Missing Element
Theme of the Week: Bedrock Joy
Bryan Chapell
Thursday, November 4, 2004
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Key Bible Verse: For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children (Romans 8:16). Bonus Reading:Acts 16:25; >Romans 5:1–5, 11
When John Wesley came to Georgia to evangelize In-dians, he stepped from shipboard into the path of a Moravian Brethren elder. Said Wesley, "How do I minister here?" The elder responded, "First I must ask you, are you a Christian?" Wesley replied, "I think I am." The insightful elder quoted [today's Key Bible Verse], saying, "I didn't ask what you think. Are you a Christian?" Yes, of course, Wesley responded, he was a child of God. But he later wrote in his diary, "Those were vain words."
Wesley had observed other Moravian Christians joyfully singing hymns on the voyage from England despite life-threatening storms that had sent him cowering and despairing. Wesley knew his joy was far more fragile, far less secure. What led him to doubt his pre-conversion claims of faith, he later wrote, was that he didn't know and couldn't share the pervading joy of Peter Boehler. This Moravian friend let no adversity quench his joyful spirit. Wesley realized he was missing the vital sign of joy in the aliveness the Spirit provides.
This joy, greater than any adversity, because where there was death there's now life, is promised to all believers, and can be detected through the Spirit's work in their hearts.
—Bryan Chapell in The Promises of Grace
My Response: Is my joy visible to anyone else?
Thought to Apply: If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak in your Christianity.
—Billy Sunday (Baseball player, evangelist)
Adapted from The Promises of Grace (Baker, 2001) by permission.
Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click
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Lord, help me pursue passing pleasures less and relish the enduring joy of Your presence more.
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