Philippians 4:4-9

We are overcome. You take our breath away. We will be the ones that love you zealously. We are overcome. You love us jealously. Let us be the ones that take your heart away.

We are overcome. You take our breath away. We will be the ones that love you zealously. We are overcome. You love us jealously. And all we want to do is, all we want to do, all we want to do is gain.

We want to see your face. All we want to do, all we want to do is behold the beauty of your glory. All we want to do, all we want to do is gain. We want to see your face. All we want to do, all we want to do is behold the beauty of your glory. All we want to do, all we want to do is gain.

We want to see your face

All we want to do, all we want to do

Is behold the beauty of your glory

All we want to do, all we want to do is gain

All we want to do, all we want to do

Is behold the beauty of your glory

Behold the beauty of your glory

All we want to do, all we want to do is gain

All we want to do, all we want to do is

Behold the beauty of your glory

Amen

Thank you

Up from the ashes

Your love has brought us

Out of the darkness

And into the light

Lifting our sorrows

Bearing our burdens

Healing our hearts

To our God we lift up one voice

To our God we lift up one song

To our God we lift up one voice

Singing hallelujah

To our God we lift up one voice

Singing hallelujah

Chains have been broken

Eyes have been opened

An army of dreams

An army of drivers

It's starting to rise

And death is defeated

And we are victorious

And we are alive

To our God we lift up one voice

To our God we lift up one song

Thank you.

I'm singing hallelujah, hallelujah, I'm singing hallelujah, hallelujah, to make you pray, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory.

For his name is glorious, glorious, glorious, glorious, glory, glory, glory.

To our God we lift up one voice

To our God we lift up one song

To our God we lift up one voice

Singing hallelujah

To our God we lift up one voice

Singing hallelujah

Hallelujah

We're singing hallelujah

Hallelujah

Singing hallelujah

Hallelujah

We're singing hallelujah

Hallelujah

To make His grace

Gloria, Gloria, Gloria

All His name is Gloria, Gloria, Gloria

In His face

Glory God

Shout His face

Glory God

Make His praise

It's glorious

Glorious

Before His day

It's glorious

Glorious

Make His praise

Glorious

Shout His name

Glorious

Make His praise

Glorious

For Your name

It's glorious

Glorious

Make His praise

Glorious

And Shout His name

Glorious

We'll make it

To our God we lift up one voice

To our God we lift up one song

To our God we lift up one voice

Singing hallelujah

To our God we lift up one voice

To our God we lift up one song

To our God we lift up one voice

To our God, come on, everybody.

Hallelujah, singing hallelujah, hallelujah, singing hallelujah, hallelujah, singing hallelujah, hallelujah.

Amen. Praise His name in this house. Amen.

Amen.

Thank you, God.

Amen.

Thank you.

You come back because of my enemy.

You come back and call it my victory.

As we go into this song, we need to, thank you, as we go into this song, we need to go

into a time of prayer this morning.

Our brother, one of our elders, Tom Riccio, is in the hospital, and it's a fairly serious

situation right now.

And so, you don't need to go into a lot of great details.

You don't have to bring all the house lights up.

You don't need to do all that.

But we need to just pray for Tom this morning.

They've got to, they've got him on some IVs and some, some things that we're, this song

is appropriate.

We're going to go to war for Tom this morning.

We're going to pray for the Lord to intervene.

We're going to ask God to just bring him home as quickly as possible.

And Shannon, I'm going to ask you to lead us in a moment of prayer before Cherise goes

back into this song.

But where you are right now this morning, let this be an attitude of prayer.

Let this be an attitude of prayer for Tom, for his family, and also use this time as

well in preparation as we're going to celebrate communion today as well too.

Use this as a time of prayer to go to war, asking the God to cleanse you personally as

well too, and ready you to celebrate communion today.

But let's join together as we pray for our brother Tom, pray for Judy and the family

today as I'm going to ask Shannon to lead us.

Cherise, take us back.

God, this morning we come before you on behalf of our brother Tom.

God, we pray that you would just be with him today, that you would fill him with your spirit,

with your strength, with your healing.

God, we know that the path that he's walking right now is difficult.

He's been on a hard path for a long time.

But God, we know that you're the healer.

We know that you know the plan for him and his family.

We pray that you would just give him comfort and peace, be with Judy as well as the rest

of their kids, their family.

God, that you would just give them peace and comfort at this time.

Thank you.

Let's pray all these things you do, precious and holy name.

I pray all these names I need, that you, God?

It was bow down, all I did was stay still, oh, and hallelujah, you have saved me, so much better this way, yeah, hallelujah.

The great defender, so much better your way, you know, before I did, now my heart can see to find your truth, your mercy is the shining I'm living in.

I restore my faith and hope again, all I did was praise,

all I did was worship, all I did was bow down,

all I did was stay still, oh, and hallelujah, you have saved me, so much better your way, yeah.

Hallelujah, thank you, thank you, thank you.

So much better your way, hallelujah, hallelujah, you have saved me.

So much better your way.

Hallelujah, thank you, thank you.

So much better your way.

Thank you.

When I thought I lost

You knew where I left

You reintroduced me to your love

You picked up all my pieces

Put me back together

You are the defender of mine

When I thought I lost

You knew where I left

When I thought I lost You knew where I left You are the defender of mine When I thought I lost You knew where I left You reintroduced me to your love You picked up all my pieces Put me back together You are the defender of mine

Thank the for many I believe You are the defender of mine Fate of mine

So much better, your way

Hallelujah, hallelujah

You have saved me

So much better, better your way

Better your way

Hallelujah, grace is better

And I'm so much better, your way

It's better, your way

I may not understand, but I know that it's better, your way

When I thought I lost me

You knew where I left

You reintroduced me to your love

It's better, your way

It's better

When I thought I lost me

To know that it's better

to know

Once I butble

When I thought I lost me

You understand that my God

You know, I must remember

Little man

When I thought I got

You linked

If it's better

Here

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is risen

He is risen

Forever He is risen

He is alive

Forever He is risen

He is alive

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive

All I did was praise

All I did was worship

All I did was bow down

All I did was stay still

All I did was praise

Hallelujah

You're worthy Jesus

All I did was worship

There's nobody like You

All I did was bow down

At Your feet

All I did was pray

Still see the salvation of God

Thank You Lord

We bless You God

We love You

We honor You God

There is no one like You

Thank You

Thank You for Your faithfulness

Thank You God

God I can remember us being in Wednesday night

Prayer and worship

And

Tom said

He was talking about

His issues or whatever

He said

I know the Lord is going to heal me

Because He told me He was going to heal me

So God

We stand in faith with Him right now

We believe God

What You told Him

You said that You were going to do it God

And we believe that You're going to do it

As He believes that You're going to do it

And we thank You in advance

We thank You for healing His body

We thank You for making His body whole God

Thank You God

We thank You for satisfying Him with long life God

Thank You Lord

Thank You God

You are the God that heals

Thank You Lord

You provide strength in our weakness God

Thank You Lord

Thank You God

We bless You and we give You all the glory and the honor

Father have Your way in this service

Say and do whatever You want to do God

Whatever You want to say God

Thank You God

We yield to Your direction Father

Thank You Lord

We love You

We honor You

We praise You

We lift You up

In Jesus name we pray

Hey church

I just want to encourage you

With this

Remember a couple of weeks ago

When we interceded

For a child in danger

Jesus did it

And He miraculously protected that child

And the family is being restored

On top of that

So I just want to give God praise for that

owed I don't want to Vet

Have a strong one of them

I need to give God a name that says we're going to go together

with us here at Rhema Community Church we just want to say thank you for selecting this to be your place to hang out today and hopefully God will move and bless you today if you are visiting with us there's some cards in the chairs in front of you take a minute to fill it out just give it giving us some information about you there's also some questions about our church if you have that you can find out but drop the information in one of these churches where we receive our offerings as well too in the in the back and in the front as well too and we grant

appreciate that at this time we want to dismiss our children K5 through 5th grade if you guys will follow Mr. Taylor out the door back there and head out there and as the children are headed out we're trying to we are resurrecting our 180 video ministry and so if you have a story a brief story of what God's doing in your life currently and you'd like to tell a little story about that we'd like to talk to you about that can you go

go ahead and roll that clip for me as well Woody thank you

can you start that video over for me again Woody and give me some volume

thank you

I

I apologize about it.

Let's cut that.

We'll show it next week.

I don't want to keep her running up in there.

I apologize about that.

If you guys will grab your Bibles and turn to Philippians chapter 4 with me.

Father, I ask you right now to just speak through me this morning.

I ask you right now to redirect my thoughts.

And to just simply be on the path that you would have me today.

Not be distracted.

Be able to rightly divide the word today and give you honor and praise and glory for that.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Sometimes we've got to refocus when we get a little sideways as well.

Hey, it's good to be back.

I've been on vacation with knee surgery for a few weeks.

No vacation.

I wouldn't recommend it for anyone.

I'm walking slowly, doing things slowly, because I don't want to do this again for the third time on this one knee.

So there you go.

Was planning on doing two more messages in our series of encouragement at one point in time before we got back into our expository study through the book of Genesis.

But on 5th Sunday and two weeks out with knee surgery has changed some things.

But I do want to end on, so I'm going to take those two weeks and kind of cut a bunch of stuff out.

And just, I just want to give you one, I want to end today on one more, one more message on encouragement today.

And the series that we were doing was called Lord Breathe On Me.

Because all of us need encouragement from time to time.

Amen.

All of us have those moments when we feel like the wind has just been knocked out of us.

And everything has been just, just life has been sucked out of us.

And I want to get us today to a point where I want to encourage you and give you some biblical things to look at, some things to look at.

How do we stay encouraged?

Okay, we've talked about a lot of this other stuff and you get to this place, but how do we stay encouraged?

And if you remember, we began this series and I gave you three words at the beginning of this series.

And the three words were disappointment, discouragement, and depression.

We said that they were all part of the same family, but they're not the same thing.

Sometimes they were all part of the same family, but they were all part of the same family.

Disappointment happens to us all the time, okay? But it just means that an expectation hasn't been met. That's all it means. Discouragement is a little bit different. And the word itself tells us that courage has been removed. Courage has been removed. The wind has been knocked out of your sails. It doesn't mean that you're immobile, but you're in a struggle. I'm in a struggle right now. And depression is different than that. Depression is anger that's turned inward.

And so depression has to do with the loss of hope. We said that when you are depressed, you have found yourself below the hope line. Below the hope line. And you can be discouraged and not be hopeless.

And I would say the biggest difference between discouragement and depression is that word hope.

And what I want to talk about today is how do we stay encouraged. And when I say how do we stay encouraged, I'm not saying how do you avoid discouragement.

But what I mean by that is how do we not let discouragement define my disposition?

How do I not let discouragement define my disposition? How do I keep moving if we're supposed to keep moving, okay?

And part of the reason, though, I want to end on this message is that I've been around long enough.

I've seen a lot of people get on this emotional treadmill where they attach their sense of joy and their sense of well-being to favorable outcome, favorable circumstances.

And so and they're continually on this roller coaster. We've talked about this a lot before.

But, you know, we are not to be like this. I mean, even maturity even assumes that there's a degree of emotional stability.

If you want to attach that word maturity to you, there is an assumption that there is some level, some level, even though it might be minute, some emotional stability, okay?

And so it assumes that we have the ability to not always reflect the bad stuff that happens to us.

That speaks of maturity. Because how many of you in this room have bad stuff that from time to time happens to you?

If you don't raise your hand, it's because you didn't want to raise your hand, because you should have raised your hand, okay?

Just so we get all that out in the open. So what do we do to stay encouraged, to do to stay encouraged?

And I'm hinting at something here in this, all right?

But see, it's very important for us not to be passive when we are discouraged.

Because we have to at least use whatever energy we still may have to keep moving.

Keep moving, all right?

Okay, passivity will get you stuck in the cement of discouragement and depression, okay?

We have to keep what energy we have.

And that's the reason why Paul writes these words in Philippians 4.

We're going to go through quite a bit of scripture here this morning.

But write it down if you don't get to turn to it fast enough.

But Paul writes this, and these words are full of impeccable integrity,

because we know that Paul is in prison when he writes these words, right?

He is in prison when he writes these words, and he says, beginning in verse 4,

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again, I will say rejoice.

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

The Lord is at hand.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence,

if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

And so what Paul is saying is that you have to make some choices.

You have to make some decisions, okay?

Listen, listen, your emotions are great passengers, but they are lousy drivers in this thing called life.

All right?

Let them ride in the back.

That's fine.

We all got emotions.

Take them along with you.

Don't let them behind the wheel.

It gets you in trouble so many times.

And Paul is saying that you need to train your mind.

Now, he's not talking about denial.

I'll get to that in a second.

And he's not talking about this denial or some name it, claim it nonsense.

But what he's talking about is you are going to have to choose, you're going to have to choose,

you know, what are you going to choose to do in light of this reality, whatever reality you find yourself in.

You're going to have to make some choices.

You're going to have to choose, you're going to have to choose, you're going to have to choose.

And the reason, the reason why God allows us to go through some of these things in life and that are the direct antithesis of who we are in Christ, you know, why does God let all this negative stuff happen to me? Because he is forcing choices in our lives. God is forcing choices. And here's the question. The question goes, what choices am I making when I'm faced with discouragement? When I'm faced with discouragement, now what choices?

Am I making now that I'm faced with discouragement? And some of you need to wake up and stop, stop sleeping because you were asleep to the first two songs. And you need to listen to me this morning because, you know, you're, you're in a place right now where you're, you're discouraged. Life has beat you up. It's not fair. Matter of fact, it's awful. It's awful. My, my, my stuff is awful. And some of you want me to come alongside you and go, it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. And you remember back to the message that I gave you several weeks

back when I said that we all need to have somebody present with us sometimes and to be with us at sometimes to acknowledge that we're there. And, and, and I did say that in the message, but I also said, whatever stuff you're, you're in, you're not going to get out of by somebody just affirming you for the rest of your life. I'm going to affirm you to feel better. No, no, no. We have to take some steps. We have to make some choices in this. Okay. And so what choices or decisions are you, are you going to make? And I think that there's five critical

ones, there's a lot of them, but some five critical decisions and choices that we need to make. If discouragement will not be a permanent part of our demeanor. Are you with me on this? And so there's some, um, these things are so obvious. I should just put them on the screen and we just look at them and say, Oh, we knew that. And we should go home today, but that's what I'm not going to do. I'm going to preach on them instead. So you gotta, you gotta, you gotta go with me on this. The first choice is this. The first is we must

choose truth. You must choose truth. Okay. And I don't mean just the truth about your circumstance. Although we have to do that as well, because it's amazing how your mind can go down a rabbit hole. If you let it, you with me on that? Sometimes you just have to say, okay, you know, well, what if this happens? Well, what if this happens? And what if this happens? And what if this happens? And what if, Oh my God, I'm dead. That's where your mind takes you sometimes. Okay. There is a truth about your circumstance that you have to, but ultimately

I'm talking about the word of God. Okay. You have to choose truth. Okay. Conditioning your minds, conditioning our minds like David did, conditioning your mind like Paul did. Okay. And you have, you have to choose the word of God. That's the reason I've told you so many times that you cannot simply allow the Bible to be a reference point. You have to allow the Bible to be context for your life, all of your life.

It's not just a reference point. It's context for your entire life. Listen, hope, hope. That's where we get, we lose hope. We go, but we, we lose hope. We get to below the depression line. That's because we lost hope is found in the word of God.

You need hope today. You need hope today. It is found in the word. You know, turn to somebody right next to you and say, hope is found in the word of God. You tell them, you don't mean it. Tell them again. Come on.

Hope is found in the word of God. That's right. Hope is found in the word of God. In Psalm 119 50. David says this. He says, this is my comfort in my affliction that your promise gives me life. David's saying I'm afflicted.

I'm afflicted. I don't know what's going on, but your word is my comfort in my affliction. What does it do? It gives me life in this dead situation, in this hard situation, in this, what seems to be impassable situation.

The word of God gives hope in the midst of life and in the midst of pain and disappointment. It's the word of God. That's where, that's where it starts. That's where it comes from. You have to believe that. You have to believe that, that this book gives me hope.

This book gives me life in the midst of pain and disappointment. Therefore,

Sometimes you don't feel like it. Sometimes I don't feel like it. But you got to choose it. That's where we miss the boat, people. I'm not feeling this. I know. What does it say? And you should feel that Jesus. No. No. It should be. And you might say, well, that's crazy. You know, how do you how do you choose delight? Well, sometimes you just got to choose it. Sometimes you just got to choose it. I choose this book to be the primary

source of the primary source of the smile that's on my face of the smile that's on my face and the smile that's in my heart. I choose that. I choose it. Today, I choose it. I choose it. I choose it. That's why in Psalm 119, verse 43, David says, trouble and anguish have found me out. Trouble and anguish have found me out.

But your commandments are my delight. This is this is big. This is biographical for David. Come on. He's right. It's my life story. He said, I've learned what it means to be in trouble. And I've been in anguish.

But I'm not denying my feelings. I'm not in some self-denial stuff, you know, but I had to learn to shut off all those other voices. I had to learn to come to a place where I shut off all these other things and go to the word of God and let that be my delight. Some of you got way too many idols. And you know what? Your friends, your best friend, your BFF might have some great insight.

Your new boyfriend, your new girlfriend might have some great insight. They might even give you a Hallmark card that has all these great things all over and says all these beautiful things. But there's no deliverance in that. No real deliverance for what you're going through in that. It comes from the word of God, people. From the word of God. See, this is going to teach you to ever let me be out two weeks on knee surgery again.

Your hope and my hope is found in the word of God. If you don't believe that, you will constantly be struggling with depression, with discouragement, and all these other kinds of things.

Guys, the word of God is both your choice and your source for life. The word of God is both your choice and your source for life. That's why the psalmist, I tell you this all the time, but that's why the psalmist says that blessed is the man who walks not on the counsel of the wicked or stands in the way of the sinner or sits in the seat of the scoffer,

But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And he meditates on the law day and night. It's our source. It's our absolute context, context, context, people. It's our source.

Okay, the second decision that we have to make, and this might rattle your cage a little bit, is we have to choose joy.

Joy is a choice. Joy is, there are times when joy is just a choice.

Come on. I mean, seriously, you know, I challenge you to go home today and read the short book of Philippians, okay?

And your mouth will fall wide open when you read the book of Philippians and you consider Paul's context.

We know where he is, right? He's in prison, all these things, and he chose joy.

If he had not chosen joy, he would not have written this book.

All right? And we just read this earlier, but this is a command in Philippians 4.4.

He says, Rejoice in the Lord. Always. Again, I will say, when you feel like it, no. Rejoice.

Rejoice, you know. Joy is a matter or an outcome of obedience.

You know, I don't want to make too much of this, because I think I've made too much of it before,

in the distinction between happiness and joy.

And I think joy, in a sense, is soul-enriching happiness.

However, there is a circumstantial...

Joy is attached to that which never changes. And I would even argue, from the context of Philippians 4, he's talking about the permanence of Christ. That's where your joy is found. That's where it is all anchored. Joy is a by-product, or is a product of our obedience. Our joy, our rejoicing, have to be independent of our circumstances. Independent. And you need to hear this in this Western American culture, but this is what we're talking about.

This is true. Some of the most joyful people I have ever met in my life are in awful circumstances. Awful circumstances. You know, I've been to hospital rooms. Listen to me. I've been to hospital rooms where people have just received, they have days, weeks, or months to live from a death sentence of cancer.

And the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the Spirit of the

church in philippi well why and and and and um that then they're they start this church everything's

great then they're beaten thrown in prison they're looking at each other we're bloody we're black you

don't look so you didn't look good before paul now you really don't look good you dotted both your

eyes we don't look so good and and you know they could have said what did we do wrong we were just

preaching the gospel they told us to start a church we did why are we he find us god why did you let

this happen why are we in jail so this is what they did they were in prison joyfully singing hymns and

praying joyfully because there was obedience

joy is also a matter of determination

follow me on this you you have some there are times you have to determine to be joy and it's an act of

the will if you are waiting for a positive attitude to come cascading down on heaven on you any moment

now see ya that's not how it works i'll just god's gonna give me that positive no no go to the anchor

find your joy go to the truth find your joy okay you know listen to me let's turn i want you to see this

let's turn to uh habakkuk in the uh it really is a book in the bible some of you just said what

i didn't say tabacca okay habakkuk oh minor prophet minor prophet and see uh habakkuk is having this

dialogue with god and he's upset with god because god's not doing what he think he should be doing

in the midst of all these people are getting away with this stuff and but he finally gets it he finally

gets it and he says again all in the sense of sometimes you have to determine okay determine joy

right okay verse 17 though the fig tree should not blossom nor fruit beyond the vines the produce

of the olive fail and the fields yield no food the flock will be cut off from the fold and there will

be no herds in the stalls okay here we go here's the determination statement right here here we go yet

yet i will rejoice in the lord i will take joy in the god of my salvation god the lord is my

strength he makes my feet like the deers he makes me tread on the high places there is a determination

in your heart and your life joyful people do not necessarily have less bad things that happen to them

you need to get that through your mind well you're only joyful because you have less bad that's not true

that is not true in god's arithmetic that is not true in life this side of glory okay they don't have

less bad things it's just that their focus is on that which is immovable their focus their sense of

identity they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't have less bad things they don't

thirdly we gotta choose faith there are times we choose to believe you have you have to I choose to believe okay that's what that's what Hebrews 11 is all about you know another word for faith is confidence and I would even even say that my this is me so don't say any don't say many emails I'm already saying this is my

biblical definition of faith is God confidence it's God confidence Hebrews 11 1 says that now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen faith is being sure and certain about unseen realities you know the crux of the matter is that faith says that I believe God I believe God you know I I don't let my circumstances

determine what I believe I don't let the responses of other people determine what I believe I don't let other things bring any other definition in my life faith says I believe God I believe God that's just what Cherise sat right here and prayed that Tom spoke God spoke it to me we're believing we're believing that God is going to do what God says you know and so when you say these things I don't know I don't know how he's going to deliver I don't know exactly what

what he's going to do but I'm going to do but I'm going to continue to believe that he has a plan and he has a purpose for your life and for my life I choose to believe that the circumstances may be impossible and the consequences maybe even seem frightening you know or unknown and then but we believe and we trust him why because God is sovereign and listen to me when I say God is sovereign I don't just mean I was talking to Jim this morning I don't mean that he's sitting up there all detached he's some holy

God he's just detached and everything no God's sovereignty is personal it's personal because he cares about every detail every single detail of your life John Watkins every single detail but he also cares about every single detail of your life Steve Hemingway and yours and yours and yours and my every single detail now how does God do evil he's God

and he cares about every single detail that's his sovereignty and you know and by the way my theology says that when I've messed up and I make wrong choices if I if I come to him and I repent of my sins and I confess my sins God can hit a straight lick with a crooked stick every time he can make it right he can make it right

he's sovereign he's sovereign he is sovereign over the things that happen to you and he wants you to draw honey from all those carcasses that have been that have been come your way in this thing called life but you have to believe you have to choose you have to believe in him and this belief in him is not a head knowledge of who God is not some theological understanding all that's important stuff

but I'm talking about you believe in him but I'm talking about you believe it viscerally it's in the gut of your soul no one can take this Jesus from me because I've experienced him for myself that's why your testimony is so is so valuable that's why we are to guard that they can dispute the scriptures all day long but you cannot dispute I was right here living like like you know who okay

and then all of a sudden I'm not perfect but I am not that man anymore I am not that woman anymore I'm not a woman I'm giving you an example

I think faith also has to be a what I call a delightful desperation as well too it doesn't just mean that I believe him but I'm hungry for the source

I'm just hungry for God himself I'm hungry faith says that I am just so desperate to get to Jesus

12 years she's untouchable and she she has this blood flow issue no one will get close to her no one will touch this is back in Jesus's ministry where he's still drawing a crowd he hasn't said all the things that are going to split it they're following the miracles they're following the crowds are growing there's huge huge droves of people around and she says she hears the stories and she says to herself herself only if

if I could just touch the hem of his garment if I could just touch the hem of his garment I know I would be made well and Jesus comes into town and everyone's around everything's clamoring all the people and she gets close enough as she touches the hem of his garment and Jesus says whoa who touched me and Peter said dude take a number about 400 people touched you no he said no those people just handled me

she touched me those people just handled me in a way I didn't feel power leave from me I felt power leave from me when she touched me why did why is it that he felt power because she believed you will never feel the power of God in your life until you can viscerally say I believe and you have to say that sometimes I believe Lord I don't know how you're going to show your power how you're going to

or show your glory but I believe you without I've got to get to Jesus that's where faith comes in you have to choose faith over your circumstances and sometimes that faith is driven by determination you have I got to get to Jesus and listen to me anything that

anything that drives anything that drives anything that happens to you that ultimately drives you to Jesus is a blessing what wait a minute did you hear what I just said anything that happens to you that ultimately drives you to Jesus is a blessing well what about the loss of my child if it drives you to Jesus it can be used for his what about my memory if it drives you to Jesus it can be used for his glory

for his glory

ultimately

it's a blessing

ultimately

so we choose truth

we choose joy

we choose faith

you also choose

you have to choose

community

you got to choose community

we talked about this

we highlighted

we had testimonies

all last month

home groups

and all this

and we talked about

the fact that

we were born

and created

for companionship

we were born for this

you know

so don't fly solo

don't fly solo

and maybe one of the reasons

why you continue

to battle with

with discouragement

and depression

is because

pride inhibits you

from becoming

appropriately transparent

pride has prohibited you

from becoming

appropriately transparent

and you're just

too proud to share

your heart

you're just too proud

and secondly

you're by yourself

all the time

you got no one

that you're accountable

to

you're not part

of any group

you're doing

the christian life

thing alone

and you're flying

solo

and that's

that's the context

of the command

that paul gives

in galatians

chapter 6

verse 2

when he says

bear one another's

burdens

and so fulfill

the law of christ

so we are to

bear each other's

burdens

and that by the way

that expression

the law of christ

i believe that it

may refer back

to galatians 5

14

where he says

that you shall

love your neighbor

as yourself

and i think

what paul is saying

is the way

that you love

your neighbor

and the way

that you experience

that mutual love

is you put yourself

in a situation

where somebody

can help you

bear that burden

i don't care

how independent

you are

i don't care

how resourceful

you are

we all need help

the very fact

that we are in

the body of christ

together

says that

that we need

one another

to become

more like christ

the body of christ

to my sisters and you know you heard it in the testimonies all last month when people came up and talked about how home groups you know you heard we got involved in a home group and as we got involved in a home group it was it became a safe place we began to share we began to share with one another and and the spiritual grafting of that group and how it brought wholeness and health and changed my perspectives about some things and and all this and for some of us that's what we need to do we need to press into relationship and maybe it's not a home group

maybe it's not this or that but maybe it's one of the bible studies that you're not attending that we that we put out there our men's bible study thursday mornings every thursday 6 30 we got men to gather together we got women to gather together on a monthly basis we have men that gather on a monthly basis it's it's all out there but get connected to a group of healthy christians and i did say healthy christian because ain't every christian out there healthy it's going to lead you down a path that's in a good place

there are some out there but god's got a plan for your life but so do i i love you in jesus name

we are to bear one another's burdens and and by the way that's that that um that is reciprocal that we are to bear one another's burdens and it implies living in community with each other's okay bearing one another's burden that's not a one-way street

if all i'm doing if all i'm doing if all i'm doing is listening to you

regurgitate to me and i just never share my heart with you

we're not really bearing each other's burdens i'm just a sounding board

hi i like to introduce myself i'm curtis i'm a sounding board

pretty soon you won't have very many people want to be around you anymore

here comes the sounding board i'm out of here

choosing to be in community

foster read from this last week i want i think it was last week

um but

choosing to be in community means that i also embrace identification

and i want to i want to explain that in text uh turn with me to romans chapter 12

beginning verse 9

identification i'll get to this in a second here

let love be genuine

abhor what is evil hold fast to what is good

love one another with brotherly affection

outdo one another in showing honor

do not be slothful and zeal

be fervent in spirit

serve the lord

rejoice in hope

be patient in tribulation

be constant in prayer

contribute to the needs of the saints

and seek to show hospitality

bless those who persecute you

bless and do not curse them

rejoice with those who rejoice

and weep with those who weep

live in harmony with one another

do not be haughty

but associate uh but associate with the lowly

never be wise

in your own in your own sight

there has to be

mutual identification

in other words

in in a

to be positive

to be i'm sorry to be in a position

where others can empathize with you

others can identify with you

we're able to

um

embrace the joys of other people

we're able to

uh also embrace the sorrows

of other people

don't be so self-absorbed

that you can't feel

where your brother and sister is

in their life

don't be so self-absorbed

that you have no idea

what

you can't relate to

what they're going

their pain

is my pain

their joy

is my joy

because i'm in community

with them

and the fifth

and the final thing

that we need to make

a decision

or choice

that we need to make

and to move

to um

to stay healthy

and move

uh towards encouragement

and not allow

uh or be marked

uh by uh

a demeanor

that is

full of discouragement

and this is very important

is

you choose

service

you choose

service

look back with me

at the psalms

psalm 126

verse 4

restore our fortunes

oh lord

like streams

in the negev

those who sow

in cheers

shall reap

with shouts of joy

he who goes out

weeping

bearing the seed

for sowing

shall come home

with shouts

in the uh um in the uh dry season there's there's a uh little to no water whatsoever okay in that area and yet the picture and the psalmist write is here is someone who is sowing during the dry season and you not only uh uh not only not seeing any results but you're seeing just the opposite he says that he says that even though that's happening you keep going keep reaching in your bag keep throwing seed keep reaching in your bag and throw

seed you are weeping you are weeping but you sow you sow now i do understand that at times there's in our lives that there's situations and pressures where we have to step back and pull back a little bit and get a little perspective i do understand that but i think it's a huge mistake when you are battling discouragement and you pull the curtain shut on your life and you go in a room and you sit and you sulk and you sit in there i think it's i think it's a huge mistake the way out of it

is to walk out of it the way out of it is to serve out of it to serve out of it because when you take your eyes off of you and you put them on the lord and what he's doing in the world and the opportunities that you have to be used by god to bless someone else it's amazing what it does for you it is absolutely amazing i would suggest

to you that there is a that um there is a reward for faithful service even during times of pain and sorrow

in fact faithfulness under trial will produce unusual fruitfulness

faithfulness under trial will produce unusual fruit and fruit i can tell you that some of the stuff of my life

that's been produced in my life as i look back and i thought i was just doing things out of obedience

you know you know you know i don't feel like doing this you know i hope i get my way out of it you know

but i continue to do it i continue to do it i continue to do it and i look back and then i get to a point i

look back and i can say look at god look at god look what god did you know and and then i look at my own

heart and i look at my life and i realize i gained some amazing strength out of obeying god

when i didn't feel like it i will tell you this right now two weeks ago bobby henderson gave an

amazing message and i will tell you bobby henderson did not feel like it he was having a hard time

in his own personal life but he out of obey he might have said well i just stood up here and did it out

of obedience no no no no no no god used that used that to refine my brother and to bless so many

others he had no idea that's god's arithmetic that's how god works things out so you know um

i just want to encourage you keep sharing your faith keep sharing your faith keep proclaiming the

gospel even when you feel down and when you feel discouraged keep talking about jesus keep talking

about the price that he paid on calvary keep talking about the hope of eternal life that we

have keep talking to people who need to walk out of this darkness into this marvelous light

keep sharing keep sharing and when you focus on god and what god is focusing on throughout human history

it's amazing how he will lift your spirits

but sometimes we're so we're so we're so deep in our funk god's trying to lift our spirits even

through that we're like i don't want to be so excited about that right now you ever been there i've been

there i preached the message i'm i'm all i'm all i'm all bound up about something okay and i see all

these people being uplifted i want them to be convicted i don't want them to be shout for joys

i wanted them to fall under the nineveh conviction praise god i wanted to work out the way i wanted

is anybody with me on that am i just self-confessing up here i mean holy cow

also keep ministering to others even when you're hurting even when you're hurting when you're discouraged

and you're down man find somebody else who's discouraged and down don't talk about your down

stuff that's not what i'm getting at okay we're not talking about some

exponentially sulking do you want to exponentially sulk with me brother i'm not i'm not talking about that at all i'm talking about come alongside of someone and bless them just bless them i can't tell you the number of times that i've been hurting i've been down i've been discouraged and i run across someone in my

that comes across in my path and i realize curtis you're supposed to speak a word of encouragement to that person the holy spirit convicts me and i go to the word and i begin to speak a word of encouragement to that person and in the midst of it you know what god says you need to take that nugget i gave you and put it in your back pocket to a little man because you need some of that yourself i'll read that later when i get back to the office

i mean anybody with you i mean we that's how god works i'm i'm being such a great evangelist such an encouragement to someone else and i realized i needed to hear that myself

holy cow that's how god works because we went to the word right we went to the word to encourage them that's the beauty of the word that's where we started wasn't it

all right let's catch all let's let's be done

let's come to the lord's table

the catch-all i want to encourage you with is keep building up other people

keep building up other people and you know and when you're down because we all have the times we're down

when we're when you're down watch your words

watch your words when you're down

speak hope to other people even when you're down

and as you do you will find that your attitude begins to change

because discouragement is something that the devil uses to get you self-absorbed

discouragement is something that the enemy will use to get you self-absorbed and to paralyze you

see god doesn't use perfect people

but when we are on mission with him

truly on mission with him

i have found

that

in my

participation

with his mission

when i participate in his mission

he blesses me

in ways i never saw

in ways i never thought

and the greatest mission that god had was when he sent his son jesus christ to come and die on the cross for us

to make a way

for each of us

to be able to stand before the lord

one day

holy

righteous

pure

and we're going to celebrate communion this morning

that's what communion does

and as

our elders come up this morning

um

tom's in the hospital

joe will you step in please

david is in the back i guess

okay

uh

if david can come yes it'd be great

um

foster's here

the invitation this morning

is to come to the lord's table

and to celebrate with us

worship team come on up

to celebrate with us

communion

and

communion here at ramon community church

is

is as such that

you don't have to be a quote

member of our church

to celebrate

you just have to be part of the family of god

if you have received the lord jesus christ as your lord and savior

um

we invite you to come to the table

and celebrate

with us

spend a few moments

just as i

i encouraged you earlier

uh

this morning

if you need to continue to ready your heart

it's something in

uh

the message today

has picked your heart about

uh

trial or the discouragement

that you may be facing today

you need to lay some things down

spend some time doing that

we're in no hurry

if you need to get your kids

and head out of here

and go home

that's fine

we'll stay here all day long

if we need to

stay here all day long

if we need to

but in the

in the vein also

can i stand here without feeding back

in the vein also

of a celebration

today

i want to celebrate as well

last

last sunday we got to celebrate that

uh

miss glinda

her pet scan came back

cancer free

and this past week

she was able to have

uh scope

put down her throat

that reached her tummy

for the first time

in over a year

yeah

yeah amen

so we're asking god

we're asking god

to remove that

feeding tube

and be able

to

the truth of the truth of his word we choose joy we choose faith we choose community right we choose community it's important it's important on the precious night that jesus gathered his disciples he took the bread at the meal and he got up and he said this is my body which is broken for you each of you take you and likewise he gives the

invitation during the invitation during the invitation during the meal the last supper that he shared with him he said this on the fourth cup is the cup of redemption this new covenant i make with you

this is my blood

this is my blood shed for you

take

drink

eat it

and in just a moment

we're going to give you an invitation

to come down through the center aisle

come to the two stations

the first station

you'll simply hold out your hand

we celebrate this by what's called intention

and

come up

a piece of bread will be broken off

before you place it in your hand

this is the body of christ which is broken for you

you simply step over to the cup

and you dip it in the cup

this is the blood of christ which is shed for you

partake

please know the altars will remain open

pray as you cease

whatever

if you need someone to pray with

we have

uh

this angel

this luann

raise your hands

there you go

mr john

miss janet

trying to think

john and pauline over here

trying to think about

witsunite folks

who else want to listen to you on witsunite

our prayer warriors

friend

sit in the back

love to pray with you

just find someone

take your hand to someone

that's close to you

but

in a moment we're going to give you

an invitation

to come to the table

so

spend some time

reflecting on the goodness of the lord

thank you for being here this morning

love you greatly

time and

and

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank

You're our living hope

With your presence on me

I've tasted and seen

Of the sweetest of love

When my heart becomes free

And my shame is undone

Your presence on me

Oh, Holy Spirit, you are welcome here

Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere

Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for

To be overcome by your presence, Lord

Oh, Holy Spirit, you are welcome here

Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere

Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for

To be overcome by your presence, Lord

Your presence, Lord

Of your presence, Lord

Let us experience the glory of your goodness

Let us become more aware of your presence

Let us experience the glory of your presence

Let us experience the glory of your goodness

Let us become more aware of your presence

Let us experience the glory of your presence

and fill the atmosphere Your glory God is what our hearts long for To be overcome by your presence Lord Holy Spirit, you are welcome here Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere

and fill the atmosphere Lord your presence Lord your presence Lord your presence Lord your presence

It's in your presence, Lord, your presence, Lord, everything we'll ever need.

It's in your presence, Lord, your presence, Lord, everything you've said and done in this place today, God.

And as we leave here, God, we'll never leave your presence.

We thank you for never leaving us, never forsaking us, God, always abiding with us, God, and us in you.

Father, be with us throughout the week.

Show us who to pray for.

Show us who to hug.

Show us who to smile.

Show us who to encourage, God.

Help us walk in your way.

Amen.

Thank you.

Philippians 4:4-9

Scripture

Outline