The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
TO PONDER
Have you ever felt rejection and the sense of failure that goes with it? Paul and Barnabas were rejected by the leaders of the city of Antioch, but their reaction was truly odd.
Imagine travelling a great distance with a message of hope and joy only to have your message rejected and then to be expelled by the people you took it to. A normal reaction to that would be a deep sense of rejection and failure, but not by these two, they ‘were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit’.
Perspective is everything. Operating in their own strength, misery and dejection may have been the probable outcome. Barnabas and Paul however, left the city the same way they had entered it, in the presence God, with his Holy Spirit and with joy. They shook the dust of that town off their feet and moved on to the next. The crazy thing is, despite what seemed a failure, God turned it into a success. Further on in Acts we learn that it was precisely in Antioch that Jesus followers were first called Christians. There’s the joy.
Remember: God can never be defeated. Those who move with him, will never know lasting defeat.
PRAYER
Father, I place my life in your hands. I want to know the lasting joy of working side by side with you. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.
TO PONDER
God doesn’t give commands without good reason. He doesn’t threaten us if we fail to do his bidding, he is neither capricious nor arbitrary. God is loving.
The biblical meaning of the word command is richer than just, ‘do as your told’ and do it without a reason. God’s purpose is to benefit us, and the whole creation.
A command is a health directive for the good of all creation. If we fail to follow our doctors’ orders, chances are our health will fail, and on our own head be it! God’s commands for our corporate health and wellbeing are the same. Obey, and experience the permanent joy of God in us, and at work through us. Disobey and reap the bitter consequences.
God’s purpose is to set the world in perfect order as he intended from the beginning. The first humans failed to extend the garden of Eden across the whole earth. Their failure has become Jesus’ victory and success. God is lovingly growing his garden and has called us to lovingly play our part to bring back original beauty and return enduring sustainability to our world.
Remember: God commands because he loves us and wants us to inherit the earth.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, stand by my side and teach me how to love as you love. Teach me to work this earthly garden, to your delight and for our good. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
Jude 1:24,25
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen.
TO PONDER
Grown-ups tend not to believe in ‘happily ever after’. That’s a comforting fairy tale for little children. Adult cynicism tends to judge such sentiments as sickly sweet and unrealistic. Life just isn’t that way, it’s a complicated struggle for the most part. ‘Joy forever’ is a delusion, isn’t it?
The Scriptures consistently couch joy in the context of celebration. Celebration with family and friends, in good times and through difficulty, in this life and beyond. Jude is promoting hope in what Jesus is doing daily, and the joy we have because of him, regardless of circumstances.
No wonder this text sounds like a joyful toast at a feast. Perhaps he is envisioning the wedding feast of the church and Christ? ‘To the bridegroom! Cheers! To the one, who by his sacrifice can present you to the Father clean and pure, without fault and with great joy. To Jesus, our God and Saviour, who purchased us back from eternal death to heal and restore us for eternal life. Cheers!’
The moral of fairy tales may be unclear and even misleading but the promise that Jude has for us is incontrovertible, joy from our relationship with God grows deep and is everlasting. For ever and ever. Amen.
Remember: Happiness is a fleeting emotion; joy grows deep and remains.
PRAYER
Father, as I sit and wait on you, let joy sink deep into my soul as I reflect on all you have done for me, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
Luke 6:23
‘Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
TO PONDER
There is more to joy than you may think. It’s good to feel the lightness of joy in good times, but what about in dark times. Can there be joy in difficulty and persecution?
Jesus says ‘yes’. Talking to his disciples about the persecution of God’s prophets, even to the point of murder, he encourages them to embrace the same possibility and its associated suffering when it comes, and to rejoice in being chosen. This is suffering for the gospel in mission.
Sharing our faith with others is mostly painless and has joyful results, but on occasion the response can be anything from rude to violent. The followers of Jesus, whose hearts are full of the joy of the presence of the Lord, full of the fire of his Holy Spirit, and full of holy desire to love and serve God and our neighbour, will willingly suffer for the gospel’s sake. We know that there is a great reward awaiting us in God’s presence. Heaven is not a geographical location but is located wherever God is. Now and into eternity, joy is with and in the Lord.
Remember: In darkness and in light, joy may be found in the presence of God.
PRAYER
Help me to not be afraid, but to share your goodness and grace with everyone you send to me. Help us to leap for joy at the reward that awaits. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures for ever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
TO PONDER
Worship is an expression of joy that changes the atmosphere of our mind and of the space we inhabit. Shout for joy to the Lord and joy will increase. Read a gospel portion out aloud, dwell in it, meditate on it, struggle with it. Sing a spiritual song and praise God in prayer. If you do this, joy will increase.
Celebrating with people of like mind will increase joy all the more. ‘His faithfulness continues through all generations. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.’
Remember: Worship, especially worship with others, ignites joy.
PRAYER
Fill my mouth with praise, O Lord, that I may declare your glory all day long. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
TO PONDER
As much as we may want to experience the joy of Christmas, ‘peace on earth and goodwill toward all people’, and all that, it’s very hard when our hearts are full of desire for things that have no lasting value.
Discontent is caused by the endless distraction of attractive things paraded before us every day. Our thoughts are bombarded with desire for things we never knew we needed; things we never knew existed until temptation titillated desire. We cannot be content while hanging on to the desire for temporary things. Things that will eventually turn to dust and ashes.
If we want to choose joy, we must learn contentment, which is letting go of unhealthy and unhelpful desires. We must learn to hold this world and its things lightly. We would then need to let go of control and self-righteousness, learn to forgive, and let go of anger, malice, and grudges. Doing these things amounts to godliness with contentment.
How do we let go? We cannot hold on to God and our useless desires at the same time. To hold on to God, is to let go of the rest and so, find joy in his presence.
Remember: Joy relies on godliness with contentment.
PRAYER
Father, declutter my heart and my mind. Relax my grip on things that will neither heal nor save me. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
TO PONDER
It took me a long time to figure out the difference between happiness and joy. For a long time, I sensed there was something more substantial and permanent than fleeting moments of happiness. It’s only been in the last few years that that I’ve realised that happiness is a temporary emotional response to present circumstances. Joy is a lifestyle choice.
How does one choose joy? Well, I choose to be active in love, to think, speak or do something kind as often as possible. Be gentle, pursue peace within me and beyond me. Be patient, good, and seek to develop and exercise a vigorous strong mind (see Galatians 5:22,23). Joy is an expression of the love of God at work in me.
By bringing everything to God, trusting in his powerful, almighty presence, I can be joyful at any given moment and in all circumstances. The Lord is near!
Remember: Joy is a choice that flows from proactive love.
PRAYER
Father God, you are Love. Keep me conscious of your loving presence today so that I may choose joy. Amen.
Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
TO PONDER:
Isaiah 12 is a beautiful Psalm that stands in stark contrast to its surroundings. The nation of Israel is in a mess. For forty years they have been at war. The judgment for their disobedience is about to be unleashed. Yet in the midst of this impending doom, this song of joy rings out.
Joy is the 'however' of life! Life may have turned sour; however. Life may be hard and painful; however. Life may be unfair; however. Weeping may endure through the night; however, joy comes in the morning.
Joy is the deep trust and assurance that God is who he says he is and God will do what he says he will do. God has not abandoned his people. Despite our sin, in spite of our failings, God’s overflowing grace will triumph. His mercy will overcome. His strong hand will rescue. His presence will bring peace.
That’s why the Psalmist can sing with joy. For salvation has come and is coming. In Jesus, the fullness of joy becomes flesh. In Jesus, we meet our ‘however’, the one who completes every unfinished sentence of our life. The one who is Immanuel – God with us forever. That’s reason enough to sing with joy!
How does praising God in the midst of the struggles of your life, not only give you strength but also witness to others?
PRAYER:
Lord God, in your presence there is fullness of joy. Thank you for coming and making every unfinished sentence of my life complete. Amen.
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
TO PONDER:
It’s easy to forget the simple things in life. Like running and jumping around in the rain, getting absolutely soaked. For the kids in Tang Krang village, their delight in having a shower under the torrential downpour that cascaded off the edge of the building was expansive. Their smiles at being able to have a swim in the natural pop-up pools was infectious.
Mary’s song, called the Magnificat, evokes those same images. She had a mind thoroughly soaked in Scripture. We know this from the way the angel speaks to her and how she responds. We know it from the words Mary speaks. She understands what God has said in his Word. She understands who God is. She understands what God has done. She understands what God has done for her. She is so saturated with the Word of God, that it flows effortlessly from her in this song of praise.
How do you respond to the truths of God when you receive them? As old news? With indifference or boredom? Or like Mary, are you so overwhelmed by these eternal and inspiring truths, that all you can do is praise God? May your heart sing loud this Christmas.
What steps can you take to be more fully soaked in the Word of God?
PRAYER:
Lord God, soak my heart in your Word that my life might give voice to the next verse of Mary’s song. Amen.