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Speaker 1: And the angels said, unto them, fear not, for behold,

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Speaker 1: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall

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Speaker 1: be to all people. Luke two ten, Lord, thank you

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Speaker 1: for the perfect love that casts out all fear. Your

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Speaker 1: love is perfect, kind, generous, and only desires the best

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Speaker 1: for us. You loved me and all humanity so much

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Speaker 1: you sent your son to make a way for us

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Speaker 1: to spend eternity with you. This is the good news

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Speaker 1: that brings great joy to those who will believe in

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Speaker 1: your truth. Lord. I pray that revelation will open the

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Speaker 1: hearts and minds of those who are blinded from that truth.

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Speaker 1: Open their hearts this holiday season so they can encounter

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Speaker 1: the true spirit of Christmas in Jesus. Amen. Thank you

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Speaker 1: for listening to to Day's daily prayer. For more inspiration

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Speaker 1: and an incredible message from our feature pastor, stay tuned

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Speaker 1: to Prey dot COM's Sunday service. How do I have

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Speaker 1: the inner joy so where it overflows it's an outward expression.

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Speaker 1: I mean, I don't care who you already struggle with.

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Speaker 1: People struggle with that. It always goes back to doing

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Speaker 1: what God says. If we'll do what he says, we'll

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Speaker 1: have joy in the midst of the whatever circumstance that

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Speaker 1: we're in, we'll we'll have it. I think even during

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Speaker 1: Christmas season, we all love to have the Christmas feels.

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Speaker 1: It's one of the reasons we do Christmas nights. We

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Speaker 1: want those Christmas feels. This is why we do this

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Speaker 1: well that brings joy, joy that I'm supposed to have

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Speaker 1: on the inside is actually supposed to overflow. I love

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Speaker 1: our church family. While our Staying Glass series wrapped up,

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Speaker 1: and if you want to know more, because we didn't

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Speaker 1: get to all the foundational and fundamental themes of Christianity.

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Speaker 1: But that's why we have what we call our Core

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Speaker 1: four and more our classes that are really discipleship classes

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Speaker 1: to help you grow in your faith and to understand

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Speaker 1: Christianity and what it means to live it out. You

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Speaker 1: can sign up for that because we go into deeper

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Speaker 1: themes of like the Trinity, and we talk about omniscience

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Speaker 1: of God, we talk about the deity of Christ. We

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Speaker 1: get pretty deep in there. So if you want to

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Speaker 1: be involved in that, sign up for our Core four stuff.

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Speaker 1: It starts with membership our first step, and we would

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Speaker 1: love for you to be involved in that. Last week

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Speaker 1: I was in Tennessee and it was a wonderful trip.

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Speaker 1: And we're gathering some family's out there in Tennessee. That

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Speaker 1: looks like it's going to be one of our ten

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Speaker 1: ten ten projects, Skyline Tennessee. So we certainly hope and pray,

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Speaker 1: and I tell you that because we had a great

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Speaker 1: first meeting last week. It's just we're gathering interest right now.

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Speaker 1: And if you know somebody who lives out there. Once

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Speaker 1: I posted it on social media, we've been getting people

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Speaker 1: emailing us and direct messaging me on social media about

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Speaker 1: them moving out there as well, even people from church

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Speaker 1: I used to serve in years ago, and it's like,

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Speaker 1: this is awesome. And so obviously a lot of people

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Speaker 1: are moving to Tennessee and we would love to be

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Speaker 1: able to minister to people that move there because there's

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Speaker 1: a lot of transplants, and the folks from Skyline Church

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Speaker 1: that have moved there have certainly noticed that in their

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Speaker 1: neighborhoods and in their jobs, and they're saying, man, we

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Speaker 1: need a church like Skyline out here. So we're in

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Speaker 1: that process. If you would like to sign up for

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Speaker 1: information beyond the communication list, wherever you might be, whether

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Speaker 1: you're here or out there already. You can go to

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Speaker 1: our website and there's a spot on our banner right

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Speaker 1: now called Skyline Tennessee and you can sign up to

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Speaker 1: receive more information. Also on our app, you'll notice a

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Speaker 1: button there that you can press and you'll be able

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Speaker 1: to sign up for communication. Also, if you just want

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Speaker 1: to email us at Tennessee at Skyline Church dot org,

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Speaker 1: we'll put you on the communication list, so you know,

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Speaker 1: if you have someone in your family that's out there.

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Speaker 1: We just want to keep reaching people wherever they might

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Speaker 1: be Amen and then so we're going to do that. Well,

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Speaker 1: we're beginning this Christmas teaching series, but before we do that,

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Speaker 1: every December, it's so important as we come to finish

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Speaker 1: the year, we look at this idea of setting us

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Speaker 1: up for success in the new year, and that means

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Speaker 1: we want to finish strong financially as a church. And

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Speaker 1: so as you consider your year end giving, as you

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Speaker 1: look at coming to the end of the year, we

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Speaker 1: would really appreciate it if you would give toward to

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Speaker 1: your church and think about a year end gift to

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Speaker 1: Skyline Church. We want to finish strong and really be

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Speaker 1: set up in twenty twenty three to really make a

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Speaker 1: huge difference, not just here in this area of all

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Speaker 1: everywhere that we can. We want to do more, and

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Speaker 1: so we appreciate you considering us and finishing strong. And

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Speaker 1: don't don't forget. Every single penny you give to the Lord,

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Speaker 1: really through this church is tax deductible, so you're either

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Speaker 1: going to give it to God or the government. So

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Speaker 1: please don't give it to the government. Please don't give

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Speaker 1: it to the government. Okay, So we're starting this series

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Speaker 1: called Unwrapped, and I think it's always important to talk

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Speaker 1: about the main themes of Christmas when Christmas time comes.

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Speaker 1: But traditionally these themes are known as the advent themes.

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Speaker 1: If you grew up in church, are you are at

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Speaker 1: least familiar with the traditional church. You might have a

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Speaker 1: candle that is lit every week leading towards Christmas. And

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Speaker 1: whether we light a candle or not, I want to

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Speaker 1: make sure that we understand the themes of Christmas and

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Speaker 1: that we celebrate those themes and don't miss this that

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Speaker 1: we absolutely apply the themes to our lives. Scripture is

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Speaker 1: so clear about this. So as we talk about Unwrapped,

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Speaker 1: we're gonna unwrap those gifts that God has for us

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Speaker 1: at Christmas time, and we want to make sure we

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Speaker 1: unwrap them because so many people go through life and

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Speaker 1: they don't unwrap the gifts that God has given. In Scripture,

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Speaker 1: there's over seven thousand promises from God and they're there

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Speaker 1: for us to unwrap and apply to our lives. But

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Speaker 1: so many people they never do that, They never unwrap them.

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Speaker 1: They just kind of go through life. And so we

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Speaker 1: want to make sure we unwrap these key promises and

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Speaker 1: these key gifts from God this Christmas. What we're going

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Speaker 1: to do is continue what we've been doing in terms

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Speaker 1: of reading God's Word and today reading it together. Today,

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Speaker 1: what we're going to do is have a little bit

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Speaker 1: of corporate reading. So I'm going to read a verse.

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Speaker 1: You're going to read a verse, little bit of response

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Speaker 1: of reading. If you wouldn't mind, and if you're able,

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Speaker 1: could you stand for the reading of God's Word. We're

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Speaker 1: gonna read in Luke two eight through twenty, and your

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Speaker 1: part is going to come up on the screen. It's

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Speaker 1: the odd verses. I'm going to read the even verses,

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Speaker 1: and so I'll start and we're going to be in

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Speaker 1: Luke chapter two. As I mentioned, beginning in verse eight,

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Speaker 1: and you'll see it in the highlighted part will come up,

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Speaker 1: and that'll be your part. Beginning verse eight, the shepherds

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Speaker 1: and the angels. And there were shepherds living out in

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Speaker 1: the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

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Speaker 1: But the Angel said to them, do not be afraid.

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Speaker 1: I love that, because that's the whole idea Christmas. Don't

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Speaker 1: be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy

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Speaker 1: that will be for all the people, And this will

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Speaker 1: be assigned to you. You will find a baby wrapped

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Speaker 1: in cloths and lying in a manger. Glory to God

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Speaker 1: in the highest heaven and on earth, Peace to those

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Speaker 1: on whom His favor rests. So they hurried off and

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Speaker 1: found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying

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Speaker 1: in the manger, And all who heard it were amazed

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Speaker 1: at what the shepherd said to them. The shepherd's returned,

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Speaker 1: glorifying and praising God for all the things they had

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Speaker 1: heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

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Speaker 1: Well done, Church, the reading of God's word. You may

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Speaker 1: be seated. Let's pray together. Thank you Lord for your word,

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Speaker 1: thank you for your promise, thank you for all that

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Speaker 1: you're doing in our lives, and even at this Christmas season,

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Speaker 1: we always come to this time and it's a time

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Speaker 1: to reflect, it's time to remember, it's a time to

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Speaker 1: praise you and thank you for coming to earth. And Lord,

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Speaker 1: today as we talk about this subject that is so

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Speaker 1: important to really understand, how do we live this out?

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Speaker 1: How do we apply it to our lives? Would you

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Speaker 1: open our hearts and our minds? And as we always ask, Lord,

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Speaker 1: everybody comes in with a different week behind them, things

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Speaker 1: that happened this week, and you know each and every situation,

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Speaker 1: and so we pray through your Holy Spirit, do you

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Speaker 1: minister to us and only the ways that you can.

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Speaker 1: We are open and ready to receive it. We thank

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Speaker 1: you and we praise you. It's in Jesus name. And

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Speaker 1: everybody said, amen, Okay, if you have your notes, I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna have you write down several things and I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: go pretty quickly through this. But the greatest gifts of

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Speaker 1: all at Christmas time are really the gifts that God

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Speaker 1: gives to us. As much as we appreciate the fruitcake

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Speaker 1: that comes. I don't know if you saw this, but

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Speaker 1: obviously this month is National Fruitcake Month. The twenty seventh

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Speaker 1: is National Fruitcake Day. I'll give you some other useless trivia.

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Speaker 1: Jay Leno on his show back in the day, he

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Speaker 1: actually took a sample of a fruitcake that was is

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Speaker 1: originally baked in eighteen seventy eight point being fruit cakes

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Speaker 1: keep like literally the way they're made, you can just

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Speaker 1: keep them for literally, Like if you go buy a fruitcake,

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Speaker 1: it may have an expiration date of twenty five years

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Speaker 1: on it because of you know, the sugar, the way

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Speaker 1: they make it and the sugar and stuff like that.

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Speaker 1: I know several of you are now I'm gonna put

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Speaker 1: that in my bunker. Why not, right, you should, because

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Speaker 1: it'll last through armageddon. But I want you to think

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Speaker 1: about the best gift. I think, especially when we were kids,

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Speaker 1: you know, we think about these gifts, the best gift

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Speaker 1: that you ever received at Christmas. Go ahead and shout

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Speaker 1: it out all campuses. Shout out, what was the best gift?

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Speaker 1: Was it a bike? Was it? What was it? What

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Speaker 1: did you get? Bb gun? Yeah, go ahead, shout it

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Speaker 1: out all campuses. Horse back, Right, Okay, good, that's good.

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Speaker 1: Now think about this a gift that was given to you.

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Speaker 1: What if you never opened that gift? Think about that

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Speaker 1: something maybe that you wished for, you hope for it

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Speaker 1: was given to you, but you never opened it. This

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Speaker 1: is the thing that happens with people all year long.

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Speaker 1: God has all these gifts for us, but we need

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Speaker 1: to unwrap these gifts. We need to actually take time

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Speaker 1: to unwrap them and see what God has for us.

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Speaker 1: And that's the purpose of this series. We want to

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Speaker 1: take a look today at God's gift of joy, and

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna teach you through scripture the importance of choosing joy.

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Speaker 1: We want to look at choosing joy today. We look

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Speaker 1: at a verse like Thessalonians five sixteen, and it says

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Speaker 1: read it with me, always be joyful. Now, I'm just

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Speaker 1: gonna highlight this real quick notice this. It says sometimes

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Speaker 1: be joyful, it says all always. Now, let's be honest.

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Speaker 1: We look at a verse like this, and it's easy

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Speaker 1: for us to kind of scoff at it a little bit,

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Speaker 1: like always be joyful. You know who I live with, right,

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Speaker 1: I mean, we look at that and that's kind of

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Speaker 1: our reaction is like, you don't know me what I

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Speaker 1: gotta deal with. But yet the Bible tells us always

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Speaker 1: be joyful. And we look at our world and we

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Speaker 1: kind of go on, I don't know. I mean, we

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Speaker 1: know the joy acronym JO why you know, Jesus first,

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Speaker 1: others second, yourself third, And maybe we're doing that, but

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Speaker 1: we're still not experiencing joy, and we're going, what is

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Speaker 1: the deal? Is it even possible? I'm supposed to have

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Speaker 1: joy always, but we look around in our world and

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Speaker 1: we question that. And there's especially if we had a

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Speaker 1: particularly tough week or maybe a particularly tough year, and

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Speaker 1: we come to the holidays and we're going, hold on

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Speaker 1: a second, this is the first holiday season without that

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Speaker 1: loved one, and I'm supposed to have joy? Like, how

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Speaker 1: does that work? Or for some people it's called seasonal

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Speaker 1: effective disorder literally sad in it. Every time around this year,

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Speaker 1: it's not a happy time. It's not a joyful time.

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Speaker 1: It brings back bad memories. And yet we look at

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Speaker 1: a verse like that and it says, always be joyful. Well,

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Speaker 1: how do we do that? We sing joy to the

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Speaker 1: world right at Christmas time? Joy to the world? Our world?

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Speaker 1: What world as he talking about? Because it's hard when

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Speaker 1: we look around us and we think is that even possible? Well,

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Speaker 1: what are some of the things that steals our joy?

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna share a few things that steal our joy.

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Speaker 1: There's several, but these are just a few several joy robbers.

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Speaker 1: The first one I want you to write down is

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Speaker 1: the bad things. Bad things happen that shouldn't happen. We

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Speaker 1: look at that in our world and we think that,

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Speaker 1: you know, that's not right, and let's be honest. You

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Speaker 1: and I bring a lot of our own bad into

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Speaker 1: our lives just because of poor decisions and things like that.

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Speaker 1: But we look around our world and there's a lot

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Speaker 1: of suffering and poverty and hunger and homelessness, and we're going, man,

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Speaker 1: that just shouldn't happen, and that can be a real

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Speaker 1: joy robber. Another one, though, is the good things. Good

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Speaker 1: things don't happen that we feel like should happen. Like

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Speaker 1: there's a lot of things in this world. We're going, man,

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Speaker 1: that that dream didn't come true, that person I wanted

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Speaker 1: to love me didn't love me, or that heart that

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Speaker 1: I wanted to see changed didn't change. That person that

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Speaker 1: I prayed for they still ended up dying. And you're

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Speaker 1: going to wait a minute, there should have been some

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Speaker 1: good stuff that's happening that could rob our joy. But

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Speaker 1: maybe The biggest one of all is the Padres losing

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Speaker 1: to the Phillies in the NLCS. I mean, if you

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Speaker 1: want to talk about a joy robber, that's just something

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Speaker 1: that could really suck the life out of you if

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Speaker 1: you think about it. But then what do you do.

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Speaker 1: You just remember the series before and you say, we

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Speaker 1: beat the Dodgers. Right, you go, I'm happy again, life

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Speaker 1: is good. I got no worries. But then another joy robber.

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Speaker 1: Let's write this so now it is focusing on the negative,

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Speaker 1: focusing on the negative. Right, negative people can rob your joy.

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Speaker 1: They just always are constantly right. They're the type of

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Speaker 1: people that light up the room when they leave, it's

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Speaker 1: like all right, now we're good. All right. I think

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Speaker 1: a negative people, you know, like like glow sticks. You

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Speaker 1: just want to snap them in half and shake them

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Speaker 1: real good until the light comes on. You know. It's like, man,

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Speaker 1: they can rob your joy. Negative negativity, the negative news, right,

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Speaker 1: negative news. If you turn on the news, I mean

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Speaker 1: constant downers, constant the murders that happened in the car

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Speaker 1: accident and the things, and you just look at that

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Speaker 1: the economy and all these things in the inflation, and

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Speaker 1: you're just going man, that could really rob my joy

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Speaker 1: if I just constantly am thinking about that. But then

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Speaker 1: another joy robber, like I mentioned, is the bad news, Right,

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Speaker 1: there's bad news all around us, constantly hitting us. I

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Speaker 1: don't know if you've heard about the lady that went

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Speaker 1: to the animal rescue. And she went to the animal

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Speaker 1: rescue and she walked in and she saw this unbelievably

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Speaker 1: beautiful parrot, like the most beautiful parrot she'd ever seen,

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Speaker 1: and she was like, wow, that's beautiful, and it said

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Speaker 1: twenty bucks. She's got twenty bucks, and so yeah, she attendant,

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Speaker 1: is this right, twenty bucks for this parrot? And the

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Speaker 1: attendant said, yeah, it is because we got it from

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Speaker 1: a brothel and so it's you don't know what's gonna

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Speaker 1: come out of its mouth, and so it's beautiful, but

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Speaker 1: we're not sure. And she's like, oh, but for twenty box,

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Speaker 1: it's unbelievably gorgeous, So twenty bucks. She takes it home.

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Speaker 1: It's at home, and she walks out of kitchen one

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Speaker 1: time into the room and the parrot says, pretty lady,

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Speaker 1: and she's like, oh, that's nice. Her daughters come home

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Speaker 1: from school that day and they walk in the door

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Speaker 1: and the parrot says pretty girls, Oh that's sweet. Then

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Speaker 1: her husband walked in and says, hey, Gary, now that's

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Speaker 1: bad news. Like if you think about that, that's bad news, right,

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Speaker 1: oh good, not good? Yes, that's gonna hurt. So I

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Speaker 1: mean you talk about robbing your joy. That's a problem, right,

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Speaker 1: that's a problem there, but seriously bad. That's all you're

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Speaker 1: gonna remember from this message today. I sitting there said

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Speaker 1: that joke, right, but it is bad news, will rob

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Speaker 1: your joy. And when we look at this world and

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Speaker 1: we see a verse like that, we're like, always be joyful?

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Speaker 1: How do I go about that in this life? Now?

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Speaker 1: I'm not here to give you a string of Christmas

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Speaker 1: platitudes and cotton candy theology to cover up the reality

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Speaker 1: of our difficult world and just say, well, just be joyful.

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Speaker 1: You know, that's what we're supposed to do. That's not

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Speaker 1: the goal today. When we talk about joy, We're not

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Speaker 1: going to pretend that everything's all right. We're not here

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Speaker 1: to pretend that, you know, my life is great and

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Speaker 1: my relationships are perfect and no. So when we look

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Speaker 1: at scripture, obviously we look at what the Lord has

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Speaker 1: to say to us, it is very clear that joy

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Speaker 1: must happen in an imperfect, often ugly world, that he

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Speaker 1: had that intention. As a matter of fact, when he

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Speaker 1: came to earth, it was an imperfect, an often ugly world.

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Speaker 1: And yet we're told to always be joyful. So if

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Speaker 1: it's going to happen, then it's going to have to

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Speaker 1: happen in our circumstances. It's going to have to happen

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Speaker 1: in the world that we live in right now. Because

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Speaker 1: it wasn't to be separated. It wasn't something where he said, okay,

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Speaker 1: you know, always be joyful, but you know, just deal

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Speaker 1: with your stuff and that's it. He said, no, No,

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Speaker 1: there is a process that you have to choose, and

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Speaker 1: it's a very practical process that we're going to look at.

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Speaker 1: Because of the kind of world that we live in.

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Speaker 1: You can choose to be a discouraged person. You could

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Speaker 1: choose that you can be discouraged every single day because

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Speaker 1: of the world we live in. You could choose to

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Speaker 1: be an angry person. There's a lot to be angry

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Speaker 1: about in our world. And because of the world we

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Speaker 1: live in, you can choose to be a cynical person.

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Speaker 1: Do you know any discouraged, angry cynical people. Of course

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Speaker 1: you do. They're called Dodger fans. But other than that,

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Speaker 1: you know what I mean. You can choose that kind

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Speaker 1: of a response in life and you'll be miserable. And

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Speaker 1: so joy has to come in the midst of our

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Speaker 1: lives as we live them, in the midst of our circumstances.

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Speaker 1: So I want you to write this down. These are

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Speaker 1: all choices we have to make. So number one, you

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Speaker 1: got to remember joy as a choice. It is a choice.

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Speaker 1: I have to choose it. I have to choose it.

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Speaker 1: But along with that, the next thing I want you

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Speaker 1: to write down is that joy must be practiced. So

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Speaker 1: you have to choose it. I want joy. I choose joy,

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Speaker 1: and then you got to put it into practice in

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Speaker 1: the midst of everything that's going on in our world,

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Speaker 1: in the midst of everything that's going in our life. Now.

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Speaker 1: Whenever you give a message, whenever a preacher preaches a message,

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Speaker 1: God always tests the preacher. It's the way it works.

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Speaker 1: So if you ever want to be a pastor that speaks,

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Speaker 1: guess what you have to live it. A lot of

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Speaker 1: this stuff out first, And so today I'm getting ready

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Speaker 1: to speak on joy and what happens. I get in

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Speaker 1: my truck. I'm getting ready to go to church. It's

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Speaker 1: very early on a Sunday morning. Now, when I drive

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Speaker 1: the freeways that I have to drive to get here

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Speaker 1: during the week, I expect traffic. I expect it, and

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Speaker 1: it's no fun. I don't like traffic, and I don't

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Speaker 1: like bad drivers. Nobody is as good of a driver

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Speaker 1: as I am. Anyone else feel that way? You're out there?

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Speaker 1: Why are they such bad drive? I'm the best? Right? Yeah?

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Speaker 1: So I'm thinking. Usually on a Sunday commute, it's awesome.

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Speaker 1: I have a twenty minute drive into this campus and

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Speaker 1: it's just usually smooth as can be. This morning, there

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Speaker 1: was traffic. How how could there be traffic this morning

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Speaker 1: on the way to this church from twenty minutes away?

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Speaker 1: How there was? I get up to where I have

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Speaker 1: to get on the freeway. Here comes a line of cars, like,

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Speaker 1: where are you all going? They're coming to Skyline baby,

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Speaker 1: And I get on there and then a car comes.

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Speaker 1: I can go on and on, but you get where

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Speaker 1: I'm going. And I'm like, I'm being tested. Are you

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Speaker 1: going to choose joy in the midst of this challenge?

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Speaker 1: On your way to speaking about joy. Are you going

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Speaker 1: to start yelling at these cars? So I said, oh,

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Speaker 1: I see, Lord, I have to practice what I'm preaching,

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Speaker 1: and it was in the note. So we have to

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Speaker 1: practice it in the midst of all this stuff that

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Speaker 1: is going on. We actually have to look for things.

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Speaker 1: Pastor Chris Torres last week was talking about gratefulness and

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Speaker 1: thankfulness and he talked about going through coverage right and

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Speaker 1: picking stuff out to look at and be thankful for.

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Speaker 1: Even as Papa Smurf couch he talked about it was awesome,

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Speaker 1: and it's like, what do you start doing. You're practicing

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Speaker 1: that idea, You're practicing being thankful. It's the same thing

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Speaker 1: with joy. I gotta practice being joyful and taking in

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Speaker 1: the midst of the circumstances that I'm in. That's what

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Speaker 1: being joyful is all about. So how do we choose it?

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Speaker 1: Because it's not automatic. And even those of you who

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Speaker 1: been believers a long time you know this, You're like, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: I know, I'm supposed to choose it, but how do

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Speaker 1: I do that. I was doing some research on this

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Speaker 1: whole idea of joy, and I noticed that over the

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Speaker 1: last couple of decades in the United States, there's been

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Speaker 1: over two hundred thousand studies on depression. There's only been

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Speaker 1: a few hundred on joy. So consider this a study

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Speaker 1: on joy, a research project on joy for you today.

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Speaker 1: Because it's easy to focus on the negative. It's so easy.

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Speaker 1: But we're gonna look at the shepherds. So we're gonna

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Speaker 1: look at what did they do that we can do

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Speaker 1: that can cause us great joy and if we live

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Speaker 1: it out on a daily basis. So if you want

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Speaker 1: to have joy, there's three choices we have to practice.

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Speaker 1: And this is what I want you to write down.

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Speaker 1: Three choices that result in joy. Number one is we

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Speaker 1: have to choose to receive those that good news. We

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Speaker 1: got to choose to receive the good news, the good news,

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Speaker 1: the good news of Jesus Christ come into earth for

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Speaker 1: you and me to die for our sins and to

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Speaker 1: rise again on the third day. We have to receive that.

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Speaker 1: You look in the Bible, and it's called the Gospels,

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Speaker 1: the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. That word

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Speaker 1: is simply good news, the good news according to Matthew,

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Speaker 1: the good news according to Mark, the good news according

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Speaker 1: to John, the good news and Luke. We look at

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Speaker 1: that and we go, Man, that's the good news that

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Speaker 1: we get to receive. But we have to receive that

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Speaker 1: good news, the good news that God offers forgiveness for

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Speaker 1: the wrong things I've done, the good news that God

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Speaker 1: has purposely created me for his plan, for his purposes.

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Speaker 1: Have you ever been down just kind of struggling with

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Speaker 1: this idea of joy and then you get a text

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Speaker 1: message with some good news or you get an email

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Speaker 1: with some good news and it just lifts your spirits.

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Speaker 1: That's the same idea of scripture. God has sent us

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Speaker 1: a text message. Think about that. It's right here. He's

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Speaker 1: just waiting for our response. We have to respond to

426
00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:14,960
Speaker 1: what he is saying. We have to choose to receive it.

427
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,199
Speaker 1: Look at this, Luke two ten says this. But the

428
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:23,200
Speaker 1: Angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring

429
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:27,600
Speaker 1: you there's a word good news that will cause a

430
00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,080
Speaker 1: little bit of joy. Yeah. Yeah, that's the thing right.

431
00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,399
Speaker 1: It says. It's not gonna make you go, oh, that's nice.

432
00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,920
Speaker 1: He said, it's going to cause great joy for some

433
00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:43,480
Speaker 1: of the people, all the people. He says, it's for everybody. Now,

434
00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:45,560
Speaker 1: this word is so key joy. I'm going to break

435
00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,199
Speaker 1: that word down for you in the Greek. When you

436
00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:52,040
Speaker 1: look at this word in the Greek, it's the word cara,

437
00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:57,000
Speaker 1: and it's important in the Greek because of what it

438
00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,000
Speaker 1: actually means. So this word right here, if you translate

439
00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:01,760
Speaker 1: to rate it, you would say it kind of like this,

440
00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,959
Speaker 1: but it's pronounced more of a raw and you go

441
00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:11,760
Speaker 1: joy deep inward feeling. So it's this inside where man,

442
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:16,680
Speaker 1: it's just I'm just so excited. I'm so excited. I'm

443
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,800
Speaker 1: so because I have a greater perspective. I'm so excited

444
00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:27,800
Speaker 1: that it's expressed by what outward evidence. Yeah, that's the

445
00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,200
Speaker 1: key right there is I'm I know something, I've received

446
00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,200
Speaker 1: the good news, and so I'm able to live this

447
00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,600
Speaker 1: life no matter what comes at me with this abundance

448
00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:42,240
Speaker 1: of joy. Have been around people like that, I'm telling

449
00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,520
Speaker 1: you that makes all. That's the best witness too. By

450
00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,240
Speaker 1: the way, it's how I came to Christ, a guy

451
00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:49,200
Speaker 1: that was joyful in the midst of all this junk

452
00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:50,919
Speaker 1: that was going, I'm like, what do you got that

453
00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:56,240
Speaker 1: I don't have? Is this? He understood joy? He understood

454
00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,680
Speaker 1: kra this depth of joy that you and even help

455
00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:02,840
Speaker 1: but it exudes and I'm not saying you walk around,

456
00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:07,440
Speaker 1: dul I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about it's

457
00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,760
Speaker 1: just so powerful in you that it comes out through

458
00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:15,560
Speaker 1: you and there's a radiance about you. That's the depth

459
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,320
Speaker 1: of Kara. It's the depth that's in your gut, and

460
00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,720
Speaker 1: it overflows and it says, that's the kind of joy

461
00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,680
Speaker 1: that this news should bring. But it has to be received,

462
00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:29,679
Speaker 1: it has to be unwrapped. And here's the beauty when

463
00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:34,680
Speaker 1: we look at what these shepherds did. They didn't did

464
00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:36,960
Speaker 1: more than just sit there and go, hey, that sounds good.

465
00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,200
Speaker 1: They did way more than that. Romans one sixteen. It says,

466
00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:43,320
Speaker 1: I am not ashamed of this good news about Christ.

467
00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:47,400
Speaker 1: It's God's powerful method of bringing all who believe it

468
00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:54,840
Speaker 1: to heaven. Now everyone is what invited is the key word.

469
00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,280
Speaker 1: Everyone is invited. It's like here it is to come

470
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:01,200
Speaker 1: to God in this same way. I want you to

471
00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:05,640
Speaker 1: circle invite it in your notes. It's so powerful it's happened.

472
00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,680
Speaker 1: God has invited us. And some people think, well, I'm

473
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,080
Speaker 1: not going to send that text message back to God,

474
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:12,920
Speaker 1: or I'm not going to respond to God's email. I'm

475
00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:14,880
Speaker 1: not going to respond to God's word because he's just

476
00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,160
Speaker 1: gonna tell me the seventy five things I've done bad? Right,

477
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:20,480
Speaker 1: I don't want him to list out all the stuff

478
00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,120
Speaker 1: in my life. And that's not the way God is,

479
00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:26,360
Speaker 1: That's not the way God operates. He wants to give

480
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,280
Speaker 1: us that forgiveness. He wants to give you that purpose

481
00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:33,600
Speaker 1: and that peace that only He can offer, only he

482
00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:37,600
Speaker 1: can offer. And James one two. It says, when troubles,

483
00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,440
Speaker 1: if any kind, come your way, consider it an opportunity

484
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,280
Speaker 1: for great joy. Because here's what I know. People are

485
00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:47,160
Speaker 1: dealing with troubles and trials all the time. And he

486
00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,000
Speaker 1: tells us right here, he goes, don't look at it

487
00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:52,720
Speaker 1: as a way of stealing your joy, he goes, but

488
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,960
Speaker 1: see it as an opportunity that you're going to grow

489
00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,280
Speaker 1: and that you're going to change because of it. And

490
00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,120
Speaker 1: guess what, the last one, You're going to become more

491
00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,560
Speaker 1: like Christ because of it, he says. So see it

492
00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,800
Speaker 1: as an opportunity. Man, that's a whole another level of

493
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:10,000
Speaker 1: faith growth. When you see your trials and your troubles

494
00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:15,800
Speaker 1: as opportunity christis. Now you're getting it. Now you're understanding

495
00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,000
Speaker 1: what it really means. How could he say this, Well,

496
00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:23,360
Speaker 1: you have to understand the early Christians, they suffered great persecution,

497
00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:29,560
Speaker 1: unlike anything we've experienced yet here in America. They experienced

498
00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:37,040
Speaker 1: unbelievable persecution. Nero was a Roman caesar who for sport

499
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,760
Speaker 1: was killing Christians for sport. Bring him into the center

500
00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,640
Speaker 1: of the coliseum, see how long they could survive. They

501
00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,720
Speaker 1: were placing bets on how long the Christians could survive.

502
00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,360
Speaker 1: The lions and tigers and the animals that they would

503
00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,440
Speaker 1: throw in and have them torn apart. He had them

504
00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,840
Speaker 1: lit up like dipped in oil and lit up like

505
00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:00,600
Speaker 1: candles to light the roadways. I mean, he was a sick,

506
00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:02,720
Speaker 1: sick human being, and all this stuff was happening to

507
00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:06,280
Speaker 1: early Christians when this next verse was written. Hebrews ten

508
00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:10,200
Speaker 1: thirty four says, you even had joy when all that

509
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:13,800
Speaker 1: you owned was taken from you, because you knew that

510
00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,720
Speaker 1: you had something better and more lasting. Christians weren't allowed

511
00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:21,160
Speaker 1: to own property for a while. If you claim to

512
00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,440
Speaker 1: be a Christian, he said, the only way you can

513
00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:28,360
Speaker 1: survive is if you bring any scriptures that you might have.

514
00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:34,840
Speaker 1: You can bring them, and you renounce Jesus Christ. You'll survive.

515
00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,840
Speaker 1: We'll let you live. And not only renounce Christ. But

516
00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,000
Speaker 1: then you would say, and you bow to this pagan god,

517
00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,680
Speaker 1: whatever one he had at that moment for them to

518
00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:46,560
Speaker 1: bow to. So you'd have to give up everything to

519
00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,040
Speaker 1: follow Christ. And he says, you even had joy when

520
00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,760
Speaker 1: all that was taken away from you. How do you

521
00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:56,960
Speaker 1: do that? You have a perspective that's different than the

522
00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:00,440
Speaker 1: world has. You have a perspective that says, this isn't

523
00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:04,640
Speaker 1: all there is. I have an eternal joy that's coming.

524
00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:08,440
Speaker 1: That eternal joy gets me through anything that I go

525
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:10,920
Speaker 1: through on a daily basis, even bad traffic on a

526
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:15,480
Speaker 1: Sunday morning, it doesn't matter. There's an eternal joy, even sickness,

527
00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,160
Speaker 1: even the loss of loved ones. I have an eternal

528
00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:22,120
Speaker 1: joy that I look forward to where there's no pain,

529
00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,800
Speaker 1: there's no sorrow. We get to look forward to that

530
00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:30,080
Speaker 1: and it changes everything. But joy continues in this next one.

531
00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,440
Speaker 1: And when I choose to take action on what God says,

532
00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:35,680
Speaker 1: so you have to choose to receive it. And then

533
00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:38,600
Speaker 1: you say, okay, God, you're telling me that. Now I

534
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:41,640
Speaker 1: have to decide if I'm going to do it. Because

535
00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:45,480
Speaker 1: joy doesn't come in the knowledge John thirteen seventeen. Joy

536
00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,800
Speaker 1: comes in the action. Now, that you know these things,

537
00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:52,320
Speaker 1: you are blessed if you do them. You're not blessed

538
00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:54,720
Speaker 1: just because you know what God's telling you to do.

539
00:32:55,880 --> 00:33:00,600
Speaker 1: That's the start. You're blessed when you do it. When

540
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,280
Speaker 1: you say, Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna choose that action

541
00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,680
Speaker 1: because why because I trust that what God has for

542
00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,000
Speaker 1: me is better than what I think I'm supposed to do.

543
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,400
Speaker 1: It's this an incredible faith journey where he say, God,

544
00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,240
Speaker 1: I believe you know what's best for me, and so

545
00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:17,960
Speaker 1: I'm learning from his word. I'm I'm hearing from God

546
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,200
Speaker 1: and I'm I'm absorbing it, and then I'm making a decision.

547
00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:24,640
Speaker 1: I've received it, Lord, Okay, I've read it, I've heard

548
00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:29,800
Speaker 1: a message about it, I'm reading devotion or whatever I'm praying.

549
00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:35,040
Speaker 1: I'm sensing that. But now it's my chance to experience

550
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:38,800
Speaker 1: joy is when I act on it. I'm actually gonna

551
00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,960
Speaker 1: take you at your word and I'm going to act

552
00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:44,560
Speaker 1: on what you're telling me. And listen, listen. When you

553
00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:48,280
Speaker 1: do that, you act on what he says, and you

554
00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,000
Speaker 1: see him come through because of what he said, and

555
00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:54,520
Speaker 1: you stepped out on faith and you did it. The joy,

556
00:33:55,080 --> 00:34:00,920
Speaker 1: the joy it is such an inexplicable joy. It's a cara.

557
00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,560
Speaker 1: It just comes out of you that you're so excited.

558
00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,000
Speaker 1: Look what the shepherds did. Luke two fifteen says when

559
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,799
Speaker 1: the angels had left them and gone into heaven. It

560
00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:14,560
Speaker 1: says that the shepherd said to one another, let's hang

561
00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:19,400
Speaker 1: out and think about this. He said, no, no, let's

562
00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,279
Speaker 1: go to Bethlehem. That's what was just told to them.

563
00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,040
Speaker 1: That's where he's going to be born, and see this

564
00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,680
Speaker 1: thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.

565
00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:35,799
Speaker 1: Why did they go? Because they believe God? Right, they

566
00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:40,400
Speaker 1: went because they believed what they just heard from God.

567
00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:45,480
Speaker 1: They could have stayed. They could have just hung out

568
00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,520
Speaker 1: and said, whoa, hey was that the eggnog? Marty? You

569
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,000
Speaker 1: know what I mean, and just been like, I did

570
00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,919
Speaker 1: you hear what I heard? Angels? And go? They could

571
00:34:54,960 --> 00:35:01,399
Speaker 1: have stayed, and I understand doing what God says. There's

572
00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:05,600
Speaker 1: great risk in that too. The shepherds had a job

573
00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:08,360
Speaker 1: to do. Remember, it says it was at night. So

574
00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,520
Speaker 1: what are they doing? They're watching the sheep. Now, sheep

575
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:16,960
Speaker 1: are boring when they're awake, but when they're asleep, You're right,

576
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,799
Speaker 1: they're just sitting there and the shepherds it was their

577
00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:24,120
Speaker 1: job to tend the sheep. They're like hired hands typically

578
00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,239
Speaker 1: in those days. And so what are they doing while

579
00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,640
Speaker 1: they're making sure there's no predators coming, there's no wolves,

580
00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:34,719
Speaker 1: no coyotes. They have to make sure. If they leave

581
00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:42,880
Speaker 1: and those sheep are killed or stolen, then that was

582
00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,600
Speaker 1: charged to the shepherds. So they do a great risk

583
00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,120
Speaker 1: by just leaving the sheep there. Not only would they

584
00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,000
Speaker 1: be charged with it, most of them wouldn't have been

585
00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:57,080
Speaker 1: able to afford paying back that flock. And so back

586
00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:00,319
Speaker 1: in those days you had something called debtor's prison. If

587
00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:02,960
Speaker 1: you couldn't pay your debt, you go to prison and

588
00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,919
Speaker 1: tell it's paid up. What happens your family is sold

589
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,000
Speaker 1: into slavery. All that happens. Okay, So they have massive

590
00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:12,399
Speaker 1: debt and it was a huge risk for them to go.

591
00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:17,439
Speaker 1: They could have been stuck in the fields just kind

592
00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:21,600
Speaker 1: of hanging out there, wondering what if we had done

593
00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:26,399
Speaker 1: what God said? Now, figuratively speaking, many people do that.

594
00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,719
Speaker 1: Many of you have heard from God or you know

595
00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,960
Speaker 1: what you're supposed to do, But you're still back in

596
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,560
Speaker 1: the fields with the sheep, and you're kind of going,

597
00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,719
Speaker 1: what if I would have done that? What if I

598
00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:42,520
Speaker 1: would have taken God at his word? I wonder what

599
00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,239
Speaker 1: would have happened with that. Now here's the good news.

600
00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:49,080
Speaker 1: It's not too late. It's not too late to respond

601
00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:51,880
Speaker 1: to God. And we'll talk more about that in a

602
00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:55,040
Speaker 1: little bit. It's not too late to trust him, not

603
00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,160
Speaker 1: too late to give your life to Christ and to

604
00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:01,080
Speaker 1: find hope. You don't have to wonder any joy happens

605
00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,439
Speaker 1: in our lives when I decide to do what God

606
00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,239
Speaker 1: tells me to do. Look at this psalm. I love

607
00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:10,960
Speaker 1: this psalm. It says the commandments of the Lord they

608
00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:15,120
Speaker 1: are what Okay, they're right. So when I read God's

609
00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:16,920
Speaker 1: word he tells me to do something, it's the right

610
00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:20,800
Speaker 1: thing to do. It's not your opinion, it's not my opinion.

611
00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:25,520
Speaker 1: It's not a political figure's opinion. It is God's opinion

612
00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:28,799
Speaker 1: that matters, because he's right and he's true, and so

613
00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:31,440
Speaker 1: whatever he tells us is right. And here's what happens.

614
00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:36,280
Speaker 1: It brings what it brings joy a karah to the heart.

615
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:42,640
Speaker 1: The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight, and

616
00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:46,279
Speaker 1: anybody want insight. It gives an insight for living. What

617
00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:50,480
Speaker 1: does that mean? It helps us to navigate life, to

618
00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:53,960
Speaker 1: navigate life to the full. And when he gives us

619
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:57,520
Speaker 1: insight for living, when it's clear and it's right, we

620
00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:00,480
Speaker 1: can't help but have joy. We're doing what you told

621
00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:05,040
Speaker 1: me to do. I'm navigating this life now as if

622
00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,239
Speaker 1: I have a map, a roadmap in front of me.

623
00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,760
Speaker 1: I'm choosing to do what you said God, and what happens,

624
00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:13,400
Speaker 1: I get joyful. Can't help but have that joy overflow

625
00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:18,200
Speaker 1: in my life. See, his commandments are right, they're clear,

626
00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,239
Speaker 1: and they're for you. And you think about this. Why

627
00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:26,160
Speaker 1: he knows how you're wired. He created you. And so

628
00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,040
Speaker 1: the things that he tells us to do, when we

629
00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:31,680
Speaker 1: follow them, they bring us joy because they're fit for us.

630
00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:36,399
Speaker 1: They're how we're supposed to operate in life. And when

631
00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:38,240
Speaker 1: I walk in him and I trust what he's saying,

632
00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:42,399
Speaker 1: it's perfect. It's like, Okay, I've got the joy. If

633
00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:45,359
Speaker 1: you're struggling with joy, you can't seem to find it,

634
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:47,239
Speaker 1: let me ask you this, and you don't have to

635
00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:49,719
Speaker 1: answer out loud in all campuses, just in your own heart.

636
00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:51,640
Speaker 1: Is there something that God has told you to do

637
00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:56,280
Speaker 1: but you haven't done it? Because that's the other joy robber,

638
00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:00,600
Speaker 1: is you know there's something you're supposed to do but

639
00:39:00,719 --> 00:39:04,879
Speaker 1: you've resisted God. It might be a relationship, it might

640
00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:08,000
Speaker 1: be financially, it might be something you just resist it.

641
00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:11,400
Speaker 1: You know you're supposed to do it, but you're resisting it.

642
00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:16,640
Speaker 1: That's a joy robber. It's stealing your joy. And I

643
00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:22,279
Speaker 1: want to encourage you. Whatever you need this Christmas, ask

644
00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:25,080
Speaker 1: God for it. All right, I'm not talking about Sannah.

645
00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:27,680
Speaker 1: I'm talking about God. I'm not talking about making God

646
00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:31,160
Speaker 1: a genie. I'm talking about He tells us to ask him.

647
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:35,279
Speaker 1: It might be for joy. You might be asking that specifically, God,

648
00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:37,200
Speaker 1: help me help me have more joy. It might be

649
00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:41,840
Speaker 1: a relationship. You might be saying, God, help me in

650
00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:46,200
Speaker 1: this relationship, help me reconcile that relationship. It might be

651
00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:50,239
Speaker 1: a material thing. And if it's a wrong ask, He'll

652
00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,800
Speaker 1: let you know he will. But I want to encourage

653
00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:57,279
Speaker 1: you to write down something that you're asking God for

654
00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:02,719
Speaker 1: this Christmas. Why, Because when it's answered, your joy is complete.

655
00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:05,920
Speaker 1: It's an incredible thing. We love hearing answers to prayers.

656
00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:08,319
Speaker 1: Write it and tell us and if you want us

657
00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:11,160
Speaker 1: to pray with you for that thing you're asking for,

658
00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:13,920
Speaker 1: let us know, write it on the prayer card. We

659
00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:16,480
Speaker 1: want to pray with you for that. Why we'll look

660
00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:18,680
Speaker 1: what it says In John, he tells us, until now

661
00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:21,080
Speaker 1: you've not asked for anything in my name is Jesus talking.

662
00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:25,400
Speaker 1: Ask and you will receive and your joy will be

663
00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:29,960
Speaker 1: what That's how it becomes complete. Look, I love to

664
00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:33,759
Speaker 1: ask things of God, but that's not where I get

665
00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,560
Speaker 1: the most joy. The most joy is when I receive it.

666
00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:42,080
Speaker 1: That's when I'm like, wow, it just always confirms one

667
00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:46,000
Speaker 1: my relationship with the Lord too, that he hears, that

668
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:50,359
Speaker 1: he's listening, and I love that. It's such good confirmation.

669
00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,719
Speaker 1: And when it's answered, and I write it down on

670
00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:57,120
Speaker 1: my prayer book that he answered this prayer. I hope

671
00:40:57,160 --> 00:40:59,080
Speaker 1: you do that. By the way, have a journey, write

672
00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:02,040
Speaker 1: down when he answers, don't don't. Just have a prayer

673
00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:05,560
Speaker 1: list right down when he answers prayer. And then when

674
00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:08,320
Speaker 1: you're in that dry valley that every Christian goes through

675
00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:11,360
Speaker 1: from time to time, go back to your answered prayers

676
00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:16,359
Speaker 1: and it's just a great reminder. Ah, yes he's there,

677
00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:19,440
Speaker 1: he's answering. This one is just a not yet this

678
00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:23,680
Speaker 1: one's ant yet it's gonna happen. It's gonna come. It

679
00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:26,160
Speaker 1: might be a answered in a different way, it might

680
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:28,800
Speaker 1: be answered in a more dynamic way. But that time

681
00:41:28,880 --> 00:41:32,960
Speaker 1: before it's answered is preparation for you. But man, the

682
00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:35,840
Speaker 1: joy that comes when you do what God says, just

683
00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:39,480
Speaker 1: like the shepherds. It's like the shepherds. Here's the last one.

684
00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:42,320
Speaker 1: The last one. If you want joy to the full

685
00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:45,200
Speaker 1: is you have to choose to spread the word. You

686
00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:48,799
Speaker 1: have to choose to spread the word when you tell

687
00:41:48,880 --> 00:41:52,239
Speaker 1: someone else this good news when it can't be bottled.

688
00:41:53,640 --> 00:41:57,120
Speaker 1: That's how it gets fresh. If you've been a Christian

689
00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:59,760
Speaker 1: a long time and you've never told anyone the good news,

690
00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:02,080
Speaker 1: you've never told them maybe your story of how you

691
00:42:02,120 --> 00:42:06,200
Speaker 1: came to Christ, or and you just don't share it,

692
00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:10,400
Speaker 1: it tends to rot, it tends to go bad in you.

693
00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:16,920
Speaker 1: It can become stale. And so we're commanded as Christians

694
00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:20,600
Speaker 1: to share the good news, and we always always want

695
00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:23,360
Speaker 1: to make sure we start with those eight to fifteen

696
00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:26,200
Speaker 1: people in our oy costs, that list that's in the

697
00:42:26,239 --> 00:42:28,680
Speaker 1: seat back in front of you. You start with these

698
00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:32,160
Speaker 1: people first, because there's some credibility there with you. They

699
00:42:32,239 --> 00:42:35,600
Speaker 1: know you. Luke two seventeen says says this when they

700
00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:39,319
Speaker 1: had seen him, they kept it to themselves about what

701
00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,320
Speaker 1: had been told about this child. What does it say?

702
00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,839
Speaker 1: It says they spread the word why because Kara had

703
00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:49,319
Speaker 1: hit them. This joy was inside him and they're like,

704
00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:53,760
Speaker 1: we can't keep this to ourselves. The Savior has been born,

705
00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:56,920
Speaker 1: Like this is such important news. We're not going to

706
00:42:57,000 --> 00:43:02,640
Speaker 1: keep it to ourselves. In this antagonistic culture, this atheistic culture.

707
00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:06,040
Speaker 1: In so many ways, so many people have been silenced

708
00:43:06,239 --> 00:43:09,279
Speaker 1: about their faith. And I just want to encourage you

709
00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:13,120
Speaker 1: to be more outspoken in your faith. Not a jerk,

710
00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:17,080
Speaker 1: or we don't ever advocate you being a jerk, but

711
00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,000
Speaker 1: to be able to spread the news, to be able

712
00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:22,719
Speaker 1: to share your story, to be able to start with

713
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:26,120
Speaker 1: an invite, As we always say, an invite can change

714
00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:30,920
Speaker 1: a life. It's such a powerful testimony. And we've had

715
00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:34,439
Speaker 1: thousands of people on this campus this weekend for Christmas nights,

716
00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:38,040
Speaker 1: but we're going to have thousands more for Christmas Eve services.

717
00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:40,480
Speaker 1: And we have these invites out in the lobby for

718
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:42,600
Speaker 1: you to pick up and take and just hand them

719
00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:46,520
Speaker 1: to people who knows that invite, that you hand to somebody.

720
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:48,880
Speaker 1: It could just change a life. Who knows that invite

721
00:43:48,880 --> 00:43:54,080
Speaker 1: that you put on someone's car and you run away, like,

722
00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,799
Speaker 1: just change the life. I know you introverts, I get it.

723
00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:03,280
Speaker 1: You're just like, oh, we did our evangelism. That's fine,

724
00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:07,960
Speaker 1: guerrilla marketing, whatever it takes. Invite people, put it on

725
00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:12,239
Speaker 1: their door, walk away. But this is an incredibly powerful

726
00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:16,200
Speaker 1: tool that tells people that you care. It just tells

727
00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:19,000
Speaker 1: people you care that you would love to see him

728
00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:22,480
Speaker 1: at church. And those eight to fifteen primarily, you'll be

729
00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:26,759
Speaker 1: surprised at how many during Christmas will say yes. You say, oh,

730
00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:29,360
Speaker 1: they're so far from God, they would never come to church.

731
00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:33,600
Speaker 1: You'd be so surprised. And when you ask them, yeah,

732
00:44:33,600 --> 00:44:38,000
Speaker 1: thank you, I'm glad you asked. Choose to spread the word.

733
00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:41,960
Speaker 1: Psalm one oh seven twenty two says with joy, they

734
00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,720
Speaker 1: should tell what he has done. I love the idea

735
00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:48,279
Speaker 1: of us being Christians that live by example in front

736
00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:50,680
Speaker 1: of people. We're supposed to do that, we walk by example,

737
00:44:50,760 --> 00:44:53,279
Speaker 1: and people are supposed to know that we're Christians. And

738
00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:55,120
Speaker 1: that's a great start. But at some point you have

739
00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:57,759
Speaker 1: to tell people. At some point you have to use

740
00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:00,279
Speaker 1: your mouth. They might think you just go to the

741
00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:02,440
Speaker 1: swap meet every Sunday. They don't know why you leave

742
00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:05,840
Speaker 1: you here driveway, they don't know. At some point you

743
00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:09,359
Speaker 1: gotta share it. You got to say it. Don't keep

744
00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,960
Speaker 1: it to yourself. It'll dry up. So Christmas evesters and

745
00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:16,520
Speaker 1: we have a separate Christmas Day service. Yeah, we're doing

746
00:45:16,520 --> 00:45:19,840
Speaker 1: it on Christmas Day the day, and so listen, I

747
00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,720
Speaker 1: want to know who the Christians are. So we're gonna

748
00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:27,800
Speaker 1: who's gonna be here? Come on, Okay, we're gonna have

749
00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:30,319
Speaker 1: a great one. It's gonna be a great opportunity. Luke

750
00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:32,920
Speaker 1: fifteen seven. This is the importance of this idea, spreading

751
00:45:32,920 --> 00:45:36,839
Speaker 1: the good news. Luke fifteen seven tells us that there's

752
00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:39,719
Speaker 1: more joy in heaven. This is Jesus talking, okay, over

753
00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:43,319
Speaker 1: one sinner who changes his heart in life, over one

754
00:45:43,600 --> 00:45:46,000
Speaker 1: than over ninety nine good people who don't need to change.

755
00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:49,880
Speaker 1: He says, we look through the context of scripture. Obviously

756
00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:55,160
Speaker 1: he's so he loves our strong long time saints, there's

757
00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:57,560
Speaker 1: no question about that. But he says, you know how

758
00:45:57,560 --> 00:46:01,440
Speaker 1: a party has started in heaven. Says when somebody gives

759
00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:05,319
Speaker 1: their life, makes a decision and we've had over fourteen

760
00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:10,160
Speaker 1: hundred and eighty something or seventy six, fourteen hundred decisions

761
00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:12,759
Speaker 1: for christ You think about that, Yeah, that's exciting when

762
00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:17,719
Speaker 1: you look at that. This year almost fifteen hundred, and

763
00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:20,399
Speaker 1: it says that there's rejoicing in heaven when someone makes

764
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:23,640
Speaker 1: that decision. And we talk about lighting up the scoreboard

765
00:46:23,640 --> 00:46:27,640
Speaker 1: in heaven. We're starting a lot of parties in heaven, y'all.

766
00:46:27,840 --> 00:46:31,239
Speaker 1: We're starting a lot of parties in heaven. So keep inviting,

767
00:46:31,400 --> 00:46:34,279
Speaker 1: keep spreading the word. Christmas is a time that most

768
00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:39,040
Speaker 1: of us enjoy. Statistics say seventy five percent of people

769
00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:42,200
Speaker 1: this is their favorite time of year. Seventy five percent

770
00:46:42,280 --> 00:46:45,680
Speaker 1: of people it's Yet it's just a season. So how

771
00:46:45,719 --> 00:46:50,319
Speaker 1: do I keep that joy going all year long? Philippians

772
00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:53,200
Speaker 1: four four says be full of joy. Here's the key,

773
00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:58,360
Speaker 1: last verse, be full of joy. How it says in

774
00:46:58,440 --> 00:47:01,160
Speaker 1: the Lord always. But here's the key. You have to

775
00:47:01,160 --> 00:47:03,319
Speaker 1: be in the Lord. And he says it again, bee

776
00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:05,600
Speaker 1: full of joy. But it has to be in the

777
00:47:05,719 --> 00:47:08,319
Speaker 1: Lord for it to be sustainable, for it to be

778
00:47:09,239 --> 00:47:12,919
Speaker 1: long term. And that's the importance of understanding. He wants

779
00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:15,520
Speaker 1: a relationship with you. And God's gift to you at

780
00:47:15,600 --> 00:47:19,000
Speaker 1: Christmas time is this idea of joy that could be

781
00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:21,799
Speaker 1: lived out on a daily basis. If you make these

782
00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:25,720
Speaker 1: three choices, you do that, you remember that it's a choice,

783
00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:28,480
Speaker 1: and you practice it, and you will live with that

784
00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:31,920
Speaker 1: Kara joy that overflows not just at Christmas time, but

785
00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:37,000
Speaker 1: every single day. Amen, let's pray. Thank you Lord, thank

786
00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:39,399
Speaker 1: you for your good news, thank you for the fact

787
00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:44,279
Speaker 1: that you want a relationship with us. And I want

788
00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:48,040
Speaker 1: to encourage you to take the opportunity to speak to

789
00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:51,680
Speaker 1: him now, to return that message. He has sent each

790
00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:54,760
Speaker 1: of us a message, but some of us haven't returned.

791
00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:57,280
Speaker 1: We haven't returned the call, we haven't returned the text.

792
00:47:57,320 --> 00:48:00,480
Speaker 1: We've ghosted him. And I want to encourage you in

793
00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:04,200
Speaker 1: your own heart. If you don't know Christ to follow

794
00:48:04,239 --> 00:48:06,480
Speaker 1: me in what we simply call the ABC's of salvation.

795
00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:10,920
Speaker 1: You have to admit, believe, and choose follow me in

796
00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:13,000
Speaker 1: this prayer. In the silence of your heart. He can

797
00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:16,920
Speaker 1: hear you. Dear Lord, I admit I'm a sinner, have

798
00:48:17,040 --> 00:48:21,200
Speaker 1: not lived a perfect life. I believe that you died

799
00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:25,520
Speaker 1: for my sins. Today I'm choosing to follow you. Thank

800
00:48:25,520 --> 00:48:31,000
Speaker 1: you for coming at Christmas time. I believe that if

801
00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,759
Speaker 1: you said that welcome to the family, others of you

802
00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:36,080
Speaker 1: is time to recommit your life to Christ, you would say,

803
00:48:36,120 --> 00:48:38,759
Speaker 1: you know what, I have drifted away from the Lord,

804
00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:42,080
Speaker 1: and I would love to come back and experience the

805
00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:45,000
Speaker 1: joy that He would have for me. If that's you,

806
00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:49,120
Speaker 1: simply say to the Lord Lord today, I'm recommitting my

807
00:48:49,239 --> 00:48:54,200
Speaker 1: life to you. Thank you for accepting me back. Lord,

808
00:48:54,239 --> 00:48:56,360
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for all that you're doing. We

809
00:48:56,480 --> 00:48:58,640
Speaker 1: thank you for who you are and for this season

810
00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:04,880
Speaker 1: that reminds us of the meaning behind it. May we

811
00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:08,480
Speaker 1: honor you more and glorify your name, for we give

812
00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:11,360
Speaker 1: you all the praise, and it's in Jesus name, and

813
00:49:11,400 --> 00:49:17,719
Speaker 1: all God's people said Amen. Amen. Well has been our

814
00:49:17,960 --> 00:49:21,960
Speaker 1: tradition lately that I've certainly enjoyed, and I think you

815
00:49:22,080 --> 00:49:25,680
Speaker 1: have as well. Doxology to end our service, So if

816
00:49:25,680 --> 00:49:35,080
Speaker 1: you'll stand, will end with our blessing now to him

817
00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:37,440
Speaker 1: who's able to keep us from falling and to present

818
00:49:37,480 --> 00:49:41,240
Speaker 1: you before His glorious presence. Listen to this without fault

819
00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:46,240
Speaker 1: and with great joy, to the only God, our Savior,

820
00:49:46,680 --> 00:49:51,840
Speaker 1: be Glory, Majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ, our Lord,

821
00:49:52,239 --> 00:49:58,800
Speaker 1: before all ages, now and forevermore, and all God's people said, Amen,

822
00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:00,840
Speaker 1: do you bless you? Guys, you're dismissed. We'll see you

823
00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:04,319
Speaker 1: out there in the lobby. The podcast The Bible in

824
00:50:04,360 --> 00:50:07,239
Speaker 1: a Year with Jack Graham is a moving and inspiring

825
00:50:07,320 --> 00:50:10,560
Speaker 1: Biblical audio experience that will help you master wisdom from

826
00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:13,680
Speaker 1: the world's greatest book. In each episode, you'll learn to

827
00:50:13,719 --> 00:50:18,319
Speaker 1: apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Each cinematic episode is

828
00:50:18,320 --> 00:50:21,560
Speaker 1: a journey through the Bible's most profound stories that will

829
00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:25,399
Speaker 1: strengthen your appreciation of the Word and inspire you to

830
00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:28,520
Speaker 1: keep alerting. Listen to The Bible in a Year with

831
00:50:28,640 --> 00:50:31,520
Speaker 1: Jack Graham on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get

832
00:50:31,520 --> 00:50:32,319
Speaker 1: your podcasts.