Thank you.
All right, folks.
Welcome to Your Words Baptist
Church.
We'll go ahead and get started
this morning.
If you would, grab your hymnals
and turn to our first hymn number
230, Heavenly
Sunlight.
Hymn number
23230,
Heavenly Sunlight.
Heavenly
Sunlight,
230, we'll sing there starting
there on that first verse.
Let's sing.
Heavenly
Sunlight,
flooding my soul
with glory
divine.
Hallelujah
I am rejoicing
singing his praises
Jesus is mine
shadows around
me shadows
above me
never conceal
my savior
and guide
he is the light
in him is no darkness
ever
I'm walking
close to his side
heavenly
sunlight
heavenly sunlight
flooding my soul
with glory
divine
Hallelujah
I am rejoicing
singing his
praises
Jesus is mine
in the bright
sunlight
ever rejoicing
pressing my way
to mentions
above
singing his praises
gladly
I'm walking
walking in sunlight
sunlight of love
heavenly
sunlight
heavenly
sunlight
flooding my soul
with glory
divine
Hallelujah
I am
rejoicing
singing his praises
Jesus is
mine
Amen, good singing this morning. Brother Jeff, would you open us in a word of prayer?
Amen. Amen. For our next hymn this morning, turn if you would to two hundred and eleven. Two eleven, whosoever meaneth me.
Hymn two hundred and eleven, two one one, whosoever meaneth me.
We'll sing there starting on that first verse. Let's sing.
I am happy today and the sun shines bright
the clouds have been rolled away
for the savior said whosoever will
may come with him to stay
whosoever surely meaneth me
surely meaneth me oh surely meaneth me
whosoever surely meaneth me
whosoever meaneth me
all my hopes have been raised
all his name be praised
his glory has filled my soul
I've been lifted up and from sin set free
his blood hath made me whole
whosoever surely meaneth me
surely meaneth me oh surely meaneth me
whosoever surely meaneth me
whosoever meaneth me
oh what wonderful level
what grace divine that Jesus
should die for me
I was lost in sin for the world I find
but now I am set free
whosoever
surely meaneth me surely meaneth me
oh surely meaneth me
whosoever surely meaneth me
whosoever meaneth me
Amen. Good singing again this morning.
If you need a bulletin, go ahead and lift up your hand. Brother James has those and he'll get them
around to you. Of course, welcome to Pure Words Baptist Church.
On the front there we have our weekly memory passage, Romans 8.38.
So you have probably about two weeks to get that done. It's through verse 39.
There's still time. You could learn it
in a week if you try really really hard. You'd have to try really hard. It's probably better to
learn it in a week at a time. But you do still have that opportunity. Of course, that
memory verse is there and it's like pastor said on the midweek service
the bigger the chapter the bigger the reward. So obviously the biggest
reward is writing the word of God in your heart, but carnal rewards are cool
too. If you open up on the top left we have our service times
and underneath that our churchwide full-winning in their respective leaders. There was
an update here to Brother Mo's phone number so just check to make sure you've got that
so that you're not texting someone like, man why is Mo just not responding to me?
It's because he has a new number. So it's not that he doesn't like you. Well maybe. I don't know.
Underneath that at the stats on the bottom we have our month-to-date salvation
which is 40. Month-to-date salvation I should say. And year-to-date puts us at
639. Is there any soul-winning to report between Tuesday
when we had our last service and today? Anything for Saturday 1, 2,
3. So 3 total going once, going twice. So alright
we'll add 3 more. Amen to that. And obviously
keep up the hard work. The goal for the year is 1000. It's not impossible.
But we're going to have to put in some work, alright. So let's get out there
you know. Say not, you know, wait until it's warmer to go into the harvest
where the harvest is right, you know. The fields are wide under harvest I should say.
On the top right of course keep being in prayer for our expecting lady Miss Corinne Darnell
and of course be in prayer for Brother Nick and Miss Sarah. They welcomed
their baby in last week on Saturday and so that's why they're out
just recovering. Be in prayer for them and obviously reach out to them
let them know that you're thinking about them and praying for them and just encourage them, right?
Underneath that on that right side we have upcoming events and guest preaching.
Now today we have Brother Segura from Faithful Word Out preaching for us so definitely
make him feel welcome. It's always a blessing when he comes out and is able to preach for us
and so just make sure to thank him. Arizona's a little
bit of a waste, you know, away from here. The weather here might be a little nicer than Arizona
I don't know brother, you can tell me. I don't know if you prefer the heat or what. Not right now.
So yeah. Yeah, yeah. There you go.
Yeah, so well this is like the one time you can
actually visit Houston I feel like and not melt. So there's that. Although in Arizona you're probably just
perpetually melting so who knows. So good fellowship there. Upcoming
on Friday December 3rd we have our Christmas caroling and pizza fellowship
and I did go ahead and put in here that time for meet up. The meet up
is at 5.30 for caroling. Now remember what we're going to do is go
out for about an hour and then come back and have the pizza fellowship. The reason
that there's not like a re-meet up time is I'm not sure exactly the hard cut
on you know are we leaving at 5.30 or is it at 6 or are we going to be back exactly at
7. Look if you show up for pizza and you didn't go caroling I mean do that anyway I guess
if you want to but you should come caroling instead. Then you'll really know when we're having the pizza fellowship
because you'll be there. And then Pastor's going to stay with us through
that weekend. That's this coming weekend and he'll be here on Sunday December 5th
preaching both services. Upcoming after
that on Sunday December 19th we have brother Duncan Urbanic he'll be here he's from
Steadfast Dallas. He'll be preaching both services a really good
preacher. Thursday December 23rd is going to be our Christmas candlelight
service and cookie bake off and of course that cookie bake off is the
three category right and you can enter as many as you want but there's going to be
best tasting most unique and best designed.
And you could win all three with one or you could win all three with three different cookies
or you could enter 40 types of cookies I don't care because the more cookies you enter the more
we can eat. So I mean there's no wrong way to go about this
competition and who doesn't like a little competition right. Then after that
we have this guy who's never preached for us before it's brother Chris Segura on Sunday January
2nd he'll be preaching both services again so yeah. So and then Sunday
that's starting the new year off on the right foot. Sunday January 9th we'll have brother
Duncan Urbanic back for us preaching both services and Sunday January
23rd brother Ben Naim otherwise known as Ben the Baptist will be here preaching both services.
As far as I know that's everything that's coming down the pike on upcoming events but
if anything gets added we'll throw it in there and keep you guys posted. Of course
underneath that for prayer requests just keep brother Edward in your prayers as he's continuing to recover
he says everything's been going well and so we'll just keep him in mind and lift him
up in prayer. If you do have any prayer requests whether they're spoken or not
go ahead and send those either to pastor or brother Nick or you can
email them to this email here purewordsbaptist at gmail.com and we'll make
sure if it's a public prayer we can put that in the bulletin for you or if it's private they can
you know pastor can keep you in his prayers in private. And then on the back of course there is a
spot to take notes. With that I believe that is all the announcements
we have for today we'll move on to our third hymn. You'll grab your hymnals
and turn to 205. Hymn number
205205 he keeps me singing
205
We'll sing
there on that first verse let's sing. There's within my heart
a melody Jesus whispers
sweet and low. Fear not
I am with thee peace be still
in all of life ebb and flow
Jesus Jesus Jesus
sweetest name I know
fills my every
longing keeps me singing
as I go. All my life
was wrecked by sin and strife
discord filled my heart with pain
Jesus swept across the broken
strings stirred the slumbering chords again
Jesus Jesus
Jesus sweetest
name I know fills
my every longing
keeps me singing as I go
feasting on the riches of his
grace resting neath his sheltering
wing always looking on
his smiling face that is why I
shout and sing
Jesus Jesus Jesus
sweetest name I know
fills my every longing
keeps me singing as I go
though sometimes he leads through
waters deep trials fall across
the way though sometimes
the past seems rough and steep
see his footprints all the way
Jesus Jesus Jesus
sweetest name I know
fills my every
longing keeps me singing
as I go soon he's coming
back to welcome me far
beyond the starry sky
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown
I shall reign with him on high
Jesus Jesus
Jesus sweetest name
I know fills my
every longing keeps me
singing as I go
Amen. While the offering plate is being passed around turn if you would
to first Peter chapter number one first Peter chapter number one brother
Sam will read that chapter for us
okay first Peter chapter
number one find a place that always
we're going to read this chapter together follow along
with me starting right here first Peter chapter one verse
one where the Bible reads Peter an apostle of Jesus
Christ is the strangest scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit into
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace
unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy
has begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible
and undefiled and that fated not awake reserved in
heaven for you were kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
wherein you greatly rejoice so now for a season
if need be you're in heaviness through manifold temptation
a trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold
that parishes though it be tried with fire might be found
under praise and honoring glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
whom having not seen ye love in whom though
now ye see him not yet believing you rejoice with
joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your
faith even the salvation of your soul which
salvation the prophets have inquired searching diligently whom prophesied of
the grace that should come unto you searching what
over in manner of time the spirit of Christ which is in them did
signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ
and the glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed
that not unto themselves but unto us they did
minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have
preached the gospel unto you with the holy ghost sent down from heaven
which things the angels desire to look into
wherefore hurt up the loins of your mind be sober
and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children
not fashioning yourselves according to the form of lust in your ignorance
but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be
ye holy for I am holy and if you call on the father
who without respect of person judges according to every man's work
past the time of your sojourning here in fear
for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things
as silver and gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from
your father but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot who verily was foreordained before the
foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you
who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory
that your faith and hope might be in God seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see
that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently
being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible
by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever
for all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man is as a flower of grass
the grass withers the flower falleth
thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endures forever
and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you
by his first quick word of prayer
our father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name
come before you again father and we give you thanks for allowing us to symbolize it
for example hear a bold sermon preached by brothers of Europe
fill him with your holy spirit so is all with your holy spirit
we thank you for all your spirit we pray that you would let him edify us
and let us pay attention to this and to learn and to be edified by his name
Amen. Good to see everyone this morning
if you look down at first Peter chapter number one you know I want you to go ahead and
look at verse number three that says this blessed be the God and father
of the Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant
mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled
and that fadeth not away reserved
in heaven for you and verse four every time I read it
puts a smile on my face and I don't know about you but I like being happy
you know I enjoy being happy I don't like being sorrowful
I don't like being mournful I don't like being depressed if I want to pick
an emotion the emotion is to be happy I'd rather be happy than a
billionaire that's miserable all day every day you know but the
thing is this sometimes especially as new believers we
may not understand what the Christian life is really about we
may think because of all these prosperity preachers like Benny Hinn
and Kenneth Copeland if you don't know any better I'm talking about
people that are new that don't know any better like myself 20 years ago
you may think that wow if I give it everything I have
I could be like this man I could be like that individual all false prophets
by the way you know but you can literally think that you know what if I stick
with God you know what I think things you know are going to actually
happen my dreams are going to come true and it is true that God will give you the desires of your heart
but when you're new and you don't know better and you have these ideas
of careers maybe you may think to yourself you know what if I stick with
God that's the answer that's the answer right there for
me to get everything I want so that I can be happy
amen but the reality is that the Christian life is not
about being happy every day it's just not and we'll see
we'll see really quickly you know that there's a balance
you know there's a balance there will be a lot of moments where we're happy
we're enjoying life but there will be a lot of moments especially during the
tribulation where things are going to get a little bit crazy that we may not
always always you know have to rejoice over what's going on
in our lives in that specific moment I mean when you think of Genesis and
every other book there's always someone who's suffering always
for whatever reason you know you think of Genesis you notice that
you know Eve is suffering one of her sons gets murdered and then
she's rejoicing when God gives her another son it's a balance
God knows that you're going to go through suffering you know but what I don't want people
to think and I think this church kind of gets it because of all the
stuff that's been happening you know to your leader is that you can't
expect things to go well when you're serving the Lord because the
devil doesn't like it his minions don't like it you know
reprobates don't like it you know so we got to prepare ourselves and this is kind of
what I want to do this morning is talk about happiness in the Bible and give you that
balance you know of what happens in the Bible you know
really is because I don't want you guys like Jesus says hey I'm
telling you like Christ told his apostles I'm telling you all these things are going to happen
because I don't want you to be offended I want you to expect it it'll help
you if you know these things are coming so if we know that the
Christian life involves suffering sorrowness we're not going
to quit that easy or even think that we're doing something
wrong if the preacher's offering constantly reminding people it's like hey think with it
it's not always going to be easy but one thing is that it will be
worth it and when you look at verse 4 it says listen
if you're having a hard time a little bit down look what the Bible says an inheritance
incorruptible undefiled that faded not away reserved for you
where in heaven in heaven and I know someone
somebody that I know personally ended up inheriting a house but it wasn't a blessing
because that house was a house that ended up just fading and so he
inherited and then he's like man the property taxes are crazy
the house is breaking down I just had somebody inspected and this and this and this
and this and this you know it's straight up messed up with this house
it's a nightmare it's not a blessing sometimes the inheritance
you're like wow who and when and what am I getting
this time it's like yeah you inherited the house but it might as well be a haunted house
because it's causing you so much headache but we don't have to worry about what's
going to happen when we die because we do have an inheritance coming and it's
one that doesn't fade it's incorruptible and it's undefiled
and it motivates me when I know that hey when I think spiritually
know what as bad as things can get I got something better waiting
people wonder when is Christ going to return in my lifetime I don't know about
you but I'm probably going to be dead in the next 50 years from old age
the Bible says if you make it past 70 by strength you're a very blessed
individual you must have done something right to make God live you live
more than that but the average lifespan in the Bible I would say even for a godly
person is probably about 70 years well I'm 40
I'm 42 so think about it 50 years I'm going to be 90 something
so I'm going to see Jesus pretty soon because 50 years is going to fly
it's just going to go so quick I mean I remember when I
joined the Marines now I'm 42 with 8 children I'm like how did that happen
it's just like boom it is a vapor life goes so quick and all God's
people say Amen but you know what
you know this verse also reminds me of another verse that I came across when I was reading my Bible
one day and it reminded me of Donald Trump let me just read it for you you go
to John 14 one you know because we know that we have an
inheritance we have something that's coming we have something that's not just
coming it's never going to fade away it's reserved for us it's
incorruptible undefiled and I believe that's just treasures in heaven
because Christ said just throw out for yourself treasures in heaven you know but there's also
this verse that makes me think of Donald Trump and I explain why
Psalms 49 says this for he seeth the wise men die likewise the fools and the
British person you know perish and leave their wealth to others talking about
hey you got rich people even a brutish person this person
who's I guess you can say a dummy you know he's going to die and he's going to leave
his wealth to others but their inward thought is that their houses
shall continue forever and their dwelling places to
all generations they call their lands after their own
name hello Trump Tower and why
did he name it Trump Tower because this is kind of the world's way
and unbelievers way are kind of living forever they think that
that Trump Tower is going to last forever and I'm sure he's not the only one
I mean you got Rockefeller Plaza or whatever I don't know why they named the
Rockefeller Plaza maybe he had it somewhere in the deed when he died
he just gave it up or he gave it to whoever and they kept his name why
because he wants us to remember them when they're dead and gone this is why I believe
Elon Musk really wants to go to Mars he really wants to be in the history books
because that's his way of living forever but Trump Tower
Rockefeller Plaza is all just going to one day fade
away get destroyed it's gone how depressing is that
if they were to know the truth I think they know it and they don't want to face it these
these people that have billions of dollars Jeff Bezos of this world
who don't believe in the Lord they reject the Bible they're enjoying the
pleasures of sin for a season I wonder how many times
a week does he think and look at his riches and kind of stress
himself out by thinking this stuff is going to someone some day and I
wonder what it's going to do with my money I work hard for this I put
in like Elon Musk claims that he put in a hundred hours starting out
when he was coding back in the day he lived literally in some kind of
office with no bathroom no shower he lived on the floor with his brother
and during the day they would just go to the YMCA and go shower up
then it got so good at whatever they were doing they sold their first business for like
four hundred million dollars then he took that money got into Tesla
now SpaceX and supposedly he's the richest person in the world
but I wonder what he's thinking when he thinks of his riches it's got to be
depressing but you know what we have an inheritance
we have something that's common and every time I read this it just motivates
me I'll just read from Ecclesiastes 7.1 you know so when it comes
to us a good source of joy for all of us
is the fact that we are saved but it's not enough to be saved you have
to dwell on it you have to set your fictions on things above not on things
of this earth because it's very depressing to people that may be saved
in other countries like South Africa and they look at all these people in America
that are living so good they can get themselves to the
point where they start getting depressed because they're not thinking spiritually
you know they're not they're thinking carnally and they may be thinking man it must be
nice to be a Christian in America where I can live nicer and better
and whatever because I've been to South Africa I've been there I've gotten people saved
but it was a really poor area we almost wondered do people even
live here but I can only imagine when they watch TV what they're thinking
because it's not true it's all fake TV is just there to get you
to A be fearful to become covetous TV is being used to cause us
to sin or be in sin or even stay in sin and sometimes we don't even know it but once
we read our Bible we're like whoa you know what I shouldn't be like this hey I need
to quit this I need to do this I need to get better I need to get more mentally stronger
but the majority of the people as far as I know you know that are in South Africa they're
never going to see what we see they're never going to drive what we drive you know
we're not rich people but we live nice they're never going to see that
and I wonder what do they use to motivate themselves it has to be something spiritual
it has to be the Bible you know so when it comes to happiness in the Bible
we're going to see really quickly that it's not always you know a joyful thing to live the
Christian life but at the end everything will be worth it you name any
Bible character that stuck with God what do they all have in common they all have a happy ending
you name them they all have a happy ending but what about the ones that don't stick with God
they don't have a happy ending they don't you know so you guys
are on the road to a happy ending someday like I said 50 years
I'm probably gone no doubt no doubt in my mind if I live to be 100 I'll be shocked
if I live to be past 70 I'll be happy but I'm expecting to be the guy
that's six you know what is it six score in 10 years I'm thinking that's probably going to be me
just because I have too many vaccinations in the military it's all going to catch up
I'm just preparing my kids for what's coming but they'll probably be great men of God down the road
and they won't need me anymore you know I'm here to raise them up in the way they should go
so when they're old they're not going to depart when I'm dead and gone and it's over
people stress like man I'm not sure about my kids I'm afraid that they're going to turn out
what if they end up messing up their lives hey you trained up in the way you should go and when they're old
they will not be apart from it take that to make you happy
it's about being happy right it's about knowing what happiness is what the Bible teaches in regards to happiness
you know but one thing that we all can already know without even being told
is that the number one way to obviously enjoy life better is just to do the right thing
I don't have to tell you guys that I'm just here to remind you about it and then we'll give you a couple other sources
of happiness you know in case you were thinking oh this is it nope this is a big subject
it's very hard to just talk about every single instance
when the Bible refers to individuals you know going from being sad to happy
in the Bible you know but for us the main thing we've got to realize is that we've got to realize that
you know but for us the main thing we've got to realize is like hey we're safe we want to start to be happy
things ain't going well just remind yourself you're safe hey if you were to die tonight
guess what most people think it's over that's it it's gone hey
sucks to be you I wish your life would have been better but not for the safe individual
how do I know please the answer seven one hey it says this the day of death
then the day of one's birth is better is better look what it says in
Philippians 1 21 for the me to live is Christ and to die is gain
verse 23 for I'm in the street between two having a desire to the party to be with Christ
which is far better nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you
Luke 16 says this and it came to pass that the beggar died
and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom
now I don't know how they did it I don't know these angels are so big they can just kind of hold you
like a baby in the arms and fight you into heaven but that's going to be one cool day
amen so for us it's like hey if I die today I'm
going to see some angels they're going to carry me into Abraham's bosom I don't know how they're going to do
it maybe I can jump in their back like my daughter jumps on me and chokes me and basically I carry
them everywhere I don't know how it's going to go but it's going to be a fun time
and when you're down just read these verses it will help you to build happiness
why because you're safe that's probably the number one way to get happy
right away things ain't going well well at least I'm safe
one day in front of Christ one day my mansion and where do I get that
from straight out of the Bible I told you to go to John 14 correct
hey when you start to feel a little stressed out or what the Bible calls
letting your heart be troubled here's some more motivation for you John 14
1 let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me
in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so
I would have told you I like this part I go to prepare a place for you
sounds like the one that we just read right first Peter it says hey you have an inherent
corruptible undefiled fate is not a way reserved in heaven for you
go to first Peter 1 5 we're going back to first Peter you guys were in John
go back to first Peter but I love that many mansions not some
many and even though we may never see a mansion in our lives
meaning own one we have one done it's
over people are like oh man I wish I had it now no you don't
because thieves will break in and steal amen
you don't want it yet but it's up there waiting for you and it's not a fairy tale
I mean look at you guys are laughing because it does bring joy knowing hey my match
is up there it's up there not just that but treasure
I know none of us are at the level of Hebrew 11 when none of us are
solid asunder or whatever hey I'm pretty sure we've all done a lot of soul winning
but let's face it these people in Hebrews 11 they got stoned they got
cut in half they refuse to be delivered why so they can have
a better resurrection because they were smart just like
it says that Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing
rather suffer affliction with children of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season
he was smart he realized you know what it's not about the money it's not about the
treasures it's not about the fame it's not about the power you know
it's 100% about being right with the Lord
hey I'm saved being in the right mindset
because happiness truly is a state of mind is it not I mean if you think
negative you're going to be negative if you think positive you're going to be positive
and as God's people we're commanded to be positive I know it's not easy
but we are able to do it and still be
sorrowful at the same time it's almost that fake it till you make it showing yourself
a man like the Bible talks about hey we know in the inside
we're kind of struggling a little bit but on the outside we can show a little bit more bravado
why because that's what God wants us to do because it affects everyone you're positive
people around you be positive your boss is negative the employees looking negative
it's not a good thing but when it comes to happiness we see all these verses that should
make us start smiling I mean when the Bible says this hey
behold your reward is great in heaven for in like manner did their fathers enter the false
prophets 1st Corinthians 2 9 one of my favorite motivators
it says but as it is written your eye has not seen nor ear heard
neither have entered into the heart of man the thing which God has prepared
for them to love him that's you guys because how do you know
if somebody loves God it's easy by this we know that we love
the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments what are you guys doing
keeping his commandments why are you guys here because you're keeping God's commandments because
you love God guess what it's going to go good for you you have no idea what's coming
but hey I have a hard time like trying to figure
out what would actually make me leap for joy and be so happy
I have to fool in front of everyone but I'm sure God has something
because he said you will leap for joy you know because
your reward will be great in heaven but you guys are right there in 1st Peter
so we see those verses starting off in 1st Peter saying hey you have an inheritance
that motivates me like I can't wait to see it it's made by God
the other verses tell you look there's matches in heaven there's a place for you in heaven
I'm like woah I wonder what it looks like it's got to be super
impressive to cause people to rejoice and leap for joy but
all those verses help us to smile but these verses don't but
it's not that it's all negative you're right there in 1st Peter 1.5 it says to
we're kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
wherein ye greatly rejoice that's where God wants us to be
greatly rejoicing though now for a season
if need be ye are in heaviness what is heaviness
that's depression so the Christians in the Bible suffer from
depression absolutely but guess what you will too
and guess what there's nothing wrong with you that's called being human
it's like man I'm so depressed some days I wish I wasn't even alive
like Moses some days I wish I wasn't alive like maybe Peter
when he forsook the Lord some days I wish that God would just take
my life away like Jonah maybe I mean think about
how many prophets good men of God just say God just get me out
of here you know I can't handle this it's better that I were dead
than alive why because we're going through temptation
and all I got to say is if you're going through temptations all I got to say is this for a just man
fall off seven times and rise up again rise up
you fall rise up I had a crappy week
rise up I fell into sin rise up I fell for temptation
rise up because that's what God wants you to do
man I screwed up seven times in a row rise up get up
just get up but it sucks what does liking have to do
with anything last time I checked in Ecclesiastes it says let it hear the conclusion of the whole
matter fear God and keep his commandments for this the whole duty of men who's heard of
Dr. Jack Howell regardless of what you think of him whether you like him or hate him thinks he's
a backslider wonder if he's even safe preach you know the preacher of rapture
until he died makes you wonder if he's even safe how can you reach the Bible so long if you're leaving a preacher
of rapture had a Bible college until he died how could he be saved if he was wrong with the
Lord he would have probably figured out Bible college whatever you think of the guy there's this one
sermon that he preached called duty and one of the things
I remember he kept saying doesn't matter if you like it doesn't
matter if you're having fun doesn't matter if you're being blessed live the Christian life because
it's your duty it's your duty to do it that's the
same with your work and he talked about being in the military I don't know how long he was in the military
but he talked about how a lot of guys just did it because it was the duty not because they liked it
but guess what at the end they wanted they wanted
the glory it came from winning that war World War II regardless of
what you feel about it that's how they looked at it we won we won you know they all felt excited
they were all happy about it you know but this is similar because here's how it is
at the time when they're going through tough training they're going through
some tough mission they're going through maybe even a maybe even a war
you know there's going to be times of heaviness where they're depressed but you can't
quit because then you lose for sure it's over the war
it's going to be that's what they try to do sometimes they try to demoralize the enemy
get them to quit get them to give up mentally because once they give up mentally
they're going to give up physically and that's what the devil wants to do with you guys as well
and especially if you get into the Christian life like I did as a new believer
thinking well you know what I got all these things I want to do in life I even said this to myself
I even I even prayed this to God which was a stupid prayer God I'll give you one year
my life doesn't change I'm out
I'm glad he had mercy on me and they didn't send a lot of
trials because I wouldn't be here right now but I did pray that
one time you know because the preacher was like God has the will for your life
I'm like well that's great but I have one for myself you know come up to the
old fashioned altar and do business with God well I did God
I know you got a will for me but I got some for myself and I'll give you one year
if you help me I'll stick around if you don't I'm out how dumb is that
because I thought that these were certain things that will
make me happy and I had those things in mind and I was going for those things
and I thought with God for sure they're going to come true
I better make sure I come to church I wasn't coming to church because I was trying to serve the Lord
I just wanted him to be kind of like my genie and just answer my request
as I was living the quote unquote Christian life but
if I had not been warned that it's not always going to be easy
things are going to happen who knows I would have just got confused
like I must be you know how people are I must be doing something wrong
if these bad things are happening or vice versa God must not really have a big deal
with my sin because hey he hasn't come down on me yet
because we often do what I learned this from Pastor Jimenez we confuse
God's patience with permission right
he's long suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
but what do we see in First Peter
Peter's like hey I know you guys are depressed you're in heaviness through
manifold temptation so guess what our lives are going to be filled
with temptation and it sucks when you fall into temptation
but what I have to say to you rise up
rise up there just man rise up get up no matter how you feel
remember the Jack Heil sermon is your duty to just keep going
don't worry about how you feel it's your duty to push forward it's your duty to keep fighting
just keep doing it for one reason only because it's your duty
regardless of how you feel but the good news is that hey
one of the reasons why God gives us joy is because we are doing the right thing
so it's not like we're going to live the Christian life 90% of it miserable
that's not how it works it seems like it's almost even when you're trying to do something big for God
when you're trying to do something big for God bad things will happen but a lot of good things
will happen as well you know you'll see it more and more
as you stick around with this church as this church lives for the Lord you'll see it
but it says that there in heaviness through manifold temptations that the
trial of your faith be much more precious than of gold that perishes
though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory
at the appearing of Jesus Christ so what is this saying this saying
simply this that hey these things need to happen so God can see what you're made of so you can
decide how he can use you more and at the end it's going to all
be what worth it because that's what it says at the appearing of Jesus Christ
you'll be praised and have honor and glory so guess
what you want to do something big for God expect bad things to happen
expect them I started going to church moms didn't like
it brothers didn't like it friends didn't like it and sure enough
I'm like do I know anyone that actually is happy that I'm going to church
the answer was no no one but I kept
going because of the preaching because of what I saw in scripture
once I was warned then it was easier to deal with it
but my pastor was like hey they're not going to like it
I'm like really why would they not like it it's like they know me
couldn't they be happy that I'm doing some activity that's making me a better person
the answer is no because they're unsafe they don't
understand they have a veil over their eyes anything you tell them goes right over
their head they're not safe they're not spiritual they just don't get
it so just stick to dropping a seed trying to get them saved then they'll start
getting it but I was thinking what I thought the Christian life was all peachy
and wonderful and blessed and and you know what as long as I
just keep going to church you know everything will go well not not
the case not the case you see it from scripture all day
long but here's the thing you will think that they're like man
why am I so miserable why aren't things going well why am I upset
why am I depressed well no all I can
tell you is that God is the one that gives you love joy peace patience meekness
emperance he gives you all that stuff but he also tells us and for
example Ecclesiastes so if you have your Bible go to Ecclesiastes chapter number 3
I'm in Ecclesiastes chapter number 12
in fact I'll skip that I'll go to 7 you guys go ahead and meet me
in Ecclesiastes chapter number 3 and I'm going to go and read from
Ecclesiastes chapter number 7 it says it is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting for that is the end of all man and the living
will lay it to his heart sorrow is better than laughter
that is very hard to believe but we live by faith not by sight
hug the sorrow being sad being depressed be better than laughter
well the Bible says it that settles it but if you think about it it makes sense
because when you're sorrowful it's probably because you're
spiritual and when you're sorrowful for spiritual reasons
then it makes sense because when you think about all the lost
souls what's the shortest verse in the Bible Jesus
wept Jesus wept
so what in the world you know is going on
when it says the sorrow is better than laughter because it will make you a better person
if things are always good if things are always perfect if things are
always just a fun day you won't be able to understand people's pain
you won't be able to become the person that you need to be
with the compassion that you need to be able to go out there and give the gospel even in
times when you don't want to so what do we see we see sorrowfulness
as part of the Christian life so what does the Bible teach us in regards to happiness
that you're not always going to be happy it's impossible to always be happy
what does the Bible teach us in regards to happiness in the Bible you don't need
it to serve God you don't don't rely on it
if you have it great praise the Lord things are going well praise the Lord you're physically good
praise the Lord money's coming in praise the Lord you understand
persecution is down praise the Lord but you know what
don't make it your main motivator don't make joy
happiness your main motivator the Bible warns you against it because when
things go right right away they can be really really bad
and let's take a quick look Tlesiastes 3 it says to everything there is a season
a time to every purpose under the heaven a time to be born that's a great thing
and a time to die it's like really right away talks about death
who really likes thinking about death no one
I don't think people are waiting for their spouse or their father or their mother to die
we kind of want to deal with those things when they come but the reality when you look
at scripture is that it's there time to be born time to die
but we do not mourn like those that have no hope like we saw earlier better is the
day of your death than the day of your birth if you're saved because what happens
you're going to meet the angels right away they're going to carry you out of the way and I mean think about
that immediately you die and you see something cool angels angels
and they're going to carry you through space forget about SpaceX
let's go angels let's do this SpaceX
only hits like the very top of the earth you know
they call it low orbit we're going deep space all you
Star Wars fans don't worry it's coming
warp speed ahead angels let's go and I wonder how we're going to be carried
I don't want to be carried like a baby like really this ain't cool you're going to think like this all the way to heaven
let me at least strap myself on your back and go light speed and not hang on with my feet
flying or whatever but right away when we die
what do we got we got the angels but look at this it's like 50-50
it's like warning us like it's giving us a great balance saying look stuff that you see
here like for example time to be born a time to die
a time to plant that's not the easiest thing in the world nobody really likes to
plant soul seeds break the ground down have to water it but a time to pluck up
that which is planted that's the fun part a time to kill whoa who
whoa who really wants to do that obviously there were wars in these days
when he's writing it and it says hey sometimes we have to defend ourselves we have to kill
when they were going into the promised land hey the children of Israel did a lot of killing
not murdering killing they were getting rid of people that were just evil
they had to go and a time to heal time to break down and a time to build up
a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to
mourn and a time to dance a time to cast away stones and a time to
gather stones together a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing
a time to get and a time to lose a time to keep and a time to cast away
a time to rend and a time to sew a time to keep silence
and a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate
and hating ain't easy it's very hard when we
get backslidden hey we should hate the evil love the good
but we all know that when it comes to hating evil it's
just one of those things that we I guess got to just be ready spiritually
and you get that hate when you start seeing it when you start seeing it live
in your face whatever sin is out there that's when you're like ugh
start getting upset but there's nothing wrong with you and who's happy really when they're
angry no one so when you look at this list
half of it is like brave the other half is not
it's like good and bad good and bad good and bad so this is basically the
Christian life there's going to be ups and downs ups and downs ups and downs ups and downs
happiness joy happiness joy you know sorrow sorrow sorrow depression
depression but that's what the Bible teaches in regards to happiness in the Bible
you're going to have both and when you look at the list it basically is
telling you this you're going to have both a lot so start getting used to it
so that you're not offended a month from now when something
bad happens and it's okay it's okay to take it to the Lord
and just just take it to him you know go to James 1-1
but nobody likes temptations but I'm glad the Bible has verses like
James 1-1 that reminds us the truth about temptations
before we start getting deceived thinking that there's something wrong with
us because all these things are happening around us testing us
whatever it may be whether it's your job threatening to fire you
if you don't take the corona because of religious reasons whether it's your
friends or whoever you know your mom your dad whoever
persecuting you I'm sure a lot of people have gone through that you know whether
it's even in your church you may have just another church member that just doesn't like
you and start speaking evil about you but you know what things
just happen where you just have to deal with it but the main thing I wanted to
show is that a when it comes to happiness in the Bible what is it teaching us
it's teaching us that it's not always going to happen it's teaching us
that there'll be days where you're happy but you got to be careful because bad things can happen
here right there in James 1 it says James servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ
the twelve tribes were scattered abroad greetings my brethren count it
all joy when you fall into diverse temptations so we shouldn't say
Lord just like I don't want any temptations because joy
will come when you endure those temptations the temptation to quit the temptation
to not come the temptation not to read your Bible the temptation to not pray
the temptation to just not tell people you're a Christian you know when you're getting
when the heat is on at work or whatever the kids may be you know these things are going to
happen why so that God can see what you're made of so he can decide how he's going to use you
but it says that the trying of your faith a it's going to work patience so it may not give you
joy but at least it's going to give you patience and let patience have her perfect work
that you may be perfect in attire one to nothing and once again when bad days happen
when we start getting depressed when we're tempted it just gets so you know
crazy that we just are even thinking of just saying Lord get me out of this
get me out of this planet I'm sick of this planet it's like hey Lord
I don't deserve you know this life just take me out like all these men of God
remember twelve blessed is the man that endures temptation
for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised
to them to love him. Go to Genesis 39
so when it comes to happiness in the Bible what's the main thing
the main thing is it's not always going to happen if you remember anything from this morning's
sermon is prepare yourself you will have a lot of
quote unquote heavy days through what? Manifold
what is manifold? Many temptations it's just a crystal
light people say oh Jesus Christ was a fraud you know Jesus Christ
you know that guy yeah he existed but I don't know I think he was just a cult
a cult leader or whatever you know I don't know if he was just a cult leader
whatever you know I don't know who believes that I forgot but that's
sometimes what they'll say oh he was just a cult leader or whatever atheists will bring it up
yeah he existed but he was just a cult leader but it was kind of funny way how he recruits
says you follow me people are going to hate you you follow me
you know you're going to be persecuted you follow me you're going to suffer
for righteousness sake you follow me you're going to be tempted you're going to be tempted
who recruits like that? Benny Hinn?
He's like Kenneth Copeland is that how they recruit? Joe Olstein is that how he recruits?
Is that how he fills up his church? He's like come be a part of pure worst Baptist
well we promise you tribulation and patient persecution
you know come with us if you want to live
you know a persecuted life yeah we're such a cult
but the Mormons promise you a great wonderful life if you stick with our heavenly father
isn't that what they say? And as soon as one spouse starts to
realize that Mormonism is crap and they want to leave guess what they say
if the unbelieving wants to leave let him leave divorce them and you
got to marry someone else they don't teach you to suck it up
to endure that temptation because guess what
hey life ain't perfect married couples they start out great
but what happens? Something happens we're down the road
things ain't great but that's the temptation the devil's
throwing in your way you endure it guess what you're going to be blessed on the road
you're going to be happy and we count them happy that endure
but if you're in Genesis 39 let's take a look at a guy who
I mean if he had a reason you know to be upset depressed
this was it you're there in Genesis 39
it says when Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh
captain of the guard and Egyptian bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites
which has brought him down thither and the Lord was with Joseph and
he was a prosperous man and he was in the house of his master
the Egyptian so this is the story of Joseph he's now a slave
that's not going to bring joy to your life being a slave
you can't leave you can't marry you can't do the things
that free people do he's purchased he's owned hey
but the Lord is with him and allows him to prosper doesn't Joseph
found grace in his sight and he served him and he made him overseer over his
house and all that he had he put into his hand and it came to pass
from the time that he had made him overseer in his house and over all that he had
and the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake and the
blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field and he
left all that he had in Joseph's hand and he knew not ought
he had saved the bread which he did eat and Joseph was a goodly person
and well favored and it came to pass after these things that his master's wife
cast her eyes upon Joseph and she said lie with me here we got
a guy now things are looking good now comes what
that manifold temptation and this is a big one
she's literally saying commit adultery with me right now I'm not
going to say anything but we all know the story he endured the temptation
and what was the result well let's take a look skip down
all the way to 19 there's a guy who's a
goodly person he's doing what's right and you would think that things should
go well with him right I mean isn't that what they promised these false
prophets hey you live with the Lord he'll bless you
he'll protect you he'll provide for you but where's the
part where he's going to tap your toe where's that part they skip
it right and this was done by design
why that he may be tried but then later he'll come out as gold
that's the reason why he tried him this was designed I knew this was going to
happen he allowed Potiphar to buy him for this reason to help us to see
that hey you stick with what's right it's not always going to go right
it's not why so that we're not offended when we're doing anything right this
stuff keeps going bad for a while because guess what this wasn't just okay
this went bad for him for like a year no probably a decade I mean think about
that suffering for a decade but he had moments
of happiness did he not but this is the Christian life this is
happiness in the Bible hey guess what it ain't gonna go well
with you all the time sometimes it will sometimes it won't
even if you do the right thing guess what verse 19 and it came to
pass when the master heard the words of his wife
when she spake unto him saying after this man who did thy servant to me
that his wrath was kindled and joseph's master took him and put him into the
what the prison we're doing what the right
thing we're doing what enduring temptation
we're doing what passing the test what's this reward a bigger test now
he's in prison oh you think he was sad he was
absolutely sad you know so guess what he was in prison
hey I'm pretty sure he was sad for a while
but that's the Christian life that's happiness in the Bible you will see it
but what do you also see you'll see a lot of heaviness
so he's sad I don't think he was happy being in there but he kept with it right
and in the end what happened he became the second most powerful person
second most richest person and it all came back he passed all the tests
once again what do you see when everybody sticks with the Lord
you may not see happiness all the time but you will see a happy
every single one just stuck with the Lord you're like what about the guys in
Hebrews 11 they got chopped up what about the ones that got
stoned to death what about those guys oh but what was
the answer why did they do it because they wanted a happy ending a
better resurrection and you're telling me they're not
going to get it well they're going to get it
when we see those big mansions it's like hey that's the Hebrew 11
you know hoa area over there it's like what are y'all doing in here you guys
were what the least in the kingdom out out this is our hoa area you know this
is hebrew 11 and up you know get out of here y'all don't
belong in here it's like we just want to check your
mansions out least in the kingdom of heaven
get up this is the hall of fame the hov
somebody come up with something cool the hoa in heaven right the hall of fame the
hof they don't have hoa they got hof the hall
of fame the hall of fame area and then it's going
to come down and be here on earth for the rest of
the eternity and unfortunately donald trump the trump tower is not going to
last forever but your tower will never to be deviled
but obviously the big reason why people are
able to have a happy ending people are able to
turn it around it's because they stick with the lord
hebrews 11 you guys go to psalms 127 go to psalms 127
i'll wrap it up it's 41 minutes into it i'll wrap it up in four minutes
hebrew 11 says this until they suddenly say that throne old god is forever and
ever except the righteousness and simpler of thy kingdom
thou has love righteousness and hated iniquity so if you're that person it
says this therefore god even thy god has a notoriety with the oil of gladness
above thy fellows stick to that love iniquity i'm sorry love righteousness
hate iniquity god will bless you with the oil of
gladness the bible says in psalms 106 blessed are they to keep judgment blessed
is another way of saying happy blessed are they to keep judgment and he
that do a righteousness look at this at all times is that even possible
no it's not but it's in there for a reason
just when you wonder does god really mean at all times
it says it at all times so remember that god wants you to do right at all times
are you going to do it no why because we know that a just man
falleth seven times so we know that you're not going to be
righteous at all times but that's what he wants
and of course we know the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering
just on its goodness so you're right there in psalms 127 3 so
already talked about the quick one the easy one i would ask
you what is one thing that will bring joy in your life
i'm pretty sure that everyone here will say doing the right thing
absolutely be on the shadow of a doubt i don't doubt it for one second
especially if you're a member of the church you'll figure it out really quick
hey the best thing you can do but bring joy in your life is just do
right sometimes kids think i'm missing out by
going to pure word that's why people leave our church i go to pure words i'm
going to miss out i'm not going to get hired with this job
when they find out i'll go to pure words when they find out who's my pastor
i'm doomed that promotion is out the window
but they don't understand that they will miss out because they're trying to save
their life and what does the bible say try to save your life you're going to
lose it you lose your life you're going to save
it that's exactly what's going to happen and for the kids who watch the world on
tv on their tablets whatever the case they will start to
think i'm missing out you know it's like hey i don't wear
those shoes you know hey that's a cool jacket hey
those skinny tight pants they don't look so bad like pastor sad
it's like they look kind of decent on that dude like no skinny jeans boys
no skinny jeans but besides being right doing right at all times like it says in
psalms 106 what else what else is the lord going to
give us to bring us joy besides his word because his word is the main source his
precious promises hey they'll pull a smile in your face
hey you may be depressed you read the bible long enough there'll be something
to make you smile something to say man i needed that
out of all the things in the world preaching it will help you
the bible will help you the most obviously this is god's number one way
to tell you how he thinks how he feels hey to speak to you he's not going to
talk to you with his voice he doesn't need to i mean do you guys prefer for
him to talk to you with his voice or you like what he did already you
have it all right here you don't have to take notes amen
because i don't know about you but i got short-term memory and i like it because
it's easy for me to forgive amen i love it somebody does me dirty
three months later amen i have people apologize to me i'm like when did you do
that oh yeah now i remember yeah now i
remember no
but the lord has it all right there i don't need to walk around with pen and
paper lord and he speaks to me i have to write it down no
all right there already good hey but listen
obviously this is not you know picture perfect but we do know
that children are a blessing that's what we have them here so that's one thing
that it says in psalms 127 3 go ahead and look at it
let's just always remember this when we start getting big and kids
kids start to run you over and they start to break things and climb chairs
and try to take on take down jumpers at
picnics you know and fist fighting each other at
picnics you know and they start shooting church
members in the face with bb guns at camping trips
and knocking you know ladies on their butts you know and their infants
and yes does that happen true stories let's not forget
forget that you know what at the end of the day our children
whether it's in our lives even in our church
i'm happy to see all the kids here even if they're giving me a weird face
i'm happy to see them i'm sure you are as well
unless we get a little hard-hearted but let's not forget
lo turn our heads of the lord and the fruit of the woman says reward as arrows
in the hand of a mighty man for our children of the youth happy as
the man has his quiver full of them they shall not be ashamed but they shall
speak with the enemies in the gate this is one of the few verses that talks
about being happy uses the word happy what is
the sermon about happiness in the bible what is the main
thing the bible teaches us in regards to happiness
you're not always going to have it and that's a good thing if you're always
happy you kind of be spoiled god needs to challenge you god needs to
throw things at you test you here and there
you know cause you to suffer a little bit but when others are suffering
hey you can relate it'll make you a better person that's why sorrow is
better than joy sometimes and we forget it's
like yeah i'd rather be happy happy happy happy happy
but sometimes my most humble moments is when i'm broken
when i see people suffer when i see people
like not have enough i wish i could have help and then i came
and only answer i could give them is like hey just stick with the lord you
know because we do have church members sometimes come to me and i don't have a
way to help them out and i'm like hey just stick with the
lord and this is what happened to me i just got jumped just walking
happened recently you know church member i just got jumped walking to my house
just smashed my phone and took my money busted out my lip and i can't even go to
work i'm like brother just stick with it just
keep going to church why does this happen to me it's a test
and i warned him this is a new person i warned him hey
now that you're saved hey guess what the devil doesn't want you to go to church
and watch bad things start happening to you i'm just warning
and then sure enough he's like calls me two days later he's like man why did you
do that to me that's just been happening to me ever since i got saved i'm like
hey it's ever since you decided to go to
church is bad things been happening to you
and ever since then just things just keep popping up but
he's like hey i still want to come to church keep coming
you know because if all it takes is some dudes beating you up no i'm kidding
the devil keeps sending dudes to beat you up no i'm just joking
but listen i do i do enjoy our kids at our church
i do did they get crazy once in a while yes did they try to take take down
you know jumpers yes did they jump on our chairs that are stacked seven feet
high because they think it's cool yes did they lick our sugar thing yes
that's why we went to packets we have to remove the sugar container
because they like licking it amen you know do they cause issues yes they do
do they run into me yes they do did they run across the chairs yes they
do do i constantly have to keep telling people stop stop stop
yes i do but at the end of the day hey i am so happy we have so many kids
in our church you know so children never look at them
as any more than a blessing you know it's like hey
if you can have children have children now obviously there's some people who
are christian they are saved and i know of some
who don't don't believe that and guess what they're missing out
because they can but they leave it at one or two because they don't have the
faith to believe that god will provide they discipline their kids the ones that
they do have but they're literally i'm not talking
about the ones that came i'm talking about the people that i know
take birth control they teach that in bible college
take birth control for the first two years i've heard that from my own ears
in the sunday school class this is where it's coming from not at
my church right now but at another church where even the guy
got up and says look i'm ready to be accountable to the lord for this
but i think if you just recently married and i wasn't married yet but i was
thinking of getting married and i was wondering if i was doing
biblical because i was a brand new christian
and what happened they basically flat out said i think
you should take birth control for at least two years at least two years
and i'm sitting back like really i've never heard of that before
and i don't even believe in birth control because it's pills and i know
it's damaging that i knew the little bit that i knew
about birth control pills that was then i'm thinking seriously
and it says seriously and i'll be willing to be accountable for the lord
but you need to build that relationship you need to build that relationship
well imagine that imagine if i listen to that you know
it's like man i would have lost in so much joy even from my two
i literally became a better person once i had my first and my second time it was
almost back to back you know but that's something that
will bring you joy and that's what the bible teaches
what does the bible teach in regards to happiness this is this is something that
will be something you guys may need to help a
new believer like hey have as many as you as you can
have as many as you can you know the bible teaches that brings happiness
how if i have eight how am i going to survive
you just have to leave that to the lord let him decide you just keep the basics
and guess what one of the basics is working six days if you need to
if you have to do it you do it and like i said recently ran into someone
who's asking for money and i'm like hey if i were you i'll be stepping it up and
get two jobs i'll help you out because you're trying i
see where you're going you believe in the lord etc etc
but if i were to be honest with you you're not you got three kids you're not
going to make you keeping the schedule it's just not and if and they can but
they don't want to so now it's kind of like hey
that's where you're going to be in a little bit back in
you know the red you're not going to be in the black you've got to do your best
and guess what having children is one of the ways that god brings joy in our
lives i'll just quickly go through these i
promise you'll be done in five i'll just quickly go through them just throw them
out there but the main thing if you remember anything
in case you remember anything at a discernment
means about what happiness in the bible what does the bible teach in regards to
happiness the number one thing i want to remember
is you're not always going to have it there's nothing wrong with you
if you don't have it if you're depressed that could be a good thing
it can help you and help you to to rely on god call upon god i don't know
sometimes i wonder does god make me miserable because i haven't prayed in a
while because i know he wants to talk to me
all the time the bible says that the thoughts that he has for us me are more
than than the fan than the grains in the sand
that's a lot he thinks about all of us a lot
and my mom sometimes calls me why can't you call me i'm like i got busy i'm
sorry but my mom loves when we call her but she goes not sometimes like
or it's like face face timing i don't know how she knows face time
just from mexico an immigrant barely could speak english but she figured out
face time but that was a big thing first time
and when i think about it like you know what
i got to do more to call my mom i definitely do
you know because i want to and i can only imagine when my kids are all gone
and none of them are calling me i got eight kids and nobody's calling me
during the week something's up it's like really guys
really but hey i reap what i sold right i better start doing it now myself
so later on when i'm old and i'm bored and i want to talk to my boys they call
me up but i'm having to call them and i have to be like why don't y'all
call me like that you never called grandma when she was around
it's like you're right now i know how she feels
but obviously where do i get the prayer from a it says right here for his anger
and dirt by the moment in his favorite life we may endure for a night but joy
cometh in the morning and we all know that so winning is
another way to bring joy what does the bible teach in regards to
happiness you want happiness go in some soul
how do we know verse the salon is 218 it says this word for which i have
come unto you even i paul once again by satan hindered us for what is our hope
or joy or crown of rejoicing what is he saying
it's like hey what's one of the things that motivates us what's one of the
things that keeps us rejoicing and joyful are not even ye in the
presence of our lord jesus christ at his coming
that is something when i think about it brings joy in my life people can call me
whatever they want they can call me a you know a loser or
whatever or even if my kids were to maybe not
have a cool job that whatever the world thinks is an awesome
job or whatever the kids may be at the end of the day hey you know what
soul winners they have something to rejoice about
every week even if nobody gets saved it's like hey i'm pleasing the lord i
know what goes around comes around and just getting people saved like you
guys did trying to reach a thousand hey you guys are going to look back and
be like wow we did a thousand that's a thousand people
and let's just say maybe ten percent don't get saved you know
that's only ten am i right no it's 100 but still that's 900 though
that's 900 souls and i highly doubt that it's even that i wouldn't be surprised
that you guys out of that list is 98 there are a few
that are just one of those that just will pray
even if if they don't even know what's going on but the way you guys win souls
99 i wouldn't be surprised are safe you do have the one
individual that may pray just to pray but hey it is what it is
and obviously giving is something that's going to bring joy what does the
bible teach in regards to happiness hey you want happiness live a righteous
life you want happiness win some souls you want happiness
go ahead and just pray you want happiness have some children you want
happiness be a giver the bible says that the lord
love it a chill a cheerful giver they're like but i don't have much to
give hey don't forget about the woman you know that gave everything she had
and the bible says that she cast more than all these people that were given to
the treasuries and that's in the book of mark 12 you can read that later
and i don't know why i want to bring this one up but this one could help i
think one thing that will help us to become loving people
is to kind of just take care of our bodies not abuse it not abuse it
where do you get that from everybody knows the famous verse for bodily
exercise profit a little but god only is profitable unto all things we all know
that right here's the other verse that we
kind of just never bring up it says saw all men to love their wives as
their own bodies he that loveth his wife love himself for no man ever hated his
own flesh and i thought about that i know people
that hate their flesh they're people that are super overweight
they're girls they don't think they're that cool looking or whatever they cut
themselves or whatever the case may be because they did allow themselves to get
a little bit overboard and of course people may think that yeah
you know what the looks ain't everything but it kind of is if you studied the
scripture because it talks about being strong
you know talks about in the book of a song of Solomon
where she's praising or something you know Solomon's strong legs they're like
pillars you know not like little bird legs you know nobody
likes leg days but apparently Solomon did
you know Solomon liked leg days i don't know what he did but back in the day
there were farmers it's very hard to be overweight but now the way things are
done you know if we don't watch what we eat
if we don't burn more than we take in it gets there little by little you know
so i'm not saying to become like these these you know
two or three hour workout gurus i'm not saying that
but i do think that a the physical does also help us you know to
become loving people and to be happier people
when we're healthier but we need to watch our health as well
and not go overboard with the energy drinks and the
um i mean we do have members that smoke in the church but they're trying to quit
but that's the kind of stuff that can cause you to lack a little bit of joy
when you're starting to suffer because you can't breathe but let's just
remember that yes bodily exercise does profit a little
but it says right here that hey no man ever hated his own flesh
but he nourishes it and share with it and i think working out is part of how
we keep our bodies healthy and of course somebody who's going
through health problems they're not very happy so one of the ways
that the bible teaches us we can be happy is by
nourishing our bodies cherishing our bodies because our body is a temple of
the holy ghost and let's not forget that point we
already know doing the right thing is going to bring a lot of joy in our lives
absolutely we already know that having children is going to bring a lot of joy
in our lives we know that we understand that praying taking it to
the lord cast in law cares upon the lord
weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning we get that
hey we know that our rejoicing and our joy is going to come from seeing people
at the at the coming of the lord jesus christ we know that
but let's just not forget also that we kind of need to just
you know take care of what god has given us take care of the temple that god has
given us amen by doing so you'll live a happier
life and what does the bible teach in regards to happiness
cherish your body take care of it nourish it it's a temple of the holy
ghost don't abuse it don't destroy it you know maybe we can kind of run a
little more than we need to then we then we do and get in a little
better shape and men like being strong amen
if we could snap our fingers and have six-pack abs and
big muscles you know we would you know we would but obviously
i'm not saying that's how every man should be but i am saying we should all
if we want to live the happiest life possible
we need to consider the body as well amen let's pray thank you god we thank
you so much for all that you've done lord we just asked you lord to just
bless us all and not just that give us the wisdom
that we need to get the job done and lord we need to have the right
perspective regards to happiness you know there's a lot of books out there
in regards to happiness i wonder how many bring up these things like so many
and having children praying i highly doubt they even bring
those up i'm sure they'll mention spirituality and religion here and there
but the main thing is lord you are the source of happiness
and obviously lord you take it away and you give for a reason
and let us never forgive it's not about being happy all the time dear lord
it's about just keeping your commandments pleasing you and doing
what's right and at the end of the day lord whatever
you decide to give us we know that it's going to be the right time
and the right moment lord so we ask you father to just help us to remember
that happiness is not something we're always going to have it'll help us to
prepare ourselves for what's coming you said that if we live godly in christ
we will suffer and you say we're going to suffer persecution
so when bad things start to happen because we are doing the right thing
and things ain't going so well and we're not pretty much
as joyful as we should be and like the bible says we're in heaviness
help us to realize lord that we need to endure it
because then that's where the happiness comes it's right around the corner help
us to pass the test and if we do fall lord
help us to rise up like just men and we ask you to do all this and for your
honor and glory in jude's name amen
all right if you'll grab your hymnals our last hymn for the morning will be
number 363
hymn number 363 wonderful words of life
sing them over again to me 363
363 wonderful words of life on that first verse let's sing
sing them over again to me wonderful words of life
let me more of their beauty see wonderful words of life
words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty
beautiful words wonderful words wonderful words of life
christ the blessed one gives to all wonderful words of life
sinnerless to the loving call wonderful words of life
also freely given wooing us to heaven
beautiful words wonderful words wonderful words of life
sweetly echo the gospel call wonderful words of life
offer pardon and peace to all wonderful words of life
jesus only savior sanctify forever
beautiful words wonderful words wonderful words of life
amen with that you are dismissed have a good day
you