Love God! Enjoy Life!

8/2/2019 Love God! Enjoy Life!

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Love God! Enjoy Life!The Christian life is meant to be a joyful, soul-satisfying experience.

Let us Play!Theme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Who Said It Gary Thomas

Gary Thomas is a bestselling author and international speaker. His books include Devotions for aSacred Marriage, Devotions for Sacred Parenting, Sacred Influence, and Pure Pleasurethe bookfrom which this week's readings are adapted. Gary is an avid runner who has completed eightmarathons. He is married, has three children, and lives in Washington.

What He Said Let's Play!

Once, while walking through a McDonald's restaurant, I saw eight ten-year-old girls celebrating abirthday. The warmth of sheer, unadulterated happiness permeated the gathering.

It was as if a light had been turned on and I could see God's delight. God felt happy that these girlswere happy. Their delight, their joy, even their giddiness, gave God great pleasure. Have you everthought about thatthat you can give God great pleasure by enjoying yourself?

If you are a parent, imagine Christmas morning as the young kids tear into the presents. Doesanything make you happier? Do not moments like these break into the dull routines of life and giveus a glimpse of heaven?

The fact that we are children of Godand that Jesus urges us to become like childrenspeaks of acertain demeanour, a certain delight, a certain trust in God's goodness and favour toward us.

While God's servants are not merely his children (he also calls us to sacrificial and mature service),we never become less than his children. And healthy children often engage in play.

This Week's Key Study Passage: Psalm 148-149:5

Adapted from Pure Pleasure (Zondervan, 2009) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holderand/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.

Copyright 2011 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integritymagazine.

Don't Do That!?!Theme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Key Bible Verse:"He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because hedelighted in me." (2 Samuel 22:20), NIV

Dig Deeper: 2 Samuel 22:1-22

1David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from

Saul. 2 He sang:


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The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my saviour; 3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my saviour, the

one who saves me from violence.4I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.5The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me.6The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.7But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I cried to my God for help.

He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.8 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the heavens shook; they quaked

because of his anger.9Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth

from him.10He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.11Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.12He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.13A great brightness shone around him, and burning coals blazed forth.14The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.15

He shot arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were confused.16 Then at the command of the LORD, at the blast of his breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen,

and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.17 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me.20 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.21 The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.22For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

When the church teaches a glum faith of responsibility, when people of faith speak as though theyare anti-sex, anti-humour, anti-fun, anti anything that brings pleasure, we risk fostering the kind of

devotion the Bible rejects.

I want to enjoy intimacy with my wife, because when we treasure each other's bodiesbodies thatGod created and designedwe put a smile on God's face. I want to stop and enjoy a sunset and let itexpand my soul, because in doing so I am celebrating God's handiwork. I want to revel in a well-written novel, because devouring a work of excellence is to acknowledge God's inspiration and gift-giving wisdom. I want to thank God for a good meal instead of seeing it as a temptation, because I'dhate itabsolutely despise it if I gave an expensive gift to my child and she immediately asked,"Are you sure you can afford this?" or "I'm not worthy to receive it; take it back."

Do you see how living only out of duty robs our heavenly Father of great pleasure?

Connecting our pleasure with Godeven seeing pleasure as a legitimate and blessed pathway toworshipbuilds our souls and strengthens our devotion.

Gary Thomas in Pure Pleasure

My Response: What does a faith based on duty look like? What does a faith filled with joy look like?What kind of faith am I living?



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What Do My Kids See?Theme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Key Bible Verse:The aspirations of good people end in celebration; the ambitions of badpeople crash. (Proverbs 10:28),

The message Dig Deeper: Nehemiah 8:9-12

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were

interpreting for the people said to them, Dont mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a

sacred day before the LORD your God. For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the

words of the Law.10And Nehemiah continued, Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and

share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord.

Dont be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!11And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, Hush! Do not weep! For this is a

sacred day.12So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food,

and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard Gods words and understood them.

As a parent and as a Christian, I believe God calls me to live a life of satisfaction in him so that mykids see how grateful I am, how pleased I am, how satisfied I am, in Christ. I walk with God becausehe is the true Creator and rightful Lord. But I also walk with Christ because a life with Christ is themost incredible journey I can imagine. My kids know of the money we give to God's work. Theynotice the sacrifices of serving Christ. But more than thatabove all thatthey see the hearts oftheir mom and dad filled with joy because we can imagine no better life than the one lived infellowship with God.

Because some "headliner" Christians allow themselves to get wooed away from true pleasure and soget caught by corrupted passions, the world tends to think of Christians as pathetic creatures whodeny their true desires, live hypocritical lives, and indulge in secret what they denounce in public.Undercutting the importance of pure and holy pleasure hinders our witness. We try to invite peopleinto the faith with our words; let us also begin inviting them into the faith with our lives and with oursincerely satisfied souls.


My Response: What are the characteristics of someone who has a "sincerely satisfied soul"?Someone I know who, in spite of his or her flaws, displays these characteristics is

Thought to Apply: The way to be truly happy is to be truly human, and the way to be truly human

is to be truly godly.J. I. Packer (theologian, writer)




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Holy Pleasure!Theme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Key Bible Verse:This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons anddaughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and

widows from your towns. (Deuteronomy 16:14)

Dig Deeper: Deuteronomy 16:9-15

9Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest. 10Then

celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honour the LORD your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in

proportion to the blessings you have received from him. 11 This is a time to celebrate before the

LORD your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honoured.

Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your

towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. 12Remember that you were

once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.13You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after

the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed. 14This festival will be a happy time

of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites,

foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. 15For seven days you must celebrate this festival

to honour the LORD your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful

harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

"They celebrated it [the Feast of Tabernacles] before the LORD our God for seven daysand seven days more, fourteen days in all. They blessed the king and then went home,

joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done " (1 Kings 8:65-66, NIV).

Did you catch that? They feasted, celebrated, and rejoiced for fourteen days. When they finally wenthome, they had joyful and glad hearts. Fourteen days of celebration! In many Christian churches,

people feel guilty for celebrating for fourteen minutes.

If a church decides to spend a little money to do a fun activity, someone will piously confront thepastor, inquiring, "Wouldn't it be better to stay home and pray for our missionaries and send thatmoney to them?"

We have largely lost the concept of creating inviting communities in which people get built up withjoy, strengthened in celebration, and nurtured in holy pleasure. We must not, we cannot, neglect thepoor or lose our zeal for mission outreach. But in the same way, for the sake of honouring God,securing our children's faith, and supporting our own witness, we must not, and cannot, neglectcelebrating God's goodness and faithfulness.


My Response: Today I will celebrate God's goodness and faithfulness by

Thought to Apply: Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.Michael Jordan (pro basketball player)




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The Devil's a KilljoyTheme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Key Bible Verse:"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Getaway with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest." (Matthew

11:28),

The message Dig Deeper: Matthew 11:28-30;John 10:10

28 Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will giveyou rest.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart,and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you islight.

10The thiefs purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfyinglife.

Most people think of Satan as tempting us with pleasure. He certainly does that, but many times,particularly with certain earnest Christians, he more actively tries to keep us from the true pleasuresGod has planned for us.

Without pleasure, some of us become angry and tired, feel unappreciated, and then begin to resentothers instead of love them. Others of us become judgmental, pointing out the sinful ways ofeveryone around us (while, perhaps, secretly wishing we could do the same things). Pleasure can bea powerful antidote for these spiritual illsit can renew and refresh us so that we become morepatient, more energized, and more generous with our time and affection. Therefore, Satanunderstandably wants to keep us from true pleasure because he hates its positive effects.

The religious trap that so many earnest believers fall into, however, is that when we get stuck in asin or temptation, we try to find the religious way out. We think we just need to be more disciplined,

more faithful in our devotions, more active in our ministry. There may be an element of truth in this,but if your soul needs true pleasure and Sabbath-style refreshment, and you conclude you needmore work, then you're setting yourself up for a train wreck.


My Response: A day of "true pleasure and Sabbath-style refreshment" would look like

Thought to Apply: Our Creator would never have made such lovely days, and have given us thedeep hearts to enjoy them, above and beyond all thought, unless we were meant to be immortal.Nathaniel Hawthorne (writer)



Embrace PleasureTheme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Friday, January 7, 2011


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Key Bible Verses: "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is aglutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is provedright by all her children." (Luke 7:34-35), NIV

Dig Deeper: Psalm 148-149:5

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens!Praise him from the skies!2 Praise him, all his angels!Praise him, all the armies of heaven!3 Praise him, sun and moon!Praise him, all you twinkling stars!4 Praise him, skies above!Praise him, vapours high above the clouds!5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came intobeing.6 He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths,8 fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him,9 mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,10 wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds,11 kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth,12 young men and young women, old men and children.

13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord.For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heavenly 14 He has made his peoplestrong,honouring his faithful onesthe people of Israel who are close to him.

Psalm 149

1 Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.4 For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.5 Let the faithful rejoice that he honours them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

We must come to grips with a Jesus who was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton. [Seetoday's Key Bible Verse.] In one sense, this characterization badly misses the mark. Remember,

Jesus survived a 40-day fast. In another sense, however, it provides a window into the balance ofJesus' life. Why would anyone level such a criticism unless Jesus did seem to enjoy his meals and aglass of good wine? Perhaps they misdiagnosed his laughter as intoxication. The one who walked onwater certainly never stumbled out of a house. No doubt, the Pharisees witnessed Jesus' laughter,and this levity led to scurrilous accusations about drunkenness.


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When we embrace pleasure, we stand on God's ground. He uses pleasure to motivate us and tobless us. Those who deny the proper place for pleasure also, perhaps unwittingly, deny the properplace for God. God created this world with some delectable delights. When we open wide our heartsto these delicacies, we open wide our hearts to God. What I am about to say may seem revolutionaryto some and even heretical to others, but here it is: As Christians, it is our invitation as well as ourobligation to cultivate and live lives of true pleasure as a pathway to obedience and even worship.


My Response: How can I practically live out the last sentence in today's reading?

Thought to Apply: The world is alive, blinking and clicking, winking at us slyly, inviting us to get upand dance to the music that has been playing since the beginning of time.Shauna Niequist(Christian writer)



Weekend Bible StudyTheme of the week: Love God! Enjoy Life!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Today's Key Study Passage contains two verses that echo this week's topic: "Praise his name withdancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp. For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns thehumble with victory." Think of that: The LORD delights in you! That, in and of itself, is a very goodreason to celebrate. Add to that the joy of your salvation, the beautiful gift of creation, and all oflife's daily blessingsand you have many good reasons to praise your Maker.

Key Study Passage:

Psalm 148-149:5

1. Write down four or five adjectives that describe the mood of today's study passage. Howclose do these words match your attitude about life? About God? About worship?

2. In Psalm 148, why does the psalmist call for creation to praise God? (See vv. 6-7, 13-14.) Whyare these good reasons to celebrate your Creator?

3. According to 149:1-3, what do you think Israel's celebration looked like? Why was thisanything but a sombre worship service?

4. According to 149:4, why were they celebrating?5. According to 149:5, why should the faithful rejoice?6. In spite of problems you might be experiencing, what reasons do you have to celebrate?

Spend Time in Prayer: Write down five simple pleasures for which you are grateful; express yourappreciation for each one; then ask God to help you become more aware of each small blessing hebrings your way.

Psalm 148-149:5

1 Praise the Lord!


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Praise the Lord from the heavens!Praise him from the skies!2 Praise him, all his angels!Praise him, all the armies of heaven!3 Praise him, sun and moon!Praise him, all you twinkling stars!

4 Praise him, skies above!Praise him, vapours high above the clouds!5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came intobeing.6 He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths,8 fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him,9 mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,10 wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds,11 kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth,12 young men and young women, old men and children.

13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord.For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heavenly 14 He has made his peoplestrong,honouring his faithful onesthe people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!Psalm 149

1 Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.4 For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.5 Let the faithful rejoice that he honours them.Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.


Prayer for the Week

Thank you, heavenly Father, for the joy of my salvation; I praise you for all your pleasurable gifts; fillmy heart with your gladness; remind me daily of all the great things you've done for me.


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Love God! Enjoy Life!