Bøger af Rick Howe

Joy is the greatest of all pleasures, and the enjoyment of God is the greatest of all joys. Joy is the best gift we can possibly receive, because the Giver offers himself in his gift, and he is supreme. The enjoyment of God is not only the greatest of all joys, it is the Joy in every joy. Wherever there is true joy, God is in it, whether he is beheld in the enraptured gaze of our hearts, or is the Light by which other pleasures are illumined and experienced as his good gifts. Joy always has to do with God. Always. Whether we know it or not, our experience of joy in every instance is a connection with God. If we are held in hushed delight before a forest ablaze with autumn color, we have encountered the Creator in his artistry. If we revel in a sumptuous meal and find ourselves savoring the experience with a thankful heart, we have tasted his goodness. If we find pleasure in people, it is an enjoyment of God mirrored in them, and, among those who are being redeemed, the habitation of God within them. There is no joy apart from God. It is not even possible. To speak of joy without speaking of God is a desecration of language. If we knew the true nature and dimensions of joy, we would see that it is always, and never less than, our heart's encounter with the Joyful One. Joy is the touch of God. The fragrance of his presence. A glimpse of his beauty. An echo of his voice. from Enjoying God

"The heart has its reasons that reason does not know." Pascal If there is no truth to it, it is extremely odd that millions of people over the centuries and around the world have claimed to know God in a way that empowers them to live with joy, even in the face of adversity. An account must be given. Reason demands it. But what if there is something to these claims? What if joy is what it seems to be to those who know it well? What if it is an encounter with a joyful God? What if it is the fragrance of his presence? A glimpse of his beauty? An echo of his voice? What if joy turns out to be a clue to the meaning of life? What if a full, robust joy in God is the ultimate goal of our existence? If this is even possibly true, it is worthy of serious inquiry. Reason demands it. Reasons of the Heart examines joy and contemporary discussions of the rationality of faith, the significance of experiences of joy for the existence of God, and exploring joy as a key to understanding the existence of God and evil in the world.

In a day when many see Christian faith primarily as disapproval, River of Delights embraces a joyful vision of life, from our enjoyment of God, to delight in our most important relationships, pleasure in our most significant endeavors, and the adventurous joy of being an agent of God's Kingdom in the world. In a day when many regard Christian faith as irrelevant, River of Delights shows how joy connects with our deepest longings and highest aspirations and touches every facet of our lives. In a day when many view Christian faith as a set of obscure doctrines and rigid rules, River of Delights focuses on the God whose radiant joy eclipses all else, whose beauty steals our breath, and whose goodness beckons us into a life-changing, life-enriching relationship that will never end. River of Delights will not only immerse you in the Scriptures, it will introduce you to theologians past and present and initiate you into a growing band of Christians who see following Jesus as a path and portal to flourishing in life.

"Joy fits in a world created and governed by a benevolent, wise, all-powerful God. There are good reasons to believe that such a God exists. But our world also features pain, suffering, and a troubling array of moral evil. No discussion of joy is complete without coming to grips with these stubborn facts. There can be no happily-ever-after ending to the story unless joy meets these foes on a field of battle and survives the ordeal." - From Joy and the Problem of Evil Joy and the Problem of Evil is the final section of Reasons of the Heart: Joy and the Rationality of Faith. It includes the following chapters: 1 A Tale Worth Telling, A Story Worth Defending 2 Lay of the Land and First Defense: Divine Omnipotence 3 Second Defense: Divine Goodness 4 This World and the Next: A Theodicy 5 Joy and the Kingdom of God

Path of Life is a theological and practical study of joy. In a day when many see Christian faith primarily as a form of disapproval, Path of Life embraces and champions a joyful vision of life, from our enjoyment of God, to delight in our most important relationships, to pleasure in our most significant endeavors, to the adventurous joy of being an agent of God's Kingdom in the world. In a day when many see Christian faith as irrelevant, Path of Life sees joy connecting with our deepest longings and highest aspirations, and touching every facet of our lives. In a day when many see Christian faith as a set of obscure doctrines and rigid rules, Path of Life focuses on the God whose radiant joy eclipses all else, whose beauty steals our breath, and whose goodness beckons us into a life-changing, life-enriching relationship that will never end. Path of Life seeks to lead people into the Scriptures, and to introduce them to a growing band of Christians who see following Jesus as a path and portal to flourishing in life.

Whether it is entirely true or not, a common complaint against Christians is that we are so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good. (In our day it would be truer to say that we are so earthly minded that we are of no earthly or heavenly good!) Because some who profess Christian faith show little interest in making the world a better place, it is at least tempting to see a pursuit of joy as an explanation for their apathy toward the world in its distress. Those who flee the world and its problems to gain joy are not pursuing joy, but a counterfeit. Retreating from the world and its sorrow will not help them find the joy they are looking for. They won't find it because it can't be found that way. Joy is not a grail whose quest takes us away from others in their need; it is more like a magnetic force that draws us into their plight. Kingdom Manifesto explores New Testament teaching on the Kingdom of God and calls for joyful activists to invest their lives in what God is seeking to do in the world today. Joy is not only the strongest, healthiest motivation for engaging the world, it is one of the great objectives that God is seeking to bring about in our world.

"If there is an institution endangered in our day, it is marriage and family. Though it would be worth exploring, I leave to others how this factors into the demise of our culture. My concern here is the loss of joy that inevitably attends the weakening and destruction of these relationships. Tear the fabric, destroy the joy in its delicate weave. My interest is revisiting ancient insights into marriage and family as a foundation for human flourishing, and persuading as many as possible that there is great joy to be found here!" "Storge, philia, eros, and agape. Ancient Greeks used these words to describe love. In English we would recognize them as affection, friendship, being in love, and charity. When they are ours, these loves constitute a full, robust life. Together they hallow relationships and honor the God of love. "These loves are essential to our joy. Joy is the beatitude of love. It is love's delight. It is the pleasure of loving and being loved. In marriage and family these nuanced loves and their matching joys create a collage of pleasure that can't be found anywhere else. Only in these relationships can we experience all four loves and their delights without walking out our front door!" - From Love's Delights.

In a day when many see Christian faith primarily as disapproval, River of Delights embraces a joyful vision of life, from our enjoyment of God, to delight in our most important relationships, pleasure in our most significant endeavors, and the adventurous joy of being an agent of God's Kingdom in the world. In a day when many regard Christian faith as irrelevant, River of Delights shows how joy connects with our deepest longings and highest aspirations and touches every facet of our lives. In a day when many view Christian faith as a set of obscure doctrines and rigid rules, River of Delights focuses on the God whose radiant joy eclipses all else, whose beauty steals our breath, and whose goodness beckons us into a life-changing, life-enriching relationship that will never end. River of Delights will not only immerse you in the Scriptures, it will introduce you to theologians past and present and initiate you into a growing band of Christians who see following Jesus as a path and portal to flourishing in life.

"A joyful heart is a good medicine." This was once proverbial wisdom. It is true because joy connects us with God, and that is the healthiest place for us to be. This ancient wisdom deserves a revival in our day. In fact, it is our only hope. Spring, summer, fall, winter. New moon, crescent moons, full moon. Evening, morning, afternoon. There are cadences in creation. Patterns in the fabric of the world. Work, rest, and play are salient features in the sacred configuration of life. Learn what God intends for them, and discover greater joy in your day-to-day life!