You’ve surely seen it at some point — the acronym and alleged formula for JOY: Jesus first. Then Others. Last of all, Yourself. I don’t think it’s that simple. Here’s the thing: I’m not so sure the “Jesus” category can be easily disentangled from the “Others” category. Serving others is part and parcel of serving Jesus. Amazingly, He identifies so closely with us, that He counts service done for us by others as service done to  ...

I know. Shocker! Well, how else do you explain the existence of coffee? and chocolate? But no, really — this is a serious question for many people, this question of whether or not God wants us to be happy. TV preachers say yes, and He wants you to be healthy and wealthy, too. The idea being smuggled in there, of course, is that you can’t have happiness without money and pleasure. Knowing that following Christ does not make for a life of ease, and wanting to affirm that one  ...

Today I need to pick on a favorite pet peeve of mine. It’s when Christians say that joy and happiness are two completely different things: happiness is a fleshly emotion, and joy is a Christian virtue. Some even go so far as to say they have nothing to do with each other. This is rubbish, and I can prove it. For one thing, who are the Christians you know whom you would describe as having “the joy of the Lord”? Are they the grouchy-looking ones? The gloomy ones? No,  ...