Joy in the Lord – Be Still…

Acts 13:13-52 – Claim Your Joy

So, there is no confusion: Saul is also known as Paul, and going forward we’ll use his Greek name, Paul. There can be misconceptions about the name change, but it would have been common in those days to have both a Hebrew name (Saul) and a Greek name (Paul). It’s easy to think of Saul as the bad guy and Paul as the good guy, but it’s the same guy, and there was nothing divine about his name change like we’ve seen in the Bible before.

Paul was about to be used by God in mighty ways. In this moment where it all began, he could not even fathom what he was about to encounter: miracles, works of the Holy Spirit like this, and even disaster. But those stories will unfold in due time. For now, we need to get to know Paul as one of the greatest Christian leaders of all time. Continue reading “Acts 13:13-52 – Claim Your Joy”

1 John 1:1-2:6 – Who is Jesus?

Read 1 John 1:1-2:6

The book of 1 John starts out in a similar fashion as John’s gospel, identifying Jesus as having been present at creation as well as calling out his identity as the Word. John also masterfully testifies on behalf of himself and others as to having personally seen and touched Jesus. To me, that fact alone is mind-boggling. This author hung out with Jesus and knew Him well.

How else does John describe Jesus to his audience? Jesus is: (1) “life itself,” (2) “the one who is eternal life,” (3) “with the Father,” and we can fellowship with Jesus and the Father, just like John and the others. John hopes that by knowing and experiencing Jesus, we can know and experience the same joy. It’s true what we’ve heard that there is joy in the Lord. Even Nehemiah proclaimed, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10) Continue reading “1 John 1:1-2:6 – Who is Jesus?”

Isaiah 61:1-11 – Joy

Read Isaiah 61:1-11

Our Advent journey continues, and we’ll be encountering more prophecies this week. Did you recognize the first few verses of Isaiah’s prophecy? When Jesus preached in his hometown of Nazareth, he was given the scroll of Isaiah, and the text he read was the first two verses of our reading (see Luke 4:16-21).

How profound it must have been for Jesus to read those words, speaking about himself. This prophecy is another example of a refreshing message speaking about both Jesus’ first coming and his return. In other words, it speaks of restoration, both spiritual and physical. The physical has yet to happen completely, but the spiritual was our awakening or transformation into followers of Jesus. Continue reading “Isaiah 61:1-11 – Joy”

Philippians 4:4-7 – When to Pray

Read Philippians 4:4-7

This wisdom from the apostle Paul to the Philippians closes out our theme of “The Holy Spirit & Prayer.” The message that rings out for me is, don’t worry, simply pray. Trust that Jesus will bring his joy and peace. It sounds like it should be easy, but it’s not.

People worry. We can’t help it. Whether it’s something simple like figuring out what to have for dinner that will make everyone happy, to the crazy thoughts that fill your head as you wait up for your child who is way past curfew, to wondering how your family will ever survive after you’re gone. Sometimes our thoughts just get the best of us, and that’s when we should bring this text to mind and cling to its truth. Continue reading “Philippians 4:4-7 – When to Pray”

1 Peter 1:1-9 – Greeting & Blessing

Read 1 Peter 1:1-9

Let there be no doubt, we are reading a letter from Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ! We get a glimpse at what Peter wants us to know about our Christian walk. As you read Peter’s words, don’t forget he spent time in Jesus’ presence! The extreme authority this letter carries is for us and other Christians struggling with their faith. Are you ready to dig into the wisdom Peter is about to share?

Peter likely wrote this letter from Rome. Throughout the Roman Empire, Christians were being tortured and killed for their faith, and the church was being scattered. These new Christians were in an “exile” of sorts from all that they knew, as aliens living in foreign lands. I know what it feels like to be living in a different culture; and we’ve known people who are never able to adjust. Peter’s greeting is very encouraging when he says, “May God give you more and more grace and peace.”