Podcasts about rejoicing

Since we are His children, God calls us to do all things without grumbling or disputing - Grumbling sabotages the work of the gospel in our life - Rejoicing reveals the work of the gospel in our life

Hope is an amazing quality. In a moment I can go from being tired, discouraged, aimless and withdrawn to being energized, focused, grateful to be alive and engaged with others. It all depends on whether or not I have hope. And unfortunately hope is not constantly present in me at the same level. It waxes and wanes. Sometimes I have a lot and other times little or none. And it's not hard to tell which condition I'm in. It only takes a glance or a few minutes of conversation before its presence or absence shows through. There's a sparkle or dullness in the eyes. There's confidence or dread in the way I talk about matters. Either I expect defeat, or I expect victory. I expect weakness, or I expect strength. I expect loneliness, or I expect love. I expect failure, or I expect success. My attitude reflects my assessment of what's possible. It's the way I see the situation. It's what looks real to me at the moment. Either I believe something good is going to happen, or I do not. To a group of people facing hostility, poverty and abandonment Paul said, "In hope, rejoice!" He was reminding them that hope, and the joy it produces, is absolutely vital to persevering through hard times. Without hope they would soon run out of energy to keep going. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's book Understanding Romans, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge. The book has all the notes from each sermon in this series. Also check out our website for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. And if you would like to receive a copy of Pastor Steve's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Genesis at no charge, we are giving out this book as well!    

Steve DeWitt Love for the Unseen Christ - Part B Study Guide for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:6-8 Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 1:8-9 Visit the series page: Exiles: A study in 1 Peter Donate to Support The Journey Sermon Transcript for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:8-9 Sermon Series: Spiritual ExilesMessage: Love for the Unseen ChristAirdate: 9/14-9/15/25Programs: 2356 & 2357It's great to see and an encouragement to us. We come now to God's word, and we are back in our series in First Peter today. You know, Peter wrote to exiles in Asia Minor this letter we call First Peter, but he really might as well have written it to us. It'd be easy to read this letter and to just change the personal pronouns, change the names, and insert our own names and our own church family because what he's talking about here is totally appropriate to us as well. He writes to Christians who are experiencing trials.They're experiencing loneliness. They are ostracized in their society. They are struggling to do, you know, Christian lifestyle in a very pagan environment, which, of course, is what we're doing as well. Here today, no doubt, we have people who are dealing with crushing trials, things that even as I say the word trial, boom, it comes to your mind, and you you're thinking about that, and you you brought that discouragement into this service with you, and you're hoping for a word from God to help you. And we live in this world that is increasingly difficult, I think, to live Christianly, especially in America as it continues to slide more secular.It makes you wonder what are the days ahead gonna be like? What's coming around the bend? What are our children, Lord willing, if they embrace the Christian faith, what are they gonna experience in living the Christian life in a, America that's going the direction that it is? I doubt it's gonna be easier for them than it is for us. So how do we prepare ourselves for the trials that lie ahead?And what Peter is going to talk about here, I believe to be the high point of his letter and really is one of the most wonderful passages in all of the New Testament. The word that comes to my mind with this verse is it's magisterial. I mean, it is just, it's a it's a wonderful, wonderful word that God has for us. And for me, it is a privilege to exposit it and to teach it today, and I hope the Lord blesses it truly. So let me read First Peter one verses eight and nine, our text today.“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Now I know it's been a couple weeks. We had snowmageddon in the in between here, but I hope you haven't forgotten what Peter has been already saying to us and teaching us, especially in, the preceding verses where he talks about trials. And he compares trials to, the fiery furnace that gold would go to.So the analogy is our faith is like gold, and our trials are like fiery furnace. And he draws the analogy, and he says, you know, when they would purify gold, they heat up gold in a furnace. And when it it's heated, the impurities rise to the surface, and they're able to skim off those impurities. And the net effect is that the gold is unveiled in a more valuable way, a more wonderful way. Its genuineness is revealed, but it is also purified by the heat of the trial.And this is intended, I think, to get us ready for what is to come. In fact, he says that. He says at the end of verse seven, that “our faith may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Now that revelation for us personally will either happen when Jesus returns and there is the revelation of Jesus in this world, or personally, it's going to happen when we die. Because when we die, something becomes true in our faith that has never been true before.What is it? All of a sudden in that moment, I will see him. Right? I am going to see the Lord. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”And that moment of death for us will be when our faith becomes sight, as the as the hymn writer writes. So this moment will be a wonderful, wonderful moment. But for now, it highlights the fact that we are believing in somebody, trusting in somebody, talking about somebody, singing songs to somebody, gathering in the name of somebody that none of us have ever seen. Is that weird? I mean, if if just your average person was to they didn't know anything and they walked in here and they were like, hey.What are you guys doing here? You're like, oh, this is a church that we're all about Jesus here. Really? You're all about Jesus? Yeah.We worship him. We sing to him. We try to live our lives to his glory. Really? Really?What's he what's he what's he like? What's he look like? I don't know. Never met him. The guy would probably be like, these people are strange.Right? I mean, what is going on here in living the Christian faith following the ascension of Jesus when Jesus went to heaven? Other than the Apostle Paul in Scripture, we don't know of anybody who's actually seen Jesus. Right? We are all living a kind of faith and a belief in somebody that we have never met, which on the surface looks strange and weird, like we're all nut jobs somehow.Is this kinda like a religious version of marrying a woman you've never met? Is it eHarmony for eternity? Or is there something else going on, something more wonderful that is going on here? And, of course, Peter writes this letter. And Peter, of all people, is himself an eyewitness.Right? I mean, other than Jesus' family, Peter probably had more eye time with Jesus than anybody else. He was part of Jesus' disciples. He lived with him for three years. They ate.They talked. They they, ministered together. He went to the top of the Mount of Transfiguration. He was there in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was part of the inner three.Jesus appeared to Peter after the resurrection more than anybody else. So you could say that Peter, of all people, had eye time with Jesus, and now here he is writing about people who have no eye time with Jesus. You might think that Peter be like, oh, you age of minor people. I've seen him. I know.You have no idea what you're missing. And we, of course, are in the same situation here today, singing “Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.” “Your great name.” These songs, very Christ centered, uplifting songs to somebody we've never seen with our eyes. And Peter writes here so wonderfully about the Christian experience post ascension.And he says here, you have never seen Christ, yet three things are true. We love him, we believe in him, and we rejoice in him. And let's just walk through the text here now, those three things. First of all, unseen, yet we love him. “Though you have not seen him, you love him.”Now for us, love and sight naturally go together. You sometimes hear couples, they'll say, oh, it was love at first sight. Well, now on my side of the marital covenant, I will say to you that only a very superficial understanding of love would make that kind of statement true. What kind of love or is is Peter talking about? That kind of love?Is it a is it a is it a marital love? Is it I mean, it it's not. It's not an erotic love. It's not even a friendship love that is used here. In fact, the Greek word in this text is that Greek word that the New Testament writers pulled and infused with all kinds of redemptive truth and meaning.Agape love. Agape is the is the word there. We've talked about this at length here at Bethel. We've defined it as self giving for the good and joy of another. It is a kind of love, the kind of love that God has.It is a it is a love of a different kind, a love of a deeper quality. It was this love, this agape love that God expressed to us when he sent his Son Jesus into this world. “For God so loved, agape the world, that he gave his only Son,” John three sixteen. It is this agape love that Jesus expressed to us as he hung on the cross. “Greater love is no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friend.”“But God demonstrated his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This giving of myself, geez God expresses it to us through Jesus. Jesus expresses it to us through his cross and his death in our place. So what is our response then as as believers? First John four nineteen.“We love him because he first loved us.” Amen. Right? And so our love for for God is not self generated. It doesn't it doesn't come from us.We would naturally not love God Jesus this way. But it is an act of God's sovereign grace whereby through the gospel, we come to hear and to understand what Jesus has done for us. And that work of God by his spirit, this new birth, this regeneration explodes in our heart. We believe in Jesus, and the response to the love of God to us is that we love him. K?We don't take credit for that love. We would never come up with that love on our own. This is a part of God's good work in us. It is producing agape for God, agape for Jesus. But our agape of Jesus is different because we've never seen him.It is an unseen love or it's an unseen Christ that we are loving. I tried to think of some analogy of of this. And for obvious reasons in my life right now, I think about a parent's love for a child in the womb. Never seen that child yet. Love him or her already.Unseen child, love for the unseen child, love for the unseen Christ. The love that saving faith creates in us is a genuine love, but it is an agape kind of love even though we've never laid eyes on him. Unseen, yet we love him. Secondly, unseen, yet we believe in him. “Though you do not see him now, you believe in him.”Notice the tense change. The first clause was you did not see him, yet you love him, present tense. Here, you do not see him now, presently, yet you presently believe in him. Now I wonder, does this remind you of anybody? Somebody in the story in the gospels who, refused to believe something that he couldn't see.Now maybe this is coming to your mind already if you're with me. I think about the disciple Thomas. Do you know the story? I trust that you do. The story is that Jesus is resurrected from the dead.He makes his first appearance to the disciples in the upper room. Everybody's there except Thomas. And Jesus is there. He says, here I am. Give me food to eat.Believe. I'm alive. And the disciples, of course, are in awe at this, and they just are marvel at Jesus leaves. Well, Thomas comes in, and they're like, he's alive. And Thomas famously says this.“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Thomas is like the patron saint of the cynic or the skeptic. The kind of person who says, unless I have empirical evidence with my eyes, unless I can put this in a in a test tube and and sort of prove it, I will not believe until the empirical evidence that my own eyes have seen tell me that this is true. These are the people that refuse to believe the testimony of other people regarding Jesus' claims to deity, regarding the miracles that he did in his earthly ministry and his supernatural life, his resurrection, and all the rest. It's not enough for them.They refuse to believe unless they see it with their own eyes. Notice what happens to Thomas. Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas imagine this moment, by the way.The disciples are like, we've seen him. We've seen him. We've seen him. Thomas said, I don't I refuse to believe. Now all of a sudden, Jesus is there.What's the look on Thomas' face? I want a picture of that someday in heaven. Jesus says to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” And Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God.”Notice Thomas doesn't say, okay. Well, let me come over there a second and see if I can put my finger in that hole. And how about if I put my side my fist in the side? He doesn't have to do any of that. He sees Jesus standing before him, and now it is enough, and he says, “My Lord and my God.”Notice the next verse though. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you've seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Who is Jesus talking about in that verse? He's talking about us, isn't he?Has anybody here seen Jesus? I doubt it very much. And yet, there we have Jesus saying, the real blessing is not the person who is in the upper room and actually sees the resurrected Jesus. The real blessing is the person who doesn't see that and yet has put their faith and trust in him. He's talking about us.He's talking about 99.999% of people who have ever believed. He's talking about Old Testament saints. He's talking about Moses. He's talking about Abraham. He's talking about David.These are all people that they they they had revelation a little bit from God in the Old Testament. They believed in the coming Messiah. They believed in the one that God promised who would come. They never saw him, and yet they believed. The Old Testament states he's talking about every Christian after the ascension of Jesus.Here we are, having never seen him, and yet we believe. And here we are now in a central truth about the kind of faith that saves us. Christian faith, saving faith, has a kind of seeing, a kind of perceiving, a kind of discerning that goes beyond the eyes. Faith has its own eyes, if we could say it that way. Faith sees the unseen.The writer of Hebrews gives the classic definition. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.” You know, Christianity, some people wrongly, in my opinion, accuse it of being somehow anti intellectual. It is not anti intellectual. It is a thinking faith.There is enough evidence in the world around us in the testimony of the eyewitnesses, and the story of Scripture that we can think deeply and intellectually about our faith. But here's the thing. There is not enough evidence to simply reason our way to saving faith. There comes a point where I have to see the unseen. I have to believe in something that I can't put in a test tube.I have to trust in the eyewitness account of others who saw these things. And if you're here today and maybe you have not yet believed, I want to encourage you, and my prayer has been before even preaching this message, that God would somehow use it for that person who maybe is high on the kind of the Thomas scale to help you realize that the faith that saves even by the description of Scripture is a kind of seeing that goes beyond the eyes. But it is a kind of seeing all the same. A kind of faith and trusting in the claims of Christianity, in the claims of Jesus being the Son of God, the eyewitness accounts of people who saw him dead and who saw him alive, and the testimony of two thousand years of Christians whose lives have been changed by faith in this Jesus. And maybe God would use this message to draw you into, finally, a faith relationship with Jesus and that you would put your hope and trust in him.That would be a great thing. And join the rest of us who have not seen Christ but who believe in him truly and fully. So unseen, yet we love him. Unseen, yet we believe in him. Thirdly, unseen, yet we rejoice in him.Again, the text. “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, you believe in him. And rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.” And that little phrase right there, in my opinion, is one of the most sublime, one of the most wonderful little clauses in all of Scripture describing the Christian experience.Rejoicing with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. Here, I think Peter is describing the Christian experience at its highest, at its its most joyous expression. Our faith sees through the gospel. Our faith sees the loveliness, the beauty, the desirability of Jesus. And inside, there is a kind of resting, trusting in who he is and the fact that he did indeed die for my sins.And there is then in this resting and this assurance that I have that Jesus indeed is not just the savior but my savior, there flows then within us a love, a gladness, a a joy. I mean, imagine somebody receiving Jesus as savior, knowing now my sins are forgiven. My guilt is not held against me. I have the righteousness of Jesus by justification. I have eternal life.I'm a child of God. Heaven and the new earth is mine forever. And on the other side of that being like, bummer. Can you imagine that? I mean, that would be so inappropriate.Right? How can you not have all of these things now by faith and truly in your heart believe them to be true and there not be joy from it? Are you with me? Indeed, joy inexpressible. The word here for rejoice in the original means this.Here's the lexicon. To experience a state of great joy and gladness, often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movement. Some of you are getting uncomfortable now. To be extremely joyful, to be overjoyed, to rejoice greatly. And the lexicon adds this.I shout because of my joy. K? So glad that I'm just raw. But then Peter adds, this joy is inexpressible. So Peter takes it to another level then and says that it is beyond words or description.Now we've probably seen a child open a present or have some moment of such joy that they're just they they run-in place. Right? And they they go in circles like this. They're just they're just so excited. Right?They can't hardly contain themselves. There's an overflow of joy because of it. Adults, similarly, although somewhat more subdued, typically, we clap, we shout, we dance. There is a kind of joy that goes beyond verbal expression. That is this joy inexpressible.Now it would be easy for me right now to lay a massive guilt trip on the church and to say, alright, you Christian people. This is what it's supposed to look like all the time. And if you're here right now and you if I gave you the chance that you would run-in circles and dance and shout but not be able to say words, if that's not your experience right now, you're a bad Christian. And what's wrong with you people? And there are probably a few good meaning people here that would even amen something like that.It's about time we get more that way around here. But I suspect if I did that, most of us would leave very depressed. And I would as well because my Christian experience would not match up with joy inexpressible every moment of every day. My Christian experience and having been around this church long enough now, the vast majority of us are struggling to be faithful to the Lord in the ups and the downs of life. And there is a lot of times that I don't feel joy, I feel disappointment.And there are times that I don't feel joy, I feel depressed. There are times when the criticism hits home. There are times when the relationship struggles just cause despair. There are times where, like, following Jesus, it's not running in places like literally grabbing this leg and forcing it, you know, to follow the Lord and saying, I will, but inside, it doesn't feel like it. Can you relate to that?Life is painful. In fact, you could in mass Peter, why would you talk about joy inexpressible in the verse following the verses about fiery furnace trials? Like, how do those go fiery furnace trial, joy inexpressible? Like for me, when I'm in a trial, I'm not happy. And when I'm when I'm happy, I'm probably not in a in a trial at that moment.Right? I can have some joy inexpressible when everything is fantastic. I wanna live on that plane. Life isn't that way, though. And I have wrestled with this passage, and I wanna tell you what I think it's saying.At least at this point in my spiritual walk and my spiritual maturity and my understanding of scripture, maybe in ten years, I'll say, I think something different. But as best I can tell, this is what Peter is doing. Peter is describing here in such emotionally rejoicing language, he is describing the Christian faith as it can be, as it should be, and as it will be. As it can be, as it should be, and as it will be. Let's start with the as it will be because I think all of us are on the same page with this one.Who here wouldn't want to experience joy in Jesus like he's describing here? Well, be encouraged. Our entire eternity will be this. Listen, Christian. Our entire eternity is going to be the experience of perpetual and unending joy inexpressible.What am I talking about? I am talking about the day that is coming for us when we are standing in the presence of the Lord, when we are living on that new earth, when we are in our glorified bodies, when we have received all of the redemptive benefits that God has promised to us, when we are not living in this sin sick world anymore, when we are living in the next one, that experience there is going to be so far beyond this one and so far better than this one, I I wonder how we'll look back on these days. Imagine it. Every moment, joy inexpressible. That's our eternity.To think that our brothers and sisters who've died and have already gone there to think about Pete Erhammer and Merle McCleskey, two members of our church that died recently, both faithful, godly men. If we had, like, a little if we could FaceTime them right now and say, hey, Merle and Pete, how's it going up there? What would they say? I think they would say, it is so much better than I ever imagined. And we'd be like, why do you say that?I believe they would say, we have seen him. We've seen him in all of his glory, in all of his beauty, in all of his majesty. We have seen him. He talked to me. He talked to me.He ministered to me. He's seen me. I see him. You're not gonna believe what it's like. It's fantastic.Why? What's so great about there? There, the faith has become sight. And that sight is not Jesus in his more subdued, stealthy, incarnate human body. It is Jesus in all of the splendor that is his as the Son of God at the right hand of God the Father.And that will be for us since he is our savior, Lord, and friend. That will be for us a source of unending, unexhausting joy inexpressible. And our dear brothers and sisters, they're there right now, and they are experiencing that. And our faith, even right now, has capacity for that. And we have moments of that, but not like it is there.Psalm sixteen eleven, “in thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand is pleasures evermore.” And so Peter here is giving us a glimpse of what eternity's joy will be like. It'll be perfect joy. It'll be inexpressible joy, and that day is coming for us. But Peter is also here describing Christian faith as it can be and as it should be.And this is what I think he is getting at in context here in the passage is that heaven's joy is part of the present Christian experience. Only here, we have to fight for it. In this world and in this body, I have to fight for heaven's joy to be a part of my experience here. And the reason that it is a fight is because of indwelling sin. It is a fight because there are all of these joy stealers all the time that are wanting me to put my hope, trust, identity, and belief in them, but they are not Jesus.And they ultimately are disappointing. Trials are this. Trials cloud our thinking so easily. You know, in moments when I have spiritual clarity, and maybe you can relate to this, there are there are moments I could tell you some of the high points of my whole Christian experience where maybe it's on the other side of a trial or maybe it's in a particular worship service or there's something going on in my life. All of a sudden, I have clarity.Like I see things truly biblically. I see my life and I see my forgiveness in Jesus and I I don't know. I just have these sometimes these moments of clarity and I have inside of me, I just feel like a yes. There's a there's a genuine joy that I that I I'll have. And I'll bet, Christian, you've had some high points in your walk as well.Somehow, there's just a refreshment in your perspective, and there comes in your soul a kind of gladness in all that you have in Jesus and all that God has done for you and the love of God and just all the promises and the hopes that comes in him. These are wonderful moments in our life. But then we give into a temptation or some opportunity comes and we think there's greater joy in gossip or in porn than in Jesus and a life lived to his glory. There's more joy in having what my neighbor has or wishing he didn't have it. There's more joy in some other kind of sin or some good thing, but a lesser thing.And what happens in that? Where does the joy go? Boo. Out the window. Right?There it goes. Think of David as an example of this. David, King David, the the sweet singer of Israel, the writer of the Psalms, the man who God himself said was “a man after my own heart,” wrote beautiful language about his relationship to God, to the Lord. He says just says, “I love the Lord.” Right?“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” I mean, he he must have had such joy in his heart as he was writing such beautiful language about what God is like. What happened to David? One day David sinned with Bathsheba.And in Psalm 51, he describes the experience of one year of living without repentance. And he says, “my bones groaned within me.” And he writes in Psalm 51, his desire is this, “restore to me the joy of my salvation.” What did David miss in his time away from God? He missed that sense of gladness in God, that everything was right.I'm living for the glory of God. And maybe you're there right now. You remember good old days spiritually. You remember times of gladness in Jesus, but you've been living for something else. Or you've given into some temptation, and your heart longs for the good old days spiritually, so did David.He wanted that joy back, but it had been stolen from him. What is David writing in Psalm 23 or Psalm 51? It's the same thing that Peter's writing in First Peter one eight. What are trials? What is the what is “the valley of the shadow of death”?What do these have what to do with joy? Simply this. Trials magnify like nothing else the joy of knowing Jesus. And the result of that is that we love him more. Is this not true?Think about it in your own life. Think about it from scripture. The writer of Hebrews I'm gonna give you one example. The writer of Hebrews writes to a group of people that had gone through a particular experience. Listen carefully to what how he describes what they went through.This is Hebrews 10. “But recall the former days when after you were enlightened, in other words, after you had come to saving faith, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly be a And You're since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” He's talking about Christians who went through horrible experiences, persecutions, plundering of what they have. Imagine a Christian, for example, today living in Syria and seeing ISIS approaching. What would you expect to find in their hearts?Are they they're going, yes. Here they come. On one level, obviously, no. But on another level, all the trials and sufferings that come into our life do something good for us. They refine our thinking about what really matters in life, and they magnify to us the enduring value of knowing Jesus.Because, typically, all these trials involve losing something. They lost their possessions. Imagine, for example, that you're here in church, and we come to find out that even right now, there's a group of people, and they're robbing your house. How many of us are going, love that? We're not happy about that in one respect.But in another respect, if somebody did rob your house or like the family in our church whose house burned down this last year, give the testimony that spiritually, it's been a wonderful experience for them. Why? Because when your house burns down, it helps refine what really matters in life, doesn't it? And this is what trials do. They help us realize that these temporary things that in the matter in the end don't matter, that knowing Christ is the thing that matters.He is the enduring source of joy, and the joy in Jesus is magnified by the loss. Let me illustrate it this way. Let's just imagine that it's last week and you're in Phoenix. And you didn't realize it, but the Super Bowl was going on in Phoenix. And you're like, that's I've always wanted to go to the Super Bowl like you're a lifelong NFL fan.It's been a dream of yours, but they never have the Super Bowl in at Soldier Field, so you never have the opportunity. But you just happen to be in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Super Bowl is going on. You get online, and sure enough, there's a ticket. You buy this ticket. It's extraordinarily expensive, but you're like, I'm going anyway.It's a once in a lifetime chance. And so you go to the Super Bowl and you got your ticket and you you go in there and you're like, okay, where's my seat at? They say it's up there. And the next guy goes, it's up there. And the next guy goes, it's up You're in the last row of the stadium.You're all the way at the top. You're sitting behind a pillar next to a drunk guy. And you're sitting there, I can't believe this is gonna be my Super Bowl experience sitting here. And you're, like, looking around the pillar trying to see the game. When all of a sudden the guy comes up to you and says, he goes, hey.How'd you like to be in the front row? And you're like, really? He goes, here's the thing though. To be in the front row, you gotta give me your back row ticket. Now what would be the natural response to that?No problem. Best day of my entire life. You bet. You can have this ticket right here. You just frame it for all I care.You can have that. I get the front row ticket. And so down you go all the way to the front row, and there you are, best seat in the house, 50 yard line. The game's going on in front of you. And and what do you do in the entire game?You're watching the game, but every once in a while, you're looking back up at the seat that you were supposed to be sitting in. And you're thinking to yourself every time you look at it, what? Yes. Right? Look where I am.Look what I have. Fantastic. How many of us would be in the front row going, oh, the old ticket. Sounds like a country song. Right?The old ticket. Maybe I shouldn't have given that up. We don't think that. Why? Because we realize what we have.And trials are that for us. Suffering is that for us. It is always loss. Trials are it's a loss of my health. It's the loss of my job.It's the loss of my spouse. It's the loss of my financial security. It's it's somehow it involves the losing or the threatening of losing something that I am deeming valuable, but they are always things that are temporary. Even life itself is the loss of something temporary. I don't get to keep any of these things anyway, including my life.But as I go through these trials, they are and I'm losing things or maybe losing things. They are reminding the Christian that there is one thing that is enduring. There is one possession that trumps all of them. It is the front row ticket. And my joy is in this, not in that.Are you with me? And so we have to live our lives. And this is what Peter is saying. You haven't seen him, but you love him. You don't see him now.You believe in him. And the result of my gladness, my hope, my assurance being in Jesus and not in these other things is that I can have a joy that is paired with the pain. I can have a joy in the midst of the sorrow. I can have joy in the midst of the plundering of my possessions. I can have joy in the midst of the cancer treatment.I can have joy in the midst of the marital counseling. I can have joy in the midst of the painful pregnancy. I can have joy in the midst of anything that is temporary because my joy isn't something that is eternal. Right? And this joy, in the words of the old preacher, the world didn't give it, and the world can't take it away.Trials magnify what really matters. When I think about things that I've gone through in my life, I turned 47 two weeks ago. I'm not the oldest in the room, and I am not the youngest anymore. I've been around the block a few times, and I've had a few hard things that I've gone through. When I think about even the worst moments of my life, I look back at them now, and I can appreciate them because God used them in my life to refine my faith, to get my clinging from things and people and affirmation from people and a host of other things.And they have been good for me. Good for me. And I got a long way to go in this. And you catch me on the wrong day, and you're gonna walk away thinking he ain't living out his sermon very well. But neither are you, friend.And that's why heaven will be all of us living the sermon out perfectly. Joy inexpressible, filled with glory, seeing him by sight, being in proximity to him, knowing his love, not by faith, but by the full experience of human sensory knowledge to touch him, to hear him, to see him will be for us as a joy that our hearts can't even imagine now. And that day is coming. So how about you, friend? You're in a trial right now?You got some pain going on? Is your joy in the thought that maybe that trial's gonna go away? Is your joy in the thought that maybe that pain will go away? You got everybody praying that God would take the pain away. Might not the actual solution be pairing the pain with joy in the Lord?“Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice.” And that is how we live the Christian life in the ups and the downs, in the trials and in the blessings, awaiting a day when our faith will be sight and we will see him. That will be a great day. Amen.Would you please join me for a word of prayer?* This transcript was generated using AI transcription technology and reviewed for accuracy but may contain errors. Please refer to the original audio for precise wording.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningPsalm 30:5 — Weeping May Stay for the Night, But Rejoicing Comes in the Morning: A Morning Prayer When Yesterday Is Still on Your Mind Themes: Mercy • Fresh Start • Courage Nations in this prayer: Australia • China • Hong Kong • Ghana • Nigeria • Rwanda  Sometimes yesterday follows us into today. Before the memories, mistakes or disappointments of yesterday determine how we face this morning, we bring them to Jesus. Scripture — Psalm 30:5 (NIV) “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” There are mornings when yesterday seems to have followed us into today. Perhaps something went wrong, a conversation still troubles you, or you are carrying regret over something you wish you had done differently. Before those memories decide what kind of day this will be, come quietly to Jesus. The psalm reminds us that weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Lord Jesus, thank You that yesterday does not have the final word. Your mercy meets us again today, and Your grace gives us permission to begin again. Today we pray for people in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Ghana, Nigeria, and Rwanda. Meet those waking with disappointment, regret or sadness. Holy Spirit, bring comfort where yesterday still hurts and courage where people are afraid to begin again. Jesus, help us learn from yesterday without living inside it. Where we need forgiveness, lead us towards Your grace. Where we need to make something right, give us humility. Where something cannot be changed, teach us to place it into Your hands. This morning is not a demand to pretend everything is perfect. It is an invitation to walk with You again. So we receive this new day. Give us courage for what lies ahead, and let Your mercy become stronger in our hearts than the weight we carried from yesterday. Amen. Blessing: May Jesus meet you with fresh mercy this morning, lift yesterday's weight from your heart and give you courage for a new day.  morning prayer for a fresh start, prayer when yesterday is troubling you, Christian prayer for mercy, Psalm 30:5 prayer, prayer for regret, prayer for courage prayer, Jesus, mercy, courage, morning, forgiveness, hope, faith, Christian, devotion  A morning prayer for anyone carrying yesterday's disappointments, mistakes or sadness into a new day. Wherever you are listening, bring yesterday to Jesus and receive fresh mercy and courage for today.Support the showDaily Prayer with Reverend Ben Cooper now reaches 185 countries and 3,012 cities worldwide through the Global Blend Radio network.This is a listener-funded global ministry. If these daily prayers strengthen your faith or help you through difficult seasons, would you consider becoming a monthly prayer partner for just £3 per month?Your support enables us to continue recording, hosting, and broadcasting daily biblical encouragement across the nations — keeping this ministry free and accessible to everyone who needs it.You can support today at GlobalBlendRadio.comTogether, we can keep prayer moving across the world.To submit a prayer request or connect with our global prayer community, visit DailyPrayer.ukBuy me a Coffee 

Steve DeWitt Love for the Unseen Christ - Part A Study Guide for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:6-8 Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 1:8-9 Visit the series page: Exiles: A study in 1 Peter Donate to Support The Journey Sermon Transcript for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:8-9 Sermon Series: Spiritual ExilesMessage: Love for the Unseen ChristAirdate: 9/14-9/15/25Programs: 2356 & 2357It's great to see and an encouragement to us. We come now to God's word, and we are back in our series in First Peter today. You know, Peter wrote to exiles in Asia Minor this letter we call First Peter, but he really might as well have written it to us. It'd be easy to read this letter and to just change the personal pronouns, change the names, and insert our own names and our own church family because what he's talking about here is totally appropriate to us as well. He writes to Christians who are experiencing trials.They're experiencing loneliness. They are ostracized in their society. They are struggling to do, you know, Christian lifestyle in a very pagan environment, which, of course, is what we're doing as well. Here today, no doubt, we have people who are dealing with crushing trials, things that even as I say the word trial, boom, it comes to your mind, and you you're thinking about that, and you you brought that discouragement into this service with you, and you're hoping for a word from God to help you. And we live in this world that is increasingly difficult, I think, to live Christianly, especially in America as it continues to slide more secular.It makes you wonder what are the days ahead gonna be like? What's coming around the bend? What are our children, Lord willing, if they embrace the Christian faith, what are they gonna experience in living the Christian life in a, America that's going the direction that it is? I doubt it's gonna be easier for them than it is for us. So how do we prepare ourselves for the trials that lie ahead?And what Peter is going to talk about here, I believe to be the high point of his letter and really is one of the most wonderful passages in all of the New Testament. The word that comes to my mind with this verse is it's magisterial. I mean, it is just, it's a it's a wonderful, wonderful word that God has for us. And for me, it is a privilege to exposit it and to teach it today, and I hope the Lord blesses it truly. So let me read First Peter one verses eight and nine, our text today.“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Now I know it's been a couple weeks. We had snowmageddon in the in between here, but I hope you haven't forgotten what Peter has been already saying to us and teaching us, especially in, the preceding verses where he talks about trials. And he compares trials to, the fiery furnace that gold would go to.So the analogy is our faith is like gold, and our trials are like fiery furnace. And he draws the analogy, and he says, you know, when they would purify gold, they heat up gold in a furnace. And when it it's heated, the impurities rise to the surface, and they're able to skim off those impurities. And the net effect is that the gold is unveiled in a more valuable way, a more wonderful way. Its genuineness is revealed, but it is also purified by the heat of the trial.And this is intended, I think, to get us ready for what is to come. In fact, he says that. He says at the end of verse seven, that “our faith may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Now that revelation for us personally will either happen when Jesus returns and there is the revelation of Jesus in this world, or personally, it's going to happen when we die. Because when we die, something becomes true in our faith that has never been true before.What is it? All of a sudden in that moment, I will see him. Right? I am going to see the Lord. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”And that moment of death for us will be when our faith becomes sight, as the as the hymn writer writes. So this moment will be a wonderful, wonderful moment. But for now, it highlights the fact that we are believing in somebody, trusting in somebody, talking about somebody, singing songs to somebody, gathering in the name of somebody that none of us have ever seen. Is that weird? I mean, if if just your average person was to they didn't know anything and they walked in here and they were like, hey.What are you guys doing here? You're like, oh, this is a church that we're all about Jesus here. Really? You're all about Jesus? Yeah.We worship him. We sing to him. We try to live our lives to his glory. Really? Really?What's he what's he what's he like? What's he look like? I don't know. Never met him. The guy would probably be like, these people are strange.Right? I mean, what is going on here in living the Christian faith following the ascension of Jesus when Jesus went to heaven? Other than the Apostle Paul in Scripture, we don't know of anybody who's actually seen Jesus. Right? We are all living a kind of faith and a belief in somebody that we have never met, which on the surface looks strange and weird, like we're all nut jobs somehow.Is this kinda like a religious version of marrying a woman you've never met? Is it eHarmony for eternity? Or is there something else going on, something more wonderful that is going on here? And, of course, Peter writes this letter. And Peter, of all people, is himself an eyewitness.Right? I mean, other than Jesus' family, Peter probably had more eye time with Jesus than anybody else. He was part of Jesus' disciples. He lived with him for three years. They ate.They talked. They they, ministered together. He went to the top of the Mount of Transfiguration. He was there in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was part of the inner three.Jesus appeared to Peter after the resurrection more than anybody else. So you could say that Peter, of all people, had eye time with Jesus, and now here he is writing about people who have no eye time with Jesus. You might think that Peter be like, oh, you age of minor people. I've seen him. I know.You have no idea what you're missing. And we, of course, are in the same situation here today, singing “Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.” “Your great name.” These songs, very Christ centered, uplifting songs to somebody we've never seen with our eyes. And Peter writes here so wonderfully about the Christian experience post ascension.And he says here, you have never seen Christ, yet three things are true. We love him, we believe in him, and we rejoice in him. And let's just walk through the text here now, those three things. First of all, unseen, yet we love him. “Though you have not seen him, you love him.”Now for us, love and sight naturally go together. You sometimes hear couples, they'll say, oh, it was love at first sight. Well, now on my side of the marital covenant, I will say to you that only a very superficial understanding of love would make that kind of statement true. What kind of love or is is Peter talking about? That kind of love?Is it a is it a is it a marital love? Is it I mean, it it's not. It's not an erotic love. It's not even a friendship love that is used here. In fact, the Greek word in this text is that Greek word that the New Testament writers pulled and infused with all kinds of redemptive truth and meaning.Agape love. Agape is the is the word there. We've talked about this at length here at Bethel. We've defined it as self giving for the good and joy of another. It is a kind of love, the kind of love that God has.It is a it is a love of a different kind, a love of a deeper quality. It was this love, this agape love that God expressed to us when he sent his Son Jesus into this world. “For God so loved, agape the world, that he gave his only Son,” John three sixteen. It is this agape love that Jesus expressed to us as he hung on the cross. “Greater love is no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friend.”“But God demonstrated his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This giving of myself, geez God expresses it to us through Jesus. Jesus expresses it to us through his cross and his death in our place. So what is our response then as as believers? First John four nineteen.“We love him because he first loved us.” Amen. Right? And so our love for for God is not self generated. It doesn't it doesn't come from us.We would naturally not love God Jesus this way. But it is an act of God's sovereign grace whereby through the gospel, we come to hear and to understand what Jesus has done for us. And that work of God by his spirit, this new birth, this regeneration explodes in our heart. We believe in Jesus, and the response to the love of God to us is that we love him. K?We don't take credit for that love. We would never come up with that love on our own. This is a part of God's good work in us. It is producing agape for God, agape for Jesus. But our agape of Jesus is different because we've never seen him.It is an unseen love or it's an unseen Christ that we are loving. I tried to think of some analogy of of this. And for obvious reasons in my life right now, I think about a parent's love for a child in the womb. Never seen that child yet. Love him or her already.Unseen child, love for the unseen child, love for the unseen Christ. The love that saving faith creates in us is a genuine love, but it is an agape kind of love even though we've never laid eyes on him. Unseen, yet we love him. Secondly, unseen, yet we believe in him. “Though you do not see him now, you believe in him.”Notice the tense change. The first clause was you did not see him, yet you love him, present tense. Here, you do not see him now, presently, yet you presently believe in him. Now I wonder, does this remind you of anybody? Somebody in the story in the gospels who, refused to believe something that he couldn't see.Now maybe this is coming to your mind already if you're with me. I think about the disciple Thomas. Do you know the story? I trust that you do. The story is that Jesus is resurrected from the dead.He makes his first appearance to the disciples in the upper room. Everybody's there except Thomas. And Jesus is there. He says, here I am. Give me food to eat.Believe. I'm alive. And the disciples, of course, are in awe at this, and they just are marvel at Jesus leaves. Well, Thomas comes in, and they're like, he's alive. And Thomas famously says this.“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Thomas is like the patron saint of the cynic or the skeptic. The kind of person who says, unless I have empirical evidence with my eyes, unless I can put this in a in a test tube and and sort of prove it, I will not believe until the empirical evidence that my own eyes have seen tell me that this is true. These are the people that refuse to believe the testimony of other people regarding Jesus' claims to deity, regarding the miracles that he did in his earthly ministry and his supernatural life, his resurrection, and all the rest. It's not enough for them.They refuse to believe unless they see it with their own eyes. Notice what happens to Thomas. Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas imagine this moment, by the way.The disciples are like, we've seen him. We've seen him. We've seen him. Thomas said, I don't I refuse to believe. Now all of a sudden, Jesus is there.What's the look on Thomas' face? I want a picture of that someday in heaven. Jesus says to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” And Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God.”Notice Thomas doesn't say, okay. Well, let me come over there a second and see if I can put my finger in that hole. And how about if I put my side my fist in the side? He doesn't have to do any of that. He sees Jesus standing before him, and now it is enough, and he says, “My Lord and my God.”Notice the next verse though. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you've seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Who is Jesus talking about in that verse? He's talking about us, isn't he?Has anybody here seen Jesus? I doubt it very much. And yet, there we have Jesus saying, the real blessing is not the person who is in the upper room and actually sees the resurrected Jesus. The real blessing is the person who doesn't see that and yet has put their faith and trust in him. He's talking about us.He's talking about 99.999% of people who have ever believed. He's talking about Old Testament saints. He's talking about Moses. He's talking about Abraham. He's talking about David.These are all people that they they they had revelation a little bit from God in the Old Testament. They believed in the coming Messiah. They believed in the one that God promised who would come. They never saw him, and yet they believed. The Old Testament states he's talking about every Christian after the ascension of Jesus.Here we are, having never seen him, and yet we believe. And here we are now in a central truth about the kind of faith that saves us. Christian faith, saving faith, has a kind of seeing, a kind of perceiving, a kind of discerning that goes beyond the eyes. Faith has its own eyes, if we could say it that way. Faith sees the unseen.The writer of Hebrews gives the classic definition. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.” You know, Christianity, some people wrongly, in my opinion, accuse it of being somehow anti intellectual. It is not anti intellectual. It is a thinking faith.There is enough evidence in the world around us in the testimony of the eyewitnesses, and the story of Scripture that we can think deeply and intellectually about our faith. But here's the thing. There is not enough evidence to simply reason our way to saving faith. There comes a point where I have to see the unseen. I have to believe in something that I can't put in a test tube.I have to trust in the eyewitness account of others who saw these things. And if you're here today and maybe you have not yet believed, I want to encourage you, and my prayer has been before even preaching this message, that God would somehow use it for that person who maybe is high on the kind of the Thomas scale to help you realize that the faith that saves even by the description of Scripture is a kind of seeing that goes beyond the eyes. But it is a kind of seeing all the same. A kind of faith and trusting in the claims of Christianity, in the claims of Jesus being the Son of God, the eyewitness accounts of people who saw him dead and who saw him alive, and the testimony of two thousand years of Christians whose lives have been changed by faith in this Jesus. And maybe God would use this message to draw you into, finally, a faith relationship with Jesus and that you would put your hope and trust in him.That would be a great thing. And join the rest of us who have not seen Christ but who believe in him truly and fully. So unseen, yet we love him. Unseen, yet we believe in him. Thirdly, unseen, yet we rejoice in him.Again, the text. “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, you believe in him. And rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.” And that little phrase right there, in my opinion, is one of the most sublime, one of the most wonderful little clauses in all of Scripture describing the Christian experience.Rejoicing with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. Here, I think Peter is describing the Christian experience at its highest, at its its most joyous expression. Our faith sees through the gospel. Our faith sees the loveliness, the beauty, the desirability of Jesus. And inside, there is a kind of resting, trusting in who he is and the fact that he did indeed die for my sins.And there is then in this resting and this assurance that I have that Jesus indeed is not just the savior but my savior, there flows then within us a love, a gladness, a a joy. I mean, imagine somebody receiving Jesus as savior, knowing now my sins are forgiven. My guilt is not held against me. I have the righteousness of Jesus by justification. I have eternal life.I'm a child of God. Heaven and the new earth is mine forever. And on the other side of that being like, bummer. Can you imagine that? I mean, that would be so inappropriate.Right? How can you not have all of these things now by faith and truly in your heart believe them to be true and there not be joy from it? Are you with me? Indeed, joy inexpressible. The word here for rejoice in the original means this.Here's the lexicon. To experience a state of great joy and gladness, often involving verbal expression and appropriate body movement. Some of you are getting uncomfortable now. To be extremely joyful, to be overjoyed, to rejoice greatly. And the lexicon adds this.I shout because of my joy. K? So glad that I'm just raw. But then Peter adds, this joy is inexpressible. So Peter takes it to another level then and says that it is beyond words or description.Now we've probably seen a child open a present or have some moment of such joy that they're just they they run-in place. Right? And they they go in circles like this. They're just they're just so excited. Right?They can't hardly contain themselves. There's an overflow of joy because of it. Adults, similarly, although somewhat more subdued, typically, we clap, we shout, we dance. There is a kind of joy that goes beyond verbal expression. That is this joy inexpressible.Now it would be easy for me right now to lay a massive guilt trip on the church and to say, alright, you Christian people. This is what it's supposed to look like all the time. And if you're here right now and you if I gave you the chance that you would run-in circles and dance and shout but not be able to say words, if that's not your experience right now, you're a bad Christian. And what's wrong with you people? And there are probably a few good meaning people here that would even amen something like that.It's about time we get more that way around here. But I suspect if I did that, most of us would leave very depressed. And I would as well because my Christian experience would not match up with joy inexpressible every moment of every day. My Christian experience and having been around this church long enough now, the vast majority of us are struggling to be faithful to the Lord in the ups and the downs of life. And there is a lot of times that I don't feel joy, I feel disappointment.And there are times that I don't feel joy, I feel depressed. There are times when the criticism hits home. There are times when the relationship struggles just cause despair. There are times where, like, following Jesus, it's not running in places like literally grabbing this leg and forcing it, you know, to follow the Lord and saying, I will, but inside, it doesn't feel like it. Can you relate to that?Life is painful. In fact, you could in mass Peter, why would you talk about joy inexpressible in the verse following the verses about fiery furnace trials? Like, how do those go fiery furnace trial, joy inexpressible? Like for me, when I'm in a trial, I'm not happy. And when I'm when I'm happy, I'm probably not in a in a trial at that moment.Right? I can have some joy inexpressible when everything is fantastic. I wanna live on that plane. Life isn't that way, though. And I have wrestled with this passage, and I wanna tell you what I think it's saying.At least at this point in my spiritual walk and my spiritual maturity and my understanding of scripture, maybe in ten years, I'll say, I think something different. But as best I can tell, this is what Peter is doing. Peter is describing here in such emotionally rejoicing language, he is describing the Christian faith as it can be, as it should be, and as it will be. As it can be, as it should be, and as it will be. Let's start with the as it will be because I think all of us are on the same page with this one.Who here wouldn't want to experience joy in Jesus like he's describing here? Well, be encouraged. Our entire eternity will be this. Listen, Christian. Our entire eternity is going to be the experience of perpetual and unending joy inexpressible.What am I talking about? I am talking about the day that is coming for us when we are standing in the presence of the Lord, when we are living on that new earth, when we are in our glorified bodies, when we have received all of the redemptive benefits that God has promised to us, when we are not living in this sin sick world anymore, when we are living in the next one, that experience there is going to be so far beyond this one and so far better than this one, I I wonder how we'll look back on these days. Imagine it. Every moment, joy inexpressible. That's our eternity.To think that our brothers and sisters who've died and have already gone there to think about Pete Erhammer and Merle McCleskey, two members of our church that died recently, both faithful, godly men. If we had, like, a little if we could FaceTime them right now and say, hey, Merle and Pete, how's it going up there? What would they say? I think they would say, it is so much better than I ever imagined. And we'd be like, why do you say that?I believe they would say, we have seen him. We've seen him in all of his glory, in all of his beauty, in all of his majesty. We have seen him. He talked to me. He talked to me.He ministered to me. He's seen me. I see him. You're not gonna believe what it's like. It's fantastic.Why? What's so great about there? There, the faith has become sight. And that sight is not Jesus in his more subdued, stealthy, incarnate human body. It is Jesus in all of the splendor that is his as the Son of God at the right hand of God the Father.And that will be for us since he is our savior, Lord, and friend. That will be for us a source of unending, unexhausting joy inexpressible. And our dear brothers and sisters, they're there right now, and they are experiencing that. And our faith, even right now, has capacity for that. And we have moments of that, but not like it is there.Psalm sixteen eleven, “in thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand is pleasures evermore.” And so Peter here is giving us a glimpse of what eternity's joy will be like. It'll be perfect joy. It'll be inexpressible joy, and that day is coming for us. But Peter is also here describing Christian faith as it can be and as it should be.And this is what I think he is getting at in context here in the passage is that heaven's joy is part of the present Christian experience. Only here, we have to fight for it. In this world and in this body, I have to fight for heaven's joy to be a part of my experience here. And the reason that it is a fight is because of indwelling sin. It is a fight because there are all of these joy stealers all the time that are wanting me to put my hope, trust, identity, and belief in them, but they are not Jesus.And they ultimately are disappointing. Trials are this. Trials cloud our thinking so easily. You know, in moments when I have spiritual clarity, and maybe you can relate to this, there are there are moments I could tell you some of the high points of my whole Christian experience where maybe it's on the other side of a trial or maybe it's in a particular worship service or there's something going on in my life. All of a sudden, I have clarity.Like I see things truly biblically. I see my life and I see my forgiveness in Jesus and I I don't know. I just have these sometimes these moments of clarity and I have inside of me, I just feel like a yes. There's a there's a genuine joy that I that I I'll have. And I'll bet, Christian, you've had some high points in your walk as well.Somehow, there's just a refreshment in your perspective, and there comes in your soul a kind of gladness in all that you have in Jesus and all that God has done for you and the love of God and just all the promises and the hopes that comes in him. These are wonderful moments in our life. But then we give into a temptation or some opportunity comes and we think there's greater joy in gossip or in porn than in Jesus and a life lived to his glory. There's more joy in having what my neighbor has or wishing he didn't have it. There's more joy in some other kind of sin or some good thing, but a lesser thing.And what happens in that? Where does the joy go? Boo. Out the window. Right?There it goes. Think of David as an example of this. David, King David, the the sweet singer of Israel, the writer of the Psalms, the man who God himself said was “a man after my own heart,” wrote beautiful language about his relationship to God, to the Lord. He says just says, “I love the Lord.” Right?“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” I mean, he he must have had such joy in his heart as he was writing such beautiful language about what God is like. What happened to David? One day David sinned with Bathsheba.And in Psalm 51, he describes the experience of one year of living without repentance. And he says, “my bones groaned within me.” And he writes in Psalm 51, his desire is this, “restore to me the joy of my salvation.” What did David miss in his time away from God? He missed that sense of gladness in God, that everything was right.I'm living for the glory of God. And maybe you're there right now. You remember good old days spiritually. You remember times of gladness in Jesus, but you've been living for something else. Or you've given into some temptation, and your heart longs for the good old days spiritually, so did David.He wanted that joy back, but it had been stolen from him. What is David writing in Psalm 23 or Psalm 51? It's the same thing that Peter's writing in First Peter one eight. What are trials? What is the what is “the valley of the shadow of death”?What do these have what to do with joy? Simply this. Trials magnify like nothing else the joy of knowing Jesus. And the result of that is that we love him more. Is this not true?Think about it in your own life. Think about it from scripture. The writer of Hebrews I'm gonna give you one example. The writer of Hebrews writes to a group of people that had gone through a particular experience. Listen carefully to what how he describes what they went through.This is Hebrews 10. “But recall the former days when after you were enlightened, in other words, after you had come to saving faith, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly be a And You're since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” He's talking about Christians who went through horrible experiences, persecutions, plundering of what they have. Imagine a Christian, for example, today living in Syria and seeing ISIS approaching. What would you expect to find in their hearts?Are they they're going, yes. Here they come. On one level, obviously, no. But on another level, all the trials and sufferings that come into our life do something good for us. They refine our thinking about what really matters in life, and they magnify to us the enduring value of knowing Jesus.Because, typically, all these trials involve losing something. They lost their possessions. Imagine, for example, that you're here in church, and we come to find out that even right now, there's a group of people, and they're robbing your house. How many of us are going, love that? We're not happy about that in one respect.But in another respect, if somebody did rob your house or like the family in our church whose house burned down this last year, give the testimony that spiritually, it's been a wonderful experience for them. Why? Because when your house burns down, it helps refine what really matters in life, doesn't it? And this is what trials do. They help us realize that these temporary things that in the matter in the end don't matter, that knowing Christ is the thing that matters.He is the enduring source of joy, and the joy in Jesus is magnified by the loss. Let me illustrate it this way. Let's just imagine that it's last week and you're in Phoenix. And you didn't realize it, but the Super Bowl was going on in Phoenix. And you're like, that's I've always wanted to go to the Super Bowl like you're a lifelong NFL fan.It's been a dream of yours, but they never have the Super Bowl in at Soldier Field, so you never have the opportunity. But you just happen to be in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Super Bowl is going on. You get online, and sure enough, there's a ticket. You buy this ticket. It's extraordinarily expensive, but you're like, I'm going anyway.It's a once in a lifetime chance. And so you go to the Super Bowl and you got your ticket and you you go in there and you're like, okay, where's my seat at? They say it's up there. And the next guy goes, it's up there. And the next guy goes, it's up You're in the last row of the stadium.You're all the way at the top. You're sitting behind a pillar next to a drunk guy. And you're sitting there, I can't believe this is gonna be my Super Bowl experience sitting here. And you're, like, looking around the pillar trying to see the game. When all of a sudden the guy comes up to you and says, he goes, hey.How'd you like to be in the front row? And you're like, really? He goes, here's the thing though. To be in the front row, you gotta give me your back row ticket. Now what would be the natural response to that?No problem. Best day of my entire life. You bet. You can have this ticket right here. You just frame it for all I care.You can have that. I get the front row ticket. And so down you go all the way to the front row, and there you are, best seat in the house, 50 yard line. The game's going on in front of you. And and what do you do in the entire game?You're watching the game, but every once in a while, you're looking back up at the seat that you were supposed to be sitting in. And you're thinking to yourself every time you look at it, what? Yes. Right? Look where I am.Look what I have. Fantastic. How many of us would be in the front row going, oh, the old ticket. Sounds like a country song. Right?The old ticket. Maybe I shouldn't have given that up. We don't think that. Why? Because we realize what we have.And trials are that for us. Suffering is that for us. It is always loss. Trials are it's a loss of my health. It's the loss of my job.It's the loss of my spouse. It's the loss of my financial security. It's it's somehow it involves the losing or the threatening of losing something that I am deeming valuable, but they are always things that are temporary. Even life itself is the loss of something temporary. I don't get to keep any of these things anyway, including my life.But as I go through these trials, they are and I'm losing things or maybe losing things. They are reminding the Christian that there is one thing that is enduring. There is one possession that trumps all of them. It is the front row ticket. And my joy is in this, not in that.Are you with me? And so we have to live our lives. And this is what Peter is saying. You haven't seen him, but you love him. You don't see him now.You believe in him. And the result of my gladness, my hope, my assurance being in Jesus and not in these other things is that I can have a joy that is paired with the pain. I can have a joy in the midst of the sorrow. I can have joy in the midst of the plundering of my possessions. I can have joy in the midst of the cancer treatment.I can have joy in the midst of the marital counseling. I can have joy in the midst of the painful pregnancy. I can have joy in the midst of anything that is temporary because my joy isn't something that is eternal. Right? And this joy, in the words of the old preacher, the world didn't give it, and the world can't take it away.Trials magnify what really matters. When I think about things that I've gone through in my life, I turned 47 two weeks ago. I'm not the oldest in the room, and I am not the youngest anymore. I've been around the block a few times, and I've had a few hard things that I've gone through. When I think about even the worst moments of my life, I look back at them now, and I can appreciate them because God used them in my life to refine my faith, to get my clinging from things and people and affirmation from people and a host of other things.And they have been good for me. Good for me. And I got a long way to go in this. And you catch me on the wrong day, and you're gonna walk away thinking he ain't living out his sermon very well. But neither are you, friend.And that's why heaven will be all of us living the sermon out perfectly. Joy inexpressible, filled with glory, seeing him by sight, being in proximity to him, knowing his love, not by faith, but by the full experience of human sensory knowledge to touch him, to hear him, to see him will be for us as a joy that our hearts can't even imagine now. And that day is coming. So how about you, friend? You're in a trial right now?You got some pain going on? Is your joy in the thought that maybe that trial's gonna go away? Is your joy in the thought that maybe that pain will go away? You got everybody praying that God would take the pain away. Might not the actual solution be pairing the pain with joy in the Lord?“Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice.” And that is how we live the Christian life in the ups and the downs, in the trials and in the blessings, awaiting a day when our faith will be sight and we will see him. That will be a great day. Amen.Would you please join me for a word of prayer?* This transcript was generated using AI transcription technology and reviewed for accuracy but may contain errors. Please refer to the original audio for precise wording.

Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:11-32): Rejoicing in Heaven As Christians, we tend to easily walk away from Jesus, but He rejoices when we return. Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Young Son: The younger son, firstly, took his inheritance, for which he was not yet entitled, and abandoned his father and family to move to a “distant country”. These were the actions of someone who abandoned his responsibilities, disrespected his father, broke off his relationship with his father, and then treated his father as being dead. In the “distant country”, the younger son quickly squandered his inheritance through sinful living. Being destitute in the “distant country” that was experiencing a severe famine, the younger son hired himself out to tend pigs (NOTE: For a Jewish person of that period, it was an abomination to work with pigs.). Also, he was starving; therefore, the son ate the food rejected by the pigs. However, in the desperate situation in the “distant country”, the young son “came to his senses” – he had an inner awakening. As a part of coming to his senses, the son, as described in Luke 15:17-20a, remembered and returned to his father: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father.”. Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Father: As requested by the younger son, the father gave the younger son his unentitled inheritance; and, without resistance, the father let his young son leave. When the young son “came to his senses” and returned to his father from a “distant country”, the father saw his son returning; and the father ran, thereby disgracing himself, to meet the young son while the son was still a great distance away. The father's heart was filled with compassion and love upon the return of the young son – the father was expressing unmerited and unsolicited love for his returning son. The young son had disgraced and disrespected his father, and the young son deserved to be punished. However, the father took all the hurt, disrespect, and punishment merited by his young son on himself. The father expressed this punishment merited by the young son when the father ran to his son; accepted and restored the son back into his family without question; and celebrated the return of the young son. The father, in this parable, demonstrates God's love that God gives to us when we return to Him from a “distant country” of sin and broken fellowship. When we return to God, we see His love for us, but not for our sins and our actions that broke our personal relationship with Him. We and the young son must face the consequences of our sin when we walk away from God: but through Jesus' acceptance of the cost of our sins on the cross and through our repentance, we can return to the love and fellowship offered by God. Summary: When we return from walking away from God, He rejoices; and there is rejoicing in heaven. God's perspective, regarding someone who has walked away from Him, is expressed, in Luke 15:31-32, when the father is explaining to his older son why he is accepting and celebrating the return of his young son from a “distant country”: “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”. This parable clearly reflects that God wants intimacy and a personal relationship with us, and it hurts God when we walk away from His relationship with us. However, God and Heaven rejoice when we repent and return! As we consider those around us who have rejected and walked away from God, what should we do for them? We should: 1) pray, asking God to invade their life and circumstances to the point they will want to return to Him; 2) love them where they are – we can't rescue them; 3) “let them go” – they have intentionally rejected God (as the young son rejected his father), and our chasing after them may harden their heart to God; and 4) like the father in the parable, “be looking and expecting” their return – when they return, we need to embrace the one returning, with the love of God, like the father embracing and accepting his young son in the parable.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Luke 15:11-32; Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; Psalms 45:1-17. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: ”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/   A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB 

Message:  A New Dawn of RejoicingPreacher: Sola FarounbiDate: September 13th, 2026____Welcome to the RCCG Peculiar People's Parish Church!Be sure to like, share, and subscribe to our channel for updates on all the latest from PPP.____Stay Connected.Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.rccgppp.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/RCCGPPPSK/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/RCCGPPP  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/rccgppp/⁠⁠⁠

Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:11-32): Rejoicing in Heaven As Christians, we tend to easily walk away from Jesus, but He rejoices when we return. Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Young Son: The younger son, firstly, took his inheritance, for which he was not yet entitled, and abandoned his father and family to move to a “distant country”. These were the actions of someone who abandoned his responsibilities, disrespected his father, broke off his relationship with his father, and then treated his father as being dead. In the “distant country”, the younger son quickly squandered his inheritance through sinful living. Being destitute in the “distant country” that was experiencing a severe famine, the younger son hired himself out to tend pigs (NOTE: For a Jewish person of that period, it was an abomination to work with pigs.). Also, he was starving; therefore, the son ate the food rejected by the pigs. However, in the desperate situation in the “distant country”, the young son “came to his senses” – he had an inner awakening. As a part of coming to his senses, the son, as described in Luke 15:17-20a, remembered and returned to his father: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father.”. Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Father: As requested by the younger son, the father gave the younger son his unentitled inheritance; and, without resistance, the father let his young son leave. When the young son “came to his senses” and returned to his father from a “distant country”, the father saw his son returning; and the father ran, thereby disgracing himself, to meet the young son while the son was still a great distance away. The father's heart was filled with compassion and love upon the return of the young son – the father was expressing unmerited and unsolicited love for his returning son. The young son had disgraced and disrespected his father, and the young son deserved to be punished. However, the father took all the hurt, disrespect, and punishment merited by his young son on himself. The father expressed this punishment merited by the young son when the father ran to his son; accepted and restored the son back into his family without question; and celebrated the return of the young son. The father, in this parable, demonstrates God's love that God gives to us when we return to Him from a “distant country” of sin and broken fellowship. When we return to God, we see His love for us, but not for our sins and our actions that broke our personal relationship with Him. We and the young son must face the consequences of our sin when we walk away from God: but through Jesus' acceptance of the cost of our sins on the cross and through our repentance, we can return to the love and fellowship offered by God. Summary: When we return from walking away from God, He rejoices; and there is rejoicing in heaven. God's perspective, regarding someone who has walked away from Him, is expressed, in Luke 15:31-32, when the father is explaining to his older son why he is accepting and celebrating the return of his young son from a “distant country”: “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”. This parable clearly reflects that God wants intimacy and a personal relationship with us, and it hurts God when we walk away from His relationship with us. However, God and Heaven rejoice when we repent and return! As we consider those around us who have rejected and walked away from God, what should we do for them? We should: 1) pray, asking God to invade their life and circumstances to the point they will want to return to Him; 2) love them where they are – we can't rescue them; 3) “let them go” – they have intentionally rejected God (as the young son rejected his father), and our chasing after them may harden their heart to God; and 4) like the father in the parable, “be looking and expecting” their return – when they return, we need to embrace the one returning, with the love of God, like the father embracing and accepting his young son in the parable.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Luke 15:11-32; Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; Psalms 45:1-17. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Should Fear, Respect, and Praise God's Power, Sovereignty, and Holiness; but in Life's Trials They Should “fear not for I {Jesus} am with you always””: ”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/   A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB 

Click here to receive today's free gift on the Radio Page Pain and Providence – Pain and chronic illness can erode your joy like acid and can lead you to question God and his power. Join Joni in taking a close look at what the Bible says about pain and the sovereign providence of God. Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping! *Limit one copy per person* --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

In this session, livestreamed from Oxford, Ajahn Brahm starts with a 15-minute guided meditation, followed by a 45-minute talk on how looking for the positive side of things and choosing to forgive instead of criticising can be transformative in our lives, leading to our own happiness and the happiness of those around us. In the second hour, he answers questions from the audience. This teaching by Ajahn Brahm was given in the UK, at Oxford on the 21st of November 2025. Teaching retrieved from Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWUUBzcz4Ks&t=2s Ajahn Brahm is the Spiritual Adviser of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. Donations to Anukampa are welcome, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/ Support us on https://ko-fi.com/thebuddhistsocietyofwa BSWA teachings are available from: BSWA Teachings BSWA Podcast Channel BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel BSWA YouTube

Send us a message!We finish Philippians by reading chapters 3 and 4 and sitting with Paul's call to rejoice, pursue Christ, and live with a steady mind. We also challenge a common misuse of “forgetting what is behind” and talk about how Jesus redeems the past instead of asking us to bury it. • Paul's warning against confidence in human credentials • Knowing Christ as the greatest value • Pressing on toward the upward call of God • Heavenly citizenship and standing firm in the Lord • Rejoicing always and choosing gentleness • Prayer with thanksgiving as the answer to anxiety • Training our thoughts toward what is true and praiseworthy • Learning contentment in need or abundance • “I Can Do All Things” in its real context  At outloudbible.com, you can find free resources to help you study the Bible. And while you're there, send us a message to say hi, or start a conversation about having us at your church or event. If Outloud Bible has been a valuable part of your understanding of the Bible, please consider supporting the ministry by visiting outloudbible.com.Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

Are you someone who easily praises God, no matter what's going on in your life? Or, are you more like me – I keep waiting for God to say "Yes" on something and holding out on thanking him until he does? Today we have speaker, author, Wendy Speake and we're going to be talking about her legacy as well as her newly released book – a book that may need to be on our Christmas lists: A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness   Those of us who have known God most of our lives can still have the stance of: “I will pray and see how God answers and then I can't wait to praise him” instead of praising him anyway, all the time, for who he is and how he loves us and directs us even if all hell has broken loose on our lives or on the lives of the ones we love. Wendy's new book is an invitation and I love a good invitation – and this one is one I'm hoping all of our listeners will RSVP to as a hearty yes! Here's the invite: "This book is an invitation to discover the power of thanksgiving and praise, not because life is easy, but because God is always worthy. When we fix our eyes on His goodness, we find strength, peace, and joy even in the middle of difficult circumstances." Wendy closes with a short explanation of her three legacy Bibles for her three boys. A note from her: "I think the secret to not being overwhelmed with my legacy Bibles is that I do not have a timeline that I've set. When I am inspired, I open them up. Whether there are 30 prayers in the margins, or 3000, I am leaving legacy, both in written form and in effective prayers that have been prayed."   Check it out here on her website. And scroll down to "Scripture-Inspired Prayers." Some gems from our conversation: It's in the valley that we discover how good God is and that he's all we've ever needed all along. Because of Jesus we get the privilege of walking into God's presence to thank and praise him. A sacrifice of praise is costly when in the valley of tears because we give all that we have whether or not we feel like praising. Praising God helped me in my journey of healing so that I became alive again with hope and joy.  To go on an "Ask Fast" means I'm trusting God to be the Savior of the world instead of telling him who needs saving.  A 30-Day "Ask Fast" is where we set aside our petitions, maybe only for a month, and just praise God for who he is. A sacrifice of praise is giving something when you don't think you have enough. And God takes that kind of offering. The more I put my attention on what I know is true about God, the more my affection for God grows. My legacy is to intercede for my children in accordance with God's Word.   A giveaway this week of your latest book so be sure to comment on social media or send me an email at sue@welcomeheart.com   Website: https://wendyspeake.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyJSpeake/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendy_speake    

Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen shares biblical truth that will bring hope and comfort in these uncertain days. May we draw closer to God through this time and impact those around us for eternity. https://fallsbaptist.org https://baptistcollege.org https://www.theegeneration.org https://ontovictorypress.com If you'd like to support this ministry - https://fallsbaptist.org/give/

On one hand, people fail to realize the depth of sin. On the other hand, they fail to see the height and glory of the gospel. The problem with the church today is that it fails at both of these points. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:4–7 titled “Risen with Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones declares what makes one a Christian: their union with Christ. In this union, the Christian has been raised together with the Lord Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in the heights of one's own resurrection makes sense only when the believer understands their original state of death. By nature they were children of wrath. Jesus died for them and their old nature died with Him. In dying with Him they are also raised with Him. Starting at this point of human depravity, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explores the goodness of union with Christ. Christians, he declares, are dead to the law and no longer under the curse of sin. Christians are alive unto God. The new person thinks in terms of eternity. They care not only for their body but also for their soul. They seek to share Christ with the lost and want to please God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks, “Have you been raised together with Christ? Do you know God?” Rejoice as one risen with Christ.

On one hand, people fail to realize the depth of sin. On the other hand, they fail to see the height and glory of the gospel. The problem with the church today is that it fails at both of these points. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:4–7 titled “Risen with Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones declares what makes one a Christian: their union with Christ. In this union, the Christian has been raised together with the Lord Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in the heights of one's own resurrection makes sense only when the believer understands their original state of death. By nature they were children of wrath. Jesus died for them and their old nature died with Him. In dying with Him they are also raised with Him. Starting at this point of human depravity, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explores the goodness of union with Christ. Christians, he declares, are dead to the law and no longer under the curse of sin. Christians are alive unto God. The new person thinks in terms of eternity. They care not only for their body but also for their soul. They seek to share Christ with the lost and want to please God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks, “Have you been raised together with Christ? Do you know God?” Rejoice as one risen with Christ. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111

8.30.2026 - Sermons on Christian Living - Rejoicing Anyway - Hab. 3:17-19 by Anacostia River Church

God's grace in justification provides us with the security to know that even in our most severe suffering, He is working for our godly good because we have received the outpouring of His love through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

4th August 2026 Richard Thomas joins the BSWA Boundless Meditation Group online live. BSWA Boundless Meditation Group (previously the Armadale Meditation Group or AMG) teaches you about meditation. The classes generally begin with chanting the Metta Sutta, meditation instructions, meditating together, asking questions, and, if time allows, a Dhamma talk. These weekly Tuesday night teachings are via Zoom from Bodhinyana or Dhammasara Monastery. For the BSWA Boundless Meditation Group zoom link and more details: https://bswa.org/location/armadale-meditation-group/ Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/thebuddhistsocietyofwa BSWA teachings are available:  BSWA Teachings BSWA Podcast Channel BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel BSWA YouTube

First Lady Nora BoldinNehemiah 12Worship through the Ministry of Teaching the Word!Need Prayer or Want to Give your Life to Christ?email: prayer.request@strivinghome.org.We will pray with you or for you!Get Involved: www.strivinghome.org

When life is going well, it's easy to praise and thank God. But what about when life feels hard and overwhelming? Wendy Speake shares from her book, "A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness." She'll remind you that you can thank God for His character, even when you don't understand His ways.   Ask Fast Prayer Examples: God I need... becomes God, You know my needs God, heal me becomes Lord, You are the Great Physician God, pull me out of the pit of despair becomes God of all comfort, how kind of You to meet me in the depths of my despression God, save my kids and grandkids becomes Your arm is not too short to save my children or grandchildren God redeem becomes the simple boast Redeemer God! God, I'm worried about this generation becomes You are the God of every generation, and I eagerly anticipate Your saving grace on display.How has this fast impacted you? Let Susie know susie@myfaithradio.com Check out Susie's podcast God Impressions on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here

Send us Fan MailMorning Prayer (Surrender; Rejoicing; Thanksgiving) #Jesus #Morningprayer #Christian #pray #prayer Thank you for listening, our heart's prayer is for you and I to walk daily with Jesus, our joy and peaceaimingforjesus.comYouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@aimingforjesus5346Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiming_for_jesus/Threads https://www.threads.com/@aiming_for_jesusX https://x.com/AimingForJesusTik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@aiming.for.jesus

What do you do when you find yourself in a "strange land"—feeling spiritually homesick, weary from the climb, or wondering if you've wandered too far from the presence of God? In Psalms 101–150, the Psalter reaches its majestic, final crescendo, providing an unbroken anthem of mercy, divine guidance, and transcendent praise. Summary: In this concluding study of the Book of Psalms (Chapters 101–150), we explore the sacred culmination of ancient Israel's worship. From David's personal covenant to walk with integrity within his own home, to the grand 176-verse acrostic ode to the scriptures in Psalm 119, these chapters teach us how to transform every trial into "one more strain of praise." The King's Standard: We analyze Psalm 101, looking at David's 12-part pledge to set "no wicked thing" before his eyes and create a sanctuary of righteousness within his home. As Far as the East Is from the West: We dive into Psalm 103, examining the infinite reach of God's tender mercies and His divine understanding that "we are dust". The Cornerstone and the Hosanna: We unpack the Messianic majesty of Psalms 110 and 118, discovering how the rejected stone became the head of the corner and exploring the ancient background of the Triumphal Entry. The A-to-Z of Scripture Study: We deconstruct Psalm 119, the ultimate 22-stanza Hebrew acrostic, uncovering how hiding God's word in our hearts creates an internal lamp that keeps us from stumbling in the dark. The Songs of Ascent: We journey through Psalms 120–134, the ancient pilgrimage hymns sung as travelers ascended toward the temple in Jerusalem, discovering how to find peace in times of war and reap in joy after sowing in tears. The Final Doxology: We finish with Psalms 145–150, exploring the final five Hallelujah psalms and learning why Psalm 150 calls on every single instrument, element of creation, and "every thing that hath breath" to praise the Lord. Call-to-Action: Psalm 139 reminds us that whether we ascend to heaven or make our bed in hell, the hand of the Lord is still there to lead and hold us. What verse from this final collection of psalms speaks most directly to your current season of life? Share your favorite lines in the comments below. To keep your gospel foundation centered and "Unshaken," please like, subscribe, and share this video! Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 5:36 Commitment, Complaint, & the Set Time (101-102) 17:29 A Masterpiece of Mercy (103) 34:14 Praise for Creating & Covenanting (104-105) 41:55 Forgiveness & Thanksgiving (106-107) 57:22 Victory & vindication (108-110) 1:10:33 Acrostics & Hallelujahs (111-117) 1:29:31 Building on the Rock You Rejected (118) 1:43:13 Rejoicing in God's Word (119) 2:26:56 Psalms of Ascent (120-126) 2:41:40 The Blessing of Children (127-128) 2:49:53 Completing the Climb (129-136) 3:01:10 By the Rivers of Babylon (137) 3:12:02 Davidic Psalms (138-144) 3:29:31 Praise & a Final Doxology (145-149) 3:40:32 One More Strain of Praise (150) 3:49:07 Conclusion

Anxiety is one of the most common struggles people face today, and it often hides behind smiling faces and busy lives. Philippians 4:4-7 offers a clear and practical path toward peace, built on three simple but powerful invitations: trust God, tell God, and thank God. God does not always remove the storms we face, but He promises to bring peace in the middle of them. Rejoicing in the Lord means anchoring yourself in who He is, not in how your circumstances look. Prayer is a powerful act that brings your worries directly before the King of the universe, who is never surprised by anything you are facing. Gratitude is the final piece, because a thankful heart and an anxious heart cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Peace is not the absence of storms. It is the presence of God right in the middle of them.

1 Thessalonians 5:15–17 (KJV) "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing"

How can Christians rejoice when life is painful? In this episode, Dave Jenkins explains that biblical joy does not mean pretending suffering does not hurt. Through Romans 5:3–5, James 1:2–4, and Romans 8:18, believers are reminded that God uses trials to produce endurance, character, and hope. Because Christ is faithful, salvation is secure, and eternity is certain, suffering does not have the final word. For more from Contending for the Word Q&A, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-qa/

How often do we pause to truly give thanks, no matter what's happening around us?In today's episode, The Alessies invite us to reflect on what it means to have grateful hearts, drawing from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Together, we'll discover how God's will for us isn't just about big life decisions, but about rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances. As a community, we'll learn how to carry gratitude beyond our morning devotional and pour it into every moment of our day.Join us as we unite in prayer and devotion, uplifting one another to live with hearts full of thankfulness and joy in every season.Tap HERE to send us a text! Our podcast family is growing - introducing Men's Morning Devotional! Our dad, Steve Alessi, and all of our husbands are now hosting their own 5 minute devotionals every weekday - for men who want to become better husbands, fathers, and leaders! Listen, follow and subscribe here - MensMorningDevotional.comSupport the showNEW VIDEO EPISODES! You can watch our new video episodes on YouTube! Watch Our Video DevotionalsNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? Welcome! We're four sisters - Stephanie, Lauren, Gaby, and Richelle - and our family works together at Metro Life Church in Miami, FL. We're so blessed to produce this daily devotional podcast for you and continue the great work done by the show's founder, Alison Delamota.We pray these devotions will help you to grow in your faith, and that you'll join us every weekday for a morning prayer and some time in God's Word! JOIN THE MMD COMMUNITYSubscribe to the showShare with a friendJoin our newsletter Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠⁠Leave a reviewMORE PODCASTS YOU'LL ENJOYEnjoy more podcasts from Metro Life Studios, including:The Family Business with The AlessisMen's Morning DevotionalThe Mary and Martha Show Available on our Metro Life Studios app!Get The Metro Life Studios app 

We now continue with the second portion of the parable of our Lord found in Luke chapter 15, verse 8. In the one parable, the Lord shows the love of God manifest in three stories about what was lost and then is found, and the resulting joy and rejoicing both before people and before God. This second story from Jesus concerns a woman who lost one of her ten silver coins, and Dr. Mitchell calls this the diligence of God's love.And he brings out the personal value that you and I are to God Himself, even though we have sin. Jesus paid for all that sin once, for all. So God is now wholeheartedly able to love us just as we are. And this is what our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished at the cross, when He shed His blood and bought us for Himself. Well, here's Dr. Mitchell. Luke 15, verse 8 on the Unchanging Word Bible broadcast.

Today, I will read you an article by a journalist, who was present at the memorial service for my husband. Of all title choices this was his, “Jubel im Tod”, in English, “Rejoicing in Death”. I hadn't looked at this for at least twenty years, and the title surprised me. In the eyes of the world, death is the permanent end of life. Yet often followers of Jesus, forgetthe emphasis on “eternal life” that Jesus spoke of. In John Chapter 14, the disciples were troubled because he told them, that He will leaving soon. They had no idea that he was speaking of his death when he said, “I will prepare aplace for you”. Over and over, Jesus talked about heaven; teaching them to pray to the Father in heaven, he told his followers to rejoice when persecuted, because great is your reward in heaven. He urged them to store up treasures in heaven, rather than earthly wealth.Just a quick review of the words of Jesus, who said of Himself, “I Am the Life”, should be enough to give us understanding and confidence, about the purpose of life. Sadly though, the subject of death is not a popular sermon title. Believers want to hear about the abundant life, that comes from their faith, rather than what the scriptures actually teach. This is what I wrote, six years after Thomas' death,for the end of my book ...

When life feels disappointing, heavy, or uncertain, rejoicing can feel like the last thing you want to do. But Scripture gives us another way. Joy is a fruit, and rejoicing is a choice.   In this REVING the Word experience, Kara invites you to move your body while training your heart to rejoice in the Lord—even when your circumstances don't feel good. Through Scripture, movement, worship, and what Kara calls 'chorus cardio intervals,' you'll use the music to move your feet.   Rejoicing is a learned response, we get to choose it. Whether you're walking, running, or cleaning the house move in whatever way works for you today. This is your invitation to move while letting God's Word move in you. Rejoicing is your battle plan. What can you rejoice for today?   Anchor Scriptures: Philippians 4:4 Psalm 118:24 Habakkuk 3:17–18 Psalm 34:1 Galatians 5:22–23   Embodied Practice: Gratitude is a muscle! It grows stronger the more you do it. So practice rejoicing today. Name what's hard. What is your "fig tree" right now? Where are you disappointed, discouraged, or waiting for something to change? Then choose to praise God, not because your circumstances are good, but because He is good. Say this out loud: "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it."   And when you wake up tomorrow, say it again. Rejoicing is a learned response. Keep choosing it. Keep practicing it. Keep reminding your heart of what is true.  

Zephaniah turns his final woe on Jerusalem, describing the people as rebellious and defiled; a city that listens to no voice and accepts no correction. Judgment gathers the nations, and on the far side of it God purifies the lips of the peoples so that all of them may call on His name and serve Him together. Then He commands daughter Zion to sing and gives her the reason: The LORD her God is in her midst, a mighty one who will save, and He rejoices over His people with gladness and exults over them with loud singing.  The Rev. Christopher Maronde, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Hastings, IA, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oakland, IA, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Zephaniah 3:1-20. To learn more about St. John Lutheran, visit facebook.com/StJohnsLutheranChurchMoSynod. Edom stands at the crossroads and watches his brother Judah dragged off in chains, and Obadiah announces that the day of the LORD is coming for the bystander, too. Joel sees a locust swarm strip a nation bare in a single season, calls the people to rend their hearts and not their garments, and promises a Spirit poured out on all flesh. Nahum returns to Nineveh a century after Jonah's revival, and this time the superpower does not repent. Zephaniah spends two chapters on the day of wrath and then ends with the Lord singing over the people He has rescued. This series on Thy Strong Word works through these selected books of the so-called "minor" prophets verse by verse, showing how the Lord judges the nations while also keeping his promises to gather His people home.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

When life feels disappointing, heavy, or uncertain, rejoicing can feel like the last thing you want to do. But Scripture gives us another way. Joy is a fruit, and rejoicing is a choice.   In this REVING the Word experience, Kara invites you to move your body while training your heart to rejoice in the Lord—even when your circumstances don't feel good. Through Scripture, movement, worship, and what Kara calls 'chorus cardio intervals,' you'll use the music to move your feet.   Rejoicing is a learned response, we get to choose it. Whether you're walking, running, or cleaning the house move in whatever way works for you today. This is your invitation to move while letting God's Word move in you. Rejoicing is your battle plan. What can you rejoice for today?   Anchor Scriptures: Philippians 4:4 Psalm 118:24 Habakkuk 3:17–18 Psalm 34:1 Galatians 5:22–23   Embodied Practice: Gratitude is a muscle! It grows stronger the more you do it. So practice rejoicing today. Name what's hard. What is your "fig tree" right now? Where are you disappointed, discouraged, or waiting for something to change? Then choose to praise God, not because your circumstances are good, but because He is good. Say this out loud: "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it."   And when you wake up tomorrow, say it again. Rejoicing is a learned response. Keep choosing it. Keep practicing it. Keep reminding your heart of what is true.  

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 22nd of August, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. Psalm 23:1: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Then we go straight to Romans 12:12: “…rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer…”This morning we want to speak about memory verses. As a brand-new Christian, I started to memorise scriptures. The first one I memorised was, of course, John 3:16: ”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The second one: 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” These are scriptures that have kept me going for close on 50 years. I want to encourage that young child, driving to school with mom at the moment, listening to this, to start to memorise Scripture because when you get into a tough spot in life, and you don't have access to your Bible, you can remember the word of God. It will keep you going. Now, let's look at Romans 12:12: Number one: Rejoicing in hope - so we get excited. We hope that the Lord will bless us with a good crop of maize this coming season. We are hoping, by the grace of God, that we will pass our exam at school and that this business venture will not fail. We are hoping that we will meet the right man who will become our husband, rejoicing in hope!Then the second one: Patient in tribulation - when the going gets tough, you have to hang in there and trust God and not panic. Whether it is a financial decision, or you have been to the doctor and he says you are very sick, there is not much hope for you. Patient in tribulation: “Lord, I am trusting You. You are my Healer.” Patient when things are going very tough, patient because they are going to come right!And then, listen to this: Continuing steadfastly in prayer - You pray in the morning, you pray in the evening, you pray at lunchtime, you pray while you are walking, you pray while you are running, you pray while you are cycling, pray while you are riding your horse. Prayer must become a lifestyle. Then you will find things will change.There is an older lady listening to this programme right now. She says, “My memory is very poor. I can't remember things, Angus.” Well, I am going to give you one verse to start with. Mark 11:22: “Have faith in God.” That's it. Let's memorise that one first. Have a wonderful day!Jesus bless you and goodbye!

Season 6 Kickoff: The Neuroscience of Rejoice Always (Philippians 4:4) — Rewiring Anxiety, Depression, PTSD & OCD In this Season 6 premiere of Rewire Your Brain: The Peace & Positivity Podcast, host Liz Bagwell dives into the neuroscience behind Paul's command in Philippians 4:4 to "rejoice in the Lord always." Using Hebb's Law — the neuroscience principle that "neurons that fire together, wire together" — Liz breaks down why rejoicing isn't just a feel-good suggestion but a divine prescription for rewiring a brain stuck in anxiety, depression, PTSD, or OCD. Today's gratitude and prayer prompts walk you through Micro and Macro Gratitude, a Faith-Filled Gratitude practice, a guided Meditation with Jesus through Philippians 4:4-9, and an action step for choosing joy despite your circumstances.   What You'll Learn: The neuroscience of Hebb's Law and why "neurons that fire together, wire together" Why Paul's command to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4) is a neurological prescription, not just an encouraging verse The Greek word study behind "rejoice" (chairo) and how it differs from giving thanks How focusing on gratitude retrains your brain to notice more good instead of more negative A guided Meditation with Jesus through Philippians 4:4-9 A practical action step for externally expressing joy despite hard circumstances   Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Season Six: A New Beginning 01:13 Healing Through Faith and Neuroscience 04:00 The Power of Gratitude Practices 07:12 Micro and Macro Gratitudes 10:04 Transforming Groans into Gratitude 13:25 Prayer and Reflection on Heavy Hearts 16:20 Understanding Rejoicing in the Lord (Philippians 4:4) 19:06 Neuroscience of Joy and Gratitude 21:58 Practical Steps for Rejoicing 24:20 Affirmations and Identity in Christ 27:08 Meditation and Action Steps 30:10 Reflection and Closing Prayer Scripture Referenced: Philippians 4:4, Philippians 4:6-9   Links & Resources: Hear Liz's full story and the science of neuroplasticity: Season 3, Episode 1 (https://podcasts.apple.com/bm/podcast/s3e1-christian-prayers-and-meditations-for/id1683576689?i=1000671699080) or Season 4, Episode 1 (https://podcasts.apple.com/bm/podcast/season-4-day-1-of-christian-prayers-and/id1683576689?i=1000697728428)   Join the email list for weekly encouragement, first access to new resources, and a free gift when you sign up: https://divinerx.myflodesk.com/uv87x847ln   Need more in-depth brain-rewiring steps? Check out the Divine Rewire Course: https://elizabeth-bagwell.mykajabi.com/cotton-sales-page Links for PDF worksheets: Patreon Link for Worksheets Loved this episode? Follow the show and leave a quick rating in your podcast app — it helps this podcast reach someone else who needs it today.   Tags: Christian podcast, faith-based mental health, anxiety podcast, depression podcast, PTSD, OCD, neuroplasticity, Hebb's Law, gratitude practice, Philippians 4, Bible study, prayer, Rewire Your Brain podcast, Liz Bagwell         Meta description (paste into your SEO/description field, not the show notes body): Start Season 6 with the neuroscience behind Philippians 4:4's command to "rejoice always." A faith-based approach to anxiety, depression, PTSD & OCD.

In today's homily, Fr. Mark Baron, MIC reflects on God's abundant generosity and the dangers of pride and envy through the Gospel parable of the workers in the vineyard. On the Memorial of St. John Eudes, he also explores the profound union of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and how their united love leads us into the mystery of Divine Mercy. We are invited to rejoice in God's goodness toward others, receive His grace with gratitude, and allow our hearts to be transformed by His merciful love. The homily ultimately challenges us to examine our hearts: Do we rejoice when God is generous to someone else, or do we compare their blessings with our own? The remedy for pride and envy is to allow our hearts to be formed after the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. When we recognize everything as grace, another person's blessing no longer diminishes us. Instead, it becomes another reason to praise the inexhaustible generosity and mercy of God. Readings for August 19th 2026: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081926.cfm © 2026 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. All rights reserved. ⭐️ Support our Ministries: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/donate... ✝️ Explore Divine Mercy on Divine Mercy Plus! https://divinemercyplus.org/?source=YT ⛪️ Plan Your Visit to the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy! https://www.shrineofdivinemercy.org/?... Follow Us on Social Media!

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we finish Book Four of the Psalms by touring Psalms 96–106. These psalms are filled with joy and praise, but they also teach us why God's people have reason to rejoice: God is King, and He rules with righteousness, justice, and faithfulness.Psalms 96–100 invite us to notice repeated words, powerful images, and descriptions of an active God who is very different from the lifeless gods worshiped by the surrounding nations. God saves, reigns, judges rightly, and makes His salvation known among the nations. Even God's judgment becomes a reason for creation to rejoice because His kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice. Along the way, we continue to encounter chesed and emunah—God's steadfast love and faithfulness.These psalms also give parents wonderful opportunities to teach their children what God is like. Psalm 99 shows us the holy and just King, while Psalm 100 pictures God's people as sheep belonging to their Shepherd. Psalm 101 then gets incredibly practical, giving families a chance to talk about the things we choose to put before our eyes and what it looks like to live faithfully in our homes.But the Psalms don't pretend that life is always joyful. Psalm 102 suddenly takes us into a dark and painful prayer: "Hear my cry" and "Do not hide your face from me." Life can change in a moment, and the Psalms give us words for those moments too. Even there, the psalmist holds onto the hope that God will show compassion.Then Psalm 103 bursts back into praise, reminding us of God's benefits and echoing God's description of Himself in Exodus 34: merciful, gracious, patient, and abounding in chesed. Psalms 104–106 continue that praise by showing us a God who is actively caring for His creation and faithfully providing for His people.Finally, Psalms 105 and 106 give us a history lesson from two perspectives. Psalm 105 emphasizes God's faithfulness throughout Israel's story, while Psalm 106 honestly remembers the people's repeated sin and rebellion. Put them together, and the contrast is striking: God's people fail again and again, yet God remains compassionate and faithful to His covenant.Book Four ends with God's people scattered among the nations, waiting to be gathered again. Their hope—and ours—is rooted not in human faithfulness but in the character of the King. God is righteous. God is just. God is compassionate. And God remains faithful to His everlasting covenant.If you want the FREE hand outs that go along with this series, sign up for our newsletter at our website. Our website is The Context and Color of the BibleWe are on Facebook - The Context and Color of the Bible | FacebookWe are on Instagram - @contextandcolorofthebibleWe are on YouTube - The Context and Color of the Bible - YouTubeMusic: Tabuk by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4453-tabukLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

No matter what you walk through, walk through it with joy and rejoicing.

Text: 1 Kings chapters 17 - 19 Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 13 BYU Lecture 35:  At the peak of the apostate administration of king Ahab of Israel and his gentile wife Jezebel, there suddenly appeared at the royal palace in Samaria a man who dared to risk his very life by coming to deliver a cursing message to the king. This man was the prophet Elijah. Elijah comes suddenly on the pages of history but his background is obscure. We do know he had the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Sealing Powers. This included the power to seal the heavens against rain, which is what he did in the chambers of King Ahab. The Lord warned Elijah to hide from Ahab and Jezabel who had soldiers scouring the land to find and kill him. He hid in a desolate place relying on a small brook for water and ravens who brought him bread and meat. As the drought worsened, the brook failed and the Lord sent him to a widow in Zarephath. Here, she was preparing a last meal for her and her son before she died, when Elijah asked her for food. Remarkably, this humble widow gave him the last of her morsels. As a result, Elijah blessed her that her barrel of meal and cruise of oil would never empty until the rains came again. But soon her son tragically died and Elijah was permitted by God to raise him back to life. The Lord sends Elijah to meet with King Ahab and demand an assembly of 3 groups: 1) The leaders of Israel; 2) The priests of Baal; and 3) The priests of Ashtoreth (who ultimately never dared to show up). Here he held a contest at the alter to show whose God was truly God. The priests of Baal failed miserably, but the Lord brought fire from heaven and consumed the alter and destroyed all the priests of Baal. And the Lord sent rain. Rather than rejoice and reform, Jezebel was outraged at the death of the priests and put a bounty on the head of Elijah. Discouraged at the wickedness of the stubborn leaders, Ezekial flees clear down to Mt. Sinai. Here he felt rejected and a failure and asked to die. But the Lord visited Elijah and told him to return to Israel, for there were 7,000 righteous that needed leadership. Rejoicing, Elijah returns to the mission field in Israel.  

Sunday School Service

Rejoicing isn’t a feeling you wait for ... it’s a habit you practice. Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe finishes this message on hope and joy with two practical habits for guarding your heart and retraining your mind. Be sure to listen and put these habits into practice … listen to Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe. Bold Steps Gift: Lee Strobel-The Case For Faith Visit or watch Mark Jobe at New Life Community ChurchBecome a Bold Partner: https://www.moodyradio.org/donateto/boldstepsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visit www.joniradio.org for more inspiration and encouragement! --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Pastor Andy Cass What if there were a biblical prescription for stress and anxiety? In this message, we begin with Paul's surprising instruction from Philippians 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Rejoicing does not deny what you are feeling or facing. It declares what is still true about God in the middle of it. Pressure can push us inward, but prayer and rejoicing redirect us toward God's presence, where peace can replace panic, strength can replace exhaustion, worship can replace worry, and hope can replace despair. TEXT: Philippians 4:4–9, Isaiah 26:3, Luke 18:1–7, Matthew 2:10, Matthew 5:12, Luke 15:5, Luke 15:32, Matthew 28:9, Acts 5:41, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 55:17, Psalm 55:22 NOTES: The Biblical Prescription: Rejoice in the Lord always. Five Reasons to Rejoice Always: 1. Hope Realized 2. Heaven Is Home 3. You're on Mission 4. In the Presence of God 5. In Suffering The Prescription- Pray, stay, and say it out loud: “Jesus, You are my joy.” Three times daily, find reasons to rejoice with the Lord, Morning, Noon and Night. ⸻ Stay Connected: Give: https://theecho.churchcenter.com/giving Online Service: Sundays 9 AM (YouTube & Facebook Live) Connect: https://theecho.churchcenter.com/people/forms/113001 Instagram: @wearetheechochurch #EchoChurch #ChristianSermon #FaithGrowth #BibleTeaching