The first of Peter was written by this Apostle to first century Christians living in various places of Asia Minor and suffering rejection by the world around them, they were grieved or distressed by various trials which likely included persecution, etc. because they were followers of Christ. Following Christ is not always an easy road […]
Distress, a close relative of pain, anxiety, and grief, are among Satan’s “big guns” in his attack on Christians. It is on the opposite end of the spectrum from joy and gladness! Jesus wants His followers to be joyful, telling us, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, […]
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, this is the first of nine blessed’s in Matthew 5:3-12. The Greek here means to be supremely blessed, and through extension to be fortunate or well off, the Amplified Bible using happy as an alternate or explanatory word. To be poor in […]
Pleasure, that feeling of enjoyment and delight, or that which gives it to us; other words that describe pleasure include happiness, bliss, contentment, satisfaction, and gratification. In Psalm 16:11 David, speaking to God, shows us the place of lasting pleasure saying, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of […]
Pleasure is a feeling that is joyful and delightful, bringing with it a sense of satisfaction; we could include enjoyment and happiness as synonyms. There are really two kinds of pleasure, the first we tend to chase through things the Bible describes as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the […]
Peter, in his first epistle, addresses people who because of their commitment to Christ are suffering various trials and rejection by their fellowmen, with such opposition that in 4:12 he refers to it as a “fiery trial”. Yet in spite of all this Peter takes note of, and thus encourages them to continue in their […]
A path is a place that is worn by footsteps, or a trail; it is a walkway for people on foot, a line of movement, and also a course of conduct or procedure. Psalm 16 11 says, speaking to God, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; […]
In Jeremiah 2:13 God portrays Himself as “The fountain of living waters”. The problem is that the people to whom He is speaking have “hewn out for themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water.” People still do this today; I ask you, have you tried everything this world placed before you trying […]
Jesus warned His followers that as they faced a hostile world they would also face persecutions, imprisonments, and be brought before rulers for His Names sake, (see Luke 21:12). He had already told them in Matthew 5:11-12 that under such circumstances they should “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad.” In Acts 16 Paul and Silas find […]
It is God’s will for His children to be filled with His joy! Jesus Himself though being “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (literally pains and sickness – took upon Himself everything sin had bequeathed on us) Isaiah 53:3, was anointed “With the oil of gladness” even above His fellowmen, Hebrews 1:9. The […]