DEVOTIONS AND SERMONS

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Joyful Always
 

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
- Rejoice in the Lord always
- Being a disciple is a fun-life – happy life

1. Joy is a promise from God

Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

- Joy of the Lord is our strength
- Enjoy – food/drink
- Have a party- happy to be with disciple

Luke 10:21
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

- Jesus full of joy because of us becoming disciples

Psalms 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

- God’s discipline and anger for a short time only
- But favor and joy for a lifetime

Psalms 126:5
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

- Sow in tears
- Reap with songs of joy
- Our hand work will only produce unlimited joy

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

- With joy - drawing water of salvation

Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

- KOG is not just eating/drinking

2. Joy in spirituality

Jeremiah 15:16
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.

- God’s words were joy to my heart
- a. In God’s word
- b. Saving souls
- c. Reputing

Joy in saving souls

Luke 15:5
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders

- Finding the lost sheep
- Meeting and encouraging weak disciples

Worldly Joy

Job 20:5
that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

- Joy of godless only a moment
- Worldly friends/smoking/drinking/course joking/dirty jokes
- /teasing girls/movie jokes/jokes about disciples/disciples-Boss

Proverbs 14:13
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.

- Laughter may bring heartache
- And joy may even bring grief

Ecclesiastes 2:10
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

- Denied no pleasure- enjoyed everything
- Joy in all hardwork
- Later someone takes it away

Ecclesiastes 7:6
Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.

- Like thorn under a pot
- Laughter of fools

James 4:9
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

- Grieve, mouth, cry
- Get broken – time to change
- Laughter to seriousness

3. Joy in Heaven

Luke 2:13-14
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."


- When Jesus was born

Luke 15:7
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

- Joy when a sinner repents
- More rejoicing in heaven

Revelation 14:2-3
2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.


- When we get to heaven
- Sing together

Revelation 19:6
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

- Fired up in heaven
- “God almighty reigns”