Rejoice Always
Notes
Transcript
Merry Christmas.
What a Joyous time of year
This joy should be buried in our heart
this time of year should allow us to Show that Joy from the overflow of our heart.
People say that things will STEAL THERE JOY.
You can allow someone to dampen or crush your Happiness today
but JOY is a gift from God available through Christ Jesus alone
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Joy is not something that can be stolen
It is what Paul is teaching us in our verses.
Philippians
Philippians
English Standard Version (Chapter 4)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you
Rejoice is such a beautiful word.
We all DESIRE that DEEP feeling of Peace, it can make our Soul GLOW
to think about REJOICING in the LORD
To have JOY
A state of mind ---- available through Jesus
Here is my definition of Joy:
To have an overwhelming mindset of peace, happiness, and contentment
As opposed to
Happiness:
A temporary state of euphoria
Happiness is temporary
Joy is eternal
I don’t want to be guilty on this Sunday before Christmas
of placing Joy out to far in the future.
Joy is a state of mind, or a mindset and live direction that we can live in because of Jesus.
Your can live in it BECAUSE
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
EVERY DAY === EVERY MOMENT
CHRIST IN US
Lets do some testing:
Joy or Happiness?:
You get the thing you ask for at Christmas ? Happiness
You have an amazing day with friends? Happiness
You get a thank you card in the mail? Happiness
You realize that you are less reactive to bad drivers? JOY
You get news that you have a health issue, but have peace that Christ is in control? Joy
You get a raise? Happiness
You get a promotion? Happiness
You get fired, and you KNOW that GOD is working? JOY
Happiness Happens and then can fade with reality
Joy is knowing your reality is not dependent on situations or surroundings.
JOY:
Jesus First
Others Second
Yourself Last
all around me is temporary things
all will fade
all will rust away
But for ME
My life is Eternal because of CHRIST
Everyday live to
Glorify HIM
TO Grow OTHERS
My life is better and better everyday
because of Jesus
Keys to Joy
Keys to Joy
Living in the keys to Joys
We have uncovered some of the keys in Philippians
Partnership --- you are in it with Christ and your Church
Steadfast --- you focus on Christ and Others
Humility --- everyone is more important than self
Security --- you know you future and live in this world with out FEAR
Endurance --- All things for His Purpose and through His Strength
Contentment --- Knowing that you live in Expectation of His Goodness
REJOICING--- a MINDSET of PEACE and JOY.
Knowing nothing on Earth can steal your JOY.
It is a gift from GOD.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Developing this LIFE SKILLS is KEY
REJOICE REJOICE
Emmanuel
GOD WITH US
Joy to the World
are not simply Christmas Lyrics
but LIFE statements
Let me stop and ask you a question
do you know more JOY today than you did a year ago?
How do you test this?
Well first and scariest.
Ask those around you
Sit alone in your quiet time and think on the challenges you have faced in the last ten years
Do you handle them differently?
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas should be a time of COMPLETE Joy for a Christian
to Celebrate the Birth of our LORD
to Celebrate the end of death, end of sin,
and to Celebrate that OUR GOD loves us
It is all about the GOOD NEWS --- THE GOSPEL
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
IF you are broken today
Come to Jesus
If you are lonely today
Come to Jesus
If you are stressed today
Come to Jesus.
The Road to Christ
is the ROAD to JOY
We start our walk focused on our-self
and in maturing in Christ we become like Him
We live out and in the KEYS of CHRIST
We find JOY
Jesus First
Others Second
Yourself Last
That is the Key to Life to the Fullest.
That is your Best life now
to understand that Joy is deep and life changing.
If i was to pour food coloring into water it blends together and becomes a few things
It has attributes of both --- still water but now colored
As you cook your Christmas meal
You will mix and create
new things from many things.
Christ coming into your life is JOY
Christ takes the old and makes it new
Christ enters into you forever changing you.
You begin to change
and what Christ has brought together will never be separated
Joy is CHRIST FIRST in all things at all times
That is the CHANGE we CELEBRATE.
No matter the situation WE PRAISE HIM
Here i am LORD SEND ME
I am who you chose, and I am who you are making me..
I call out to you
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Rejoice Rejoice
JOY is Yours
and the Crown is on your Head
with Christ in your Heart
I will end today the repeating what i started.
The Key to Joy is REJOICING at all times and in all things
Philippians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
As we close this morning
May I pray this over you this morning.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Go in Peace today
AMEN
