Joy is better than happiness.

When I was young, there was a popular chorus for children to sing that went: « If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. »

However, apart from Lamentations 3:17, I am unaware of any reference to “happiness” in the written Word of God (at least in my RSV!). However, there are some 200 references to “joy” - which is a different concept. You see, “happiness” is dependant upon circumstances; “joy” is beyond circumstances.

Jeremiah is not usually thought of as a "joyful" prophet, yet he states: "Thy words were found, and I ate them, and Thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by Thy name, O YHWH, Elohim sabaoth." (Jeremiah 15:16)

People today seem always to be looking for fun or entertainment. “Fun”, of course, is never mentioned in the Bible, so it is evidently not considered to be a very significant part of the Christian life. The word “entertain” is used to speak of hospitality, and such activities as “play” and “revelling” only receive condemnation. (Playing is appropriate for children and animals, of course.)

Christians, however, have something far better than worldly fun - they have heavenly joy! This is the unique privilege of the redeemed, and there are many channels through which this joy can be experienced.

First of all, Christian joy comes through the Word. As even Jeremiah said, “Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” . Then we rejoice in God’s great salvation: “I will rejoice greatly in Yahweh; My soul will rejoice in my God, For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,” (Isaiah 61:10; LSB).

There is great joy also in the privilege of prayer and having our prayers answered: “Hitherto you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24). Christian service and witnessing are a source of tremendous joy when their fruits are finally seen. “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6; LSB).

And there is much, much more! Paul, writing from a Roman prison - no holiday camp! - can encourage the disciples of Jesus in Philippi to: “Rejoice in the Lord always:” and, just in case they thought that he had made an error (or completely lost his mind!), he repeats: “and again I say, Rejoice! ” (Philippians 4:4). 

After all, he might have added, we have a personal knowledge of the very Creator of all that is good and, as Peter points out: “Without having seen Him you love Him; though you do not now see Him you believe in Him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.” (1 Peter 1:8). 

Do you know Him? If not, this may well be, for you, the moment to humbly approach Him, claiming the salvation that He has provided, freely, through the atoning sacrifice of the Son. If I may be of any help, please feel free to contact me, using the e-mail address at the top of the blog.

New Year anchors.

During my years in the teaching profession, I taught a unit on “Rites of Passage” – birth, coming of age, marriage, and death.  In it I would make the point that life is often likened to a voyage; that we often refer to “life’s stormy seas”; people being “stranded” and “shipwrecked”; to “finding a safe haven”.  All nautical allusions of one kind or another.

Having also spent a couple of years in the British Merchant Navy, I know that a good seafarer doesn’t set sail without checking that all of the necessary equipment is on board, and in good condition.  As we set out on new stage of journey of life – a new year – it may be helpful to take stock of a very necessary item: the anchor.

In the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles, Dr Luke records a storm at sea in which the sailors “... fearing that we might run on the rocks, … let out four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.” (Acts 27:29).  I’d like to suggest four anchors that you and I will find most useful on journey of life.

The first of these is hope. As long as we have hope, sunk deep down in our inmost being, then life cannot ever destroy us.  It may, and often will, hurt us – but it cannot break us.  As long as hope holds out, we can weather the roughest storm.   We often here the old adage that “Where there’s life, there’s hope”.  I would argue that it is also true that where there’s hope, there’s life!

The second anchor to take with us into a New Year, is duty. Sometimes we are inclined to rebel against the circumstances that nail us to our daily duty.  Yet duty is a sheet anchor.  There is, as some of us have already learned, nothing like it to make men and women out of us. We may chafe under it; we may sigh for leisure; it may sometimes feel as if it is as much a cross as an anchor.  But we may gain much under the ruggedness and heaviness of a cross!

The third anchor that I would suggest is, not unsurprisingly, prayer!  It is sad, but true, that there are vast numbers of people who seldom, if ever, pray, except in an emergency.  But how can God possibly be real to such people?   It’s only as we talk, and listen, and share that we get to know anyone in any real and meaningful way!

The last anchor is love. Not, of course, any kind of soppy, or sentimental display of emotion.  But that deep love that has been defined as “the minimum of emotion; and the maximum of evaluation”.  To whom should that love be directed? Well, as you would expect, I would claim that love for God should be paramount. And we should love one another. And, surprise, surprise, we should love even those who hate us. Against such love, there is no weapon formed by man, that can have any effect.

May none of us find, when the storms of life are raging, that our anchors have grown rusty with neglect; or, worse, that we are at sea with no anchors aboard.

May you seek, and know, the blessing of Almighty God throughout 2025.

Defending the Faith

 

This is the third volume in "The Faith" series.

It is based on, primarily, the 1st letter of the apostle John to the church at large. One of those who has endorsed it writes:

“This is a very readable book, and I would happily have it available to hand out to encourage people to understand, more deeply, their need to speak out their faith to those amongst whom they live. Brian takes his readers on a believable, and encouraging, journey through Christian fellowship, care, and growth, and encourages us to live the Christian life by sharing the Gospel with those who do not yet believe, because we seek to love them as God loves them. He brings John’s letters from the page, and helps us to live as true disciples of Jesus.”

Rev. Dominic Stockford
Minister, Christ Church, Teddington
Chairman, The Protestant Truth Society

Please remember that I do not promote my books for my own financial benefit. I receive absolutely nothing from purchases. All royalties are sent,directly,to the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church. All three volumes are available in both paperback and Kindle e-book formats. Links to each of them may be found at the top of the page. 

Volume 4, "Living the Faith", based on the Letter from James, is in preparation and, it is hoped, will be available early in the new year. A fifth - and, probably, final - volume is planned. It was suggested by a dear friend, and brother in the Lord, and the "working title" is "Sharing the Faith".

If you find any of my books to be helpful, please leave a positive review. 😇

Please also remember that in March, Brian was interviewed for an online summit on the topic of “Death”.  He was able to provide a Christian perspective, and the interview may be watched here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPEfzYiPfcI&t=1s

It would be most helpful if you would watch, and leave a "Like"! As others point out, it costs nothing, but the algorithm places the clip at a "higher" level (or something like that! I am no computer expert!).

The Babe in Bethlehem

Micah is one of the "Minor Prophets" - minor, not because they are, in some way, less worthy than the "Major Prophets" (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel), but because the books named after them are much shorter in length.

To confirm the importance of Micah's little volume, we need look at only one verse:

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." (Micah 5:2)

This is an amazing prophecy, explicitly predicting, more than 700 years before He finally came, that the future King of Israel would be born in the little village of Bethlehem. And, to assure its fulfilment, the great Emperor Augustus had to decree a comprehensive census, compelling Joseph to take Mary with him to Bethlehem for her child to be born.

 

That the prophecy involves an actual birth is clear, not only from the phrase "come forth," but also from the succeeding verse which warns that God will "... give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth;" (v. 3). We may also note that the preceding verse had  predicted that "... with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel." (v. 1), speaking of His initial rejection and execution.

 

But that is not all. The prophecy not only foresees the birth of the Christ-child in Bethlehem, His repudiation by His own people, and His eventual installation as King over all Israel (not merely the southern kingdom of Judah), but also that this same remarkable person was none other than God Himself! His "origins" had been "from of old, from ancient days." That is, He is eternally proceeding forth from His Father. He did not become God’s Son when He was born in Bethlehem; He has been coming forth eternally.

 

There is still another truth implied in the remarkable Hebrew word for "come forth." It is also used for such things as the flowing of water from a fountain or the radiations from the sun. Thus, the never-ending coming forth of power from God the Father, through the Son is nothing less than the sustaining energy for the whole creation, as He is "upholding the universe by His word of power" (Hebrews 1:3). And this was the Babe in Bethlehem! 

As we anticipate the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus (which we should really have done in Sept/Oct, but that's another message!), let us give thanks that the Babe of Bethlehem became the Christ of the Cross, and that He will soon return as the conquering King. Are you ready for that world-shaking event? May all of us see beyond the tinsel, the turkey, the other trappings of the "festive season", and commit ourselves to the service of the Lord.

Love, from the Beginning.

It's the beginning of a new week; the beginning of a new month; and, just one month away from the beginning of a new year!

Beginnings are, of course, of great importance - although as the old fable of the tortoise and the hare reminds us, finishing is even more so! 

My third book, "Defending the Faith", is based on John's first letter. The pungent phrase "from the beginning" occurs no less than nine times in the first three chapters of the short letter. One of those occasions reads: "For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another," (I John 3:11).

Just prior to His crucifixion, in His great discourse to the disciples, Jesus said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34)

 

Thus, while in one sense, Christ's command to love one another was a new commandment, in another sense, as John states, it has been with us from the very beginning of the world. "Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard." (1 John 2:7).

 

The first verses of John's first letter show that this "beginning" is the same beginning as is referred to in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 (q.v.): "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us." (1 John 1:1-2). Note also 1 John 2:13: "I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him Who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father."

 

"Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father." (1 John 2:24). This is an eternal commandment, for "God is love" (1 John 4:16) and "love is of God" (1 John 4:7). In the upper room, Jesus prayed to the Father: "Father, ... ... you loved me before the creation of the world. ... I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." (John 17:24, 26).

 

Love, therefore, has been at the center of God's plan from the beginning, but a new pattern and measure of that love was given us by The Lord Jesus, the Christ. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34; emphasis added).