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A Life of Joy

Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah

November 23, 2020

27:29

During this message; Dr. Jeremiah shares the source and the secret to continual joy in Christ.

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A Life of Joy

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♪♪♪
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Dr. David Jeremiah: Each of ushas just one life to live.
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Our life should count.
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It should matter.
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It should have purpose and,frankly, it should be amazing.
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But as I look around me,I see lives lived in disarray,
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in defeat, and discouragement.
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I've been deeply burdened aboutthis because, you see,
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an unfulfilled lifeis just no way to exist.
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And from what I read in theScripture, God promises us
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a life of blessings beyond ourcomprehension, literally
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a life beyond amazing.
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So I asked a few friendsof mine, friends who I believe
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demonstrate a life beyondamazing, to sit down together
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with me and discuss what ittakes to live a vibrant
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and victorious life.
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We gathered together for a mealin San Diego and what you're
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about to see is a partof our amazing conversation.
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♪♪♪
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Dr. Jeremiah: I wanna thankyou for joining me today.
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Let's just put this stake downdeep in the ground.
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Happiness is about happeningsand joy is about Jesus.
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Why do you think that is?
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David Green: I don't thinkwe understand what really
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makes us happy.
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I think too many timeswe think it's fame
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or we think it's abundance.
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We think it's achievement,things of this nature, instead
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of really our relationship withthe Lord and walking with him.
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My mother and dad were very,very poor because they were
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preachers of small churchesbut I saw the joy that they had
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in their life and they didn'thave this abundance.
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But they had the Lord and theywalked with him and it was
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incredible to see them livetheir life out.
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Mandisa: Awesome.
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Dr. Jeremiah: Mandisa,you came into our lives in 2006
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when you were a finaliston "American Idol."
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Since then, you've releasedsix albums and your vibrant
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personality is a driving forceto the success of your music but
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there was a time when you lostyour joy, wasn't there?
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Tell us about that.
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Mandisa: Yeah, it wasrecently, actually.
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My previous album, "Overcomer,"was inspired
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by my friend Keisha.
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She was pregnant with her secondchild when she was diagnosed
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with breast cancerand so I really wanted songs
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to help her stay in the fight'til the final round.
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I just didn't know the finalround was gonna come
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as soon as it did.
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And so as I prayed for herI really believed that God was
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gonna heal her here on earth.
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So when she went away to be withthe Lord, it just shook my faith
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in a way that, honestly, Ididn't expect and did not think
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was gonna happen.
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And so I went into a deepdepression for 3 years.
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And I did nothing but sit in myhouse and I turned to my old
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default which has always beenfood so it's really interesting
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sitting at this table right now.
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But I just think about thatseries of years where I just
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sat and I shut out the world.
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I didn't go to church, I didn'topen my Bible, I didn't wanna
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pray because I was angry at God,if I'm being honest.
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And it was the hardest timeof my life.
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And now that the Lord hasbrought me out of it, through a
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series of things, it's making merealize truly what abundance is
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and truly what I'm praying for.
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And so I'm just trying to learnhow in my circumstance instead
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of just saying, "Lord, takemy circumstance and change it,
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Lord, what are you trying toteach me in this circumstance?"
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And part of it is walkingwith joy in spite
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of my circumstances.
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Dr. Jeremiah: Amen, amen.You know what?
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Kirk, one time, I don't knowwhere this came from but I got
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an article--somebody gave mean article on "What Happens
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To People's Super Bowl Rings."
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And, you know, for all the guysin the NFL, that's
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the Holy Grail, you know,you gotta get to the Super Bowl.
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If you don't have a ring,you haven't arrived.
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But so many guys who lived forthat got that and you know some
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of those stories, don't you?
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Kirk Cousins: Oh, sure.
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I mean, I have previous trophies
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and a conference championshipring from college
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which was everything to mewhen I was in college.
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That's what we were chasing.
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Our coaches preached itconstantly and you felt like you
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were somewhat less of a personuntil you had that championship.
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And then we achieved it andI don't know that I've looked
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at that ring since the daythat it was handed to me.
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And those days have come andgone and what hasn't changed is
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the fact that my relationshipswith those people are what
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really matter nowas time has passed.
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Not the ring, not eventhe accomplishments or the
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accomplishments were fun to havetogether and great memories
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of success.
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The people are what reallymatter and, as we know,
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the only thing that's gonna lastfor eternity is God's Word
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and people.
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And so you realize at the end ofthe day that's what I wanna be
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about to at the end of my lifesay, "I left a legacy.
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I lived an abundant lifeand I walked the path
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that the Lord had for me."
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It's--people have to beat the center of that.
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Dr. Jeremiah: Right.
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So many times, I read aboutpeople going after this goal
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whether it's in sports or evenin the ministry, and when they
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get there, it's kind of like,"Is this all there is?"
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And joy isn't aboutwhat's happening to you.
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It's about your relationshipwith Jesus Christ
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and it's a great thing to knowthat joy is a decision.
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We have about as much joyas we decide to have, you know?
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And when we're Christians weknow that our joy is connected
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to the one who lives within us,amen?
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Dr. Jeremiah: As I sat withmy friends and reflected on what
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was shared, I was once againreminded that joy is a decision,
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a decision that transforms one'slife and in the next few minutes
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I will share with you how a lifeof joy is necessary to live
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a life beyond amazing.
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♪♪♪
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male announcer:What are the signs
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of a life beyond amazing?
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Among them, joy that is notdependent on circumstance,
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integrity that settlesfor no exceptions,
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and self-disciplinethat stands firm.
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But how do you get theminto your life?
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It takes a decision; actually,nine decisions each day
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to commit these into your heartand actions.
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Discover the steps to the lifeof blessings God has for you
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in Dr. David Jeremiah'sinspiring book,
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"A Life Beyond Amazing:9 Decisions That Will Transform
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Your Life Today."
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Order this transformational bookfrom Dr. Jeremiah today when you
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give a gift of any amountin support of this program,
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and if you give $60 or more,Dr. Jeremiah will send you
00:06:34.477 --> 00:06:38.381
in appreciation,his comprehensive
00:06:38.414 --> 00:06:41.050
"A Life Beyond Amazing" set.
00:06:41.083 --> 00:06:43.152
It contains his book, his entireteaching series on CD or DVD,
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a correlating study guide,and the "Life Beyond Amazing"
00:06:47.557 --> 00:06:50.460
Scripture cards.
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Also available, the "30 Daysto a Life Beyond Amazing"
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workbook.
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Implement the 9 key decisionsfrom "A Life Beyond Amazing"
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in powerful and practical ways;plus, it includes a DVD
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with video instructionsfrom Dr. Jeremiah, available
00:07:04.173 --> 00:07:07.043
on its own for $30 or more
00:07:07.076 --> 00:07:09.278
or as part of"A Life Beyond Amazing" set
00:07:09.312 --> 00:07:12.248
for a gift of $85 or more.
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Decide today to start livinga life beyond what you thought
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possible, a life beyond amazing.
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Order these resources when youcontact Turning Point today.
00:07:21.224 --> 00:07:27.563
♪♪♪
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Dr. Jeremiah: If there'sa country on this earth where
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people should be filled withjoy, one would certainly think
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it would bethe United States of America.
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But most current polls showthat only about 35% of Americans
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are very happy.
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Depression affects more than19% of American adults, anxiety
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disorders affect 40 millionor 18% of the population.
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In 2016 a federal data analysisfound that suicide rates
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in America had surged totheir highest level in 30 years,
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rising in that period by 64%among women and 43% among men.
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And a worldwide studyof 90.000 people showed that
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the 10 richest countries in theworld also had the highest rates
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of depression.
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The United States had the secondhighest rate, exceeded only
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by that of France.
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What this tells us is that joyand happiness may not be
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necessarily dependenton your circumstances.
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And those who have the mostreason to be joyful often turn
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out to be the mostoften depressed.
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So let me begin this discussionabout joy with two profound
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statements that comes to usstraight from the Bible.
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These may surprise you.
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They kind of surprise me eventhough I've studied
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this over the years.
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One of the first things you needto understand about joy
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in the Bible is that Godexperiences joy.
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Isaiah 62:5 says: "As thebridegroom rejoices over
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the bride, so shall your Godrejoice over you."
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The Bible actually teaches usthat God enjoys us.
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He looks down over humanityand he enjoys some of us more
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than others but he enjoys us.
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Isaiah 65:19 says:"I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
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and joy in My people."
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And Zephaniah 3:17 says: "TheLord your God in your midst, the
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Mighty One, will save; He willrejoice over you with gladness,
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He will quiet you with His love,He will rejoice over you
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with singing."
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I don't know if you've everthought about that before but
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God in heaven is a joyful personand he rejoices in us.
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He likes us.
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If you've been brought up ina culture, where so many have,
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where God is viewed as a Godof judgment, stern and angry
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all of the time,listen to the Word of God.
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God experiences joy.
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And right on the heels of that,we need to understand that God
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wants you to experience joy.
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If he's a joyful God, he wantshis creatures to be joyful.
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For those who believe the Bible,there is no debate,
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no doubt about this.
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What God desires for us,he provides for us.
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Listen to the wordsof the Lord Jesus
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from the Gospel of John:"These things I have spoken to
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you," he said, "that My joymay remain in you, and that
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your joy may be full."
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Later, in the 17th chapter,he said, "Now I come to You,
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and these things I speakin the world, that they may
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have My joy in themselves."
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Almighty God wants his joyto be our joy.
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He wants the experience of joythat he has in heaven to be
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our experience of joywhile we're on this earth.
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And the Bible describesthat as his own joy.
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The Bible tells us that God notonly wants you to be joyful,
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but see if you can figurethis one out.
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He commands you to be joyful.
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Here's what it says inPhilippians 4: "Rejoice in the
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Lord always," and in case youdidn't get it the first time,
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"again I say, rejoice!"
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And maybe you're thinking, "Youjust can't walk up to somebody
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and say, 'Start being joyful.'
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You can't just command joy."
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But I would say to you,"Why not?"
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We're supposed to bein charge of our attitudes.
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When you read the New Testament,you discover that the ministry
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of Jesus in his lifetimewas always surrounded by joy.
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Jesus was a joyful person andwherever he went he brought joy.
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When he was born,that was the promise, wasn't it?
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That he would bring joy.
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We have a word that we singduring the Christmas season,
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"Joy to the world,the Lord has come."
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In fact, I remember oneof the first books of the Bible
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I taught as a young pastorwas the Gospel of John.
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And you don't even get outof the 2nd chapter
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in the Gospel of Johnbefore you see Jesus performing
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his first miracle at a wedding.
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Jesus went to a wedding.
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He went to a wedding to performa miracle that became one of
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the sign miracles in the bookof John so that those who saw
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the miracle would believe thathe was indeed the son of God.
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But if you go back to thatchapter in the book of John,
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chapter 2, and you read thestory of that wedding,
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you see Jesus involved in thecelebration of a young couple
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making their vowsto one another.
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When they ran out of wine,Jesus took care of the problem.
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He was always aroundwhere joy was happening.
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I've discovered that joy isthe atmosphere in which our
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Christian livesare supposed to be lived.
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When Paul was writing tothe believers in Thessalonica,
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he settled it once and for all.
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He said, "Rejoice always."
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Always.
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And do you know that joyis present in every major event
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that we experience as believers?
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Let me ask you a question,class.
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How many of you rememberthe day you were saved?
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Let me see your hands?
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Was that a happy day?
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Oh happy day, oh happy daywhen Jesus washed my sin away.
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The joy of salvation is the joyof realizing you're not guilty
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anymore, that you've beenforgiven, that God has given
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you the gift of eternal lifeand you're gonna spend
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eternity with him.
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Salvation is a joyous time.
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In fact, the Bible says whena person is saved Almighty God
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throws a party in heaven.
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Did you know that?
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In Luke chapter 15 andin verse 10, we are told:
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"There is joyin the presence of the angels
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of God over one sinnerwho repents."
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So every time you hear somebodygive their testimony of
00:14:06.762 --> 00:14:08.998
salvation, when a person comes
00:14:09.031 --> 00:14:11.600
to Christ, we should allrejoice in that because
00:14:11.634 --> 00:14:14.003
that's a moment of great joy.
00:14:14.036 --> 00:14:16.071
That's where it all starts.
00:14:16.105 --> 00:14:17.773
And, you know, the Bible tellsus this Christian joy
00:14:17.806 --> 00:14:20.142
is so unique it even shows up intimes of difficulty and trial.
00:14:20.175 --> 00:14:25.314
One of my favorite Biblestories, probably one
00:14:25.347 --> 00:14:27.416
of yours too, is the storyof Paul and Silas recorded
00:14:27.449 --> 00:14:30.119
in the 16th chapterof the book of Acts
00:14:30.152 --> 00:14:32.154
and they're put in prison.
00:14:32.187 --> 00:14:33.489
Remember that one?
00:14:33.522 --> 00:14:35.157
And before they were putin prison, they're taken to
00:14:35.190 --> 00:14:37.026
the stocks and they're beaten.
00:14:37.059 --> 00:14:40.129
And now they're in prisonand the Bible says
00:14:40.162 --> 00:14:41.797
in verse 25 of Acts 16:"But at midnight Paul and Silas
00:14:41.830 --> 00:14:45.067
were praying and singinghymns to God, and the prisoners
00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:47.703
were listening to them."
00:14:47.736 --> 00:14:51.674
Now the kind of joy that can getyou happy in jail at midnight
00:14:51.707 --> 00:14:55.511
with your back bleedingand your life in danger,
00:14:55.544 --> 00:14:57.680
that's the kind of joy I want.
00:14:57.713 --> 00:15:00.115
I want that kind of joy.
00:15:00.149 --> 00:15:02.918
We may not be able to rejoicein our load but, as we learn,
00:15:02.952 --> 00:15:06.255
we can rejoice in our Lord.
00:15:06.288 --> 00:15:09.925
And Christian joy is soincredible that it even stays
00:15:09.959 --> 00:15:13.796
with us when we're dying.
00:15:13.829 --> 00:15:16.799
I've been with Christian peoplethrough the process of death
00:15:16.832 --> 00:15:20.002
and see the smile on their face.
00:15:20.035 --> 00:15:22.738
Some of them have told methey've seen Jesus in the
00:15:22.771 --> 00:15:24.640
process and they wouldn't comeback here for anything.
00:15:24.673 --> 00:15:28.377
When Paul was getting readyto finish his journey he said in
00:15:28.410 --> 00:15:32.514
Acts chapter 20: "None of thesethings move me," all the things
00:15:32.548 --> 00:15:36.652
that were going on around him.
00:15:36.685 --> 00:15:37.987
He said they don't bother me.
00:15:38.020 --> 00:15:40.255
"These things don't move me,"or they don't get in my way.
00:15:40.289 --> 00:15:43.392
"I don't even count my life dearto myself, so that I can finish
00:15:43.425 --> 00:15:47.596
my race with joy."
00:15:47.629 --> 00:15:51.867
Joy all the way to the end.
00:15:51.900 --> 00:15:53.969
So in the 15th chapter of thebook of John, this is all played
00:15:54.003 --> 00:15:57.272
out in a few words and I'm gonnatake you through these few words
00:15:57.306 --> 00:16:00.175
but if you don't have yourScriptures in front of you you
00:16:00.209 --> 00:16:02.511
can watch, we'll put them upon the screen.
00:16:02.544 --> 00:16:04.413
Write the reference down.
00:16:04.446 --> 00:16:06.682
Let's talk for a moment aboutthe source of joy in your life.
00:16:06.715 --> 00:16:09.084
We've already establishedthat this joy comes from Jesus.
00:16:09.118 --> 00:16:12.121
Listen to his words inJohn 15:11: "These things I have
00:16:12.154 --> 00:16:14.957
spoken to you, that My joy,"said Jesus,
00:16:14.990 --> 00:16:18.694
"My joy may remain in you."
00:16:18.727 --> 00:16:21.063
Say that with me."My joy."
00:16:21.096 --> 00:16:23.265
"And that your joymight be full."
00:16:23.298 --> 00:16:25.734
Jesus says, "I want your joyto be the result of my joy."
00:16:25.768 --> 00:16:31.473
This joy is Christ's joy.
00:16:31.507 --> 00:16:34.743
This joy is the lifeof the Lord Jesus Christ
00:16:34.777 --> 00:16:37.746
being lived out inside of you.
00:16:37.780 --> 00:16:40.082
Christian joy is Christ's joyin the Christian.
00:16:40.115 --> 00:16:44.586
Christian joy is letting Christlive his life through you
00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:48.090
so that what he is you become.
00:16:48.123 --> 00:16:52.161
Peter called it a joyinexpressible and full of glory.
00:16:52.194 --> 00:16:57.032
This joy isn't dependent on us.It's dependent on him.
00:16:57.066 --> 00:16:59.668
And if we will trust him, heproduces that joy in our hearts.
00:16:59.701 --> 00:17:04.606
And the characteristic of thisjoy is that it was full joy.
00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:09.311
This is not imperfector incomplete.
00:17:09.344 --> 00:17:11.980
It is not an almost joyor a sometimes joy.
00:17:12.014 --> 00:17:15.050
This is an everyday,100% complete joy.
00:17:15.084 --> 00:17:19.955
And the uniqueness of thisjoy is captured in words that
00:17:19.988 --> 00:17:22.925
Peter wrote in the 1st chapterof his 1st letter.
00:17:22.958 --> 00:17:26.161
See if you can get your armsaround this one.
00:17:26.195 --> 00:17:28.063
Here's what he said: "Whomhaving not seen you love.
00:17:28.097 --> 00:17:34.103
Though now you do not see Him,yet believing, you rejoice
00:17:34.136 --> 00:17:36.572
with joy inexpressibleand full of glory."
00:17:36.605 --> 00:17:41.076
Let me pause for a momentand say if you're looking
00:17:41.110 --> 00:17:42.911
for joy outside of Jesusyou're wasting your time.
00:17:42.945 --> 00:17:46.782
But I'm here to tell you, he'salways open for business.
00:17:46.815 --> 00:17:50.352
He's always readyfor you to come.
00:17:50.385 --> 00:17:53.122
And if you want joy, real joy,wonderful joy, you've got to let
00:17:53.155 --> 00:17:57.192
Jesus come into your heart.
00:17:57.226 --> 00:17:59.862
And if you've never done that, Ihope you will do that 'cause all
00:17:59.895 --> 00:18:02.865
the rest of this is not gonnawork for you unless you
00:18:02.898 --> 00:18:04.933
have Jesus in your heart.
00:18:04.967 --> 00:18:07.035
That's where it starts.
00:18:07.069 --> 00:18:09.238
The Bible also tells usthat this joy that is my joy,
00:18:09.271 --> 00:18:12.608
says Jesus, and full joy,this joy is continual joy.
00:18:12.641 --> 00:18:16.778
Friends, have you everdiscovered how simple it is for
00:18:16.812 --> 00:18:20.415
your gladness of today to becomeyour sadness of tomorrow?
00:18:20.449 --> 00:18:25.254
Have you ever noticedthat your sweetness
00:18:25.287 --> 00:18:27.523
of the morning can turninto your bitterness at night?
00:18:27.556 --> 00:18:32.227
Or the friends you thought wereyour friends yesterday become
00:18:32.261 --> 00:18:34.630
your enemies today?
00:18:34.663 --> 00:18:37.766
Or the wisdom you thoughtwas so cool yesterday is now
00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:41.203
so foolish today?
00:18:41.236 --> 00:18:43.872
The one thing that all of usshare as we take this journey
00:18:43.906 --> 00:18:46.275
together with humanityis that nothing we get involved
00:18:46.308 --> 00:18:48.610
with ever seems to last.
00:18:48.644 --> 00:18:52.080
But the joy of Christ of whichwe speak today is a continual,
00:18:52.114 --> 00:18:55.784
never-ending, absolutelyconstant, lasting joy.
00:18:55.817 --> 00:19:00.689
This joy is not hingedon happenings.
00:19:00.722 --> 00:19:02.991
It's perfected in a person.
00:19:03.025 --> 00:19:07.296
At one of the lowest times inthe lives of Jesus' disciples,
00:19:07.329 --> 00:19:10.799
the days just before he wastaken away from them to go
00:19:10.832 --> 00:19:13.402
to the cross, in the midstof their sorrow and anxiety,
00:19:13.435 --> 00:19:17.306
Jesus comforted his disciples
00:19:17.339 --> 00:19:19.508
with these words, John 16:22:"Therefore you now have sorrow;
00:19:19.541 --> 00:19:25.614
but I will see you againand your heart will rejoice,"
00:19:25.647 --> 00:19:28.817
and this is the part I love,"and your joy no one
00:19:28.850 --> 00:19:32.854
will take from you."
00:19:32.888 --> 00:19:36.458
So how do you get this joy?
00:19:36.491 --> 00:19:37.826
We've already talked aboutthe fact that you have
00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:40.162
to surrender your lifeto the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:19:40.195 --> 00:19:44.333
You have to give Jesus Christfirst place in your life.
00:19:44.366 --> 00:19:49.238
I want to say againif you don't know Jesus Christ
00:19:49.271 --> 00:19:50.906
that's where joy starts.
00:19:50.939 --> 00:19:53.475
One of the things you needto do if you wanna have joy
00:19:53.508 --> 00:19:55.444
in your life you have to submityour life totally
00:19:55.477 --> 00:19:56.979
to the Spirit of God.
00:19:57.012 --> 00:19:58.780
You see, joy is the fruitof the Spirit.
00:19:58.814 --> 00:20:01.450
And when you're filledwith the Spirit of God
00:20:01.483 --> 00:20:03.318
you get that fruit.
00:20:03.352 --> 00:20:04.653
We're talking about howyou cultivate the fruit
00:20:04.686 --> 00:20:06.355
but you don't get it.
00:20:06.388 --> 00:20:07.689
You have to trustthe Lord Jesus Christ
00:20:07.723 --> 00:20:09.024
and then the Spirit of Godcomes to live within your heart
00:20:09.057 --> 00:20:12.628
and if you want that joyto be full and complete you
00:20:12.661 --> 00:20:15.831
have to say to the Lord Jesusand to the Holy Spirit,
00:20:15.864 --> 00:20:19.701
"Here's my life.
00:20:19.735 --> 00:20:21.103
Do with it as you please."
00:20:21.136 --> 00:20:23.672
I may have told you years agothat when I first understood the
00:20:23.705 --> 00:20:26.475
importance of fully dedicatingyour life to the Lord, I didn't
00:20:26.508 --> 00:20:29.711
wanna do it because for somereason in my mind I thought God
00:20:29.745 --> 00:20:32.281
was gonna send me to Africa.
00:20:32.314 --> 00:20:35.384
For some reason, I thought if Isaid, "Lord Jesus, you can have
00:20:35.417 --> 00:20:38.420
my whole life," I thoughtif I did that I'd end up
00:20:38.453 --> 00:20:40.922
on a mission field in Africa.
00:20:40.956 --> 00:20:43.492
And now I know that wouldn'thave been all that bad because a
00:20:43.525 --> 00:20:45.827
lot of good things happen there.
00:20:45.861 --> 00:20:48.330
But you see, until you cometo the place where
00:20:48.363 --> 00:20:50.098
it's not you anymore, it's him,you're willing to say,
00:20:50.132 --> 00:20:52.601
"Lord Jesus, here's my life.
00:20:52.634 --> 00:20:55.904
You chart it.
00:20:55.937 --> 00:20:57.673
I'll sign at the bottom."
00:20:57.706 --> 00:20:59.141
I faced that early in my lifewhen I believed God
00:20:59.174 --> 00:21:01.476
wanted me to be a preacher.
00:21:01.510 --> 00:21:03.078
I had been so totally involvedin the broadcast industry.
00:21:03.111 --> 00:21:07.649
I'd taken many courses inbroadcast industry, in speech,
00:21:07.683 --> 00:21:11.353
and I was working in a coupleof radio stations 'cause this
00:21:11.386 --> 00:21:14.256
is what I wanted to do, and thenGod called me to preach and
00:21:14.289 --> 00:21:16.525
I thought the worst thing aboutthat was I was gonna leave all
00:21:16.558 --> 00:21:18.894
that broadcasting stuff away andI was gonna go be a preacher.
00:21:18.927 --> 00:21:23.065
But God was just training meback here for what he knew
00:21:23.098 --> 00:21:25.200
he wanted me to do out hereand I would never have found
00:21:25.233 --> 00:21:27.836
that out if I hadn't just said,"Lord, okay, whatever.
00:21:27.869 --> 00:21:30.205
You want me to go to seminaryand be a preacher, here I am."
00:21:30.238 --> 00:21:34.009
And what I thoughthe took away from me,
00:21:34.042 --> 00:21:35.377
he gave me back multiple times.
00:21:35.410 --> 00:21:38.046
The Bible says, "Commit your wayunto the Lord and he," what?
00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:40.415
"Gives you the desiresof your heart."
00:21:40.449 --> 00:21:43.452
But it doesn't start until yousay, "Yes," until you say,
00:21:43.485 --> 00:21:46.455
"Lord God, I want your joy.
00:21:46.488 --> 00:21:48.357
I know I'm not gonna get itmy way so here I am.
00:21:48.390 --> 00:21:51.426
Here's the page of my life.
00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:52.928
I've signed the bottom,you fill in the details."
00:21:52.961 --> 00:21:56.865
Thirdly, you've got to studythe Word of God.
00:21:56.898 --> 00:21:59.468
Do you know why?
00:21:59.501 --> 00:22:00.802
Because thisis God's handbook on joy.
00:22:00.836 --> 00:22:03.372
This is the book that God gaveus so that we would know
00:22:03.405 --> 00:22:06.141
how to live the Christian life.
00:22:06.174 --> 00:22:07.809
And if you wanna know about joy,ha, ha, man, this is it.
00:22:07.843 --> 00:22:10.545
You'll find joy everywherein this book.
00:22:10.579 --> 00:22:13.815
Let me just tell you that if youwant really to have joy
00:22:13.849 --> 00:22:15.984
cultivated in your life you'vegotta share your life
00:22:16.017 --> 00:22:17.953
with others.
00:22:17.986 --> 00:22:19.287
You're not gonna be happyby yourself.
00:22:19.321 --> 00:22:21.390
God never intended youto be happy by yourself.
00:22:21.423 --> 00:22:23.759
He created the churchso that we could be together.
00:22:23.792 --> 00:22:26.728
How many of you know how hard itwould be to live the Christian
00:22:26.762 --> 00:22:28.830
life today if we didn't haveeach other,
00:22:28.864 --> 00:22:30.165
if we didn't have the church?
00:22:30.198 --> 00:22:31.500
Look at all the scary mess we'rein right now in this country.
00:22:31.533 --> 00:22:33.468
Look at all the crazinessthat's going on.
00:22:33.502 --> 00:22:36.471
You know, the only kind ofsanity you ever feel is when you
00:22:36.505 --> 00:22:38.440
come to church on Sunday.
00:22:38.473 --> 00:22:40.642
Then you have to go backinto that mixed-up world.
00:22:40.675 --> 00:22:43.678
You gotta have other peoplein your life.
00:22:43.712 --> 00:22:46.782
You know,Christianity is joyful.
00:22:46.815 --> 00:22:48.283
One of the great things peopletell me when they visit
00:22:48.316 --> 00:22:50.085
our church, "Dr. Jeremiah,there's so much joy
00:22:50.118 --> 00:22:51.987
in your church."
00:22:52.020 --> 00:22:53.622
Isn't that what should be here?
00:22:53.655 --> 00:22:55.323
If you've got Jesus,shouldn't you be full of joy?
00:22:55.357 --> 00:22:59.027
[congregation applauding]
00:22:59.060 --> 00:23:04.433
Joy is contagious and to catchthe infection you have to expose
00:23:04.466 --> 00:23:10.038
yourself to the virus and becomepart of the blessed epidemic,
00:23:10.071 --> 00:23:16.011
amen?
00:23:16.044 --> 00:23:18.013
So if you wanna be a joyfulperson, I've been learning
00:23:18.046 --> 00:23:20.682
this the hard way and someof you know it already.
00:23:20.715 --> 00:23:22.918
If you wanna be joyful,hang out with joyful people.
00:23:22.951 --> 00:23:26.221
You say, "How do I knowthe kind of people to go
00:23:26.254 --> 00:23:28.023
and hang out with?"
00:23:28.056 --> 00:23:29.357
Find those who are joyfulbecause if a person
00:23:29.391 --> 00:23:31.493
has authentic joy,you've just solved your problem.
00:23:31.526 --> 00:23:33.628
You've got the right person.
00:23:33.662 --> 00:23:35.897
Find joyful people.
00:23:35.931 --> 00:23:37.299
Hang out with joyful people.
00:23:37.332 --> 00:23:38.934
Become a part of the epidemic.
00:23:38.967 --> 00:23:40.902
Catch the virus.
00:23:40.936 --> 00:23:43.472
Get infected with the joyof Jesus Christ, amen?
00:23:43.505 --> 00:23:47.742
[congregation applauding]
00:23:47.776 --> 00:23:51.880
So let me go back to that lyricof an old song we used
00:23:51.913 --> 00:23:54.583
to sing growing up.
00:23:54.616 --> 00:23:55.917
Here it is.
00:23:55.951 --> 00:23:57.252
"If you want joy, real joy,wonderful joy, let Jesus
00:23:57.285 --> 00:24:01.423
come into your heart."
00:24:01.456 --> 00:24:03.625
announcer: Dr. Jeremiahwill return with one more
00:24:04.326 --> 00:24:06.394
inspirational word to closetoday's "A Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:06.428 --> 00:24:09.764
program right after this.
00:24:09.798 --> 00:24:11.833
announcer: Discover the stepsto the life of blessings
00:24:13.268 --> 00:24:15.470
God has for youin Dr. David Jeremiah's
00:24:15.504 --> 00:24:17.839
inspiring book,"A Life Beyond Amazing:
00:24:17.873 --> 00:24:21.042
9 Decisions That Will TransformYour Life Today."
00:24:21.076 --> 00:24:24.446
Order this transformational bookfrom Dr. Jeremiah today when you
00:24:24.479 --> 00:24:28.083
give a gift of any amountin support of this program,
00:24:28.116 --> 00:24:30.919
and if you give $60 or more,Dr. Jeremiah will send you
00:24:30.952 --> 00:24:34.856
in appreciation,his comprehensive
00:24:34.890 --> 00:24:37.526
"A Life Beyond Amazing" set.
00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:39.628
It contains his book, his entireteaching series on CD or DVD,
00:24:39.661 --> 00:24:43.999
a correlating study guide,and the "Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:44.032 --> 00:24:46.935
Scripture cards.
00:24:46.968 --> 00:24:48.904
Also available, the "30 Daysto a Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:48.937 --> 00:24:52.073
workbook.
00:24:52.107 --> 00:24:53.408
Implement the 9 key decisionsfrom "A Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:53.441 --> 00:24:56.344
in powerful and practical ways;plus, it includes a DVD
00:24:56.378 --> 00:25:00.615
with video instructionsfrom Dr. Jeremiah, available
00:25:00.649 --> 00:25:03.518
on its own for $30 or more
00:25:03.552 --> 00:25:05.754
or as part of"A Life Beyond Amazing" set
00:25:05.787 --> 00:25:08.723
for a gift of $85 or more.
00:25:08.757 --> 00:25:11.593
Decide today to start livinga life beyond what you thought
00:25:11.626 --> 00:25:15.096
possible, a life beyond amazing.
00:25:15.130 --> 00:25:17.666
Order these resources when youcontact Turning Point today.
00:25:17.699 --> 00:25:20.735
announcer: And now, with onelast word for today's program,
00:25:23.371 --> 00:25:26.074
here is Dr. Jeremiah.
00:25:26.107 --> 00:25:28.543
Dr. Jeremiah: In today'smessage I quoted a number
00:25:29.277 --> 00:25:31.212
of statistics about the questfor happiness.
00:25:31.246 --> 00:25:34.916
For many, true joy seems to bean elusive experience.
00:25:34.950 --> 00:25:39.054
Perhaps this is truebecause we seek happiness
00:25:39.087 --> 00:25:42.090
in the wrong places.
00:25:42.123 --> 00:25:44.125
True joy is only foundwhen we come to know God and
00:25:44.225 --> 00:25:47.195
we anticipate spending eternityin his presence.
00:25:47.228 --> 00:25:51.533
The path to knowingGod's joy is through faith
00:25:51.566 --> 00:25:54.002
in his Son Jesus Christfor Christ is the only path
00:25:54.035 --> 00:25:58.273
to living a contented lifeand a joyful life.
00:25:58.306 --> 00:26:02.310
To assist you in livinga joy-filled life, I would love
00:26:02.344 --> 00:26:05.880
to send you three free gifts.
00:26:05.914 --> 00:26:09.084
First, "Life Beyond Amazing"Scripture cards to help you stay
00:26:09.117 --> 00:26:12.654
focused every day on the amazinglife we have in Christ.
00:26:12.687 --> 00:26:17.125
Second, a booklet about knowingand living for Christ called,
00:26:17.158 --> 00:26:20.729
"Your Greatest Turning Point,"and third, our monthly
00:26:20.762 --> 00:26:24.265
devotional magazine,"Turning Points," to encourage
00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:27.602
you with inspiring articlesand devotionals.
00:26:27.636 --> 00:26:31.706
And we'll send all these giftsto you, free of charge,
00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:34.609
if you will contact us hereat "Turning Point" today.
00:26:34.643 --> 00:26:38.279
announcer: Next timeon "Turning Point."
00:26:40.215 --> 00:26:42.317
announcer: Dr. Jeremiahcontinues his conversation
00:26:42.350 --> 00:26:44.419
with Bobby Schuller, Mandisa,David Green, and Kirk Cousins.
00:26:44.452 --> 00:26:52.560
And he teaches how we can makethe decision to live
00:26:52.594 --> 00:26:55.497
a life of peace.
00:26:55.530 --> 00:26:57.098
Dr. Jeremiah: How do I knowif the Holy Spirit's working
00:26:57.632 --> 00:26:59.267
at peace in my life?
00:26:59.300 --> 00:27:00.602
When I have some moments wheneverything should be coming
00:27:00.635 --> 00:27:02.671
unglued and I just feel thislittle--this little sense
00:27:02.704 --> 00:27:05.940
in my heart, "I'm gonna be okay.
00:27:05.974 --> 00:27:08.977
God is with me.
00:27:09.010 --> 00:27:10.412
I'm gonna make it."
00:27:10.445 --> 00:27:12.447
announcer: Thank youfor being with us today
00:27:13.415 --> 00:27:15.417
for Dr. Jeremiah's series,"A Life Beyond Amazing."
00:27:15.450 --> 00:27:19.087
Join us next timefor Dr. Jeremiah's message,
00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:21.289
"A Life of Peace,"here on "Turning Point."
00:27:21.322 --> 00:27:25.827

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A Life of Joy

A Life of Joy

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A Life of Joy

A Life of Joy

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