He Has Made Me Glad : Enjoying God's Goodness with Reckless Abandon

by Patterson, Ben

• ISBN13: 9780830817436
• ISBN10: 0830817433
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-02-01
• Publisher: Intervarsity Pr

Summary

The Christian gospel is about grace.The Christian life is about gratitude and joy.Scripture characterizes joy as what you experience when you are grateful for the grace that's been given you. But joy is not simply described in the Bible; it isprescribed.We are called to be joyful, to give thanks in all circumstances, to embrace grace.Still, there's plenty going on in the world and in our own lives to make joy seem impractical, gratitude unnecessary and grace perplexing. We who have been given every reason to be joyful can nevertheless be joyless. How can we begin to live in the truth that our God has made us to be glad?With gleeful exuberance, Ben Patterson submits his compelling case for joy. His winsome stories and thoughtful reflections show how even traditional disciplines such as (yawn) churchgoing and (gulp!) tithing can be hilariously fulfilling when lived out of gratitude for God's gracious gifts. Once we start to think about all that God has done for us, our thoughts turn inevitably to gratitude and ultimately to gladness. And that is only appropriate, for he has made us to be glad.

Table of Contents

Introduction: We Are Far Too Easily Pleased	9	(6)
Part One: The Case for Joy
Inexpressible and Glorious Joy	15	(14)
Joy Busters	29	(13)
The Happy God	42	(12)
A Christmas Carol	54	(13)
Part Two: The Habits of Joy
Indiscriminate Thanks	67	(13)
Knowledge Too Wonderful	80	(13)
How Good and Pleasant	93	(12)
Words That Give Life	105	(14)
Never on Sunday	119	(11)
Hilarious Generosity	130	(15)
Part Three: The Hope of Joy
Heaven: Our Real Home	145	(13)
Glorious Freedom	158	(14)
Notes	172