Focused Fighting - Bible Reading

In my last post I spoke about fighting distraction and how this is for God's glory. It pierced my heart. Focus is such an important part of the good fight. There is so much that is vying for out attention. So where do we start?

We start with Bible reading. Focused Bible reading will start our minds on the path of spiritual thinking. It can reveal distractions in our hearts and need in the battle for joy. It will give us a place of refuge through out the day. It will keep us focused in the quiet and calm in the chaos.

Focus today on God's word written for your instruction and joy.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Always?

As is my habit, I will get right to the point. The answer is, "Yes!" God's name is always worthy of blessing. God is always good to those who love him. So what is my problem? The littlest things are taken from me (my time, my plan, etc.) and I lose my joy in the sovereign goodness of God toward me. Can you relate? Maybe next time "my" ideals are taken away I need to remember who gave them in the first place and remember that it is grace upon the grace he has shown my through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God is good all the time! Unbelief of this fact is what makes the commandment to rejoice burdensome.

If this is hard to swallow please click here.

Free Will

No there is no need for quotes around that title. Below is a comment I left on this excellent summary of the TULIP acronym.

Regarding the freedom of the will no one choose that goes against their hearts desires. Thanks be to God that he has graciously changed my desires! We are all free. I praise God that I am now free indeed! The joys of sovereign grace are inexpressible!

Yes, I believe in free will. And I praise God for giving me a new heart to change that will to be conformed to his. Rejoice in the sovereign grace of God.

If God has not given you a new heart click here.

The Way of the Righteous

I couldn't figure out which option I thought was right from this post.

This is how I would put it:
1. My goal, prize and treasure is Jesus.
2. That end being sealed by the Holy Spirit and evidenced by my faith in the finished work of Jesus, I strive to increase my joy by forsaking the ways of the wicked and living the ways of the righteous.
3. I long for the day when all my ways are righteous and I see Jesus face to face.

How would you put it? Is this actually one of the options or a different option?

Truth by Trial

Most of us have hear the phrase "tried and true." Yet I have never heard the title of this post. This is shocking to me because as I meditate on it I see the grace in it. Our trials reveal the truth. They reveal the truth about the desires of our hearts. With this revelation we are able to grow closer to God (by grace) where there is fullness of joy.

So next time we meet a trial, great or small, lets obey the commandment to "count it all joy."

The Greatest Fact

Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is. I asked myself what the most important thing to know is.

The most important thing to know is that you are a sinner and you need a Savior. Jesus is the only Savior.

Apart from Jesus himself, I want nothing more than for all to see the joy that is found in Jesus. So all need to know their guilt and Jesus' payment.