Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Divine Conspiracy

From Mike Mason's book "Champagne for the Soul":

He was filled with great joy because he had come to believe in God
Acts 16:34

Does your faith fill you with joy? Is God alone reason enough to rejoice, or are you looking for something more? If you're not satisfied with God, what more could you possibly want?

Paul told the Philippian jailer, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Not only was the man saved, he was filled with joy, because the two go together. Do they for you? If you've got God, you've got joy. If you don't have joy, however religious you may be, you need to wonder whether you've really got hold of God. Joy besides being desireable in itself, is a litmus test of the truth.

That church you attend - is it full of joy? If not, it's missing the mark of truth.

The preaching you listen to - does it inspire you with joy? If not, it falls short of the gospel.

Your friendships - do they produce joy? If not, what good are they? Those activities you pursue so doggedly - do you take joy in them? If not why bother? The book your reading - does it stir joy deep inside? If not, why read it?

Joy is a trustworthy guide to truth. Where joy is absent, we're right to be suspicious, because joy is a characteristic of truth.

Champagne for the Soul
page 93

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