Source of Joy
By: Bevan Greiner
Webster defines ‘joy’ as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: a source or cause of delight.” So, by Webster’s definition, we find joy from a source or a cause. If you were to ask any group of people on the street, “What brings you joy?” The answers would be as diverse as the people you asked. They may say money, power, fame, a nice house, car, or boat, or perhaps you would receive less materialistic answers like a good meal, a great round of golf, or a great relationship. The list can go on forever because a measure of joy can come from an infinite number of sources. One question begging to be asked is; do these sources of joy in life provide consistent, lasting, abiding joy? We all know how fleeting joy can be when its dependency rests solely on external stimuli. God’s blessings in our lives certainly are gifts from His right hand extended to us, by grace. We are to enjoy them, be thankful for them and glorify Him with them. But while they may offer temporal joy, what about lasting joy? It is imperative first and foremost that we allow God Himself to be our source of true abiding joy. This deep joy must first be founded, secured and rooted in our eternal God by delighting in Him. If we get that right... everything else is simply stacked on top... joy upon joy. By delighting in God, we are given what I like to call a ‘baseline’ of joy. One reliable, unbroken constant. It is always there, ever present for all days, all circumstances and all situations. No external sources deliver like that! The Psalmist understood where to find his source of joy when he said; “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14) It is only the unfailing love of God that can ensure satisfaction and joy... everyday.
Upon self-evaluation, do we give ourselves over daily to delighting in the Lord Jesus for our joy? Or do we allow the world to dictate what should bring us joy... giving our time, energy and resources in a relentless pursuit of that which will never satisfy? I like what C. S. Lewis said:
“I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.”
Augustine said: “There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love Thee for Thine own sake, whose joy Thou Thyself art. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to Thee, of Thee, for Thee; this it is, and there is no other.”
Dear friends, as you and I learn to delight in God, to be satisfied with God, to enjoy God, we discover the only source we will ever need in our pursuit of joy. Have you made the discovery? Once you have, you will find joy unspeakable!
Where is Joy?
NOT IN UNBELIEF—
Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “I wish I had never been born.”
NOT IN PLEASURE—
Lord Byron, the great poet, lived a life of sinful passion and pleasure. He wrote in his final poem: “The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone.”
NOT IN MONEY—
Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying he said: “I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth.”
NOT IN POSITION AND FAME—
Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both He wrote: “Youth is a mistake; manhood, a struggle, old age, a regret.”
NOT IN MILITARY GLORY—
Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept, because, he said, “There are no more worlds to conquer.”
NOT IN POLITICAL POWER—
William Tweed, who was the brilliant boss of Tammy Hall and ruled New York City, said: “My life has been a failure in everything.”
JOY IS FOUND IN CHRIST ALONE!
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”
~Selected~
Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience. We need to be light-hearted in what we do to avoid taking ourselves too seriously. It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride. Our work is jubilant, carefree, merry. Utter abandonment to God is done freely and with celebration. And so I urge you to enjoy this ministry of self-surrender. Don’t push too hard. Hold this work lightly, joyfully. The saints throughout the ages have witnessed to this reality.... You know, of course, that they are not speaking of a silly, superficial, bubbly kind of joy like that flaunted
in modern society. No, this is a deep, resonant joy that has been shaped and tempered by the fires of suffering and sorrow; joy through the cross, joy because of the cross.
Richard J. Foster
Claire’s Corner
The Writings
of our beloved Dad
WINGS
OF JOY
Galatians 5:22 says that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is a gift from God and is different than happiness. Happiness is based on happenings and circumstances, while true joy is based on a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Ruth and I were privileged to visit the beautiful State of Alaska. While there, we heard about the arctic tern which makes its home above the north pole. In doing some research on this remarkable bird, I discovered how beautifully it illustrates a believer’s life in Christ, especially in the area of joyful obedience. And it begins in the home.
Firstly, they display joy in purpose... Arctic terns are zealous parents who enjoy every aspect of raising a family. During the incubation process, they have to literally bump each other off the nest in order to have equal time. The parents also share the responsibility of feeding and rearing the young, and they defend to their death any predator that would seek to destroy the home.
The crying need of the hour is for mothers and fathers who are committed to raising their children in the fear of God and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There is no greater joy for parents than to see their children walking in truth. “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him” (Proverbs 23:24).
Secondly, joy in power and perseverance. The arctic tern is a relatively small bird, just fifteen and one-half inches in length, yet, despite its size, it is known as the champion of migratory birds. Every autumn the tern packs up its family and begins its incredible journey to the opposite end of the earth and back, covering a distance of some 25,000 miles, literally circling the globe. And when you consider that arctic terns live from 25 to 30 years, it means they travel upwards of 750,000 miles in their lifetime. Folks, that is a distance greater than going to the moon and back. For a bird weighing less than two pounds it is an incredible achievement!
How does it endure such a challenge? By concentrating on smaller, achievable goals. It breaks down its 25,000-mile pilgrimage into segments of approximately 150 miles a day, thus flying around the world in twenty weeks.
That’s an important lesson for us to learn in this frantic, fast-paced world where burn-out seems to be the norm! So many Christians lose their joy because they wear themselves out trying to cover 25,000 miles without resting or refueling. That’s why Jesus told His disciples to “Come apart and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). Someone once said, “If you don’t come apart and rest, you’ll just come apart!”
As you and I obey God’s call in our lives, whether it is in the home, or in Christian service, or on the job, we find that “the joy of the LORD becomes our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). There is no path too difficult, no journey too long, no mountain too high, no valley too deep, no heartache too great but that the joy of the Lord will bear us up. Job said, “God causes the widow’s heart to sing for joy” (Job 29:13).
Jesus said, “You shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy” (John 16:20).
Third, we see joy in provision. On its long flight from the arctic to the Antarctic, the tern chooses one of two routes. It either flies along the western coast of Alaska, Canada, the United States, Central and South America, or it chooses the alternate route along the western coasts of Europe and Africa. But regardless of which course it takes, God has made certain that the flight path always follows food-bearing currents to provide nourishment and strength for the journey. Once at their destination, the arctic tern enjoys what no other living creature does. For approximately eight months of the year it lives in continual daylight. It arrives at each of the poles just in time to enjoy long summer days of twenty-four hour sunlight. During the intervening four months it also enjoys more daylight than darkness. Again God’s provision! These long daylight hours give the bird opportunity to catch the right amount of food and store extra fat for its demanding journey.
As you and I stay on course in the will of God, He promises to “supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). We are guaranteed the light of His presence and food-bearing currents rich with spiritual nutrients. With joy we drink from the wells of salvation.
In conclusion, I focus on the joyful prospect of the arctic tern. Arctic terns mate for life, and they show a strong fidelity to each other. However, during migration they often become separated. This means they must complete the journey alone.
Many of you dear ones can identify with that. You have said goodbye to loved ones, and you have had to continue on the pathway without them. It’s not easy. But, friend, that’s not the end of the story! When the tern arrives back at its home and nesting grounds in the Arctic it is reunited with its mate, and what a celebration it is! The Encyclopedia on Birds describes it this way: “Immediately upon their return to the breeding nesting grounds, pair bonds are reestablished and the reunited terns excitedly make courtship flights at the roost and above the nesting colonies.”
That's exciting! But I assure you of this: the prospect for the Christian is even greater. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). One day, beloved, we’ll be home where we belong, and we’ll “reap in joy what has been sown in tears” (Psalm 126:5). We’ll be reunited with loved ones from whom we became separated on the journey. And best of all we’ll be together with our Lord in whose “presence is fullness of joy; and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).
Ruth’s
Reflections
The Writings of our beloved Mom
Wendy wrote beautifully of her dear mother in last month’s issue. I found, among Ruth’s writings, this poem which she had written for Wendy. I trust it is a blessing.
WORDS ARE WINGS
Your poems,
dear Wendy, as wings of a bird,
Are flying all over the world,
From China we’ve heard, where they’ve blessed a soul,
Who can tell where your words have been hurled?
You’ve been
faithful to God, He’s inspired your heart
To write, you’re a witness to Him,
As a mother foremost, you tend to your flock,
Keep shining, your light will not grow dim.
You will
never regret the hours given to your family,
Your priorities so arranged by God,
God first, family second, words third by His grace,
Are spread on prepared fertile sod.
Your
rewards will be great, though that’s not what you seek,
You desire God’s glory alone,
May your heart fill with joy as you honor His name,
And someday lay your crowns at His throne.
Hugs and Tugs
By: Wendy Greiner Lefko
Our 4-year-old, Daniel, loves to play games and one of his favorites is Candy Land. Any parent who has played this knows it can last 5 minutes or an hour. It all depends upon what card you draw from the pile and what space you land on. You can be almost at the end and 2 spaces from winning, but if you draw a certain card, you can be pushed all the way back to the beginning and have to start your journey to Cupcake Mountain all over again. Or you can be far behind and still end up the winner with just one card that puts you in prime position to be the victor. It’s a game of ups and downs, sweet victories and bitter setbacks for little ones. Of course there are times any parent is tempted to “help” their little one pick just the right card that will make them champion, so smiles abound and everyone is happy. But as we’ve learned from watching and playing with Daniel, as with any child, he needed to learn how to lose. If we always let him win, he’d be a sore loser when the reality of life showed him no one wins all the time. He’s had a struggle learning how to accept losing, and also how to be a gracious winner. But he’s finally getting the hang of it and learning to enjoy the game just for the sake of playing and doing something with someone he loves.
At the risk of sounding cheesy, life is a lot like Candy Land! There are always ups and downs and you never know what card you are going to draw from the pile of life’s circumstances. Things can be going your way and you may see a victory just steps away, when you pick up a card that sends you reeling backwards with major disappointment. You never know what is on the other side of that blank card you see before you. But the wonderful news that can keep us in the game with joy is knowing Who holds all the “cards”! God is the Creator and masterful Strategist of this “game” of life and there is no luck involved, no mistakes, no surprises to Him. He allows every move that happens next to us, and the best part is that no matter how unfortunate our steps may seem it all leads to a glorious purpose He has planned out specifically for our lives.
“Everyone
who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last;
but we do it to get a crown that will last forever”
(1 Corinthians 9:25).
Prayer and Praise
Giving thanks to the Lord everyday!
+
Praise
to the Lord Jesus Christ who fills us with all joy.
+ Praise for precious families that live their faith with joy so that others take notice.
+ Praise for God’s faithfulness in meeting the needs of FCI. We praise Him for your part in this ministry.
+ Praise for safety and health through the busy summer. God is so good.
+ Pray for upcoming meetings that God will prepare and pierce hearts with the glorious truth of the gospel.
+ Pray for the harvest this fall that God will gather souls unto Himself.
+ Pray for Dallas, Cheryl and Bobby as these three cousins resume their studies at Philadelphia Biblical University and Lancaster Bible College. We rejoice in the lives of these dear young people. What joy it brings to see their love for Jesus and to see them hunger and thirst after the things of God.
+ Friends, we covet your faithful intercession and support. You encourage and enable us through your prayers and gifts. We will be eternally grateful.
With joy, The Greiners
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