More of the word
Last time on Choosing Peace we explored some truths about finding joy in the Lord’s word. We learned important things from the Israelites in Nehemiah’s day. They stood for hours for the reading and teaching of God’s word—with reverent, attentive, receptive hearts. After weeping over the reality of their own sin, they experienced great joy because they understood the Lord’s word. We also discovered the crucial context of a famous Bible verse: “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b, NHEB).
Let’s return to our exploration of joy, and specifically, joy in the Lord’s word.
Key verse
The word joy is used in the Bible 203 times (English Standard Version).
Today’s key verse comes from the prophet Jeremiah.
Your words were found, and I ate them; and your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by your name, LORD, God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16, New Heart English Bible
Essential food
What did Jeremiah mean when he said he “ate” God’s words? Eating is active, not passive. Someone else can’t eat for us. Eating involves choosing to eat and actively receiving the food. We have to chew it and swallow it. Eating nourishes and sustains us. We must eat to live. And here’s the thing. Most of us truly enjoy eating. We love it. As you’ve probably noticed, I frequently journal about what I ate because eating gives me daily joy.
Essential word
How is God’s word like food? We need the truth of God’s word to truly live. God’s word nourishes and sustains us. We chew it—thinking on it, seeking to understand it, learning it. We swallow it because we believe it. Because we believe God’s word and received Jesus as our Savior, we can experience the beautiful sanctifying, transforming work of the Holy Spirit—the nourishing of our souls. The Fruit of The Spirit—a list of nine virtues that can grow in a Christian’s life—begins with love, followed next by joy. (See The Fruit of The Spirit posts here.) Why do I say we “can experience” the Holy Spirit’s work, and virtues “can grow” in us? Because mental illness, certain addictions and other destructive ways of thinking and living can hinder people’s trust and reception of God’s fullness in their lives.
Psalm 119
Each verse in Psalm 119 includes something about God’s word.
In my heart I have hidden your word, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11, New Heart English Bible
And 100 verses later…
I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
Psalm 119:111, New Heart English Bible
Believing and receiving
In Nehemiah’s day, the Israelites experienced those Psalm 119 truths. How? (1) They gathered together in reverence before God and his word. It wasn’t party time like we see in so many churches today. It was a holy time. It was God Time. (2) They heard and learned about the word of God so they truly understood it. The people listened intently. They weren’t checking their phones, making lunch plans or talking to their neighbor. (3) They experienced godly sorrow over their sin, followed by the joy of the Lord.
God did a mighty work in their midst—through the power of his word.
God time vs. party time
If you aren’t confronted with your sin during worship each week and given a clear opportunity to humbly repent, something is seriously wrong. If you leave church pumped up by the rockin‘ music and the charismatic speaker, but not more aware of your own sin, more humble before the Lord, reflecting on his greatness—what did you just experience? The Hot-Shot “Prophet” and his Rockin‘ Band? Pep Rally Religion? Six Flags Over Jesus? Think long and hard about what’s going on in the alleged worship service you attend. Compare it with the important example in Nehemiah.
Let me say it again. Think long and hard about where you attend church. Were you entertained? Did you hear a feel-good talk that focused on how great the speaker is, how great your church is and/or how great you are? Are you attending a Jesus-styled party? Do people worship the hot-shot preacher and his beautiful Barbie-doll wife? Are you a consumer of Jesus-styled buzz-words and trinkets while you drink your latte from the coffee bar and peruse the speaker’s new book you just bought in the lobby? Is it party time at your church?
If holiness and humility do not define your church leaders
and your church worship services, you are in the wrong place.
Get out of there now and find a church where true worship takes place—where the leaders and the people worship God in spirit and truth. In humility and reverence.
Seeking a new church home
Ten years ago, our old church rejected the Bible when they brought in a speaker who said homosexuality is a-okay. We promptly started looking for a new church. We visited seven or eight churches. I had a chart in the car and we each graded the church we just visited in four areas: the preacher, the people, the music, the building. Was the preacher actually preaching God’s word? Were the people friendly? Was the music reverent and worshipful—focused on God—or was it party time? Did the building feel like a shopping mall or The Main Event instead of the house of God?
We each gave A+ thru F- grades in those four areas and I recorded some of our comments. Brandon’s grades and thoughts were recorded. My grades and thoughts were recorded. And 10-year-old Logan’s grades and thoughts were recorded. Why did I make notes immediately after each worship service—right after we got in the car? Because it’s very easy to forget the details when you’re visiting a different church every Sunday. We needed to record our honest experiences, impressions and reactions.
Our search for a new church home was important. We took it seriously.
Gateway
Many families at Logan’s private school attended Gateway Church, so we visited there one Sunday to see what all the hub-bub was about. The children’s area was like The Main Event. Extremely loud. Play time, with large hockey game tables, etc. Flashing lights. “Come on in, Junior. It’s party time.” Horrifying. What about the worship service? The music was very loud and reminded me of a rock concert. It was Adore-the-Band Time. The preacher? Oh, Dave Ramsey was “preaching” that Sunday, along with his daughter. They were hawking their new book. Uhhh—are you kidding me? When we went to pick up Logan from the Kids’ Party Zone, we ran into a family whose children used to attend Logan’s school. The mom sure was impressed to have heard mover-and-shaker Dave Ramsey that morning.
Famous guest speakers. Recording artists. Designer clothes. “We’re the greatest.” Name dropping. Pride on steroids. Power and money on vast display. Adoring fans. If those things describe your church, get out of there!
The home and the throne
Unbeknownst to us at the time, we were standing in the home of some big-time NAR false prophets. Even though we didn’t know what to call it, we knew there was something seriously wrong at Gateway. It was not okay. At all. We high-tailed it out of there and never returned. Call it a very revealing field trip.
Read about the NAR—the New Apostolic Reformation—in this important post. And read about the fall of child-molester Robert Morris from his throne at Gateway in this post from last month. Please note the addendum to the section called The Evil of Robert Morris. One of the facts asserted in the original video was retracted/corrected and additional church recommendations are given in the follow-up Justin Peters podcast—highly recommended.
I filed those two posts under Evil in the index, specifically labeled Evil in the church.
The one we chose
Ten years ago, we chose Church at the Cross in Grapevine, Texas for the deep biblical preaching and the humble, God-focused music. We found a church home, a great life group and much more. Seven years ago, Logan was saved and baptized after one of the student ministry’s annual Disciple Now weekends. Kingdom impact. Family impact. Soul impact. ’Nuff said.
Joy in the word
Throughout time
What can we learn from Nehemiah and the Israelites? When we humbly seek the Lord through his word, we can find truth, repentance and joy.
We can experience peace and joy in the Lord and his holy word.
God’s presence
This verse reminds me of the Israelites in Nehemiah’s day. It reminds me of us too.
For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Isaiah 57:15, New Heart English Bible
Here’s the extended passage, Isaiah 57:14-21.
The Holy Spirit’s power
Remember from part 3: “In addition to reading the word of God, we need to hear it. Listen to the word of God preached faithfully. Beware of any preacher who doesn’t preach about sin and repentance.” When I heard our preacher’s sermon on abortion during his Nehemiah series, the Holy Spirit was present in power. People were stunned; some were crying. It was deeply impactful. I mentioned that sermon in The Trauma of Abortion post.
Like the Israelites, I found myself on a very difficult but worthwhile spiritual journey of humility, truth-seeking, and repentance with tears—a journey that culminated in joy. Our preacher’s sermon series on Nehemiah may have something for you. Also, see Abortion in the index.
One more time
How about a reminder of today’s key verse.
Your words were found, and I ate them; and your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by your name, LORD, God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16, New Heart English Bible
Amen! That makes me think about Team Jesus. See this recent post.
Examples from Frankie Ann
When have I found joy in the word? Again and again and again.
The request
Four years ago this month, I had a surprise visitor at work.
Friday, July 3
Journal entry
A young man came to St. Matt’s around 3—maybe a little after—and asked for a Bible, an old one. I found a Contemporary English Version and gave it to him. He looked very happy. That warmed my heart. Lord, I pray that he will seek you and find you with his whole heart and that he and those he touches will be mighty warriors for Jesus!
The sermons
Isaiah 55
One of my favorite scripture passages is found in Isaiah 55. This March, in Week 2 of the Good Questions series, our preacher gave a sermon from Isaiah 55:1-9. I took notes in my Bible. One of them stands out to me today: “Anything that rises above God is an enemy to your joy.” So true.
Romans 9
Whenever I give a sermon three stars in my Bible, that’s a grand slam. Listen to the sermon preached on April 21 this year from Romans 9, called “Unconditional Election.” Where’s the joy in the topic of election? Being chosen? Peaceful Readers, there’s great joy in clarity. Here’s a takeaway note I wrote in my Bible: “The doctrine of election humbles us and glorifies God.” That reminds me of the Israelites and Nehemiah. Reverence. Humility. Joy.
Earlier this month, I read Romans 9 during my quiet time. I journaled, “What an amazing chapter.” Hearing a deep dive into that chapter via three back-to-back sermons gave me much deeper understanding of what I read. And the understanding gave me joy. It really did.
Reading out loud
Sunday, May 26
Journal entry
Brandon cooked us delicious bacon, onion, cheese and mushroom omelets for breakfast. Yum. We were late to our life group. It was good. I sure enjoyed reading the scripture passage—something I do each week.
Do I practice the Bible reading for our life group? No. Do I look at it ahead of time? No. I just read it. Impromptu. An occasional “oops.” Lots of feeling. I love reading the Lord’s word—silently or out loud. Joy, joy, joy.
Answered prayer
Last month, Elyse texted me a prayer request about whether she should accept a new position at BSF, leading a group of leaders instead of a group of participants. I agreed to pray about it—that God would make his plan clear. The next day, God answered through his word.
Wednesday, June 26
Journal entry
…I texted, “Elyse, you were on my mind all of a sudden while I was proofing a scripture passage for Sunday. This verse jumped out at me. “For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” 2 Corinthians 8:12 [ESV] I take that verse to mean, in your situation, that the Lord desires to raise you higher for greater impact. Your readiness is acceptable and pleasing to the Lord. Much love to you….” Elyse’s reply was wonderful and joyful. God is so good. I love how he spoke through his word.
Your turn: reflecting on Nehemiah and the Israelites
Peaceful Reader, has there been a time in your life when you were struck with the truth of your own sin? Has there been a time when you were contrite and sorrowful before the Lord? Get out your journal and reflect on one or more of those times. I’m reminded of the prophet Nathan’s confrontation of King David: “You are the man!” In other words, “I’m talking about you.” (Today’s closing scripture and song come from the aftermath of that chapter of King David’s life.)
Where are you in this revealing/repenting process right now? Denial? Seeking truth? Having already received the truth? Making excuses or justifications? Hiding? Growing in understanding? Trying to unpack it? Have you mentioned it to someone close to you? Are you contrite? Sorrowful for your sin? Emotional? Repentant—actually turning away from your sin? Walking away from your sin? Feeling a sense of newness or completion? Grateful? Reflective?
Are you experiencing the joy of the Lord?
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8, New Heart English Bible
Coming next: I’m surprised to say that we’ll be diving into joy in affliction next time. Recent family events speak into that category. Such interesting times. Come back next time to read about another accomplice, a very sad farewell and an unexpected encounter with Psalm 118:24.
Until next time, thanks for reading and for Choosing Peace.
Truth from The Word: Psalm 51:10-12
Song: “Clean Heart” by Abriele Cole & “Of Valor” (Feat. Ashleigh Erickson & Lydia Schmutz)
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