joy that lasts for eternity. The world can only entice us with cheap and futile imitations, but they will always take far more from us then they can ever give to us.

1. To the alcoholic, God offers joy in the form of freedom.
   In Christ, our chains of addiction can be broken and replaced with a new identity that is “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:24). Jesus died, “that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Cor. 5:15) and in our salvation he is reconciling the world to himself as he uses us, as his ambassadors, to “make his appeal to the world” (2 Cor. 5:20). When we recognize that God has not only saved us from something (our sin) but for something (making his appeal to the world) we begin to see that it is no longer we that live but Christ who lives in us. And we are invited to live, in the flesh, by faith in the Son of God seeking to honor him and to live lives that are worthy of the calling to which we have been called.
   
   If we believe this, there is absolutely no joy in alcohol that can compare to what God has for us.
   
   
2. To the controlling person, God offers joy in the form of submission.
   What was the temptation Satan used to entice Eve in the Garden of Eden? Was it not the ability to be her own god? The ability to know what God knows, see what God sees, and power to do as God does? And so she ate...and when she did the joy she had in the peace, provisions, and presence of her Creator were removed from her. The joy she sought in her own sovereignty were quickly destroyed by sin. The Bible tells us that our trust is not supposed to be in ourselves or our ability to control our surroundings (or the people we are in relationship with), but rather our trust is to be “in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Eph. 6:10).
   
   If we believe these rich truths, there is absolutely no joy that control can offer to us that will compare to what God has for us.
   
   
3. To the complainer, God offers joy in the form of worship.
   The Holy Spirit transforms our minds and our thinking and brings us to the birthplace of gratitude, namely, worship. In this place our ungrateful hearts will be brought to the unimaginable realities of who God is. And it is here that our whining will be replaced by worship.
   
   Psalm 69:30
             [30] I will praise the name of God with a song;
                             I will magnify him with thanksgiving. (ESV)
   
   If we believe these rich truths, there is absolutely no joy that complaining can offer to us that will compare to what God has for us.
   
   
4. To the worrier, God offers joy in the form of peace.
   Scripture makes it clear that worry is a sin, and yet so many people are imprisoned by fear and anxiety. And as creation moves fuller and fuller into the results of sin, we see that anxiety and depression continue to grow....even as the knowledge we gain about these things increases. And why is it that the the amount of people impacted by worry and anxiety is increasing, even though we understand them more clearly and also have more medications available to treat the symptoms? It's because we are spraying the fruit (worry and anxiety) while ignoring the root of the problem. Our delight was never meant to be found apart from Christ. We were created to be in relationship with God and only through Christ's work on the cross (and his ministry of reconciliation) are we able to enjoy the fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord. Peace does not come from performance or provisions. True peace comes only in the presence of the Lord. As the apostle Paul tells us, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 4:6-7)
   
   If we believe these rich truths, there is absolutely no joy that worry/anxiety can offer to us that will compare to what God has for us.
   
   
5. To the proud person, God offers joy in the form of humility.
   Humility is the natural outpouring of a man’s heart when the Holy Spirit helps him see the wretchedness of his sin and his absolute dependence on God's grace, through Christ's saving work on the cross as well as Christ's humility on the cross: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:8)
   
   Jesus’ ministry on earth was a ministry rooted in humility. He didn’t come to be served or to have his expectations met, but rather came to serve that his life might be a ransom for many. This reality should set the Christian free from our self-centered expectations, because we know that a servant is never greater than his master. If Jesus is our true King then our lives will be marked by humility because Christ's life was marked by humility. And humility pays eternal dividends of joy, as Christ's disciple Peter plainly tells us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,” (1 Pet. 5:6).
   
   If we believe these rich truths, there is absolutely no joy that pride/self-righteousness can offer to us that will compare to what God has for us.
   
   IN CLOSING
   
   In closing, my encouragement to every Christian is to fight the urge to pin happiness against holiness. God desires nothing short of our fullest joy and he went to a great extent to offer it to us in himself; through Christ's finished work on the cross. One of the most destructive and counterproductive notions a Christian can have is the understanding that God cares more about their holiness then he does their happiness.
   
   Happiness is a guardian of our holiness and both of these things are offered to us, freely, in the love of our Father, the sacrifice of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit who is in us. And this reality should be both our encouragement and our motivation for living a life pleasing to the Lord; for our good and for his glory!

However, if God's aim for the Christian is their sanctification (1 Thes. 4:3-4)...conforming them into the image of his Son (Rom. 8:29)...then there is an eternal purpose in his ask which extends far beyond increasing anticipation or pain.

Here are (10) ways that God uses waiting to reveal our sin.
​

• Waiting on God reveals our idols:
  When God asks us to wait, we begin to see where our true affections lie. What do we cherish most? God or his provisions?
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our pride:
  When God asks us to wait, we begin to recognize how deep the roots of pride extend in our hearts. We desire to have things our way instead of God's way.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our doubt:
  When God asks us to wait, we see the areas of our lives where we are failing to trust in God's faithfulness and goodness and love.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our self-focus:
  When God asks us to wait, we begin to see who is at the center of our lives. Is it Christ or ourselves?
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our ingratitude:
  When God asks us to wait, we begin to see whether we spend more time thanking him for what he has already given to us in Christ, or complaining about the things we don't have...yet think we deserve.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our impatience:
  When God asks us to wait, we begin to see whether it is the fruit of the spirit (patience) or the fruit of sin (impatience) that is growing most freely in our heart.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our brokenness:
  When God asks us to wait, our sin is revealed to us more clearly.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our dependence:
  When God asks us to wait, we are reminded that it is God who is in control...not us.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our lack of worship:
  When God asks us to wait, we are able to measure more clearly whether it is our whining or our worship that is louder and more frequent in our lives.
  
  
• Waiting on God reveals our need for repentance:
  When God asks us to wait, we begin to see that God's patience with us will always outlast our impatience with him. Our sins they are many, but his mercy is more. God's forbarence with our sin is an act of kindness as he invites us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to not only recognize the sin in our lives but to then turn back to him in repentance.
  
  

Therefore, one of the most loving things God asks us to do, in scripture, is to wait.

​

Jeremiah’s difficulties were extreme. He struggled with depression. He was friendless. He lived in a declining culture on the brink of moral and physical disaster. His full time job was to deliver bad news, which resulted in legitimate death threats. Extreme.
 
You and I can learn something crucial about our trials from this Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet. In the midst of his difficulties there is the scene in which he receives death threats (26:7-11). Immediately following the chanting for his death Jeremiah includes two phrases in his response: a) “The LORD sent me to prophesy” (v.12,15); b) about the crowd of people he said, “I am in your hands” (v.14).

THEOLOGY INFORMS
Here is Jeremiah’s theological perspective: In one sense, I belong to my circumstance. I am in its hands. It may physically shake me, even slay me. AND, in another sense, I am in this situation because God Almighty sent me into it. He assigned me into this role, in this circumstance. In other words, I am wrapped up in/by this difficult calling, but my anchor and identity is in trusting and obeying Jehovah regardless of the circumstance or outcome.
 
Circumstances have you and I in their hands daily.

• A mother (role) faces a perpetually arguing child (circumstance).
• A single adult (role) battles envy and jealousy toward married couples (circumstance).
• A spouse (role) lives with flinching fear of the next angry outburst from their mate (circumstance).
• An employee (role) has to decide how to respond to the unethical behavior of a coworker (circumstance).
• A child (role) goes to school where the bullies have targeted him or her this year (circumstance).

 
Jeremiah was in the hands of the crowd. AND he recognized he was in the crowd (circumstance) because he was assigned to be a prophet by God (role). The Lord sent me: to be mother to this child, to be single in this season, to be spouse to a temperamental (or lazy or selfish or childish or joyless or ungodly) spouse, to be an employee at this place, to be a student at this school.  

WHERE ARE YOUR EYES FIXED?
Jeremiah fixed his eyes on God’s sovereignty and wisdom, even in a crazy circumstance, and he was able to endure in God-centered obedience rather than lash out or retreat in fear. “Yep, crowd, I’m in your hands. Yep, this is where the LORD sent me. I’m going to fulfill my role with my eyes on Him. I choose to be faithful to Him, rather than steered by discouragement, hostility, or my preferences.”
 
What about your roles, Christian? “The LORD sent me as a _______.” He wants me in these roles because He has restoring, truth-speaking, love-giving, patience-displaying, hope-stirring, mercy-granting work that He has sent me to do with these people in these places. The circumstances may shake me. They may engulf me to my grave, but they do not own me. Jesus does. He owns me because He purchased me (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Peter 1:18-19). Therefore my confidence and allegiance lies with Him within my roles and circumstances.
 
We can obey, like Jeremiah, and see God’s hope and freedom enter into difficult circumstances when we fix our eyes again and again on God's assigning of our our roles. They aren't random. We have been sent by the LORD and promised the strength of His grace.
 
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” 2 Corinthians 9:8.
 
Christian, you are sent into your roles with God’s grace, as Christ’s ambassador, for His glory to spread to all the earth…including your imperfect, often difficult corner of it.    

Ice Breaker: If a church body were to be hope-givers and freedom-fighters, what traits and habits would be most crucial to develop? Why?
 
Freedom Question #1: What Do I Need Freedom From?
Use these Scriptures to answer the question above:

• John 8:34-35
• Romans 5:12-17
• Romans 8:20-23
• 2 Peter 2:19

 
What particular sins, habits, temptations are able to entrap or enslave you?

• What do they offer that is powerfully enticing?
• Write out three or more ways that they actually harm your relationship with God and others.

Spend time praying for God to help you have a holy anger and aggression toward your areas of difficulty.
 
Freedom Question #2: Where Does Freedom Come From?
Use these Scriptures to answer the question above:

• John 8:31-36
• Romans 8:1-4
• Galatians 5:1
• Titus 3:3-6

 
Why is “behavior modification” (aka: trying really hard to do the right thing) not sufficient to bring us true freedom?
Why is “talking through my issues with a secular counselor” not sufficient to bring us true freedom?
What appropriate place might behavior and counseling have for followers of Christ if placed alongside the Gospel promise of John 8:36?
 
If freedom is going to be experienced on an ongoing basis what do the verses above teach us must also be pursued on an ongoing basis?

• How does this shine light on John 8:31-32 for you?
• How can you get serious about abiding in Christ and His Word in your pursuit of freedom during the next 7 days?

Close in praise (Jesus is your Liberator) and in petition (you need an abiding heart daily).