Oh Joy

[Father], You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Ps 16

Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing. James 1

God is not the author of our troubles.

No one who is tempted should ever be confused and say that God is testing him. The One who created us is free from evil and can’t be tempted, so He doesn’t tempt anyone.

God does not put sin on us; neither does He put sickness, or lack (peace, joy, patience, self-control etc.) on us.

Christ Jesus bore our curse for us, so that we might bear His blessings. The greatest and most mind boggling blessing of all is His Holy Spirit taking up residence inside of us.

Christ in you…Christ in me, the hope of glory!

God only has good and perfect gifts for His children.

The carnal believer reads this and assumes you’re saying believers will be free from distress, despair, discouragement, (problems). It’s one thing to experience difficulties (everyone will); it’s quite another to  believe that God is the one putting and refusing to remove difficulties from us. As God told Paul three times before he finally understood it, allow His grace to be sufficient in overcoming.

God is not the author of our problems.

Jesus tells us clearly, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

A careful read shows that we may/may not have peace, depending on our focus/perspective. However we will have tribulation – no exceptions.

The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.