Joy in Affliction
Stephen Whitney
James 1:12
In the window of a coat store in Nottingham, England was a note which read: ''We have been established for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing customers ever since. We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of coal nationalization, coal rationing, government control and bad payers. We have been cussed and discussed, messed about, lied to, held up, robbed and swindled. The only reason we stay in business is to see what happens next.''
The store owner knew that life was full of trials and difficulties, but he was determined to survive and to see what would happen to him next. Someone has wisely said, ''Life is ten percent what we make it; but ninety percent how we take it.''
Trials change our focus to what is really import in our life. We have to have a correct attitude toward trials because we will continually face them throughout our life.
Trials are the tool God uses to develop our character. Romans 5:3-4 We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope.
REAL JOY Blessed (50x) - Gk. spiritual joy for doing what is right (:25). Note: this is the word is used in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit. They recognize their need for God's forgiveness of their sins.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn. They grieve over their sins against God.
William Barclay - ''That joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life. The English word happiness contains the root hap which means chance. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy.'' Application 1. God gives us inner joy when we do what is right by repenting of our sins or grieving over them.
2. True joy is not a result of circumstances that work in our favor. That inn ...
Stephen Whitney
James 1:12
In the window of a coat store in Nottingham, England was a note which read: ''We have been established for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing customers ever since. We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of coal nationalization, coal rationing, government control and bad payers. We have been cussed and discussed, messed about, lied to, held up, robbed and swindled. The only reason we stay in business is to see what happens next.''
The store owner knew that life was full of trials and difficulties, but he was determined to survive and to see what would happen to him next. Someone has wisely said, ''Life is ten percent what we make it; but ninety percent how we take it.''
Trials change our focus to what is really import in our life. We have to have a correct attitude toward trials because we will continually face them throughout our life.
Trials are the tool God uses to develop our character. Romans 5:3-4 We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope.
REAL JOY Blessed (50x) - Gk. spiritual joy for doing what is right (:25). Note: this is the word is used in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit. They recognize their need for God's forgiveness of their sins.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn. They grieve over their sins against God.
William Barclay - ''That joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life. The English word happiness contains the root hap which means chance. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy.'' Application 1. God gives us inner joy when we do what is right by repenting of our sins or grieving over them.
2. True joy is not a result of circumstances that work in our favor. That inn ...
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