Tag Archive for 'Joy'

Over This Season. Period.

Published
by
LayGuy
on January 3, 2008
in Christianity and Rant
. 2 Comments

xmas I’ve just about had it with Christmas and all the stress and pressures that come along with it. I’ve had it with the senseless arguments to keep “Christ” in “Christmas” and the “reason for the season” when, in fact, what Christmas means to the world these days is so removed from the original story anyway.

I so wished I had come across Advent Conspiracy leading up to Christmas cause then I would have tackled things so differently.

To get the gist of what goes on with the Advent Conspiracy world view, watch the following video:


[AC] Advent Conspiracy from Jon Collins on Vimeo.

Basically Advent Conspiracy is an ” international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by worshipping Jesus through compassion, not consumption.” It does this by encouraging you to Worship More, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. Be sure to check the Resource section for heaps more.

It’s all a bit late this year but hopefully 2008 will be a different year all together. My 2007 was a tough one. Health issues, relationship issues and simply ugly sin battered me in 2007 and has left a bitter taste in my mouth - one that I have serious doubts I can deal with.

Jesus I need you in 2008 more than any other time in my life. The number “8″ biblically means resurrection so it’s quite fitting to ask You Lord to resurrect me out of the pit I have put myself in.

In the mean time, this video is, for some unknown reason, extremely uplifting for me. Maybe because it makes me take the thoughts off myself and I focus on God instead.

It reminds me to set my thoughts onto Jesus and for Him to be the sole source of joy. I too often set my joy on my circumstances. As my circumstances change, so does my joy - and I become bipolar in my hapiness and anxiety creeps in. Instead I need to fix my joy in the work and person of Jesus. Unchangable. Maybe that’s why I like that video so much - it makes me think of God’s qualities.

Anyway, for those of you resonating with what I am saying here, check out Mark Driscoll’s message, “The Rebel’s Guide To Joy In Anxiety.”

The Rebel’s Guide To Joy

Published
by
LayGuy
on November 9, 2007
in Bible Study and Christianity
. 2 Comments

mark_driscoll.jpgIf you’re a Mark Driscoll fan, you would immediately recognise the title of this post is the current series he is preaching at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. If you haven’t checked out his preaching yet, I strongly suggest subscribing to the Mars Hill podcast.

Driscoll cops a lot of flack from Christian and non-Christians alike due to his inability to be meek and mild. This guy tells it like it is and it’s this that attracts me to his teaching. His style of teaching keeps you glued even though he talks for over an hour many times. What also helps is that the guy is actually funny. I know it sounds like an oxymoron but this is one serious and funny guy.

Below is the video intro to the current series, “The Rebel’s Guide To Joy”. It’s a sermon series based on the Book of Philippians.


This series focus is on the topic of joy. Not some airy fairy joy you “feel” when good times roll on. No this is the attitude and mindset of joy despite what’s happening in your life - real joy.

Philippians is written by Paul while in prison in Rome waiting his death sentence. Hardly the place you would expect a letter to be written about joy. An yet, through the Holy Spirit, Paul pens a letter which turns our understanding of joy upside down.

Driscoll’s sermon series on Philippians has blessed me so much and I’ve only heard 3 messages so far. This series will continue through to mid December and Driscoll will cover the topic of joy through many circumstances.

  • October 7: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy (Acts 16; Phil. 1:1-1a)
  • October 14: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Loneliness (Phil. 1:1b-11)
  • October 21: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Suffering (Phil. 1:12-18)
  • October 28: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Death (Phil. 1:19-30)
  • November 4: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Humility (Phil. 2:1-11)
  • November 11: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Temptation (Phil. 2:12-30)
  • November 18: The Rebels Guide to Joy in Conflict (Phil. 3:1-11)
  • December 2: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Exhaustion (Phil. 3:12-4:1)
  • December 9: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Anxiety (Phil. 4:2-9)
  • December 16: The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Poverty (Phil. 4:10-23)

Click here to visit the Mars Hill “Rebels Guide To Joy” website.

mhc_logo_on-dark.png One really cool thing Mars Hill has done with this series is video vignettes at the end of each sermon outlining how joy was found by a person despite his or her situation. If you love the good old hymns, you will find the video’s particularly interesting. At the time of writing this post, there were 4 videos released and I have included them below. Click here for updates.

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