Collierville First Baptist Church

00;00;00;00 - 00;00;38;10
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Good morning. I'm so glad that you've come to church today. We're in a series experiencing the gifts of Christmas. In the first sermon, we talked about the gift of hope. Last week we talked about the gifts of love. Today we're going to unwrap the gift of joy. I read about a small town in China that was ravaged by a group of bandits who came through and utterly destroyed just about everything in the town.

00;00;38;12 - 00;01;09;11
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A believer showed a missionary the ruins of his house. Everything had burned. He carried the missionary to where his Bible was in. His Bible was charred and burned. He showed the missionary where his Chinese song hymnal was and charred and burned. But as you begin to go through the rubble, he pulled out one sheet of paper that had not been burned to a crisp.

00;01;09;13 - 00;01;50;27
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He handed it to the missionary, and it was a song in his hymnal, and it was joy to the world that that missionary observed what happened that night when the town's Christians got together to worship the Lord. And he recorded these words about that worship service. He said, a note of joy pervaded that service. Despite the destruction, those who had lost nearly everything were speaking of the home that Jesus has prepared for them in heaven.

00;01;50;29 - 00;02;20;22
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Yes, the missionary chimed in. There is joy to the world, but only because the Lord is come. How do we wrap our minds around that kind of joy? A man lost everything he had, and yet he's filled with joy. He goes and he worships the Lord. And he looks forward to the home that God has prepared for him in heaven.

00;02;20;25 - 00;03;01;11
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Where does that kind of joy come from? How can we have it in the 21st century? It's interesting the words joy, joyful and joyous occurs in the Bible almost 250 times. The word, the verb rejoice occurs about 200 times. So, contrary to public opinion, I want you to know that God is not a cosmic killjoy. He himself experiences joy and is the source of true joy.

00;03;01;11 - 00;03;28;00
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In Isaiah chapter 65, verses 17 to 19, the prophet writes these words, the words of God, for behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind, but be glad and rejoice forever in what I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for gladness.

00;03;28;03 - 00;04;14;12
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Listen. Verse 19. These are the words of God. God says, I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people, and there will no longer be heard in her. The voice of weeping and the sound of crying. The Bible says that God Himself rejoices and experiences the emotion of joy. We're reminded that in Luke 15, when Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, the thing that that really sticks out in that chapter is that the joy of the Lord over those who repent of their sin.

00;04;14;15 - 00;04;44;07
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Now, you might be wondering, pastor, what does all this have to do with Christmas? Well, when the Son of God was incarnated 2000 years ago, the joy of the Lord was manifested in the most powerful way to a group of shepherds who were rejected by the religious establishment and ridiculed by the people of Israel as a whole. I want you to hear the Word of God.

00;04;44;10 - 00;05;15;25
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Luke chapter two, verses 8 to 14. In the same region, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock. By night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. And they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid.

00;05;15;27 - 00;05;38;29
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It seemed like every time an angel appeared in the Christmas story, the first words out of the angels mouth was, do not be afraid. And if I'm a shepherd there that night, I'm saying, that's easy for you to say, Mr. Angel. Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy. The. The Greek word here for great is mega.

00;05;39;00 - 00;06;11;05
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Mega joy, which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly they appeared with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.

00;06;11;08 - 00;06;53;21
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Now our culture today is very good at selling the idea of self-induced happiness. Unfortunately, many people, using a fishing analogy, many people have taken the bait. They swallowed it and they have a hook in their jaw and they are constantly chasing the elusive one day, one day. When I get married, I'll be happy. One day when I'm healed of this illness, I'll be happy.

00;06;53;24 - 00;07;23;23
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One day when I score my dream job, I'll be happy. One day when I kick this addiction, I'll be happy. One day when my spouse changes, I'll be happy. No, that's not for Darlene. Now I want you to know that. One day when I find the right church, I'll be happy. One day when I get out of school, I'll be happy.

00;07;23;26 - 00;08;14;26
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One day when I get over this divorce, I'll be happy. One day when I'm financially secure, I'll be happy. One of the most popular songs in this season of the year is a secular song, and it's one of the lines goes like this. It's the most wonderful time of the year. And that's true in some regards. Unfortunately, the proverbial Grinch injects loneliness, anxiety, hurt feelings, depression and discouragement into the Christmas celebrations of many families since happiness depends on creating the right circumstances and being found in those circumstances.

00;08;14;28 - 00;08;50;02
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People who experience these kind of things that the Grinch brings into their lives are gripped with a lack of satisfaction and fulfillment. Joy, on the other hand, is the fruit of a right relationship with God. It is an inward attitude, totally independent of circumstances. Here's the truth I want you to embrace as we seek to experience the gifts of Christmas this year.

00;08;50;04 - 00;09;21;28
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Are you ready? Remember this. You. Regardless of where you are, regardless of your circumstances, you can have the joy of the Lord. It's for you. You say, pastor, you don't know what I'm going through. It's hard to be full of joy when. When I'm experiencing what I'm experiencing and you have bought in to the idea that the world is peddling, and that is that your happiness depends upon your circumstances.

00;09;22;00 - 00;09;48;14
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I tell you, friend, you can have the joy the Lord and the joy of the Lord has nothing to do with your circumstances. Now, this morning, as we drill down into this truth, I want you to say three things. Number one, I want you to see the reality of joy, true lasting joy will never be found in Christmas parties.

00;09;48;16 - 00;10;21;21
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I know that shocks you, but true, lasting joy will never be found in Christmas parties or Christmas meals or our Christmas celebrations, or even Christmas presents. You're not going to find lasting joy in that kind of stuff from beginning to end. The Bible Saint says a joy that is derived from the Lord himself, not from our circumstances. In John 1511.

00;10;21;21 - 00;10;43;00
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It's interesting if you study the Gospel of John, which we've gone through verse by verse. If you've studied the Gospel of John, you'll notice that when Jesus got to the point where he was within hours of going to the cross of Calvary, he gathered his disciples together in the upper room, and it began to pour into them. And you know what he talked a lot about?

00;10;43;01 - 00;11;18;05
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He talked a lot about joy. Joy. In John 1511, he said to these men who had staked their lives on following Christ, he said to them, these things I've spoken to you, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. In Galatians chapter five, verse 22 and 23, Paul wrote this. But the fruit of the spirit, the Holy Spirit, is love.

00;11;18;07 - 00;11;54;02
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Get this joy. Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these things there is no law. So the angel delivered a message to the shepherds that night. It was a message of great joy. You see, Jesus wants to put his joy inside you. That's what he wants to do today. You say, well, pastor, I'm not sure I'm buying that.

00;11;54;04 - 00;12;20;18
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Well, are you going to buy what the world's peddling, or are you going to buy what the Word of God says? I would encourage, as you listen to the Word of God, receive what God has for you. I'm telling you, he wants to put his joy inside you and allow his joy to determine how you live your life and the priorities that you embrace.

00;12;20;20 - 00;12;54;23
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You can have it all year long, by the way, not just during the Christmas season. Now listen to this very carefully. Joy is spiritual, not seasonal. You hear me? It's for 365 and the fourth days out of every year. Joy is spiritual, not seasonal. Now, your ability to tap into the joy of the Lord is is based upon your relationship with the Son of God.

00;12;54;25 - 00;13;22;11
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If you really want the joy of the Lord inside you, then you have to believe in Jesus. Have you believed in Jesus? Have you put your faith and your trust in Christ alone? You say he's the source of this joy. Are you prioritizing your relationship with him? Is your relationship with Jesus more important than anything else in your life?

00;13;22;14 - 00;13;44;17
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And are you seeking his will? I promise you this. If you decide that you're going to live the way you want to live, and you're going to do the things you want to do, then I promise you, you will never experience the joy of the Lord. So you can have constant access to the joy of the Lord based upon your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

00;13;44;18 - 00;14;16;11
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You can have the joy of Jesus, or we've examined the reality of that joy. Now, I want you to see the vitality of joy. How many of you guzzle down an energy drink mid-morning or mid-afternoon? Raise your hand. It's okay. You're not in trouble if you do. It's not sinful. Nobody drinks an energy drink in this room. You know what I drink?

00;14;16;13 - 00;14;41;25
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I drink a cup of coffee in the morning and one in the afternoon. That's how I get my energy. That's how I get my mind. Go to, pick me up. So how many of you take vitamins on a regular basis? Raise your hand. Wow. A lot more people take vitamins and guzzle energy drinks. Hey, I take vitamins, I take juice, plus every morning.

00;14;42;02 - 00;15;00;29
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Every morning. Now, why do we do that? Obviously, we do that because we need some vim and vigor in our lives. A pick me up that adds some pep to your step is a welcome addition to any day.

00;15;01;01 - 00;15;33;22
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That's what the joy the Lord can add to your life every single day. In Nehemiah chapter eight, verse ten, the children of Israel had gone back and they were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. And it was tough. It was hard. I mean, you had to really look to find something positive going on. But Nehemiah said to them, go eat the fat drink of those of the sweet and and sing portions to him who has nothing prepared for this day is holy to the Lord.

00;15;33;25 - 00;16;04;04
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And this is what he said do not be angry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your strength. Nehemiah said that your vitality, venture them and vigor. That is the thing that will really put a, a pep in your step. So let's go back to that first Christmas, the incarnation of God's son into the human race.

00;16;04;07 - 00;16;43;18
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In Luke chapter two, verses 15 to 20, we we read what happened with the shepherds after the angel appeared to them, and the angelic host filled the heavens and declared the glory of God and the joy, the joy that had come to the human race. What did they do? Well, in Luke 215 to 20, the Bible says, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.

00;16;43;21 - 00;17;11;00
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So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as he lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this child. So they told Mary and Joseph what the angelic host had said to them, and all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

00;17;11;03 - 00;17;40;11
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Have you ever wondered, why didn't those angels and that particular angel, maybe Gabriel? Why didn't he appear to the high priest? Well, why didn't he appeared to the the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes? The high muckety muck of Jerusalem's religion. Why? Why did he appear to these God forsaken shepherds that everybody rejected and looked down upon?

00;17;40;13 - 00;18;17;09
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I think that God knew these guys would appreciate what the angel, the message the angel would bring to them, and all who wondered it, all who heard of it, wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherd. Notice verse 19, But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as he had told them.

00;18;17;12 - 00;18;48;13
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See, the joy of the Lord added some them and vigor to these day these, shepherds. Otherwise they had live dull and monotonous lives. But now they had an eternal spring in their step, and they immediately went to see the Messiah. They worship the Lord, and they shared the good news with everyone they met. The joy of the Lord transformed their transformed their lives.

00;18;48;16 - 00;19;19;12
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Can I tell you this? Jesus wants to put his joy in your heart. And I promise you that when he does it, it will transform and change your life forever. You can have the joy of Jesus. All right. We've seen the reality of joy, the vitality of joy. But don't check out yet. Don't don't start getting your Bible and everything together and making plans for the restaurant you're going to eat at.

00;19;19;15 - 00;20;01;09
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There's more to come. I want you to see number three, the tenacity of joy. We've seen the vitality, the joy, the reality of joy. Now the tenacity of joy. I looked up that word. Tenacity. It refers to determination and persistence needed to overcome obstacles in one's life. Obstacles like a dreadful diagnosis. I'm aware of some folks who have been diagnosed with cancer.

00;20;01;11 - 00;20;34;13
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I'm aware of the slow demise of parents who are battling dementia, and the heartbreak of sons and daughters who have walked away from the Lord. Those are hard times. It's difficult for us to drum up joy in and of ourselves in those moments. Now we need a joy that comes from outside ourselves. We need a joy that is not content, contingent upon circumstances.

00;20;34;14 - 00;21;03;24
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We need the joy of the Lord, and we need the joy of the Lord to be our strength. Now look at John chapter 16, verses 20 to 22. Again, Jesus, in just hours before going to the cross. And here's what he says to his disciples, truly, truly, I say to you that you will weep and lament. You say, here's what I want you to understand.

00;21;03;27 - 00;21;21;26
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As long as we live in this world, we're going to have to deal with hard things. He says to these disciples, man who would turn the world upside down? He said, you will weep and lament.

00;21;21;29 - 00;21;52;18
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But the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will be turned into what church joy. Whenever a woman is in labor, Jesus said to them, she has pain because her hour has come. But when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.

00;21;52;20 - 00;22;23;05
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I remember when, Darlene was about to give birth to Heather. She drove me to these classes, and they. They taught me what I was supposed to do in the delivery room. I remember that. And so, sure enough, when we're in the delivery room and Darlene's in great pain, I start coaching her. What can I tell you? She was not interested in my coaching at all.

00;22;23;08 - 00;22;26;05
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Not at all.

00;22;26;08 - 00;22;38;15
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So I closed my mouth and I said, have at it, sister. And Heather came into the world.

00;22;38;17 - 00;23;20;21
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So Jesus uses this illustration. Here's a woman who has pain. Birth pangs are tough. Or they were for Darlene. And, but when the baby is born and that baby is laid on the chest of the mother, the pain is forgotten. And now there is joy unspeakable and full of glory. Amen. Verse 22, Jesus said to those disciples, therefore you too have grief now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

00;23;20;23 - 00;23;53;29
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Wow. Now Jesus was going to the cross. And he says, look, I'll see you again. What was he speaking of? He's speaking of the resurrection. Did he see his disciples again? Absolutely. And their hearts were overcome with joy. In James chapter one, verse two, the Bible says, consider it all joy. My brethren, when you encounter various trials, I'm telling you, you may be a born again believer.

00;23;53;29 - 00;24;12;07
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You may be a born again believer for the last 50 years of your life. And you wonder, am I ever going to get to the point where I won't have to encounter trials in this life? No. As long as you're living in this world, we're going to have to deal with nasty stuff. But I'm telling you on the authority of God's Word.

00;24;12;10 - 00;24;48;20
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With the tenacity that comes with joy, you can overcome those obstacles, and you can have joy in the most difficult of circumstances. As long as we live in this world. That's what we've got to face. We got to understand that joy must be cultivated. It's got to be cultivated. Milton in Paradise Lost wrote this. He said the mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.

00;24;48;22 - 00;25;34;18
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That's what we can do with our minds. We must grasp the truth. Joy is an act of defiance. You hear me? Joy is an act of defiance. In the midst of some of the most difficult circumstances you'll ever had to face. Jesus himself is our greatest example. In Hebrews chapter 12, verses one and two, the Bible says, therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

00;25;34;20 - 00;26;06;07
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Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Now listen this who for the joy set before him endured the cross. Wow! How did Jesus manage to get through those horrible moments of torment, spiritual and physical torment, when he's hanging on the cross and the wrath of God is bearing down upon him as he pays for our sins on the cross.

00;26;06;10 - 00;26;39;17
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How did he do it? It was the joy set before him that allowed him to endure the cross. Who, for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus experienced joy on the cross. Can you believe it? Joy. Where his circumstances. Great. No, they were horrible.

00;26;39;19 - 00;27;12;06
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But he experienced joy because he was anticipating that glorious moment when the atonement for the sins of the human race would be finally completed and he could cry out, it is finished! I'll tell you, he. He anticipated going back to heaven and occupying the throne, his throne in heaven, and he anticipated the joy of the experiencing fellowship with people like you and me, who place our faith and trust in him.

00;27;12;09 - 00;27;52;28
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No wonder Paul challenged the Philippian believers with these words. Philippians four four rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. You see, joy, remember, is an act of defiance. It's when you choose not to allow your circumstances to overwhelm you, but you focus your mind and your heart on Jesus and the Word of God. So how do we cultivate this joy in our lives?

00;27;52;29 - 00;28;23;27
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C.S. Lewis used this analogy. He said good things as well as bad, you know, are caught by a kind of infection. If you want to get warm, you must stand near the fire. If you want to get wet, you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to or even into the thing that has them.

00;28;24;00 - 00;28;50;14
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They are not a sort of prize which God could, if he chose, just hand out to anyone. They are a great fountain of energy and beauty, spurting up at the very center of reality. If you're close to it, if you're close to it, you will feel the spray. You will get wet from the spray. But if you're not close to it.

00;28;50;16 - 00;29;30;17
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You'll remain dry. Here's the thing you got to understand. Jesus is the source of this radical joy, a joy that the world cannot provide. We've got to get close to Jesus, and we've got to stay close to Jesus. If we want to experience this joy on an ongoing basis. Okay, we've examined the reality of joy, the vitality of joy and the tenacity of joy.

00;29;30;19 - 00;30;02;05
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Here's the truth. We're driving home this morning. You can have the joy of Jesus. You can have it. You can have the joy of the Lord. In Luke chapter ten, verse 20. Jesus told his disciples, I mean, they were they were. They came back from a mission, and they were absolutely thrilled that they could cast out demons and demons were were subservient to what they commanded them.

00;30;02;07 - 00;30;33;09
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And Jesus said to those men, nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven. Do you know that your name is recorded in heaven? Have you repented of your sin and place your faith in Jesus as your Savior and your Lord?

00;30;33;11 - 00;31;03;00
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He is the only source of this amazing joy that we're talking about today. And you can receive that joy by believing in Jesus this morning. And I want to invite you to do that this morning. I'm going to ask our staff, our worship team, to come. I want to give you an opportunity today. Sam talked earlier about invitations.

00;31;03;02 - 00;31;25;25
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This is what this is. This is an invitation. It's an invitation for you to respond to the word of God, to the gospel. You see, Jesus loved you enough to go to the cross and die for your sins. And he was raised from the dead. So you can be justified by the father. And I want to encourage you today.

00;31;25;26 - 00;32;04;27
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Come to Jesus. You say, pastor, I think I'll just try to carve out my own happiness. Well, good luck with that. Good luck. Because I promise you, you may have some happiness briefly, but that happiness that you create yourself will crash and burn, and it'll leave you frustrated and empty and unfulfilled. But I'll tell you, if you will receive Jesus as your Savior, your Lord, he'll forgive your sins.

00;32;04;29 - 00;32;32;11
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He will give you a new heart, a new way to live, and he will make available to you this amazing joy that you can access day in and day out. Come to Christ this morning. But maybe you're here today. You say, pastor, I don't need to receive joy because I've already received Jesus. But maybe you're here today and you need to regain the joy you once had.

00;32;32;14 - 00;33;03;18
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So y'all don't tell you when you believe in Jesus, when you put your faith and trust in Jesus, he saves you forever. According to Hebrews chapter seven, verse 25, he saved forever. But I tell you, there's a very real possibility that we can lose the joy of our salvation. Let me ask you who or what has robbed you of the joy of your salvation?

00;33;03;21 - 00;33;31;27
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David experienced that in in Psalm chapter 51, verse 12, which David wrote, he's crying out to God because of sin in his life. And he says, restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. Maybe some sin in your life had robbed you of the joy the Lord. Or maybe you've been wounded by somebody and and you have.

00;33;32;01 - 00;34;02;08
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You've not been reading your Bible and praying and drawing near to the Lord on a continual basis, and you've lost your joy. I got good news for you today. If you're a born again believer, you can regain your joy today, just like David did. But you got to be willing to pray like David prayed. Let me ask you, are you willing to come to this altar today and just pray the same exact prayer that David prayed?

00;34;02;10 - 00;34;28;04
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Just do it in his word. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. I promise you, if you confess your sin and you pray that prayer, the Lord, the Lord will give you that vim and vigor that you once had. He'll put a pep in your step spiritual, and you'll walk out of here with a spring in your step.

00;34;28;05 - 00;35;00;05
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I encourage you. Come to this altar. Ask the Lord to give you back your joy. Let me pray. Father, in the name of Jesus. I am so thankful for the men and women in this room. The boys and girls, and I pray for those who need to experience joy for the first time in their lives. And I pray today they would receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

00;35;00;08 - 00;35;23;06
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I pray for believers who, because of someone or something in their lives, they've lost the joy of their salvation. And I pray today, Lord, that you would help them to regain the sound, the joy of salvation that you want them to have in the first place. Oh God in heaven. Work powerfully in our hearts. Watch over your word.

00;35;23;06 - 00;35;40;18
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Perform it in our hearts. Have your way, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen. Let's stand worship and you come as God leads you.