Joy The Daily Choice
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Last week we began a series called Choose Joy. How many think it’s time… it’s time for some joy. You don’t see a lot of joy out in the world right now. Everyone is angry about something.
In the prophecy of Jesus hundreds of years before he came, Isaiah described our time.
3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
He came to give us the oil of joy … for those who struggle with mourning … depression. Oil soothes and comforts. There more and more depression and people struggling…
He then says he will give a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Jesus has come to give us joy in the middle of the all the craziness. There is a spirit of heaviness in our culture.
Joy doesn’t find you, you have to find it.
Joy doesn’t find you, you have to find it.
You have to choose Joy.
We looked at Paul who was beaten, shipwrecked, snake bitten, and stoned. (not the kind of stoned you are thinking) Paul writes out a list of his troubles, but he chooses joy. He writes the book that is described as the book of Joy from jail.
10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
It’s an attitude choice. What do you do to a person who has joy like that. put in prison… finish Eph… // cut your head off … would you?… to live is Christ to die is gain…
Every day we have to make a choice.
We learned that we have to CHOOSE Joy. It’s a choice.
Jesus came to give us JOY.
God want’s you to have great joy no matter what the circumstances
God want’s you to have great joy no matter what the circumstances
Last week, We learned that the first choice is to pray. We need to understand that our first choice needs to be to pray. We need to pray before we make decisions about anything…
Prayer was the first choice toward joy.
The second choice is purity
The second choice is purity
Today is a tough choice. It’s the choice of purity. A lot of us are not experiencing joy because you are hiding sin… and that causes shame.
The reason so many don’t have joy is they are carrying around too much shame
The reason so many don’t have joy is they are carrying around too much shame
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
People think that if they become a Christian, God will take everything away from them… that’s backwards. The devil is a thief. The devil lies to you to keep you from pursuing what God has for you… a rich and satisfying life. He is a thief.
God adds value to our lives… He wants to give you and I a rich and satisfying life.
My testimony… sitting on the fence… when will you get off the fence… no peace inside
When I finally surrendered my life to Jesus, I felt joy and peace like I had never felt before.
Sin steals our joy
Sin steals our joy
Inside joy…
1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. 6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. 11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Wow, he loves us even know what we did last night.
Sin Kills our lives
Sin Kills our lives
It no only impacts your life, it impacts others. It impacts relationships… jobs… kids… school… everything.
wake up call - CL meeting when I admitted that I did not have a real relationship with Jesus.
or Train derail story
If you keep your sin… it will place you on slippery ground. Other things will begin to happen.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. 19 In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.
Some of you hearing me today… God is trying to get your attention…
Sin destroys our identity
Sin destroys our identity
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.
and
6 I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.
Some of you are living a version of yourself that different from the one that God sees in you. You have taken on an identity that God did not give you. my daddy drank… I guess this is just the way I am…
God says - I know this is what you did, but that is not who you are.... You do not have to take on the identity of your sin. I want to tell you that today. that is not your identity…
“We cannot feel guilty and happy at the same time.”
“We cannot feel guilty and happy at the same time.”
One of the most positive words in the Bible has a negative image… Repent So what do we do? Repent…
The Daily Choice
The Daily Choice
I am making a daily choice to repent.
Repent
Repent
Repent is a U-turn
19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.
Times of refreshment come when you are in the presence of the Lord.
1 What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.
Happiness… Joy … Relief…
That’s what we can do when we repent…
One of the most famous repentance scriptures is Psalm 51. He wrote this after committing adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband. wash, cleanse, restore
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
1. Daily choose to put to death my old nature
1. Daily choose to put to death my old nature
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
We have to choose to put to death those things in our old nature … anger… lust… drinking… lying… spending…
Start your day off in prayer and say yes to God and no to the devil… This is a daily thing we have to do.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
You don’t have to do what your sin nature wants you to do. DIE - physically… relationally… jobs… family… joy...
If you put to death the deeds of your old nature, you will live…
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
cleanse me is an inside thing. Wash me is the outside, but cleanse me is asking God to clean you up inside.
2. Daily release my past and take another step toward freedom
2. Daily release my past and take another step toward freedom
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Real freedom involves other people. You really need someone you can talk with and pray with.
16 Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
We find freedom in having others in our lives that we can turn to for support.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
3. Daily pursue God’s plan for my life
3. Daily pursue God’s plan for my life
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Everyday, ask God to create a pure heart in you…
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Stop trying to be like the rest of the people… let God change you…
4. Daily live a life that impacts others
4. Daily live a life that impacts others
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.
Now I am living my life to impact others.
You will never know the joy of your salvation until you live a life that impacts others. You don’t believe it, ask on of our Dream Team people… who serve. You find joy in serving. Try it…
Joy comes from washing, cleansing, creating, and restoring
Goal - for you to decide that you are going to take a step… salvation… get serious about serving…
Joy is more than a feeling. It’s a way of living
Joy is more than a feeling. It’s a way of living
Altar Time
How many of us have something… in our conscious that needs to be cleared today? You can leave with it, or you can leave it here. Give it to the Lord. He will take it from you and wash you, cleanse you, create you into a new person and restore you and others through you…