The Lord wants us to change for good
|
|
|
How can we maintain joy in the midst of change?
Sometimes making personal changes is easy peasy and welcome. Other times spiritual growth is just hard work, including the process of going through trials or "temptations." In part 2 of this series on Finding Joy, let's dig into how to maintain a sense of joy even in the midst of transformation.
The word "joy" seems like a pretty exceptional experience, but the Lord clearly says he wants us to experience it fully - which I take to mean all the time. A tall goal, for sure. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11
Another Successful Arizona Mountain Camp!
Thank you, thank you, to our awesome head cook and kitchen organizer, Linda, her husband, Tom and all his trailers, and their daughter Christine for the energy, resourcefulness and dedication to putting on Arizona Mountain Camp!! Thank you also to Linda's sister Margo for her part in shopping and preparing ahead of time. And thank you to everyone who attended and participated and helped in all sorts of ways. It takes
everyone's help to put on such a good and meaningful and fun camp!
All together we had 39 people participate over the 5 days of camp.
NEW! Bible Study - This Wednesday at 3 pm
I eagerly invite you to join me in a mid-week Bible study in the front office of Sunrise Chapel at 3 pm this coming Wednesday, July 24. If this time of day doesn't work for you, but you want to participate, let me know. I am flexible with the time.
I will be using the resource of SpiritandLifeBibleStudy.com as a basis for these sessions, since I personally get a lot out of them. If you don't know your Bible very well, this is a great place to start. If you do know your Bible, Jonathan and our group interaction may surprise you with new information and insights.
Come and be part of a fresh start to seek a deep appreciation for the most important book in the world.
With love and respect,
|
|
|
THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES AT SUNRISE CHAPEL
11 am Worship Service - Nathan Gladish "Finding Joy #2"
12 noon LUNCHEON
MONDAY 7/22/2018
11 am Tai Chi class (Basic)
6:30 pm Bereavement Support Group
WEDNESDAY 7/24/2019
9:30 am Worship Team mtg today
3 pm NEW Bible Study at the Chapel
THURSDAY 7/25/2019
11 am Tai Chi class (Yang 24) today
Women's Group - Contact Elise Gladish for details
SUNDAY 7/28/2019
10 am Music rehearsal
11 am Worship Service - Nathan Gladish, "Finding Joy #3"
12 pm Luncheon
Finding Joy at
Arizona Mountain Camp - July 9-14
|
|
|
Here is a photo of happy campers outside the dining hall, where we held our morning circle for singing, worship, and adult discussion.
|
|
|
Readings for this
Sunday's 11 am Worship Service
|
When Joy Comes
Psalm 30:1-5, 10-12
I will exalt you, LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.
Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me; LORD, be my help. You turned my mourning into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
From Grief to Joy
John 16:16-24 (parts)
Jesus said, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."
The Joy in Becoming More Caring
New Jerusalem §104,105
“Caring” is an inner desire that makes us want to do what is good, not because we are hoping for a reward but because doing it is the joy of our life.
When we are doing good as the result of an inner desire to do so, caring is present in every detail of what we are thinking and saying, what we are intending and doing. Whether we are angels or people [still on earth], if we hold goodness to be our neighbor, it can be said that in respect to our deeper natures we have become caring itself. That shows how far caring is able to go.
If people set loving themselves and the world as their goal, there is no way they can live a life of caring. They do not even know what caring is. Further, they completely fail to grasp the fact that intending and doing good for their neighbor without a goal of being rewarded for it is a heaven inside them—that inherent in this desire there is as great a happiness as heaven’s angels have: more than words can
convey. This is because selfish and worldly people believe that if they were deprived of the joy they take in their display of prestige and wealth, they would no longer have any joy at all, when in fact that would be the beginning of an infinitely transcendent heavenly joy.
|
|
|
Your church home for partnering with the Lord and each other in the practice of cultivating spiritual growth and choosing heavenly joy www.sunrisechapel.org nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245 |
|
|
