For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. Titus 3:3 NASB Lusts and pleasures – What’s the difference between lusts and pleasures? Paul seems to think we need to know both words. Why? The Greek roots are epithymía and hēdonḗ. Epithymía is desire, especially…
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB Sorrow – A few days ago we investigated a Greek word in Luke 18:23. That word was perílypos . It comes from the root lýpē. We noticed that Greek…
But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. Luke 18:23 NASB Very sad – Let’s talk about sad. Not the most comfortable topic, but I’m sure it’s one we have experienced. Grief might be a disease that cannot be seen, but sadness has a face. Unfortunately, those…
You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Isaiah 9:3 NASB Gladness– One English dictionary defines joy as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” As you can readily see, this definition follows the Greek conflation of chará and hēdonḗ (rejoicing and pleasure). It’s typical…
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,”James 1:2 NASB Joy– I don’t think we listen to James. We simply do not regard trials as joyful. I don’t regard trials as joyful. If I really look at my own emotional response to James’ instructions, I discover that his words don’t penetrate my heart. Trials…
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,” James 1:2 NASB Joy – What is joy? According to the ancient Greeks, joy is the unbridled experience of self-being, the manifestation of the fullness of who we are as the culmination of our existence. It is that feeling that arises when we no longer are…
as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:10 NASB Sorrowful/rejoicing – Has your life become a reflection of the life of Paul? Do you know both sides of the coin of committed contradictions? In the last few weeks, God has been pressing…
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3 ESV Passions – But I thought being passionate was a good thing. Ah, if we only read it in Greek. Hedonais, the plural noun, makes it quite clear that James is talking about self-centered pleasures, not passions. …
