If
I'm lacking joy in my walk, there's a simple reason. I'm living such a
self-centered life that there's no room for the joy. Joy comes into our
heart when we are focused on pouring ourselves out for the needs of
others.
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I do
not have to be in complete agreement on every issue with every believer
in order to share the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ: I will
willing set aside all my rights and privileges in order to do God's
will. I will be a genuine, spontaneous servant to those around me. I
will commit myself to a Spirit empowered life of service to others until
my ministry is finished and Christ calls me home.
"Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus." Yes, that's a command.
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In
context, the command "do all things without murmuring and disputing" is a
command that directly affects our ability to be lights to the world in
which we live. Do your unsaved friends, neighbors, fellow workers see
you as a complainer--a murmurer and disputer? Then, they do not see you
as a light to the world holding forth the light of the Gospel. How
tragic is it to believe we are holding forth the light when in actuality
we have hidden our light--His Light--under the basket of
contentiousness?
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"For
God so loved the world that He gave . . ." God's love is a lifestyle
characterized by humble, joy-filled obedience, humble service to others,
the humble release of all that we are and all that we have to His
purposes, and the humble bowing of our knees to the will of God each and
every day. And you know how you bow your knees, don't you?
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Joy--true joy--is meant to be shared.
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