On The Value of Joy
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, acknowledging that joy is enumerated second in the order of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22, speculates upon the possibility that God intended a pre-determined order for these spiritual gifts, perhaps from the most important to lesser degrees of importance. If this is the case, Joy occupies a …
Enter the Joy of Your Lord!
Article by StaffIs lasting happiness achievable today? Or must we wait until the resurrection at Christ's return?
Fortress of Joy
Sermonette by Bill OnisickHuman happiness is perishable, dependent as it is on positive life-experiences. Spiritual joy is infinitely more enduring than happiness based in the world.
The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughJoy is more than just happiness. There is a joy that God gives, through the action of His Spirit in us, that far exceeds mere human cheerfulness.
Journey for Joy
Sermonette by Bill OnisickOnly when we are united with God can we find true joy. If we consistently use His Spirit as a resource, we will have joy as we navigate through trials.
Joy in Our Time?
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the opening sentences of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities and M. Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled, focuses on the concept of joy—a quality William Barclay suggests is quite independent from worldly circumstances. This kind of joy is especially needful when we note Peck's observation …
Joy
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsA biblical study on the basic aspects of one of the fruit of God's Spirit, joy.
Joy in Our Time
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, continuing on the theme set last week that "we are living in the best of times and the worst of times," and that "life is difficult," affirms that the attainment of joy is problematic at best. It is getting to the point that national repentance is no longer possible. Attainment of calm joy …
Joy: What Is It?
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the difficulties in translation from Greek and Hebrew to English, as well as comprehending spiritual truths with a fleshly mind, maintains that it is only through God's Holy Spirit we can comprehend those truths at all. Even with God's Holy Spirit, we have difficulty. Our minds are too finite, …
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Three): Cultivating Joy
Sermon by David F. MaasStrategies for cultivating joy include developing contentment and gratitude, giving rather than getting, finding pleasure in work, and valuing God's law.
The Joy of the Lord Is Our Strength!
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins marvels that despite the continuous dramatic increase of material wealth in Modern Israel, this affluence or prosperity has not remotely led to joy. Clinical depression, requiring professional help (usually consisting of a host of powerful anti-depressant drugs) is almost pandemic in North America, with one in …
Joy in the Lord
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, reflecting that Americans relish their equality and their rights, including the right to pursue happiness, suggests that some Americans feel that gay marriage and homosexuality would be among the ways to pursue happiness. Thomas Jefferson would not have approved that willful and presumptuous interpretation of …
Happiness is Circumstantial, but Joy is Not!
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsHappiness is a by-product of our response to God's calling, coupled with our determination to connect with the Father, the Son, and the whole spiritual family.
Joy and Trial
'Ready Answer' by Mike Ford (1955-2021)What does the Bible mean when it says we should count it all joy when you fall into various trials? What is this joy we must experience, and how do we come by it?
Be Happy (Part One)
CGG Weekly by Gary MontgomeryAs we age, the pressures of life, work, and experience all contribute to wearing us down. Only a few seem to have learned to remain happy despite hardship.
Faith and Contentment (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by John ReissIn Part One, we began to consider an aspect of God's purpose by using a metaphor of a tree in a forest. We saw that faith is the trunk of our figurative tree, and one of its attributes is ...
The Joyful Advantage
Sermonette by Bill OnisickBill Onisick, focusing on Shawn Achor's book, The Happiness Advantage, asserts that, because a brain with a positive attitude has higher levels of dopamine and serotonin, it is more successful and productive. We can draw some spiritual analogies from Shawn Achors's work, utilizing some of his exercises to attain the joyful …
The Quest for Happiness
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins reminds us that in the Declaration of Independence people were guaranteed the opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, a quest that has proved futile and elusive. This quest should prompt us to carefully number our days and seek a close relationship with God. When we waste our days, we waste them for …
Are Your Feelings Fighting Your Faith?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, suggesting that, while society has rejected religious principles and faith, it has glommed onto superficial feelingséwhatever feels good to us. Today's Christianity is more theatrics than theological; feelings have become the replacement for faith. When we stifle the truth of God's word to accommodate feelings, …
Facing Times of Stress: Contentment
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, suggesting that we live in a negative, enervating time, indicates that we can have contentment just like the apostle Paul expressed in his letter to the Philippians, a letter in which he thanked the Philippians for their generosity and revealed his secret for having contentment amid negative circumstances. …
The End
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, referring to the caption, "The End," suggests that "The End" may also fill our minds with prophetic symbolism at the end of the age. Noah's flood was an end, the temple's destruction was an end, Christ's second coming will be an end, and the Last Great Day will be an end as well as a …
A Memorial of Our Joyful Future
Sermonette by Bill OnisickTo the reprobate world, the sound of teruw'ah represents terror and war, but to God's called-out ones it is a time to render praises of happiness and great joy.
A Root of Bitterness
Sermonette by Bill OnisickOnly by letting go of the poisonous root of bitterness can we become like our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father.
Christian Optimism
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPaul wrote some of his most optimistic letters from prison, under the possibility of execution, but absolutely convinced that ultimate victory was imminent.
Wisdom for the Young (Part Four)
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughThe young often lack the wisdom to distinguish mere fun from real joy. Sometimes such wisdom has to come from the hard knocks that result from bad decisions.
A Man of Sorrows
CGG Weekly by John W. RitenbaughJesus anticipated what was coming on the nation, prepared for it as well as He could, and persevered through it along with the rest of His fellow citizens.
Matthew (Part Four)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughMatthew's encapsulation of the Beatitudes, the essence of Jesus Christ's teaching, contains the foundation of His teaching through the entirety of His ministry.
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod emphasizes Ecclesiastes during the Feast of Tabernacles to show the result of doing whatever our human heart leads us to do. The physical cannot satisfy.
Facing Times of Stress: Faithfulness
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, reflecting on Philippians 4:4-9,observes that although America is the most blessed nation on the face of the earth, it is also the most unthankful, providing a contributory cause for anxiety. As Paul counseled the Philippians, thankfulness and gratefulness lead to joy and profound peace, while ungratefulness and …
God's Perseverance With His Saints (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod, as our true Shepherd, provides total protection of His called out-ones forever. Being kept in God's name refers to assimilating the attributes of God.
God's Tools
Sermonette by Clyde FinkleaSpiritual maturity does not come about without difficulty, and suffering is one of God's tools to perfect us. Suffering refines endurance and character.
The Unleavened Life Is a Happy Life!
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh observes that some misguided individuals have denigrated the practice of putting out leaven as childish and something to be outgrown. The fruits of their lives indicate that they never learned the subtle lessons these customs or practices were supposed to teach. The annual rehearsal of these practices is …
Exalt With Music
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh focuses upon the intense power of music to stimulate the emotions, trigger the imagination, set the mood of the services, and serves as a teaching vehicle for godly instruction. God Almighty, as the inventor of the human voice and the capacity to make music, has repeatedly commanded that we must sing ' exalting …
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Fifteen)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughOur relationship with God is often strengthened through hardship. We must choose to yield to God, living for a much higher goal than raw materialism.
Fellowship With God
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsOnly those who have fellowship with God can have any hope, understanding, peace, or rest. The world remains under the sway of Satan, unable to live righteously.