Sustaining Christian Joy: A Journey Through Philippians

Hi and welcome to the FBC El Dorado Sermon Podcast.

We hope God will use this week's message to both inspire and challenge you as you seek to walk closer with the Lord.

Now join me as we listen in to this week's sermon.

For a long time I have boasted and I know when you boast you're only supposed to boast in the Lord but for a long time I've boasted that I'm going to be like the best old man at the mall, because nothing brings me more satisfaction than watching people.

I enjoy seeing human behavior.

I enjoy seeing how different people react to different circumstances.

And as I watch people I'm reminded of one thing they never cease to disappoint.

You know you see someone, you wonder as they react, you wonder what in the world is going on in their mind.

And my wife and kids?

They don't see the joy in the sport of people watching.

They don't fully appreciate it.

But we live in a time to where cell phones and tablets and all of that have really lessened the sport of people watching.

And as I watch people and then I turn and direct my attention to Christians I notice that there is something that is lacking in the vast majority of Christians.

There's not a lack of love.

There's not a lack of human decency, there's not a lack of compassion.

The thing that I notice lacking in the lives of so many Christians today is joy.

Now don't misunderstand me.

I'm not talking about there's a lack of happiness, and we've even taught in the church and I've taught you know, don't focus on happiness.

You know it's a different joy, it's different and all that.

Listen, I'm going to correct that.

If there's something going on and you can be happy, be happy.

Don't say, well, I can't be happy because I'm supposed to have joy.

No, be happy, that's okay, but seek joy right.

Happiness is that temporary emotion based largely on circumstances, and, like any emotion, happiness comes and it goes at a moment's notice, without much awareness.

That it's going to happen.

Right, we know that.

But joy, it's different.

Joy is deeper, in the biblical sense, from the perspective of the Christian life, joy is the awareness of God's grace and the awareness of God's favor.

You could say that joy is grace, recognized.

Strong defines joy as calm, delight, gladness or exceedingly full, and so that's the foundation that I want us to work from this morning.

Scripture has a ton to say when it comes to joy.

You're going to find no less than 200 references, from the psalmist to Christ, to the apostles, speaking of joy.

The word of God is replete with teaching us about this God-given state of joy.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 16, 11, in your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand pleasures forevermore.

Jesus, in John 15, right as he's working with the disciples there, and he says as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you.

So abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and now I abide in his love.

These things, I have spoken to you.

Jesus says that my joy might remain in you and that your joy may be full.

And this is the kind of joy which is so obviously missing in the lives of the people, the Christians, the body of Christ.

This joy is lacking in the very ones who should be overflowing with it.

So what happened?

Why do we notice that Christians seem to be some of the joyless people we ever come into contact with?

What happened?

Where did it go?

It didn't go anywhere.

We've just been focusing on the wrong things.

So turn with me this morning to the book of Philippians.

I'm going to scare you initially, because we're going to work through all four chapters.

It's not going to be that long and I can talk really, really, really fast.

This short letter written by Paul to the church of Philippi has a lot to say about joy.

At least 19 references Paul uses the word joy.

He'll say rejoice, he'll speak of gladness in this letter, and so the entire letter, all four chapters, is completely bathed in the truth that joy in the Lord is an indispensable part of the Christian life.

What I want to remind us of this morning, as a follower of Christ, think about this God has extended you the privilege, the honor of experiencing the fullness of joy that the psalmist talks about, that Christ talks about.

We have that amazing opportunity to partner with God in his joy, and it's this joy that Paul writes about while he is sitting in prison.

But I want you to know Philippians, chapter 1, beginning in verse 12,.

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it may become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ and most of the brethren of the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak without fear Now, from a 100% human standpoint, there is no reason for Paul to have joy based on his circumstance, right?

And so, using this letter, what we're going to do is we're going to first consider four things that rob us of our joy, and then we're going to circle back and walk through Philippians and see how not only we can maintain our joy, but how our joy can increase.

Okay, that good.

Okay, well, that's what I got, that's what I brought, so we're just going to.

So I guess we're going to go with it now.

All right.

So, number one the four thieves of joy.

We're briefly going to overview these and then come back and work through one by one Thief.

Number one circumstances.

We've already mentioned circumstances, but let's look at it a little deeper, right?

How many of us can actually control our circumstances?

I mean, think about that, right.

Think about today.

Does gloomy weather steal your joy?

Do bad drivers on the roadway steal your joy?

These are rhetorical.

Do current events, stories on social media, do those things steal your joy?

Well, let me ask you I already have, but let me ask you again how many of those circumstances can we control, right?

I mean, you have just as much control over the thoughts and actions of others, as you do the weather.

And so if our joy is subject to the ideal and perfect circumstances, then you're in for a long, hard, miserable ride.

Look at Paul's circumstances as he pens this letter.

He's in prison, right, but he is overcome with joy.

How?

Because Paul understood his circumstances are temporary, jump all the way to Philippians 4, verses 11 through 13.

Philippians 4:11–13

He says not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned that, whatever state I'm in to be content, I know how it is to be abased.

I know how to abound everywhere and in all things.

I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, to abound and to suffer need.

Then he comes in and says what I can do, all things through Christ, who gives me strength.

Part of the all things that he's speaking up there is being able to find joy in the midst of any and every circumstance.

So thief number one is circumstance.

Thief number two I'm sure you've guessed it by now is people, and if you try to tell me that from time to time, people do not steal your joy, we need to stop and talk about your lying.

Many of us have joked about escaping to a private island, right?

I mean hallelujah, Like this Caribbean island and there's nobody there.

We can be isolated from joy stealing people, man, the problem with that is we've been commissioned by God to be where the people are.

But you should have, you should receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you should be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, judea, samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth.

We cannot be witnesses for Christ if we remain isolated from people, even joy-stealing people.

Number three, third thief Material possessions.

Do you allow possessions, or the perceived lack thereof, to steal your joy?

Or are we so busy trying to amass stuff and get things that we've lost sight of our joy that truly is in Christ?

Do you find yourself feeling slighted Because you don't have what everybody else has?

Y'all know this.

This is groundbreaking, I'm going to give it to you.

Stuff is just stuff.

Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, verse 19,.

Matthew 6:19

Do not lay up for yourselves right, Y'all know this Treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal, but rather lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth rust destroy, where thieves cannot break in and steal it, because Jesus says wherever your treasure is there, your heart will be also.

Jesus in Luke comes along in Luke 12, 15 and says take heed and beware.

This is a good church word too.

Take heed and beware of covetousness.

Right, wanting other people's stuff for one's life does not consist of the abundance of the things that he possesses.

So number three thief is material possessions.

And then number four remember that's the half when we four, remember that's that, that's the half when we get on that.

That's just a halfway mark, so don't start zipping your bibles or thief.

Number four worry.

This is the big one, kind of.

I think the single greatest threat to our joy is is probably worry.

Oftentimes.

I would describe my paternal grandmother sweetest woman you've ever been around in your life, and this is what I would say about Nanny, though Nanny was worried when she didn't have something to worry about, and we know those people.

Worry is crippling.

It brings about physical health issues and a host of mental health issues.

It's consuming.

Worry is debilitating and we all deal with it from time to time.

The problem is when worry is left unchecked and not held up against the promises in God's word.

We allow that consuming force to begin to overtake, when we fail to compare it, what we're dealing with right now, what we're worried about.

When we fail to hold that up next to God's word, then that God-given joy begins to wane, it begins to fade, and that's why Jesus says again in the Sermon on the Mount therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.

Is life not more than food in the body, more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air.

They neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them.

Are you not more valuable than they?

Which of you, by worrying, can add one cubit to his stature?

Which one of you can grow an inch because of worry?

So why do you worry about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.

Look at the back and forth he does here.

They neither toil nor spin.

And yet I say to you that even Solomon, in all of his glory, was not arrayed as one of these.

Now, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which is here today, but tomorrow it's thrown into the oven, will he not so much more clothe you?

And then Jesus comes in and says oh, you have little faith.

Do not worry saying what shall we eat, what should we drink, what should we wear?

For after all these things the Gentiles seek, all these things that unbelievers seek, for your heavenly father knows that you need these things.

So instead, jesus says seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all those things that you're worried about.

God's going to take care of it and they will be added to you.

So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about its own thing.

Sufficient is the day for its own trouble.

And so this begs the question one more time what can we do about any of those things In our humanness?

We can't escape circumstances, right, we can't.

We can't escape people, we can't escape stuff, and we can't escape worry.

So what do we do?

I believe it's the identification of these things that brings us back to Paul's letter to the Philippian church.

He was able to have time because he was busy preparing his mind.

The way that we counter the wrong is to start with a right mind.

Warren Wiersbe writes If outlook determines outcome, then the attitude of mind we cultivate will determine our joy or lack of it.

And so in these four chapters, paul, he lays out for us these four attitudes or states of mind that, regardless of any external or internal circumstances, these four attitudes of mind will reignite that joy that we find ourselves missing at times.

So let's look at the four attitudes of mine.

Number one the single mind.

If you spent much time in the book of Philippians, you know that Paul speaks to this.

You know in chapter two he says let this mind be in you.

But before that, before Paul writes those words, he speaks to the attitude of single-mindedness in this first chapter.

And what I mean by single-mindedness, in this context especially, is single-focused, single-hearted devotion.

Matthew, chapter 6, verse 4, right, jesus says that our devotion, our heart, can't be split.

Matthew 6:4

You can't love God and love stuff, love money and all that.

So it doesn't mean that we can't allow our heart to feel and reach out to different areas.

But what Jesus is speaking of is your ultimate devotion.

Your ultimate direction and focus of your heart and mind must be on God.

And Paul says in verse 1, again in chapter 1, verse 12, we read it.

He said I want you to know that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.

Don't be bummed out for me, because it actually it's working out.

It's become evident to the whole palace guard and to the rest that my chains are in Christ.

Now, if you were anti all of the Christian stuff going on and a guard this would be a nightmare, right.

I mean, you want to snuff out Christianity and you find yourself being assigned to be handcuffed and chained to the greatest missionary who has ever walked the face of the earth.

I mean, that's a bad day for them, but Paul uses that opportunity.

So now the entire palace guard they know my chains are in Christ and most of the brethren in the Lord haven't become confident by my change.

They're much more bold to speak even now.

If you skip down to verse 25, he says being confident of this.

I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and your joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you.

So there's no disputing.

The reality of Paul's situation and circumstance was difficult.

His credibility had been publicly called into question and he was under attack.

Yet in all of that Paul maintained his joy.

How, how can a man in a Roman prison be able to begin his letter by saying I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always and in every prayer of mine, making requests for you with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel, from the first day until now, being confident in this very thing that he has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Just as it is right for me to think of you all, because I have you in my heart in as much as both my chains are in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers with me of grace, for God is my witness how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

How, how do you do that?

Like somebody cuts me off and my joy for the week is gone, like you know it.

Just, it's easy to lose your joy.

How can we know that Paul is truly feeling this and it's not just preacher speak and trying to make the Philippians feel okay because he's in a bad situation?

How do we know these things?

Because Paul did not allow his circumstances to rob him of his joy, because Paul was not focused on the circumstance bringing joy.

He was focused on Christ.

Paul was focused on living his life to serve and honor Jesus Christ, regardless of any and every circumstance, situation that might come his way, he was able to have, he was able to maintain joy.

He was able to claim victory over his circumstances because Paul was not depending on his circumstances to manufacture joy.

He was dependent upon the relationship of Jesus Christ to fulfill and maintain that joy.

That's how he's able to write so much about joy.

He was a man who had a single-minded focus on Christ.

We read in verse 17 of chapter 1, paul knew that he was appointed for the defense of the gospel.

He I'm going to say joy like 8,000 more times this morning, but he maintains his joy because he was not viewing Christ through his circumstances, but rather he was viewing his circumstances through the lens of Christ.

How much different would we be if we viewed our circumstances through Christ's eyes, as opposed to trying to find Jesus in the midst of our circumstance.

Paul was focused on Christ.

He is a single-minded man.

When you look at Christ first, when you look into Christ first, it's then through Christ that you're going to view everything else.

And what I love about this so much is Paul's circumstances stunk.

They were awful, but it was these circumstances that allowed him to build and strengthen relationships with these Philippian Christians.

It was these circumstances which allowed Paul to preach Christ to the palace guard and it was through these circumstances that Paul was able to encourage the believers to pursue faith, to pursue joy in the midst of a difficult time.

A single-minded focus on Christ makes room for your circumstances to work for you and not against you.

So first, we have to have a single mind.

Secondly is the submissive mind.

Now we know scripture teaches a total submission to God.

James 4, verses 7 and 8 reminds us, rolls off our tongue right, but therefore, submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Draw near to God and God will draw near to you.

There's no question concerning our need to submit to God, concerning our need to submit to God.

But right here in Philippians, chapter 2, paul is speaking about submission to people.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Yes, a mind first submitted to God is paramount.

But a mind that is submissive to God is a mind that is willing to submit to people.

That second thief of joy.

Look in chapter 2, verse 1.

Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if there is any comfort in love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection in mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit.

Hang on to that one man.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit.

That strikes at the very core of our society and what society tells us to do.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind.

Let each look out not only for yourself but to look out for the interest of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus who, being in the form of God, did not consider robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation.

Taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the cross, and because of that God has highly exalted him, given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven, and those on the earth and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God.

The Father Paul lays out this beautiful outline in these first two chapters.

First, we have to have a single-minded focus on Christ, and then we're to submit our minds towards others.

But that's not what today says.

Today says if I don't look out for me first, then who will?

First, then who will?

The easiest way to make sure that I get my way is to put my way above all else.

And you know one of the main reasons we struggle with people If we're just going to be dead level, honest this morning, the main reason we struggle with people, the main reason we lose our joy when it comes to people, is because there's a lot of people out there.

When I say a lot of them, I mean all of them, all of the people out there.

None of them are nearest concerned about me getting my way, as they should be.

As I observe people I often hear you know, man, they're so selfish, they're complaining, they're so awful.

All they do is think about themselves.

You know why that gets on our nerves so much, because that means they've put themselves first.

That means they're not putting me first, and first is where I belong.

So we are left with a never-ending conflict rooted in selfishness.

Conversely, the Christian who operates from the basis of a submissive mind, lives each day seeking those whom they may serve, not the other way around.

Remember what Paul said Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus.

Well, what was Jesus?

What was his mind?

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all of your heart, all of your soul and with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest commandment.

But the second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commands hang all the law of the prophets, and then Jesus follows it up when he's asked well, who is my neighbor?

To which Jesus says what Everybody, all of them, All of humanity, is your neighbor.

A submissive mind approaches the people problem by serving them.

When we focus on the good and the entire well-being of others, then our mind is in the proper God-instructed spot.

Thirdly, we have the spiritual mind.

The spiritual-minded person will find themselves struggling very little when it comes to things.

Well, why?

Because the spiritually-minded person Paul tells us in Philippians 3, verse 20, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20

The spiritually minded person knows where they belong.

If you go back to chapter 3, verse 7, paul says but what things were gained to me, those things I have counted as lost for Christ.

And some of the things that Paul counted as lost were good things, especially for a first century Jewish man Circumcised the eighth day, verse five, the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews.

Concerning the law.

Man, I was a Pharisee.

Concerning zeal, I went out and I persecuted the church to no end.

Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, I was blameless, but it was the pursuit of even these good things that Paul says that's worthless.

I'm going to count that as loss and gladly Paul was willing to give all of that up for Christ.

That's the thing with stuff, isn't it?

With this high touted reputation, with all the toys, all the things, whatever it is, we don't like the thought of giving that up.

But the biggest problem with possessions and holding so tightly onto those things, the biggest problem is that in time, they have the ability to possess you.

What were some of the things we talked about?

A Hebrew of Hebrews concerning the law, as a Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church.

Concerning the righteousness of the law, I'm blameless, but all these things that were gained to me I have counted as loss.

Instead, he pursued the things that Christ had already secured for him.

What does it say in verse 12?

Not that I have already attained or have apprehended or perfected, but I press on that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has also laid hold for me.

Paul was not willing to allow present or past accomplishments, even failures, to possess and control him.

That's why we read brethren I do not count myself as apprehended, but one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to the things which are ahead, I press towards the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Instead of chasing the things of this material world, paul was chasing and longing for eternal things.

Why?

Because he says for our citizenship is in heaven, says for our citizenship is in heaven, my future is in heaven, my future is not in stuff.

We eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body so that it may be conformed into his glorious body, according to the working by which he is even able to subdue all things to himself.

If you want to hold on to a possession, then hold on to the eternal possession that you receive the moment you ask Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of your life.

That's the only thing truly worth holding on to.

How different would it be I don't know what time it is how different would it be if we held as tightly to jesus as we try to hold on to stuff I'm reminded of home alone.

I live in movies, but you remember when kevin tells the story about the rollerblades.

He got rollerblades for Christmas and or his birthday, something I don't know, and he was so excited about it, but he didn't want to mess them up and so he kept them in a box in his closet.

Finally, one day, after an extended period of time, he said you know what?

I'm going to get those rollerblades out.

And what did he find out?

He had outgrown them.

They were too small.

We hold so tightly on the things.

We don't want it to get messed up.

But as we hold tightly to these things, what do we inevitably end up doing?

Loosening our grip on our relationship with Christ.

And then the last one I'll give it to you is secure mind.

This is the worry part.

A contributor says worry is actually wrong thinking and wrong feeling about circumstances, people and possessions.

Okay, that's all well and good, sounded good, I even sounded kind of smart.

But how can I conquer worry.

How can I have victory over worry?

Philippians, chapter 4, verse 9, or verse 4,.

Philippians 4:9

Excuse me, rejoice in the Lord always.

Again, I say rejoice.

Let your gentleness be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

The key to the secure mind is the peace of Almighty God.

Paul tells us that the peace of God will guard you Philippians 4, 7.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all, all understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Christ.

Then he says the peace of God will guide you.

These things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

This is the same thing he's saying that he wrote in the letter to the Corinthian church, in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11.

1 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

He says imitate me as I imitate Christ.

He's not saying I'm so much better than you, but if you're struggling, just like I'm struggling, let's put it all on Jesus, and as I'm doing that and you're doing that, we're going to get there.

So if you want kind of an ABC outline for attaining the secure mind, let me give you this the peace of God will come to you when you practice right praying.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind through Christ.

The peace of God, next, will come to you when you practice right thinking.

What does Paul say?

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, then meditate on those things and the peace of God will come to you when you practice right living the things that you've learned and received and heard and saw in me.

Do these things, and the peace of God will be with you.

Well, how do I maintain and increase this attitude?

How can I have this type of whole mind?

This is extremely simplistic.

Ask God.

God give me a single mind, god give me a submissive mind, god give me a spiritual mind and God give me a secure mind.

What does James tell us in James 4, verse 7?

James 4:7

You have not, because you ask not.

Have you gone to God and say, god, I don't like people very much, so can you give me a mind and a heart that's going to love people as I should?

God, I worry all the time.

God, I don't want to do that.

God, I want to secure mine.

Like we struggle with these things and I'm preaching to the choir here we struggle with these things and they consume us and they're debilitating, but we don't ask God to help with it.

Why, why?

When you find yourself losing your joy, then stop and ask, man, do I have somewhat of a double mind here?

Have I been consumed with pride?

Am I focused on acquiring things?

Am I allowing worry to wreck me?

If yes, is the answer to any of those questions, then just confess that sin to God and ask God to restore your mind as it should be.

Ask God to give you the mind that he desires for you to have, because circumstances, people, stuff and worry.

They can only have as much power and victory in our lives as we allow it.

Let me leave you with two final passages and we'll quit.

2 Corinthians, 10, verses 3 and 5.

2 Corinthians 10:3

For though, we walk in the flesh.

We do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God, for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Bring every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ, and then we know Hebrews, chapter 12.

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us, let us lay aside every worry, let us lay aside every anxious thought, let us lay aside every people problem and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Looking unto Jesus, not people, not stuff, not worry, not any of that.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and he sat down at the right hand of God, the Father.

Why did Jesus sit down?

Because the work was finished.

When our mind is right, when we give God control of our mind, when we give God control of our heart, we can't help but not return to the joy which seems to so easily have escaped us.

So, church Christian, I'm begging you, if you find yourself in a joyless season.

Okay, come and ask God to give it back to you.

But maybe you're here this morning and you don't truly have joy because you don't have Jesus.

Man, tim, why is everything in my life?

This is no good.

I'm not happy here.

I'm not happy here, I'm not da-da-da-da-da, whatever.

Do you know, jesus?

I don't mean that arrogantly, but do you?

Because if you don't, then you're never going to have joy, you're never going to experience joy.

So if you're here this morning and you've never come to a point where you realize that the sin in your life is separating you from a holy God, then I pray you come this morning, you confess that and you ask Jesus Christ.

Jesus who was born to a virgin, who lived a perfect, sinless life, who laid that perfect, sinless life down on the cross, who shed his blood that we sang about so victoriously this morning, shed his blood, died on the cross.

Who shed his blood that we sang about so victoriously this morning, shed his blood, died on the cross, was buried in a tomb and three days later rose again, so that you and I can have eternal rest, eternal joy, eternal being with Almighty God.

If you've never done that, come this morning.

I beg you, give your life to Jesus.

Father, we love you and God.

I thank you for this morning, I thank you for this time.

I thank you for that.

We can just have joy that you are the true joy giver.

You are the provider of joy, and that joy only comes through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Just because grandma had a personal relationship with Jesus and she had that joy doesn't mean it's going to translate down to us.

Father, I pray for Christians in this room who maybe they've just kind of lost it a little bit and want to get back on track and find that joy again.

I pray they come, I pray they confess and I pray they give themselves back.

Father, for the one who may be in this room who doesn't know Jesus, god, I beg them through the power of the Holy Spirit that they will answer that call and they will come and be saved.

Father, we love you, we praise you.

We ask all these things in the name of Jesus, amen.

Would you stand?