JOY
Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If you lack joy, then you should pray for it: “Ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).
There is “a time to weep” but there is also “a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Some want to remain sad, but God does not want this. It is said of Rachel that she “refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not” (Jeremiah 31:15). One of the names of the Holy Spirit is the “Comforter” (John 14:16–18, 26). Let God comfort you. King David’s child also died: “Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:21–23). If anyone had a motive to remain sad, it was David as he was told his child died because of his sin (2 Samuel 12:13–14). But King David made a rational decision that he was not going to stay down in the dust the rest of his life. “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice” (Psalm 51:8). He prayed for joy after he had sinned. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:12). David did not ask for his salvation back, as he had not lost it, but he did ask God to restore the “joy of thy salvation,” for his joy left when he had sinned. King David knew he could not win others to the Lord if he stayed sad. The next verse (v.13) says, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
Obeying the commandments of God brings joy. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:10–12). Winning others to Christ brings joy. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20). There is also a joy in completing your course: “So that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24; see also Ecclesiastes 2:24). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrew 12:2). Again, if you lack joy then you should pray for it (James 4:2; see HAPPINESS).
Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If you lack joy, then you should pray for it: “Ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).
There is “a time to weep” but there is also “a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Some want to remain sad, but God does not want this. It is said of Rachel that she “refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not” (Jeremiah 31:15). One of the names of the Holy Spirit is the “Comforter” (John 14:16–18, 26). Let God comfort you. King David’s child also died: “Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:21–23). If anyone had a motive to remain sad, it was David as he was told his child died because of his sin (2 Samuel 12:13–14). But King David made a rational decision that he was not going to stay down in the dust the rest of his life. “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice” (Psalm 51:8). He prayed for joy after he had sinned. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:12). David did not ask for his salvation back, as he had not lost it, but he did ask God to restore the “joy of thy salvation,” for his joy left when he had sinned. King David knew he could not win others to the Lord if he stayed sad. The next verse (v.13) says, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
Obeying the commandments of God brings joy. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:10–12). Winning others to Christ brings joy. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20). There is also a joy in completing your course: “So that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24; see also Ecclesiastes 2:24). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrew 12:2). Again, if you lack joy then you should pray for it (James 4:2; see HAPPINESS).
Our newest book!
GOD & SPIES
GM Matheny was a US Navy saturation diver on the nuclear submarine USS Halibut. Involved in "Operation Ivy Bells". America’s most important and most dangerous of the Cold War clandestine operations. If you like good old fashioned American bravado, espionage and American history, you will enjoy this book.
Based on True Events -The Mount Everest of Spy Missions
Firsthand account of history's greatest intelligence coup. Operation Ivy Bells was not a onetime intercept of foreign intelligence, but an ongoing operation of multiple Soviet military channels, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, which lasted for years! Another reason for the high interest in our operation was the audacious nature in which it was done—with not one person risking his neck but a whole crew of a nuclear submarine.
How did I end up as a navy diver, four hundred feet down in a frigid Russian sea? After making my dad totally disgusted with me, I set out to make him happy. “Honour thy father” - I struggled with a decision to serve God. “Lord, I will give my life to you and serve you if you let me make this dive.” But I had the impression He only wanted to know one thing: “What if I do not let you? Will you serve me anyway?”
BOOK EXCERPT "The tenders in the dive chamber who are bringing in Red Diver’s umbilical cable, unexpectedly have his cable ripped out of their hands! One of the tenders says, “What’s going on?” Matheny’s fins have landed back onto the first leg of the DSRV, which keeps him from sliding back any farther. He then pulls toward him about 30 feet of his umbilical cord and makes a dash for the next leg coming down from the DSRV. He makes it, but the red light shining in Matheny’s face is reminding him he is running out of time. From his position, he can see the light shining down in the water from the entry point back into the dive chamber. He positions himself to push off the last leg of the DSRV so he can enter the dive chamber. Then unexplainably he is again jerked backward with another sharp pull! This time his face mask slams into the leg of the DSRV. Matheny hurriedly makes a grab for this leg clinging to it."
Paperback 273 pages, $12.90 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1075452430
Kindle $6.30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TCSLFWR
What others are saying.
Pastor Marvin McKenzie (February 7, 2018)
“Garry Matheny is a friend and a fellow preacher. Prior to his salvation he served in the Navy as an elite saturation diver. He was involved in one of America’s most important and dangerous clandestine operations."
"Garry does a marvelous job of weaving recently declassified information regarding the operation, the record of an intelligence analyst spending the rest of his life in prison for selling the details of this operation to the Russians and his own eyewitness account of the operation itself."
"If you like good old fashioned American bravado, espionage and history, you will enjoy this book.”
David Meyer (February 26, 2018)
“I could not stop reading once I started. This book is for anyone that likes stories about submarines, divers, spies and or scripture. It’s all there in this interesting book.”
Amazon Customer (March 5, 2018)
“The flow of logic of the whole episode was great. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop.”
GOD & SPIES
GM Matheny was a US Navy saturation diver on the nuclear submarine USS Halibut. Involved in "Operation Ivy Bells". America’s most important and most dangerous of the Cold War clandestine operations. If you like good old fashioned American bravado, espionage and American history, you will enjoy this book.
Based on True Events -The Mount Everest of Spy Missions
Firsthand account of history's greatest intelligence coup. Operation Ivy Bells was not a onetime intercept of foreign intelligence, but an ongoing operation of multiple Soviet military channels, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, which lasted for years! Another reason for the high interest in our operation was the audacious nature in which it was done—with not one person risking his neck but a whole crew of a nuclear submarine.
How did I end up as a navy diver, four hundred feet down in a frigid Russian sea? After making my dad totally disgusted with me, I set out to make him happy. “Honour thy father” - I struggled with a decision to serve God. “Lord, I will give my life to you and serve you if you let me make this dive.” But I had the impression He only wanted to know one thing: “What if I do not let you? Will you serve me anyway?”
BOOK EXCERPT "The tenders in the dive chamber who are bringing in Red Diver’s umbilical cable, unexpectedly have his cable ripped out of their hands! One of the tenders says, “What’s going on?” Matheny’s fins have landed back onto the first leg of the DSRV, which keeps him from sliding back any farther. He then pulls toward him about 30 feet of his umbilical cord and makes a dash for the next leg coming down from the DSRV. He makes it, but the red light shining in Matheny’s face is reminding him he is running out of time. From his position, he can see the light shining down in the water from the entry point back into the dive chamber. He positions himself to push off the last leg of the DSRV so he can enter the dive chamber. Then unexplainably he is again jerked backward with another sharp pull! This time his face mask slams into the leg of the DSRV. Matheny hurriedly makes a grab for this leg clinging to it."
Paperback 273 pages, $12.90 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1075452430
Kindle $6.30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TCSLFWR
What others are saying.
Pastor Marvin McKenzie (February 7, 2018)
“Garry Matheny is a friend and a fellow preacher. Prior to his salvation he served in the Navy as an elite saturation diver. He was involved in one of America’s most important and dangerous clandestine operations."
"Garry does a marvelous job of weaving recently declassified information regarding the operation, the record of an intelligence analyst spending the rest of his life in prison for selling the details of this operation to the Russians and his own eyewitness account of the operation itself."
"If you like good old fashioned American bravado, espionage and history, you will enjoy this book.”
David Meyer (February 26, 2018)
“I could not stop reading once I started. This book is for anyone that likes stories about submarines, divers, spies and or scripture. It’s all there in this interesting book.”
Amazon Customer (March 5, 2018)
“The flow of logic of the whole episode was great. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop.”
