May 11, 2009
Duty-driven sacrifice for Jesus does not impress the world. Rather, our neighbors are moved when they see Christians rejoicing in tribulations. Speaking to men in ministry, John Piper encourages believers, and Christian leaders in particular, to seek joy in trials. Christ-oriented, faith-driven joy stays when everything else falls away, he reminds us, becoming the salt and light that draws unbelievers to Jesus Christ.
24Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.