A Paradigm of Thoughts From His Children

Volume 4 • Issue 14 • Winter 2016

Contributors

Editor: Laura Burns

Copy Editors: Diana Kochheiser Linda Montgomery

Printing (by Generous Donation):SunGraphics

Graphic Designer:SunGraphics

Pastoral Voice: Finding JoyPhilip Leineweber

Contributing WritersCraig HammEmily SantamariaLynne SmithDan PorteSpencer ValeriJulia FrontzPhilip Leineweber

Cover Image:Cover Image: “Joy”

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Do you remember those first baby laughs? Each one felt like a trophy and even now, we are still willing to do pretty much anything to hear our kids laugh. It’s probably my favorite sound. Happy, giggly kids are the best, right?

In our culture, we assume that Joy and Happiness are synonymous, and I’m delighted that this issue has so many good articles for you to read that share the joy that can be found within the struggle, through Christ. To quote Robert Schuller, “Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.” Each article highlights this truth from the unique perspective of the writer. We are so thankful for all our writers and their willingness to be vulnerable and share what God teaches them.

I was a newish mother and complaining about things in my life, as a prayer request of course, when someone looked me in the eye and said, “Laura, you need to pray for Joy.” Right away, I realized she said JOY and not HAPPINESS and it stuck out in my mind. Was there a difference? Do you know what the difference is? Spirit vs. Flesh. As a person who loves discipline, this was hard.

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Laura Burns has been married to Matt for 10 years. Together they have two spunky children, volunteer for Berean Kids and embrace a grace-filled, messy, fun, energetic and creative life. Laura is also a children's health advocate, who is learning to be brave in entirely new ways.

by Laura Burns

Editor’sReflections

You cannot force yourself to be joyful. Trust me on this. Legalism is an enemy of freedom and according to Galatians 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Freedom from the law also includes forcing ourselves to fit into the mold of legalism (or in my case, what I thought was Joy.)

I think what I love most about Joy is when you submit yourself to God and allow Him to move through you, it just becomes a part of you. After years and years of trying to be joyful, asking the Spirit to change my nature brought freedom and real joy.

Last week, I realized my daughter’s laugh is changing. It doesn’t sound like a baby any more. She is growing and changing, but her laugh is still filled with joy. My prayer is that we can learn from the articles in this issue, and ask God to use His spirit to saturate us with Joy. Our lives may not always be happy and filled with giggles, but we can be filled with the joy of the Lord.

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12

“Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.”

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What is the right response to Christmas? What should characterize the way we observe the holiday? An emphasis on peace toward men? The spirit of giving? Joy and gladness? Kindness toward our fellow man? All of those things are good, but they are inadequate responses to the birth of Christ—unless they are the products of a worshipful heart. John MacArthur

O Come Let Us Adore Him

od the creator of the universe, the Father of all creation blessed a common woman from Jerusalem with the honor of delivering His Son. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the King

of kings, the one who would die for our sins, born so humbly in a small Judean town, on a night so simple and so beautiful. It’s the beauty and simplicity of that first Christmas that we celebrate each year. We celebrate because the Long-Awaited One, Jesus the Christ Child is born.

When Christ took on human flesh in the incarnation, He did not give it up when He ascended back to heaven.

Do you realize the significance of the virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Theologians call it the hypostatic union. Jesus became fully God and fully man. He has two natures. Today we worship a Savior who is both God and man. The physical body that was born in Bethlehem has been glorified at Christ’s ascension and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus in all of His glorious splendor is seated by His Father’s side waiting to come get His bride for a joyous wedding celebration one day soon. The Hebrews were told of Jesus, “But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:24,25).

Jesus is the man seated in glory. Paul reminded Timothy, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5). The eternal union of humanity with deity in the person of Christ is

almost impossible for us to comprehend. It leaves us with a sense of awe and wonder.

At its heart, Christmas is a celebration of the incarnation of God. If you see what Christmas really means, your immediate response will be worship. In his book, God with Us—The Miracle of Christmas, John MacArthur writes, “to put it in practical terms, I’m saying we should worship like the shepherds did. They dropped everything they were doing to attend His birth. There is a sense of urgency and godly determination in the way they came to Him”.

The shepherds came “in haste” to worship their newborn King, then they “made known the statement which had been told them about this Child” (Luke 2:15-17 KJV). Share the good news with your loved ones, friends and neighbors this Christmas. If they live in this area and don’t have a church home of their own, invite them to come and worship with us.

“O Come Let Us Adore Him…Christ the Lord.” Let the miracle of the incarnation bring you peace and fill your heart with joy this Christmas season. Be kind to others in the spirit of giving. And don’t forget to come to God with a heart full of adoration and worship because of His indescribable gift.

God has given to us the greatest Christmas gift of all in His only Son Jesus Christ. How else can we respond, but by giving ourselves to Him?

Craig Hamm is the Pastor of Adult Ministries at Berean.

by Craig Hamm

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G

"Welcome to Panera, how can I help you?"

"May I have an iced green tea and asiago cheese bagel?"

"Would you like that sliced and toasted?"

"Uh, sure."

"Okay, we will have that right out to you."

This was a weekly conversation I had with the girl behind the counter. Then I would take my bag and find "my table" in the back. There’s just something about that big booth on a weekday at three. No one was around. I could spread out my plate and journal and Bible and napkins and collection of pens and just be still. The moss green booth and burnt orange table were comforting,

I guess. A little sanctuary to write and read and meditate on God's Word.

I started journaling about six years ago and I love having them to go back to pinpoint my prayers and the cries of my heart throughout different seasons of life.

My husband, Diego and I have been married two years now. Two years today to be exact but you will be reading this after the fact. October 11, 2014.

We met in August 2009, while I was studying abroad in Costa Rica for a semester during my senior year of college at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. I was staying with a host family and another friend from my college was staying with Diego's family who has hosted students for over ten years. Neither of us ever would have believed how the next six

years would play out if you had told us then.

We went through some distance before our relationship became official. And when I say distance, I mean, two years of not seeing each other while communicating over Skype. During this time we also sought the wisdom, counsel and prayer of mentors to partner with us in prayer for the future as we wanted a foundation of friendship first and a solid love for our First Love before marriage came into the picture.

One journal I recently reopened from November 2012 (three years after first meeting Diego) read, "I miss Diego. I miss Costa Rica. You know my heart. I just think Diego and I would make an amazing team. The English and the Spanish... I want to use my talents for you! I want to

Waiting IsWonderful by Emily Santamaria

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give everything I have because Your plan is perfect and You orchestrate everything, so I just sit in awe. I don't want to doubt or have fear or be confused."

I remember Psalm 62:1-2 being a comforting verse, "I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken," during a season when my friends were all getting married and they asked me how waiting for Diego was even possible.

One day I just said, "...because waiting is wonderful." I pictured waiting not as an angry, cross-armed person waits in line in a crammed grocery store aisle, but as a groom waits for his bride at the end of a church aisle, hopefully, expectantly, without complaint or confusion but with joy and hope and a future.

We had our first real date at Harvest Pizza on a chilly night in December 2013. We ate and prayed and surrendered our plans for HIS. And then we browsed the Book Loft. So imagine my face when I typed

our immigration lawyer's address into Google Maps in May 2014 and noticed it was right around the corner from Harvest Pizza. No coincidence. God was giving hope even in the midst of tear-filled car trips to Columbus when I wondered how God would work it all out. God was near. Closer than I ever imagined, allowing Diego's visa to come supernaturally quick in three months time. Allowing his parents and brother and sister-in-law to get visas to travel and come for the wedding here in Ohio. With lots of prayer warriors on our side, Diego was able to finish his college degree in Costa Rica, sell his car and his keyboard and everything, basically, as part of the sacrifice to move.

I'm so thankful I started praying for my future husband when I was a teen. It really is never too early or late to pray. And after a long day when I feel like crumbling, Diego smiles and says,"I have been praying you would be challenged to depend on The Lord even more."

You see, my tear-stained journals from my afternoons in a Panera

booth remind me that God asks just like the person behind a counter would... “How may I help you?” Sometimes I am too impatient or prideful or distracted to rest and be still and focus and respond in prayer. Throughout my life God has been a constant, sovereign Savior walking with me saying, "Daughter, How can I help you?" But in His glory-filled, majestic, almighty way that says, “How can I help you out of the water?”

Matthew 11:28-30, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”

Emily grew up in a Baptist church in Tiffin but started attending Berean in 2014, shortly after she and her husband Diego got married. He enjoys playing in the worship bands and together they teach 4th grade Sunday School. She is in her sixth year of teaching Spanish at Lexington High School and is also a leader in Awakening’s ministry. She is grateful for love letters from Jesus and just can’t help but share them with others.

I wonder: In a world where right is wrong, and wrong is right, good is evil and evil is good, where the one who lives in reality (or truth) is called obscene names—where do I find joy?

Jesus lived in such a world; He found joy in His Father, and our Father, and in what He knew was true.

One day when heaven was filled with His praises, One day when sin was as black as could be; Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin, Lived among men, my example is He1….

I can follow Jesus’ example. “The Lord Jesus lived, loved, and was loyal to God’s revelation in Scripture. It was his guidebook for life, his protection in spiritual warfare, his authority in teaching and his direction for his ministry. He obeyed its commands, and he honored its meaning with his teaching. The implications are obvious and essential. If our Lord and Savior shaped his life by Scripture, how could we imagine we need it less than He did? We are no match for the wiles and seductions of Satan, but Scripture retains its power as the sword of the Spirit, able to put our enemy on the defensive.” 2

I can rejoice that God/Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8; Mal. 3:6). The “gods” of men change their “minds,” and their “laws,” and their “characters” whenever it suits them. Our God never changes. We can trust Him. We can trust his Word.

God has revealed both His divinity and His eternality as well as moral truth to every man. But men hate His sovereignty and His Moral Law. Though man can pretend to rearrange moral truth and persecute the ones who refuse to affirm and celebrate such a pretence, man ultimately knows he

cannot win (Romans 1:32). Just as God has implanted into every soul a revelation of His Being, God has written the moral law into every human conscience (Romans 1:18-20; Romans 2: 14-15). Thus, truth cannot be wished away, or forced into a false mold. God’s law and truth will always triumph in the end! We can rejoice in that reality. Good will one day reign among men. And God knows how to rescue the Godly through the temptations and trials of this day (2 Peter 2: 9).

I wonder: In a world of so much pain and suffering from which I and those I love are not exempt—how do I find joy?

That may be the million dollar question. Certainly the mystery of evil and widespread suffering is the question presented as the greatest challenge to Christianity. Yet Christianity is alone in offering the only answer known to man that is congruent with the world of our knowledge and experience. No answer wholly satisfies, but in short: God originally made the world perfect. Man sinned and rebelled and with it came suffering, evil, sorrow, and death. But God is not finished. Before man was even created God made a way of escape: preceding any human sin, Jesus was the lamb slain for the sins of mankind from before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8)! We know from the book of Job, and from Joseph (Gen. 37-45) and Jesus and Paul in the NT (New Testament), that no suffering of the believer is without purpose (I Peter 4: 1-2). God knows what He is doing. We don’t! One day sin and evil will disappear; they will be overthrown once and for all. Then those who have accepted God’s gift of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus will never know evil or suffering again. Rather, glory, joy, peace, fellowship, perfection—and God Himself, awaits us. That is fantastic news!! Worthy of calling us to rejoice, don’t you think?!

In a World Gone Crazy—I wonder—How do i

Rejoice Always?by Lynne Smith

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One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;Suffering anguish, despised and rejected,Bearing my sins, my Redeemer is He!.1

God did not exempt Himself from the world He created, even the sin and suffering that infected it!! Rather, he subjected Himself to the worst the world of men and Satan had to give. And he did it to rescue us from the suffering, pain, separation, and death that is inherent in sin. He truly understands our anguish and pain. In such a God and Savior we can rejoice and sing for joy.

I wonder: In a world where the light is getting dimmer, where lies are taught as truth, facts are “doctored,” history is revised to fit an agenda, justice is mostly a dream, and indoctrination is enforced with political correctness—how do I find joy?

Did Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah or (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) live in such a world (Daniel 1)? I think they did. (The Hebrew youth resisted the indoctrination that went with their assigned new names!) We live in Satan’s domain. Thus, he thinks he is in charge!! When it looks like he is—remember, that is a lie!! He is a defeated foe. Maybe he is working overtime because he knows his time is short. But, one day the ruler of this earth (Satan) will be cast out (John 12:31). Until that time he will have a hayday, deceiving mankind with things like we are observing today, even throughout the world.

In the meantime, we can rejoice because that is not the end of the story—“The Lord Jesus Christ… gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Gal. 1:3-4). And… we have an Advocate with the Father (I John 2:1), who will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). Therefore, we can rejoice in the Lord, in His goodness and in His sovereignty, and in His unchanging character which includes mercy, grace and love toward His wayward creatures. We can choose to be anxious for nothing, but rather to pray with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6), because “the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayers” (I Peter 3:12).

One day the grave could contain him no longer, One day the stone rolled away from the door;Then He arose, over death He had conquered,Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

This battlefield where it looks like the forces of darkness are winning the day may be our lot for the moment. But we can rejoice because Jesus has already won the war over lies, distortions, sin, evil, suffering and death. His victory has enabled us to live in a reality where it is not crazy to let our minds focus on the true, the honorable, the just, the pure, the lovely, the commendable, the morally excellent, and that which is worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8). His truth is the only place I know to find that which is worthy to make the heart sing in joyful praises to our praiseworthy God—who can give a song—even in the night!!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming, One day the skies with His glory will shine; Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing! Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!! 1

Living He loved me! Dying He saved me!Buried He carried my sins far away!Rising, He justified, freely forever!One day He’s coming, O glorious Day!! 1

Therefore, let’s rejoice always while we “fix our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ!” (I Peter 1:13). Even so, Come Lord Jesus!!

1. Marsh, Charles H. (1910). “One Day, “Hymns for the Family of God.” Paragon Associates, Nashville, Tn, 1976.

2. Inrig, Gary. (2016). Navigating the Storms of Life. Discovery Series, Our Daily Bread Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. (discoveryseries.org).

Lynne Smith is a Family Nurse Practitioner with additional education in Biblical Worldview and Biblical counseling. Catch some of her blogs on Berean’s blog page (www.bereanfamily.com/blog). She is married to Don and has four children and 10 grandchildren.

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Maybe the best known person from the Old Testament was King David. For centuries, there have been those Bible critics who have suggested that there never was an actual King David. They argued that King David was like King Arthur in England, they are nice for interesting stories, but there is no basis in truth. Then, in 1994, archeologists discovered a stone inscription referring to “the House of David.” As an apologist, I love those many examples of where history or archeology provide evidence that supports the Bible. The noted archaeologist, Nelson Glueck, wrote, “It may be stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible.” Having said that, I’m going to take us in another direction for this article. There are other ways we can demonstrate the veracity of the Bible. I have often said that if you are going to concoct a story don’t provide much detail. The more detail you give, the more likely you will get caught. The Bible provides tons of detail! Some of this detail is so subtle that it could easily go unnoticed. I want to look at some of those subtle details that fit together so perfectly, and I think prove the Bible could never be just an invention of man. To do this, let’s look at a few chapters from the life of King David.In II Samuel 6:1-11, we read the account of David moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. They loaded the Ark onto an ox cart with much fanfare, and then began the trip. Now

God had given specific instructions on how the Ark should be handled. Loading it on an ox cart was not the right way! In fact, the first people we know to use ox carts were the Philistines. They would transport idols of their gods in this manner. At one point, the oxen stumbled, and the Ark began to fall. A man named Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark. “The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down.” (II Samuel 6:7) Naturally, this filled David with fear, and “he (David) was not willing to take the Ark of the Lord to be with him in the city of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.” (II Samuel 6:10)This story is filled with detail, but the detail I want to focus on is the city where David took the Ark. He took the Ark to Obed-Edom, who was a Gittite. A Gittite is a person from Gath. There is a Philistine city called Gath, so we can be sure that wasn’t the Gath referred to here. The city David took the Ark to was the Hebrew city of Gath Rimmon. We find that city mentioned in the Book of Joshua. Remember, it was Joshua who divided the Promised Land among the tribes. Now if we turn to Joshua 21:24, we find the city listed in a quite casual way. The city of Gath Rimmon was set aside for the Levites. The Levites were not given a specific place in the Promised Land, but were assigned towns within the land given to the other tribes. The Levites were not given specific land because from the time of Moses they were to be the priests. Now it becomes clear as to why David took the Ark to the Gittites in Gath Rimmon. They were Levites!

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KINGby Dan Porte

DAVID

Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Dan Porte is a graduate of Otterbein College (now University). He graduated with a degree in education and was hired by Ontario Local Schools where he spent the entirety of his career. Dan taught 8th grade American History for 15 years, then moved to the high school where he taught Government and Sociology for 20 years. He retired from teaching in 2008. Dan and his wife, Robin, have been married for over 40 years. They have two children: son Michael and daughter Kara (married to Don and has seven children). Dan spends much of his time with Michael playing tennis and working in their gardens. From time to time Dan still substitute teaches. His interest in history led him to investigate the historical accuracy of the Bible. This, in turn, led to a full investigation of Apologetics.

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But wait, there’s more! The city of Gath Rimmon was not only a Levite city. In Joshua 21:20, we read the city was allotted to the Kohathite clan of the Levites. Who are the Kohathites? In the Book of Numbers, Moses is assigning tasks to the various tribes and clans in the Exodus. In Numbers 7:9, we read, “But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible.” Now we see how these little details fit together. Not only did David take the Ark to the priests, but he took it to the very clan Moses gave the responsibility of caring for it! Another chapter in the life of King David centers around a beautiful woman named Bathsheba. David quickly fell in love with her. Unfortunately for King David, Bathsheba was already married to Uriah, a soldier in David’s army. David ordered his army into battle and further ordered Uriah to the place where the battle was fiercest. The soldiers fighting around Uriah were ordered to pull back, leaving Uriah to die at the hands of the enemy. With Uriah gone, David was now free to bring Bathsheba into his household. You can read the complete story in II Samuel 11. Keep the story in mind as we go to a different chapter in the life of King David.In II Samuel 15, we read the account of David’s son, Absalom. In this chapter we read of a revolt against King David that Absalom was organizing. One of the first men Absalom reached out to for help was a man named Ahithophel. (II Samuel 15:12) Ahithophel was no ordinary man. He was one of David’s chief advisors. He was brilliant. “Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. This was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.” (II Samuel 16:23) In addition, Ahithophel was one of David’s ‘Mighty Men.’ These Mighty Men were great warriors who fought alongside David. They were his personal bodyguards and furiously loyal to him. It seems odd that Ahithophel, a Mighty Man, would join a conspiracy against David. Maybe the answer is in the small details.Remember the story of David and Bathsheba. At the beginning of that story we get a small piece of information. “And David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ‘Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” (II Samuel 11:3) So we are told the name of Bathsheba’s father—Eliam. Now if we turn in our Bibles all the way to the end of II Samuel in chapter 23, we get a list of David’s Mighty Men. In verse 34 we find Eliam’s name. The verse reads, “…Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite.” So now maybe we can look at these small details and understand why Ahithophel would turn on David. Bathsheba was his granddaughter! I would like to share with you just one more example of these small details that help support the validity of the Bible. Absalom does, in fact, lead a revolt against his father, King David. The showdown between the two sides took place in the forest of Ephraim. “There the army of Israel was defeated by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men.” (II Samuel 18:7) You can read the entire account of this conflict starting in II Samuel 17. Part of the credit for David’s success can be attributed to a man named, Barzillai. Barzillai was a wealthy man who lived

in the region where the battle was fought, and he provided aid and comfort to David’s army while they were there. As a reward for his help, “The king said to Barzillai, ‘cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.’” (II Samuel 19:33) Barzillai was eighty years old. He was grateful to the king for his generous offer, but he feared a long trip may be too much for him, as well as a burden to David. Besides, he preferred to finish his life in his home country. Barzillai then asked King David if he would take Kimham, probably one of his sons, in his place. “Then the king said, ‘Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever pleases you. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.’” (II Samuel 19:38)So Kimham travels back to Jerusalem with David. To many of us, this is a small footnote in the story and we really don’t read any more about it; that is until we flash forward about five hundred years to the time of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was sent as a prophet to the people because they had strayed mightily from the one true God. God in His anger was going to use the Babylonians to remove the people from His land. Jeremiah found the people to be stuck in stubborn disobedience, so he encouraged those who would listen to flee to safety in Egypt. “And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt.” (Jeremiah 41:17) (Geruth means habitation of) So here we have this small detail in the Bible story. David made good on his promise to Barzillai and provided an estate for Kimham. Not surprisingly, that home site was located near David’s home town of Bethlehem.As an apologist I like to point to those archeological discoveries that support the truth of the Bible. Whenever there is evidence found outside the Bible it can be very useful in defending the Bible to a skeptical world. However, I also like the internal evidence we can point to that supports what we know the Bible to be. There are hundreds of these little details that fit together so perfectly and consistently. Remember the Bible was written by different people over a long span of time, yet in these small details, we see a consistency that is hard to explain. We see these subtle points in the Bible and must conclude that the Bible is not just from the minds of men, but from the hand of God.

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Findingin Christ and in Community

by Pastor Spencer Valeri

Where does your joy come from? This is a question that has been pondered for centuries and since the

inception of our country, people have valued the “pursuit of happiness” and joy is often perceived as persistent happiness. This pursuit involves chasing after money, power, career advancement, entertainment, and material possessions. Yet, even after attaining many of these things, people still find themselves dissatisfied.

A good example of this is Tom Brady. Brady is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football. He was interviewed by 60 minutes in 2007 when he was 30 years old. By that point he had won three Super Bowl Championships. He already had an estimated net worth of over $30 million dollars and he had signed a 10 year $60 million dollar contract. Despite all of his success, fame and fortune, during the course of the interview Brady said, “a lot of people would say, 'Hey man, this is what is.' I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, 'God, it's got to be more than this.’”

Brady’s statement is reminiscent of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes where he has searched for the meaning of life amongst things the world value, and he concludes that “everything is meaningless.” As Christians we are called to have a source of joy that is different from that of the world. In the letter to the Philippians, Paul mentions joy no less than 11 times and in his opening he says that he prays for them with joy (1:4). It’s remarkable because

Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians while he was imprisoned in Rome, awaiting trial for preaching the gospel. He literally owned nothing but the clothes on his back, he couldn’t travel anywhere, he was dependent upon others to supply his needs, and he was kept from any sources of entertainment, yet he was filled with joy. How could a man who was wrongly imprisoned be full of joy?

As you read this letter, you will notice that Paul prioritizes what he believes to be important. And I believe that it is the key to his sustained joy.

JOY

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If you are going to be a joy-filled Christian, you have to order your life in the right manner. For Paul this meant putting Jesus above all other concerns, and then treating others as more important than himself. It’s reminiscent of the Great Commandment in Matt. 22:27-30: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… and love your neighbor as yourself.” If you peruse through chapters 1 & 2, you will notice that Paul lives out this great command. Repeatedly in chapter 1, he mentions Jesus and he rejoices because Christ is being preached (1:18). In vs. 20-21, He makes it clear that glorifying Christ is the priority of his life:

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Further on in the chapter he says, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” If we want to have joy in our lives, we need to put Jesus first. That means reading His Word on a regular basis because we know that the risen Christ speaks to us through His Word (2 Cor. 4). Furthermore, it means conducting our lives in such a manner that we glorify Christ with our actions and our attitudes. If you find yourself lacking joy, the first place to turn is Jesus. Are you communing with Him through the reading of His Word? Are you living for Him and dying to sin? If those two things aren’t a priority in your life, you will never find the joy that Paul displayed throughout his life.

If you are communing with Christ through His Word and attempting to order your life in a manner that glorifies Him and you still aren’t joyful, the next question to ask yourself is, “Am I more concerned about myself, my needs or my interests than I am the interests of others?” If so, you need to do a little reordering, so that the interests of others are placed above your own. In chapter 2 Paul encourages the

Philippians to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

In some sense, answering this question is harder than answering the first, because most of us have a tendency to think that we aren’t selfish. If you aren’t sure about how you would answer the second question, I would encourage to say “yes” to the next invitation you receive to either serve at church or to help someone else, especially if your gut reaction was “no.” It may mean putting something on the sideline that you enjoy doing or even need to do, but at the end of the day I think you will realize the value of ordering your life to reflect JOY – Jesus, Others, Yourself.

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

Pastor Spencer Valeri, Pastor of Children and Parents Ministries, and his wife, Megan enjoy working with the Berean Kids program.

Once, in the midst of a struggle in my faith, I remember saying that I would like a “poof” out of the situation. I would like God to be some sort of genie who snapped his fingers and magically changed my situation to bring me back to faith.

However, I’d forgotten that the goals God had for me didn’t center around comfort. When issuing the command “Follow me” to his disciples, Jesus never added a clause about them finding lifelong happiness and comfort if they decided to follow him. No, Jesus is refreshingly realistic. He tells us that this life will be hard. He knows we will want to turn away. He knows that some days trite Christian catch phrases and assurances seem like nothing but empty words and empty promises.

But God. Oh, what lovely words. The desert will seem too vast and dangerous…but God. Everyday life will slip into periods of mediocrity and loneliness…but God. We will want to give up…but God.

God’s goal for us is not happiness. God’s goal for us is Himself. God’s goal for us is that we find our deepest satisfaction—our joy—in Him.

Please, please do not think for one moment that Jesus is indifferent to your situation. Please do not suppose that just because you are not filled with an inexpressible happiness that Jesus has forsaken you and doesn’t desire to fill you with joy. He wants you to be filled with the utmost joy—but it is something only he can provide.

Having joy does not mean your situations are ideal. Having joy means you have Jesus.

There is a common misunderstanding that joy and happiness are synonymous. They are not; we can find a real sense of happiness in the world’s pleasures. We can laugh with our friends and read a nice novel and enjoy a delicious donut and find ourselves filled with happiness. None of these things are bad, but they are very different from joy. Happiness is dependent on your current situation and is therefore quite fragile. Joy depends on Christ and is far more difficult but far more fulfilling.

In Romans 5:11, Paul states, “We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Through Christ, we have received reconciliation from our sins. We have been given the privilege to know Jesus; He is ours and we are his. This is why we have joy. We do not have joy because every situation makes us feel as if we are on top of the world. We have joy because our situations are ever changing and often not ideal but, despite all of this, we have Jesus and he is constant.

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by Julia Frontz

JoyinJesus

Hi I’m Julia! I’m passionate about God, writing, and people. I’d love to spend my life learning of God’s grace and putting my feelings into words. I want to be solely focused on God and loving people for the rest of my life.

Our joy is tied to the never-changing character of Jesus instead of our ever-shifting feelings.

Our feelings will constantly change. Our desire to know Jesus will constantly change. We will be tempted to settle for momentary happiness instead of fulfilling joy. Believe me when I say I am someone who often settles for the first option. Don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying that happiness is a bad thing. It is a good thing and it is not a sin to laugh and enjoy your friends and be happy. However, perhaps we can become too accustomed to chasing happiness instead of joy.

Joy is something that requires the conscious choice to cast aside sin and choose Christ. When I am overwhelmed to the point of tears, I must choose Jesus. I must choose to let my savior be stronger than my stress and anxiety. I must learn to rejoice in the Lord even when I wish my situation was different.

For the most part, I am absolutely terrible at it. I doubt God when I should trust Him. I choose sin instead of choosing Jesus.

However, when I am choosing sin with consistency, I forfeit the joy that could be mine. I may bemoan the lack of joy in my everyday life, but joy is not something that will fly in and land on my living room table.

Francis Chan once said, “Joy is something that we have to choose and then work for.” Joy is not a fuzzy feeling. Joy is not something we spend our whole lives searching for and suddenly find when we meet a particular person. Joy is not a perfect life or perfect situations. Joy is found in the person of Jesus Christ and only in him. We must choose to have joy.

Happiness is lovely but it will not satisfy us. It will forsake us in the situations where stress and frustration wrap around us like a blanket. Joy will satisfy but it requires us to stay in active, constant pursuit of Christ.

Jesus will fill you with joy but you must choose Him. You must choose Him instead of your feelings. Your stress, anxiety, and tendency to sin may always be there. They may feel completely overwhelming, but God.

God is faithful and will satisfy you. Joy will be found in him when we stop chasing the idea of happiness and joy and start chasing him.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)

The Glory of ChristmasCharles Swindoll

Christmas comes each year to draw people in from the cold. Like tiny frightened sparrows shivering in the winter cold, many live their lives on the barren branches of heartbreak, disappointment, and loneliness, lost in thoughts of shame, self-pity, guilt, or failure. One blustery day follows another, and the only company they keep is with fellow strugglers who land on the same branches, confused and unprotected.

We try so hard to attract them into the warmth. Week after week church bells ring. Choirs sing. Preachers preach. Lighted churches send out their beacon. But nothing seems to bring in those who need the warmth the most.

Then, as the year draws to a close, Christmas offers its wonderful message. Emmanuel. God with us! He who resided in heaven, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, willingly descended into our world. He breathed our air, felt our pain, knew our sorrows, and died for our sins. He didn’t come to frighten us, but to show us the way to warmth and safety.

The Glory of ChristmasMax Lucado

There are many reasons God saves you: to bring glory to Himself, to appease His justice, to demonstrate His sovereignty. But one of the sweetest reasons God saved you is because He is fond of you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while… If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose to live in your heart. That’s the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem!

Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you.15

SURGE Student Ministry took 60 high school students and over 20 adult small group leaders and volunteers to Camp Buckeye near Wooster, OH for Fall Advance. The Senior High Fall Advance is a one-night retreat designed to further relationships in student small groups and build a foundation for the rest of the year spiritually.

The theme was “rooted.” Students and leaders were challenged to have a rooted faith that will produce lasting fruit. The main passage that was emphasized was the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4). In this parable there are four different soils that bring forth different kinds of growth when the seed falls on them. Some seed fell on the road and was immediately eaten up by birds. Some fell on rocky soil and grew up quickly, but since it had no root it could not survive the poor conditions and died. Other seed fell amongst thorns and grew up well but then was eventually choked by the thorns and died. Lastly, some seed fell upon good soil and grew up and produced much fruit!

Jesus explained that the soil was different people who heard the Word of God (the seed). Students were challenged as to what kind of hearers they were and what kind of soil they were. Were their hearts ready to hear the Word of God and bear fruit? Fall Advance was not just supposed to be a spiritual/emotional high for the year, but rather a starting point from which spiritual growth would transform these high schoolers into more fully devoted followers of Jesus, who are bearing fruit in their lives.

Through the fun and meaningful times of games, small groups, quiet times, worship, and messages God was so good! Join with SURGE Student Ministry in praying that God continues to bring forth fruit in the lives of these teens as they seek to be “rooted” in Him.

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SURGE

ThE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

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by Philip Leineweber

The concept of Christian joy became real to me when I was running track & field for Liberty University.

Running NCAA Division I track at a university was quite different than running for a small Christian School team in high school (we did not even have a track at my high school!). The stakes were raised. It was more like a part-time job and athletes were expected to work-out hours a day, take care of their bodies, and take their competition seriously. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed every minute of it, but the serious nature of a higher level of athletic competition along with the element of an athletic scholarship heightened the pressure. Instead of running against the boys from Lancaster Christian School, I was lining up against athletes from Tennessee, Kent State, and Princeton.

Different athletes handled this pressure in different ways. Many suffered from extreme anxiety before and during competition. Some athletes in particular would carry the weight of competition around like their best friend had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness! I wanted to say, “Dude! You are just running around in circles! Relax!” If they had a successful run, jump, or throw, which in their mind meant winning or at least having a personal best, they would be walking around like the happiest person in the world. If they performed poorly, or even just average, you would see them moping around or sitting in a corner with a shirt over their head. Is this circumstantial, emotional and attitudinal morphing what should mark a Christian athlete? Or any Christian at all for that matter?

Every year at the end of the season the team held a Track & Field banquet. Every senior was invited to share wisdom, memories, and encouragement to the rest of the team. My senior year this lack of consistent joy in many of my teammates was on my heart. I chose to share this and I pray that it is meaningful for you in your search for joy.

Scripture speaks volumes concerning the importance of a follower of God being characterized by joy. It is listed as the second fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). James commands his Christian audience to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3). Nehemiah encouraged the people of God during their return from exile with the words, “This day is

holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

The Psalmist could not stop speaking of joy.

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:8-11 ESV)

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1-8 ESV)

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30:4-12)

The follower of God is to be marked by joy. But what is this attitude? What is its source?

The best definition of joy I have come across was in John

Joy that Lasts

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MacArthur’s study bible where he defines joy as “a spiritual happiness based upon the eternal reality that all is well between you and God." Let’s break this down.

Joy is a spiritual happiness or gladness. Though different than the emotion of happiness, there is some overlap. Joy should still create an outflow of emotional gladness but one that is not based upon feelings. Instead of rooted in feelings and circumstances it should be distinctly spiritual. It should be Spirit-driven, Spirit-strengthened, and Spirit-derived. When we are walking by the Spirit joy becomes the outflow. It is not from the flesh, not carnal or worldly; it is a spiritual work of God. With this, joy must be genuine. God is not asking for or commanding fakeness. He does not want us to be disingenuous. It is a matter of fruitfulness, a matter of fullness. Towards the end of Jesus’ teaching on abiding in Him in John 15 He says, “ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (v.11). Joy should spring out from within, it is not “putting a smile on your face.” Do you have a spiritual outflow of gladness in your life? This should mark us as followers of God. But from where does this fountain flow?

Based upon the eternal reality that all is well between you and God. The foundation of Christian joy is the gospel. That “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). It is not based upon our circumstances. This is why Paul goes on to say in this text that we can have hope in suffering (v.3-5)! This is why James said that we can count it all joy in the midst of trials knowing that all is well between us and God and He is at work in spite of and even through difficulty. How amazing that our Christian joy is based upon the objective reality of our standing before God and not our feelings or circumstances. It is rooted in faith, believing what God has promised that “all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

There is no greater example of this situation-defying joy than our Lord Jesus Himself.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV)

Christ endured the most painful death imaginable and rejection from the people He came to save. And for what? For the joy set before Him. The joy of right relationship with His bride, the Church! This same motivation, though now a present reality for all who have received Christ, is the source of Christian joy: all is well between you and God.

Do you have this kind of deep, spiritual gladness? Do you rejoice in the midst of hardship and trial knowing that in Christ we have a joy set before us?

John Piper illustrates this truth so movingly:

“I’ll tell you what makes Jesus look beautiful: It’s when you smash your car and your little girl goes flying through the windshield and lands...dead on the street. And you say, through the deepest possible pain…

“God is enough, God is enough. He is good. He will take care of us. He will satisfy us. He will get us through this. He is our treasure. Whom have I in heaven but you? And on Earth there is nothing that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart and my little girl may fail, but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

THAT makes God look glorious, as GOD, not as the giver of cars or safety or health.

God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him in the midst of loss, not prosperity.”

Peter writes, “though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV). Our salvation is the source of our joy. When we have taken our focus off of our right standing before God, our joy fades. How paradoxical that, for the follower of Jesus, gazing at the cross, a Roman device designed for excruciating torture and execution, is the source of joy? And Why? Because that instrument of pain became our instrument of reconciliation.

Let us fix our eyes on the eternal reality that all is well between us and God, and one day we will be with Christ, our reward. When Christ is our highest treasure and our relationship with Him is the meditation of our hearts we experience joy. Let us choose to abide in Him and be filled with His Spirit, and then watch in amazement as we experience an overflow of the fullness of joy in Jesus Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria

Pastor Phil

Pastor Philip Leineweber Berean Baptist Church

Looking to read more about real joy?

Check out these books!

Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough

Is a joy-filled life really possible? by Kay Warren

UninvitedLiving Loved When You Feel Less

Than, Left Out, and Lonelyby Lysa TerKeurst

Surprised by JoyThe Shape of My Early Life

by C.S. Lewis

The Grand WeaverHow God Shapes Us Through

the Events of Our Livesby Ravi Zacharias

Unwrapping the Greatest GiftA Family Celebration

of Christmasby Ann Voskamp