Thursday, September 22, 2011

In Pursuit of Happiness

It was through John Piper's writings that I came across the word, "hedonism". What does hedonism mean? According to the Oxford dictionary it means-doctrine that pleasure is the only proper aim. Ok, I'm getting to it, but when John Piper talked about Christian Hedonism, I was a bit confused.....I have a small excerpt below adapted from Piper's article, "Christian Hedonism: Forgive the Label, but Don't Miss the Truth"...Read it.....

"What Is Christian Hedonism?

 

My shortest summary of Christian Hedonism is: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in Him.

By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.
 

The Difference Between Worldly and Christian Hedonism

 

Some people are inclined to believe that Christians are supposed to seek God’s will as opposed to pursuing their own pleasure. But what makes Biblical morality different than worldly hedonism is not that Biblical morality is disinterested and duty-driven, but that it is interested in vastly greater and purer things. Christian Hedonism is Biblical morality because it recognizes that obeying God is the only route to final and lasting happiness. Here are some examples of this from the Bible: 

Luke 6:35 says, "Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great." It is clear when Jesus says “expect nothing in return” that we should not be motivated by worldly aggrandizement, but we are given strength to suffer loss by the promise of a future reward.
 
Again, in Luke 14:12-14: "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor . . . and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." That is, don't do good deeds for worldly advantage; rather, do them for spiritual, heavenly benefits."
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
This has set me thinking alrite!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Come and Praise!

Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, I bless Your Holy Name and rejoice in You. Your works are great, studied by those who delight in them. You do all things in accordance to Your will and it gives You perfect pleasure.

It was Your will to send Your Only Son to this world as the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. Through Him, You offered pardon, forgiveness, cleansing, redemption and reconciliation. What a great mystery You have unveiled before my eyes, things which angels long to look into.

Truly, no one, absolutely no one can know You except through Your Son. I thank You Jesus for revealing God the Father. I bless You and rejoice that my eyes has 'seen' wonderful and marvelous things.

I worship You, LORD Jesus, for You are the Anointed One, the Righteous Judge. All things belong to You and in all things, You are the Preeminent One.

Thank You, O God the Spirit for opening my eyes to behold wondrous things out of Your law. I rejoice and my heart is glad. I have tasted and seen that the LORD is good.

Truly, salvation belongs to Our God.

Worthy are You, O God to receive honor, glory and power. All things come from You and of Your own do we give unto You. Amen.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Song for Every Season


There are times where I am hurting for several reasons-could be a severe trial or a genuine remorse for a repeated sin before my Holy God. And I am without words as the burden is too heavy to bear. At times like this, a song can be such a balm to your soul as it lifts up your spirits.

One such song that lifted me up during that time was, “It is well with my soul”
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
I love the chorus!! “It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
“...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Philippians 4:11b