Mentoring Men for the Master

AN UNSHAKABLE JOY IN A “SHOOK-UP” WORLD

A theologian of note recently observed, “The problem of modern man is not so much sin as despair.”  I tend to agree.  The question is, what is the cure for despair?  The answer is joy: Joy.   And what is joy?  Joy and peace are first cousins, but not exactly the same.  One writer expressed this truth like this, “Joy is peace gone to a camp meeting.”  Indeed joy is peace on “steroids” – an irrepressible inward feeling of contentment which expresses itself outwardly in one’s speech, song, facial expressions, the handshake, and even the walk.  In a word it arises from the “Attitude of Gratitude,” which cannot be hidden but must be expressed.  Someone said, “Joy is a heart full and a mind purified by gratitude.”  The great Romantic Poet, John Keats wrote, “A thing of beauty of joy forever.”

Three Questions Arise:

  1. What Is The Source of Biblical Joy? The “fruit of the Spirit is joy” (Gal. 5:22), and the Holy Spirit is given by Jesus to all who surrender their lives to Him and experience the new birth.  “These things have I spoken unto you that My joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).  In the darkest hour of early Christianity, the Apostle Peter begins his first epistle with the doxology, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us a new birth into a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead unto an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us who are kept by the power of faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last day” (1 Peter 1:3-5).  Peter was simply saying, “I am born again and tomorrow looks terrific and I am overflowing with joy.
  1. What Are The Results of Joy?
    1. The joy of the Lord conquers our worries and replaces them with peace beyond our wildest imaginations (Phil. 4:6-7).
    2. The joy of the Lord gives us an abounding hope. “Now may the God of all hope fill you with joy and peace in believing that you might bubble up with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
    3. Joy gives us strength to stay in the battle and to accomplish the laborious tasks to which God calls us. When we enjoy something, we don’t even think about the work.  “The joy of the Lord is our strength”  (Neh. 8:10).  Personally, I have never had so much to do as now, yet I never think of it as work because it is such FUN.
  1. What Does The Bible Say About Joy? Fortunately, we have a whole book which extols the incredible blessings of joy.  This is the little but powerful book of Philippians, which I call “The Epistle of Joy.”

Thanks be to Dr. Wil Owens, an insightful scholar, an adroit expositor of God’s Word, a compassionate shepherd of God’s people, and consummate writer who has written an entire book, exegeting, explaining  and applying every verse in this book.  He shows that though Paul was in prison facing death, he had joy in prayer (Philippians 1:4), in knowing God (1:18), in Christian brotherhood (2:28-29; 4:1), even in persecution (1:29).  Moreover, he presses to our heart that true followers of Jesus can be filled with an “UNSHAKABLE JOY IN UNEASY TIMES.”  Thus the title he chose for his book.

If you are a pastor – preacher, you will sooner or later want to preach through Philippians.  Be sure to get this book.  If you are a discouraged servant of the Lord, be sure to get this book.  If you are personally low in spirits, you must read this book.  If you have lost the joy of your salvation, and want it  to be restored, you will want to get this book.  Furthermore, pass it on to a friend who may need its message more than you.

I predict that if you will read, believe and apply this book, you will be filled with laughter.  And what is that?  “Laughter is a tranquilizer without side effects, “ and oh how desperately we need this tranquilizer in a world gone crazy and madly racing to Armageddon!