The Bible Study Podcast, episode 176. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of

fruitful parenting.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. This is part four in a study on fruitful parenting,

and if you are just starting this, I would suggest you go back and listen to the other three

first. Hopefully there's some building one upon the other for these episodes.

You may recall from the earlier episodes that my position is that the most useful verse in all of the Bible in terms of

parenting is that section of the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, long suffering, and self-control. And we're going to look at

the second and third ones there, joy and peace. And we're going to look at the second and third ones there, joy and peace.

And we're going to look at them together because I found that as I looked up joy in the Bible,

there's over 200 references. I often found joy and peace, or peace and joy coupled together.

Now, first, let's talk about what they are. When the Bible talks about peace, for instance, it doesn't mean absence of strife or an absence of problems. And probably one of the best verses for dealing with that would be from John 16, verse 33. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will

have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world. Now, how can you have both trouble

and peace? Our general definition of peace is the absence of problems, and that is not what the Bible is talking about here.

And again from John 14, peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid. The piece that we're talking about here is a transcendent piece. It is a piece that transcends our

understanding. It is a piece that passes understanding. It is a piece that is in spite of the

situation. It is a piece that is based on an underlying assumption that God has overcome the world,

that we are in the midst of strife, we are in the midst of trouble.

The word trouble from that translation was originally in the King James Tribulation.

In this world, you will have tribulation.

And the root of that word is interesting because the Roman tribulum was the threshing sledge.

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