#1 Joy Is Essential Series

#1 REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS, JOY IS ESSENTIAL

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. DO WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE DEVELOP BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS?

ARE DID I JUST ONE DAY WAKE UP --- AND HERE I AM?

A. SOME TEND TO BLAME WHO THHEY ARE AND THE WAY THEY ARE ON OTHER PEOPLE?

My Mom, My Dad... my family...

Well God made me this way?

Others say the DEVIL MADE ME DO IT?

May I got up on the wrong side of the bed? The bed made me be this way...

B. LIFE DEVELOPS BY TWO DIFFERENT, DISTINCT MEANS...

1. INSTINCT...innate (inborn) pattern of behavior... innate impulsion... drive

You never went to a class to learn how to breathe, to suck a bottle, etc...

These skills were inborn in your brain...

2. LEARNED... to gain by knowledge or skill, memorize, to study, to be taught,

You learned to count, you learned you A,B,C's, you learn the capitals of the states...

YOU LEARN TO PLAY MUSIC

C. IT IS EASY TO DO THINGS INSTINCTIVELY, LEARNING CAN BE VERY HARD...

D. CONTENTMENT IS NOT AN INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR PATTERN...

YOU LEARN TO BE CONTENT OR TO GRIP AND BE FUSSY...

Philip. 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,

therewith to be content.

E. WE CAN FALL INTO A TERRIBLE TRAP...

THE TRAP CAN BE HABITUAL...

Philip. 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

II. IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN JOY AND HAPPINESS?

ARE THE MOODS I FIND MY SELF DEVELOPING FROM A THINKING PATTERN I HAVE ALLOWED

TO GROW AND DEVELOP? CAN THINKING PATTERNS AND BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS BECOME

SPIRITUAL STRONGHOLDS?

A. KNOW OUR WORDS?

MOOD:

State of mind or feeling, fits of melancholy or bad temper

MOODSWINGS:

Marked change in temperament, EUPHORIA TO DEPRESSION...

HAPPY:

Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment,glad, joyful...

JOY:

Pleasure, extreme gladness, the thing that causes joy, delight

REJOICE:

Feel great joy, be glad

CONTENTMENT:

Satisfied state, tranquil happiness, peace...

1 Tim. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.

B. DO I CONTROL MY EMOTIONS?

C. DO MY EMOTIONS CONTROL ME?

III. PAUL IS ON A MISSION JOURNEY, AND HE IS IMPRISONED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A

ROMAN JAIL. WHILE IN PRISON PAUL WRITES THIS WONDERFUL LETTER OF LOVE, WARMTH,

UNITY, STEADFASTNESS, KINDNESS... THE BOOK OF PHILIPIANS IS ABOUT JOY, CHRISTIAN JOY...

A. PAUL'S LESSON IS REJOICING AND JOY ARE NOT SURFACE EMOTIONS THAT WORK WHEN

EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL AND LIFE LOOKS SO GOOD...

B. REJOICING & JOY DO NOT COME FROM SUPER OUTWARD CONDITIONS...

C. PAUL LEARNED JESUS' JOY WORKS DURING SUFFERING, PERSECUTION, TRIALS AND STORMS.

OUR CHRISTIAN JOY IS FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE.

D. PAUL LEARNED OUR GOD TURNS TERRIBLE DARK TIMES, GREAT SUFFERING... TO YOUR GOOD...

AND GOD'S WONDERFUL GLORY...

LOOK WHAT PAUL WROTE TO US...

Philip. 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance

and joy of faith;

26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Philip. 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run

in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Philip. 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed

is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

Philip. 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus,

and have no confidence in the flesh.

Philip. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Philip. 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again;

wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

PAUL WAS LOOKING FOR THE LORD TO COME AGAIN...

PAUL MENTIONS JOY 6 TIMES IN PHILIPPIANS & REJOICE 9 TIMES...

15 TIMES IN 4 CHAPTERS WRITTEN IN PRISON...

YOU LEARN TO BE CONTENT OR TO GRIP AND BE FUSSY...

Philip. 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,

therewith to be content.

NO WONDER PAUL SAID HE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT...

IV. WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST UNDISCIPLINED NATIONS ON EARTH...

A. DISCIPLINE:

Training that corrects, MOLDS,

Control gained by obedience and submission

Training, penalty for wrong doing...

B. There are two kinds of DISCIPLINE:

1. By others

2. Self...

The goal of every adult is self-correction and discipline...

Hebrews 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit,

that we might be partakers of his holiness.