16 September 2018
Two-Minute Features | 23 September 2018 | 09 September 2018

Possessions & Gifts Give Us Joy (TMF:980)

Friday, September 21, 2018
Peace to Live By: Possessions & Gifts Give Us Joy (TMF:980) - Daniel Litton
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       And possessions and gifts given to us by God, in the here and now, blessings from him, give us joy (enjoy that new iPhone). I want us to consider a couple passages from King Solomon. First: “Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart” (Ecclesiastes 5:19, 20, ESV). And second: “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10a, ESV). And remember, Jesus told us, "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24, ESV). God wants to give us good things while we are here on the earth.

Our Trials Can Give Us Joy, Part 2 (TMF:979)

Thursday, September 20, 2018
Peace to Live By: Our Trials Can Give Us Joy, Part 2 (TMF:979) - Daniel Litton
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       We have this hope which unbelievers don't have because they are only focused on the earth, on the material, on those people who are around them. We as believers know that soon we will be with Jesus, and our bodies will be transformed and made perfect. That includes our getting rid of our sin natures. That includes getting rid of any sicknesses or struggles we may have. We will have perfect minds. It is noted in Proverbs: "The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish" (10:28, ESV). Now God, in our lives, keeps us from stumbling so that he can present us blameless before him, and this gives God great joy (see Jude 1:24, 25, ESV). Even though we do have struggles, he helps us with them. And the thought of obtaining our rewards when we get to Heaven, our future possessions, for our obedience and enduring persecution here on earth, also gives us joy. Jesus told us, "Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets" (Luke 6:23, ESV).

Our Trials Can Give Us Joy, Part 1 (TMF:978)

Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Peace to Live By: Our Sufferings & Trials Can Give Us Joy (TMF:978) - Daniel Litton
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       He saw the joy that was to be his after his suffering, and in view of that he endured the cross, despising the shame, and now, today, he is seated at God's right hand in the throne room of Heaven (see Hebrews 12:2, ESV). Finally, James probably sums up our joy in our suffering the best when he said, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4, ESV). We have to have trials in our lives in order to develop our patience. And when we go through them with a proper attitude of joy, we come out on the other end with what we were wanting, the desire of our heart. Our hope in obtaining Heaven one day in the future gives us joy inside us. We have this hope which unbelievers don't have because they are only focused on the earth, on the material, on those people who are around them. We as believers know that soon we will be with Jesus, and our bodies will be transformed and made perfect. That includes our getting rid of our sin natures.

Doing the Lord's Work Gives Us Joy (TMF:977)

Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Peace to Live By: Doing the Lord's Work Gives Us Joy (TMF:977) - Daniel Litton
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       As Solomon also said, "Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead" (Proverbs 15:21, ESV). Now doing the Lord’s Work gives us joy. Remember after Jesus sent out the seventy-two in Luke 10, the text says they returned with joy. In Acts 15, it says that the brothers had great joy in learning about the fact that the Gentiles were now being brought into the kingdom of God. The Apostle John penned, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 4, ESV). So, doing the Lord’s Work and hearing about it definitely gives us joy in our hearts as Christians. And we should count our trials as joy to us when they come upon us. We all face difficulties in our lives from time to time, things that are hard to bear up under. When we have afflictions in our lives, we should really respond with an overflow with joy, even though our flesh definitely doesn't want to do this (see 2 Corinthians 7:4, ESV). This is like what our Lord Jesus Christ modeled for us, being the founder and perfecter of our faith.

God's Word Makes Our Joy Complete (TMF:976)

Monday, September 17, 2018
Peace to Live By: God's Word Makes Our Joy Complete (TMF:976) - Daniel Litton
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       Jesus has taught us: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:10, 11, ESV). So, God's Word not only gives us joy, but it makes our joy full and complete. On the flip side of this, when we don't keep God's commandments, we can lose our joy. David noted the following after he sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit" (Psalms 51:7-12, ESV). Unbelievers have joy also, but their’s is temporary, pertaining only to the things of this life (see Job 20:4-11).