1. Facts >
Feelings: This chapter covers how to gather the right facts, how to best
think about these facts, and how to enjoy the beneficial impact of this on our
emotions and moods. After identifying a number of damaging thinking patterns
that are pummeling our emotions, a six-step plan to retrain thoughts, knock out
destructive emotions, and build a shield of protective positive feelings such as
peace, joy, and confidence.
2. Good News > Bad
News: Philippians 4:8 is applied to our media and ministry diets to ensure
that we are consuming and digesting more good news than bad news, and thus enjoy
more of God’s peace in our hearts.
3. Done > Do: While we need
the demanding the imperatives of God’s law to reveal where we’ve gone wrong, we
need to hear even more of the indicatives of God’s redeeming acts to reveal His
grace and provision.
4. Christ > Christians: One of the biggest
obstacles to evangelism is the inconsistency and hypocrisy of many Christians.
It’s also the reason why so many leave the church or are unhappy in the church.
But by focusing more on Christ than on Christians, we stop adding up the
innumerable faults of Christians and start calculating the inestimable value of
Christ.
5. Future > Past: This chapter helps Christians get the
most our of looking to the past without falling into nostalgia or guilt.
However, the primary emphasis of this chapter is to encourage Christians to have
a much more future-oriented faith than is usually the case.
6.
Everywhere grace > Everywhere sin: Without denying the deep and ugly
sinfulness that affects and infects everyone and everything, this formula calls
Christians to pay much more attention to God’s beautiful work in the world and
in all His creatures, resulting in a more positive worldview, more joy in our
hearts, and more praise for our gracious God.
7. Praise >
Criticism: Although it often feels good to criticize more than praise, a
critical spirit and habit is extremely damaging for both the critic and the
criticized. This chapter presents ten persuasive arguments for why praise and
encouragement should be predominant.
8. Giving > Getting:
Perhaps the most unbelieved beatitude in the Bible is, “It is more blessed to
give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). By looking at charitable giving, giving in
marriage, giving of thanks, and giving in leadership, this chapter presents
biblical and scientific evidence to persuade that the beatitude is indeed
true.
9. Work > Play: As work plays such a large part in our
lives, it’s hard to be happy Christians unless we are happy at work. This
chapter explains the bible’s teaching about vocation and proposes a number of
God-centered ways in which we can increase our joy at work.
10.
Diversity > Uniformity: While staying in our own cultures and communities
is safe and easy, a more biblical engagement of other races, classes, and
cultures enriches and enhances our lives. This chapter suggests ten ways in
which we can increase diversity in our lives, families, and churches, and lists
ten advantages of such choices.
Conclusion:
Amid the reality of sin
and suffering, Christians can find joy in repentance and in joyful submission to
God’s providence.
[written by David Murray]
