Life Without The Letter "J"

For the past three days, I have been typing on my laptop computer without the use of the "j" key. The small mechanism that is pushed down when a finger strikes the "j" key is still intact, so I am able to type j's when needed (though it must be done far more deliberately).

How did I lose my "j" key, you ask? I was sitting on the couch at home doing some work on Monday evening when Louis, our 105-pound Yellow Lab decided he wanted to sit on top of me (Louis thinks he's an eight-pound lap dog). Since the laptop was resting on my lap (hence the name), one of Louis' rather large paws raked across the keyboard, taking out the "j" key in the process.

Looking on the bright side, if Louis absolutely had to take out one letter, "j" was a good choice. I have been surprised how infrequently the letter "j" is used when compared to other letters in the alphabet. Still, I got to thinking about some of the words we couldn't say or write without the use of the great letter "j."

Here are just a few to consider:



Joy
The inexpressible result of salvation in Christ

"May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13, ESV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace..." (Galatians 5:22, ESV)

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with JOYthat is inexpressible and filled with glory..." (1 Peter 1:8, ESV)


Justified
To be regarded as innocent

"Therefore, since we have been JUSTIFIED by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1, ESV)

"Since, therefore, we have now been JUSTIFIED by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God." (Romans 5:9, ESV)

"You see that a person is JUSTIFIED by works and not by faith alone." (James 2:24, ESV)


Jesus
King of kings, Lord of lords; the Son of God and Savior of mankind

"Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this JESUS whom you crucified." (Acts 2:36, ESV)

"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely JESUS, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:9-10, ESV)

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, JESUS Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2, ESV)



Aren't you glad we have the letter "j"?

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The Secret To Daniel's Success

The secret to Daniel's success is not really all that much of a secret, for it has been recorded in the pages of Scripture for about 2,600 years!

When Daniel had been found alive by King Darius after a night in a den of lions, this was the explanation given by Daniel himself:

My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.
Daniel 6:22, ESV

Well, that was rather predictable, right? That same cause and effect has been observed and related in Bible story after Bible story. Ahhh, but you would be forgetting the rest of the story!

How was it Daniel was found to be "blameless before him [God]"? This did not come about by accident, but with a determined effort to live a holy life unto the Lord. Rewind your "mental video" of the account of Daniel back to almost the very beginning of this book.

When Babylon had conquered Judah, King Nebudchadnezzar summoned for some of the people of Israel (Daniel 1:1-3). As part of his decree, he requested some of Judah's finest young men to be brought forth (v. 4). Among these young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (the latter three being more widely known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego).

King Nebudchadnezzar's plan for these young men was for them to be educated in the ways of the Chaldeans for three years (v. 4-5). When young Daniel was offered the king's food and wine, he declined. There was quite apparently something associated with the meat and drink at the King's table that would have conflicted with Daniel's religious convictions.

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
Daniel 1:8, ESV

Regardless of what the reasons may have been, this attitude of unwavering faithfulness to his God in the midst of a crooked and ungodly society would prove to be the key to Daniel's success. The key word is "resolved."

Daniel's success came in the form of surviving a night in the midst of a hungry den of lions. Your success and mine will come by overcoming our adversary the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

If we will "resolve" to do what is right and shun what is wrong, we can experience success. If we wait until we come to the "fork in the road," my friend, it is probably already too late! Be resolved even now to be faithful to the Lord your God!

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What Christ Means To Us

To billions of men and women around the world, he was just another man. Some say an extraordinarily wise moral teacher, but still just a man after all. The Bible says...

He [God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:30, ESV

If, then, you will allow him to be, Jesus will be:

• Wisdom for your mind
• Righteousness for your heart
• Sanctification for your service
• Redemption for your victory

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