Joy is not just the spin-off of obedience to God, but part of obedience. It seems as though people are willing to let joy be a byproduct of our relationship to God, but not an essential part of it. People are uncomfortable saying that we are duty-bound to pursue joy. They say things like, 'Don't pursue joy, pursue obedience.' But Christian Hedonism responds, 'That's like saying, ';Don't eat apples; eat fruit.'' Because joy is an act of obedience. We are commanded to rejoice in God. If obedience is doing what God commands, then joy is not merely the spin-off of obedience, it is obedience. The Bible tells us over and over to pursue our joy (Psm. 32:11; 37:4; 67:4; Lk. 10:20; Phil. 4:4).

John Piper

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Fruits, Grains		Jams, Fruits/nuts	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1	lb	Blackberries
1	lb	Sugar
2	tb	Lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS and let sit, covered, for 1 hour. Place in a pot,
place over medium heat and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
Strain through a large strainer to remove the seeds. Follow manufacturer's
directions for canning, or place in jars and store in the refrigerator.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

A Message from our Provider:

“What gives us conviction of sin is not the number of sins we have committed; it is the sight of the holiness of God. #Martyn Lloyd-Jones”