Cultivating Joyful Observation

What tends to rob your joy?

My wife and I have four kids, and I tend to struggle with impatience.  Being stuck in traffic (I know Reno, NV does not have traffic compared to most other cities) when the kids are making a chorus of wining / crying / complaining tends to rob my joy!  Other joy-robbers include various sinful escapes or simply focusing on frustrations, annoyances, and worries. 

Is there a biblical way to renew my joy?

How are Christians to Relate to a Secular State?

How are Christians Commanded to Relate to a Secular and Corrupt State?

Any Christian who seeks to keep up with current events has likely pondered recently, “how should I respond to the secular age in which I live?”  Legislation to offer women greater choices regarding their pregnancies seems to be legalizing infanticide.  Movements to promote fair and just treatment of all persons regardless of race or gender now seem often to promote a sexual lifestyle incongruous with the Bible.  How should Christians respond?  Should we leave it to politicians?  Should we take up signs and protest?  Does the Bible have anything to say generally about how to live as heaven citizens in our earthly citizenship? 

In answer to the last question – yes!  What follows is a brief sampling of Scriptures that speak to the subject – how are Christians commanded to relate to the secular state or to a corrupt generation?  These verses are not meant to be exhaustive in their treatment, but helpful and relevant.  Overall, the Bible says Christians must be subject to governing authorities and not speak corruptly in a corrupt generation, while seeking to be faithful witnesses for Jesus, including the task of exposing false doctrines that oppose the Gospel.

Worship the God Who Calls

Paul, along with Timothy, Silas, and Luke the physician, traveled into Europe, to Philippi.  At Philippi, they waited for the Sabbath intending to preach the Gospel in the synagogue, only there was no synagogue.