RESTRUCTURE - Part 3

This is my final posting on the topic of JOY from the book of Philippians. In Philippians 4:6-7 we have seen our need to REJOICE; our need to RESPOND; and our need to RESTRUCTURE if we are going to live joyful lives during those times when being in ministry really hurts. We saw that this restructuring involves two elements. We already saw our need to turn our anxiety into PRAYER. Finally, we see our need to turn our anxiety into PEACE.

Paul tells us that when we truly turn our WORRY list into our PRAYER list, as we saw in the last couple of postings, that the result will be PEACE. This peace comes from God and totally transcends our mental ability to grasp it or to understand it.

And what does this peace from God do? The passage says that it "GUARDS" our "HEARTS" and our "MINDS!" The word "guard" here is a military word describing a garrison of soldiers on duty (see 2 Corinthians 11:32). The duty of these soldiers were to guard something at all costs.

What does the peace of God guard in our lives when we go through hurtful and even harmful times in our ministry? It guards our "HEARTS" and it guards our "MINDS!" Our "HEART" speaks of our feelings. Our "MIND" speaks of our thinking. This is important because wrong thinking and wrong feelings will cause great damage in our lives.

These are the two areas that I believe the evil one attacks when we go through hardships in our ministries, especially when those hardships are exhibited through personal attacks. Satan attacks our feelings and he attacks our thinking. And when we respond and make decisions based on wrong thinking and/or wrong feelings, we will end up shipwrecked in ministry.

But when we restructure our lives in such a way that we turn our WORRY list into our PRAYER list, the peace of God guards how we think and how we feel! Then, and only then, can we experience a life of joy even during the most difficult times of our lives and ministries!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

RESTRUCTURE - Part 2

Philippians 4:4 tells us to REJOICE! Philippians 4:5 tells us to RESPOND! Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to RESTRUCTURE. This is how we can live joyful lives when the circumstances of our ministries are anything but happy. This restruturing has two elements. We saw in my last posting that it involves turning our anxiety into prayer. We are to WORRY about NOTHING but instead to PRAY about EVERYTHING. We are to turn our WORRY list into our PRAYER list. And there are three specific ways that we learn how to do exactly this.

First, we must pray with PERSEVERANCE! Paul said that instead inf worrying, "in everything" we are to pray. Paul echoed the same words to the church at Thessalonica when he wrote, "Pray withotu ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). No matter how ugly things continue to become for you in your life or in your ministry, keep on praying!

Second, we must pray with PARTICULRS! In the passage we are looking at, Paul used the word "prayer" and he uses the word "supplication." "Prayer" is a general term while "supplciation" speaks of praying in personal detail. Don't just pray. Pray specifically. What specifically are you asking God to do?

Third, we must pray with PRAISE! Paul said that not only are we to pray "in everything" but we are also to do so "with thanksgiving." Paul echoed this to the Thessalonican church as well when he wrote to them, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And it is the will of God for you too - even in the midst of the hurt you are experiencing in your ministry.

We are to turn our anxiety into PRAYER. But this restructuring that leads to joyful lives even when life hurts also includes turning our anxiety into PEACE! I will talk about this in my next posting.

Be sure to also read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

RESTRUCTURE - Part 1

How do we live joyful lives when we go through extremely difficult times in our lives and in our ministries? We saw from Philippians 4:4 the need to REJOICE! We saw from Philippians 4:5 the need to RESPOND! Today we see the third need. From Philippians 4:6-7 we learn of our need to RESTRUCTURE! This restructuring has two aspects.

First, we must turn our anxiety into PRAYER! Philippians 4:6 has a negative command followed by a positive command. Negatively, we are to "be anxious for nothing!" The word "anxious" means to be distracted or to feel pulled in two different directions.

This negative command is then followed by a positive command. Instead of being anxious about the issues we are facing in our lives and in our ministries, we are to turn our worry list into our prayer list. Let me paraphrase it this way:

"WORRY about NOTHING! PRAY about EVERYTHING!"

STOP worrying! START praying! Jesus made it clear that worrying can accomplish nothing (see Matthew 6:27). Imagine what could happen if you took all the time and energy you are spending worrying about your challenges and instead used that time and energy to pray about those challenges. After all, nothing of eternal importance happens apart from prayer.

This restructuring of turning our anxiety into prayer involves three elements. I will share these three elements in my next posting.

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

RESPOND

In my last posting we looked at one of three needs that we have, as seen in Philippians 4:4-7, if we are going to live joyful lives when we go through tough and hurtful times in our lives and in our ministries. The first need was to REJOICE! Today we see the second need which is to RESPOND! Philippians 4:5 says this:

"Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near!"

How are we to live? We are to live lives exhibiting a "gentle spirit" even when the heat and hurt that can come with being in ministry increases. What does it mean to be "gentle"? Synonyms for this word include, "considerateness; graciousness; sweet reasonableness; and having a friendly disposition."

Antonyms for this word include such descriptions as, "stubbornness; thoughtlessness and harshness." So even when you are going through a hurtful and difficult time in ministry, respond with a gentle spirit. Don't respond with stubbornness, thoughtlessness or harshness. Instead, respond with considerateness; graciousness; sweet reasonableness; and with a friendly disposition.

And who are you to respond this way to? The verse says "all men"! Does this include even those who are mistreating you or causing you pain? Absolutely. "All" means "all" and that's "all" that "all" means.

Why should we respond to all men this way? The verse says to do so because "the Lord is near!" The term means "at hand." I believe this is speaking of the nearness of Christ's return. We should respond with a gentle spirit to all men because Jesus could come at any time. And responding in this way for this reason is a way to live a joyful life even when life and ministry hurts!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com

REJOICE

Philippians 4:4-7 has much to teach us about living a life of joy, even when we go through tough times in our lives and in our ministries. From these verses we learn three needs we have if we are going to live a life of joy even when our circumstances are anything but joyful.

First, we must REJOICE! Philippians 4:4 says to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" What are we to do? We are to "rejoice!" This means to live in a continual state of celebration and contentment. The word literally means "to be glad!" This is the word used to describe the celebration of the father when his prodigal son returned home in Luke 15:32.

How are we to rejoice? We are to rejoice "in the Lord!" We have already learned that joy has nothing to do with our circumstances but everything to do with our position in Christ.

When are we to rejoice in the Lord? We are to rejoice in the Lord "always!" No matter what adversity comes into my life or ministry I can still choose to celebrate and to be content in who I am in Jesus Christ!

Why should we rejoice in the Lord always? It's importance is seen in the continual reminder that Paul gives when he adds the words, "Again I will say rejoice!" Paul is saying that I will continually remind you to keep on rejoicing!

And that is my goal in this blog posting today. If you are a hurting pastor, pastor's wife or ministry leader that is going through a very hurtful time in your life and ministry, let me remind you of this Biblical mandate:

"Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say rejoice!"

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Attributes of Joy - Part 2

We saw in my last posting the first attribute of JOY which is that JOY has nothing to do with CIRCUMSTANCES but everything to do with CHRIST. Today we see the second attribute of JOY which is this:

JOY is not a matter of my ACTIONS but rather of my ATTITUDE!

Warren Weirsbe put it this way, "The secret of Christian JOY is found in the way the believer thinks...his attitude!"

Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said it like this, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it!"

The bottom line is this - it is CHRIST then and it is CHRIST now that brings us JOY. 1 Peter 1:8 teaches this with these words:

"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, you GREATLY REJOICE with JOY INEXPRESSIBLE and FULL OF GLORY."

If you are facing a hurtful and difficult hurdle in ministry - if you are a hurting pastor, hurting pastor's wife, or hurting ministry leader, this verse is one you should memorize today!

The Attributes of Joy - Part 1

There are two attributes of JOY that we must keep in mind, especially when we go through difficult periods in ministry. The first is perhaps the most important and it is this:

JOY has nothing to do with CIRCUMSTANCES but everything to do with CHRIST!

Christ was called a "Man of Sorrow" (read Isaiah 53 and Luke 18:31-33) yet He still came to make our JOY full (read John 15:11) and He Himself found JOY even in going to the cross (read Hebrews 12:2).

Back in the days of kings and crusades, kings of kingdoms were often out in battle. When the king was in the palace a certain flag was flown at the castle to give assurance to the people that the king was on the throne and to show that the kingdom was at peace.

In the same regards, it is JOY which is the flag that is flown from the castle of one's heart when King Jesus is in residence there. So hoist up the flag of JOY today in your life. No matter what ministry challenge you are facing, your JOY is based on CHRIST, not on your CIRCUMSTANCES.

The Litmus Test of Joy - a SONG on Your Lips!

Yesterday we saw that a SENSE OF HUMOR was a litmus test of joy, even during the trials of life and ministry. Today let me share one other litmus test that shows joy in someone's life. It is a SONG ON YOUR LIPS - Psalms 126:2, in which we saw the need for laughter in my last posting, says, "Our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful singing."

Anna Russell wrote it beautifully in the words to this old hymn: "There is never a day so dreary, there is never a night so long, but the soul that is trusting in Jesus will somewhere find a song. Wonderful, wonderful Jesus! In the heart He implanteth a song; a song of deliverance; of courage; of strength; in the heart He implanteth a song."

Remember Paul and Silas in prison in Acts 16:22-25. After being beaten they were thrown into stocks. Stocks was a 6 to 8 foot log in which one ankle was attached to one end of the log and then your legs were spread farther than designed while your other ankle was attached to the other end of the log. And what were Paul and Silas doing in that condition at midnight? They were singing praises to God. I guarantee they were singing "soprano" but they were singing because even in their misery they still had joy. Do you? No matter how bad you are hurting right now, go ahead - break out in a song and let it vibrate off the rafters!

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

The Litmus Test of Joy - a SENSE of Humor!

We introduced the need for joy in my last posting. But how can I tell if someone has joy even when they are going through a difficult time? One litmus test that shows joy is a SENSE OF HUMOR. Psalm 126:2 says, "Our mouth was filled with laughter!" Read below the following thoughts on laughter. Ask God to keep within you a SENSE OF HUMOR even as you go through the hurts of life and ministry.

"Work hard and have a sense of humor!" (Mother Theresa)

"Scientists have found that laughter has a profound effect on virtually every important organ in the human body. Laughter reduces tensions, relaxes tissues, and exercises most vital organs. it results in a beneficial effect on us mentally and physically." (Executive's Digest)

"I think it is just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray, or preach, or to witness." (Charles Swindol)

"Love may make the world go round, but laughter keeps you from getting dizzy." (Barbara Johnson)

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.

Joy in the Bible

When we go through difficult times in ministry or in life, it is easy to lose sight of our joy. But joy is very important. In the Bible it is almost always associated with salvation.

Joy is seen in the Old Testament - "The joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

Joy is seen in the teaching of Christ - "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full" (John 15:11).

Joy is also seen in the New Testament. There are some 15 different words translated joy, joyful, joyfully, joyfulness, joyous, or gladness. These words are used at least 70 times. Over 25% of these occurrences are in the book of Philippians. So if you are a pastor or ministry leader that is hurting, pour into the book of Philippians. Get a "joy transfusion" by reading this four chapter book in its entirety once a day for 30 days straight. You will be reminded that joy is never to take a break in our lives as taught by both Paul and James in the verses below:

"Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS" (Philippians 4:4).

"Count it ALL joy when you fall into trials" (James 1:2).

Be sure to read my other blog at www.folkslisten.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com.