A RARE AND STRANGE CONTAGION

 What made the early church take off like wild fire? What is that missing element, that 'je ne sais quoi', that rare and strange contagion? What is the 'how' in endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? If it was so clear and easy, everyone would be doing it, they are not! The ugly fact of 21st century western Christendom commodity, strangely unavailable and tragically so. In a world where the demand is as high as Everest, the supply is Dead Sea low!"Joy is an affection of the soul springing from the hope or possession of some suitable good.Though God sometimes calls us to mourning, yet it is no where said: mourn evermore, because rejoicing ought to be in a more constant practice, and all spiritual mourning tends to it, and will end in it; and he commends it as seasonable to these Thessalonians, to support them under their present sufferings. The grounds of a Christian's joy always abides, and he is not only to retain it in the habit, but to mix it with all his sorrows and sufferings.Matthew PooleTEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-22SONGS: GOODNESS OF GOD, BETHEL WORSHIPGREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, AUSTIN STONECOME THOU FOUNT/ABOVE ALL ELSE, SHANE AND SHANE