1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,900 It is great to see a full church. 2 00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:10,700 It's good to see so many people here gathered together to 3 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:14,400 celebrate, baptisms and support these kids and these decisions. 4 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,000 And just does my heart. Good, you guys sound great 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,800 singing. It's just a great day to be 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,900 gathered together to sing together to pray together to 7 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:25,700 Worship the Lord together. So, thank you for being here. 8 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,900 If you're visiting again, as Kyle's already said, we want to 9 00:00:29,900 --> 00:00:31,900 welcome you to New Life Community Church. 10 00:00:31,900 --> 00:00:34,300 We are glad that you're here. Thanks for coming. 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,000 Coming to support the kids and we just hope that you've enjoyed 12 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,100 your time with us here. My name is Jasper. 13 00:00:40,300 --> 00:00:43,800 I am the associate pastor here at New Life Community Church and 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,300 it's an honor to get to preach this morning. 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,200 We've been walking through a series called what happens when 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,300 we worship. And I think Kyle is going to 17 00:00:52,300 --> 00:00:55,600 pick that back up next week. We're taking just a brief break 18 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,500 from that. So today is just a standalone 19 00:00:57,500 --> 00:00:59,900 sermon. And I what I want to talk to you 20 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:03,800 about this morning is a topic very near and dear to my heart, 21 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,300 we're going to talk About Joy today. 22 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,300 Alright, so I'm excited to talk about this. 23 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:12,500 I'm excited to preach this morning before we do before we 24 00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:14,000 get started. Let's go ahead and Pray Again 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,700 really quick and just ask that God speak to us through his 26 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:17,200 word. Amen. 27 00:01:18,300 --> 00:01:20,500 Heavenly Father, we thank you again for today. 28 00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:22,600 We thank you for this opportunity to gather in your 29 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,100 house and I just pray now, God that you speak to us through 30 00:01:25,100 --> 00:01:28,300 your word, you speak through me. It just moved me out of the way 31 00:01:28,300 --> 00:01:30,800 that you'd have us here. What you want us to hear? 32 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,000 They can walk out of this place inspired and Oil because of what 33 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:36,500 your word teaches. I thank you. 34 00:01:36,508 --> 00:01:39,400 Again for these kids that have been baptized this morning just 35 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,400 praise you. God for your goodness and their 36 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:42,600 lives. We pray. 37 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,100 As Kyle has already said that we can come alongside them and 38 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:48,600 their parents and help them grow and their sanctification as 39 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,500 Disciples of Christ. Will pray this in Jesus name? 40 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,200 Amen. Amen. 41 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,000 So today I want to talk to you about Joy. 42 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,200 This is something that we all long for. 43 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:06,200 It is something that we spend our entire lives in Ludo is joy 44 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:08,300 in one from one degree to another. 45 00:02:09,300 --> 00:02:13,300 In the classic Christian book, Pilgrim's Progress, which we are 46 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:17,200 currently reading in our men's group biblical manhood, this is 47 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,000 a Shameless plug for any of you guys that want to join us. 48 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,500 This is a great book. We just started it and so I 49 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:25,100 encourage you to come join us for that. 50 00:02:25,100 --> 00:02:28,700 But in this classic book, the main character's name is 51 00:02:28,700 --> 00:02:32,900 Christian and he decides that he has to leave his hometown which 52 00:02:32,900 --> 00:02:34,700 is called the city of Destruction. 53 00:02:34,900 --> 00:02:36,300 No wonder he wants to leave right? 54 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:39,200 Who wants to live in a town called destruction but when a I 55 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,100 asked why Christian feels like he needs to leave. 56 00:02:43,100 --> 00:02:46,200 What is he in search for? What is he looking for his reply 57 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,200 as that? I'm searching for a joy that 58 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,200 does not fade. And so we all long for that kind 59 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,700 of joy, we long to be joyful, although, it seems that some 60 00:02:56,700 --> 00:02:59,000 people find their greatest joy and being miserable. 61 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,200 Some people love and enjoy, just always being angry about 62 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,900 something, but we all want to be joyful. 63 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:11,100 Now, as Christians, we should, Be known as a people that are 64 00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:14,900 Joyful, We should be known for our joy in the Lord. 65 00:03:14,900 --> 00:03:18,000 It should be a trademark of anyone who proclaims the name of 66 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,500 Christ to have a certain amount of joy. 67 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,700 Jar, Jesus tells us in John 15, 11, that these things I have 68 00:03:25,700 --> 00:03:30,200 spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may 69 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,500 be full. So we see this all throughout 70 00:03:34,500 --> 00:03:37,200 scripture, this is a mark of Christianity, is this kind of 71 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:38,900 joy. And so, I want to talk to you 72 00:03:38,900 --> 00:03:41,700 about this this morning, not only because of that, but 73 00:03:41,700 --> 00:03:43,500 because, as I've already mentioned, this is a very 74 00:03:43,500 --> 00:03:47,500 personal topic for me. See, I've always been a very 75 00:03:47,500 --> 00:03:49,900 anxious person. Those of you who have known me 76 00:03:49,900 --> 00:03:53,400 for very long know that I still struggle with that today. 77 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:55,400 Sherry. And I laugh about this a lot 78 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,800 that if I had been born back in the early 1900's, people would 79 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,500 have said, he's a nervous child that's what They would have said 80 00:04:02,500 --> 00:04:06,200 about me. This is always stem from two 81 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:07,700 things. I've always been a people 82 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:11,200 pleaser and I've always had this fear of failure and it's been 83 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:12,900 something that I've struggled with my whole life. 84 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:14,900 I never wanted to let anybody down. 85 00:04:15,100 --> 00:04:18,500 I didn't want anybody to not like me or be mad at me. 86 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:21,200 And I sure didn't want to make mistakes or fail at anything, 87 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,900 which is a horrible way to go through life, because mistakes 88 00:04:24,900 --> 00:04:26,300 are going to happen. You're going to fail, you're 89 00:04:26,300 --> 00:04:28,100 going to let people down all the time. 90 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:32,800 So in my mind, what would happen is when this would when this 91 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,900 would happen it could be the most Insignificant thing and it 92 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:39,000 would create the Snowball Effect in my mind it would be something 93 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,300 very small. But by the time I got done with 94 00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:44,200 it it turned into this gargantuan thing in my mind and 95 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,000 I'm having a full-blown panic attack over it and it's kind of 96 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,900 silly but that's just what I would do. 97 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:55,500 And I started to think that this is the way that I'm wired, you 98 00:04:55,508 --> 00:04:57,500 know, that's what I was told. That's the way you're wired, 99 00:04:57,500 --> 00:05:01,200 it's who you are as a person. So as an adult, I started trying 100 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,100 to deal with this in a variety of different ways early on in My 101 00:05:04,100 --> 00:05:07,900 adulthood, I dealt with this, a lot of very unhealthy ways, but 102 00:05:07,900 --> 00:05:11,400 eventually as I became an adult, I went to doctors, we talked 103 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,700 about these things. And of course, I get prescribed, 104 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:16,400 all kinds of medications and I've think I've been on just 105 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,900 about everyone, you can prescribe for anxiety or 106 00:05:18,900 --> 00:05:20,700 depression or anything like that. 107 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:27,400 So I tried all of that but just ended up kind of accepting this 108 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:32,200 label of, being a Debbie Downer, or a Negative Nancy or even at 109 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,800 one point, being called Eeyore. Alright, so that was that was 110 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,900 pretty hard, a hard pill to swallow, but I just started to 111 00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:40,700 accept it. I just figured, you know, what? 112 00:05:40,700 --> 00:05:43,300 This is part of who I am. I worry about things, I get 113 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:47,600 anxious, really easy. I believed that it was out of my 114 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:53,100 control and that I did not have a choice in the matter that I 115 00:05:53,108 --> 00:05:55,200 was just destined to feel that way. 116 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,900 And to be that way, I genuinely believe that I have no choice in 117 00:05:58,900 --> 00:06:00,800 this matter. This is a chemical thing in my 118 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,600 brain. It's just how I'm going to be 119 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,100 the A few years ago, my perspective on this started to 120 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:08,700 change. I don't remember the very first 121 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:10,000 time I heard it. I don't know if it was in a 122 00:06:10,008 --> 00:06:12,800 sermon or an article I read or just in conversation. 123 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:16,800 But I remember hearing the phrase or the conversation in 124 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,100 effect that anxiety or worry is just a lack of faith. 125 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:25,200 Is what it is. Which really Stone, especially 126 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,900 as a pastor, right? Like, that can't be it. 127 00:06:28,900 --> 00:06:30,400 Can't be that. I have a lack of faith. 128 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,500 I'm a pastor. That's what I do for a living, 129 00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:33,800 right? I inspire people. 130 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,900 Faith in Christ. And I live my whole life trying 131 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:40,300 to live out my faith and tell people about the joy of Christ 132 00:06:40,300 --> 00:06:43,300 and that can't be it. That can't be why I suffer from 133 00:06:43,300 --> 00:06:47,800 anxiety. I started to realize in thinking 134 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,500 through this, that the two are at odds with one another. 135 00:06:51,500 --> 00:06:55,500 You see, as your anxiety, increases your joy decreases and 136 00:06:55,500 --> 00:06:59,100 the other way around as your joy increases your anxiety decreases 137 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:03,000 and as I started to learn this and started to study this a 138 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,000 little bit more. More and more. 139 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,400 As I started to realize that this is not just something that 140 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,800 I'm stuck with that. I actually have a choice in it. 141 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,700 I would just kick against that. Like know, these people don't 142 00:07:14,700 --> 00:07:16,600 know what they're talking about. When you say, I don't have 143 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,200 enough Faith, you don't understand that. 144 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,400 This is a chemical thing in my brain that I don't control. 145 00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:24,100 So it's not a lack of faith, that's offensive to me. 146 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:30,700 I would get anxious about that, but I would be a people pleaser. 147 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:34,300 So, I want to listen to him. And so anyway, What I'm trying 148 00:07:34,300 --> 00:07:37,400 to get at is that I began to study God's word on this and 149 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:38,900 see. What does God say about this? 150 00:07:38,900 --> 00:07:40,800 Is this true, am I lacking Faith? 151 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,500 Because I don't want to do that. I don't want to be a man known 152 00:07:43,500 --> 00:07:48,200 for lack of faith, and I started to notice in God's word, 153 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:56,100 commands, not not. Not requests, but commands to 154 00:07:56,100 --> 00:08:01,300 not be anxious and not worry, I started to see commands in God's 155 00:08:01,300 --> 00:08:05,700 word to rejoice and to trust in the Lord and all circumstances. 156 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,500 And an in these situations where these people were being told to 157 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:12,400 trust in the Lord and they're not be anxious. 158 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,500 They weren't going to Walmart for a Walmart. 159 00:08:14,500 --> 00:08:18,000 Pick up there were facing death and they're being told be 160 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,600 joyful. Don't be anxious you know I 161 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,300 can't even walk in Walmart anymore. 162 00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:27,300 I'm I'm becoming that guy. So these people were facing much 163 00:08:27,300 --> 00:08:30,500 worse and they're not being told you know what it's okay to freak 164 00:08:30,500 --> 00:08:33,100 out a little bit. No they're being told be joyful, 165 00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:37,900 don't be anxious. And so it started to To develop 166 00:08:37,900 --> 00:08:40,400 in my mind that I'm realizing. Okay, maybe there's something to 167 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,200 this. Maybe this whole thing about 168 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,700 anxiety that I've believe, my whole life is not true over and 169 00:08:45,700 --> 00:08:47,900 over and over. I saw the Christians are to be a 170 00:08:47,908 --> 00:08:53,500 people marked by faith and joy not anxiety and doubt, and fear 171 00:08:53,500 --> 00:08:58,300 and worry. In fact, that very joy that we 172 00:08:58,300 --> 00:09:01,700 are to be marked by is to be our strength as we're told in 173 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:05,200 Nehemiah 8:10, it says, do not be grieved for the joy of the 174 00:09:05,208 --> 00:09:09,300 Lord is your strength. So the Lord through his word 175 00:09:09,300 --> 00:09:12,100 started to convince me that staying this way, was not an 176 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:14,700 option for me. I decided, you know what? 177 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:15,900 I'm going to quit making excuses. 178 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:20,400 I'm going to try my best to stop being anxious to depend on the 179 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,400 Lord and to be joyful. But of course, you know, I kept 180 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,700 thinking, why can't just flip a switch and so that leads me to 181 00:09:27,700 --> 00:09:30,700 where we're at today. And my guess is, there are with 182 00:09:30,700 --> 00:09:33,100 this many people in a room, there are probably some of you 183 00:09:33,100 --> 00:09:36,400 out there that suffer from the exact same thing that do. 184 00:09:36,500 --> 00:09:40,300 Deal with anxiety deal with stress over a variety of things. 185 00:09:40,300 --> 00:09:42,500 And I know you're probably right there where I'm at. 186 00:09:42,900 --> 00:09:46,900 So, I want you to hear what God's word has to say about this 187 00:09:46,900 --> 00:09:49,800 today. I don't, I want you to 188 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,000 understand that you don't have to live that way, you don't have 189 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,800 to live with anxiety or fear or doubt or any of those things 190 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,600 that God's word is given us a cure for that. 191 00:09:59,900 --> 00:10:02,200 We're going to see it in just a moment in Philippians. 192 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:03,800 Now, I do want to make one disclaimer. 193 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,200 I'm not a doctor so don't go home after I preached this 194 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,600 sermon today and go through all your medications away and saved 195 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:12,100 you ask for said, I don't need that anymore. 196 00:10:12,700 --> 00:10:15,500 Talk to your doctor first before you do that, but I'm trying to 197 00:10:15,500 --> 00:10:19,700 let you know that you're not stuck in life having to depend 198 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:21,400 on that. Okay. 199 00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:25,500 So let's open our Bibles to Philippians chapter 4, we're 200 00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:29,700 going to be looking at Verses 4 through 9 Philippians four 201 00:10:29,700 --> 00:10:31,900 verses four through nine. Now, before we read, let me give 202 00:10:31,900 --> 00:10:33,500 you a little bit of context here. 203 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,600 Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians, to the Philippian 204 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,500 church, it was the very first church that Paul had ever found 205 00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:45,800 it in Europe. The this church had plenty of 206 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,300 reason to be anxious to be worried about what was going on. 207 00:10:49,300 --> 00:10:52,200 Okay. So they're facing opposition. 208 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,400 They're facing persecution, that's happening. 209 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,800 All Christians are facing that but their founder. 210 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:02,300 Paul is in prison at the time when he writes this letter, Also 211 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,200 epaphroditus who was a prominent member of the church was sick 212 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,600 and almost died as we see in chapter 2 verse 27. 213 00:11:10,300 --> 00:11:12,200 There was this unity in the church. 214 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,800 We see early on in Chapter 2, Paul. 215 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,700 Urging them to be of the same mind and the same Accord. 216 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,500 And then we see here in chapter 4, in the first few verses that 217 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:24,800 there were two ladies and sinti key in euodia that, he was 218 00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:28,000 urging them to be agreeable in the Lord to set aside your 219 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,800 differences and get along, be reasonable to one another. 220 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:34,600 So in this church, there's all kinds of things they could be 221 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:36,600 anxious and worried about. There's disunity, there's 222 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,800 persecution their Founders and prison. 223 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,400 There's guys getting sick and almost dying and there's lots of 224 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,300 reasons to be anxious and to be worried. 225 00:11:45,100 --> 00:11:48,600 But Paul gives them some very clear instructions in this text 226 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,100 today about how to deal with that. 227 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:55,200 So we are going to read verses four through nine of Philippians 228 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,200 chapter 4. If you would if you can stand to 229 00:11:57,208 --> 00:11:59,700 your feet as we read from God's word. 230 00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:04,600 I'm going to read, and when I finish reading, I will say this 231 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,200 is the word of the Lord, and you will respond. 232 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,300 Thanks, be to God. So, let's read Philippians 4 233 00:12:10,300 --> 00:12:16,900 verses 4 through 9 rejoice, in the lord always, again, I will 234 00:12:16,900 --> 00:12:22,200 say rejoice, Let your reasonableness be known to 235 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,400 everyone. The Lord is at hand. 236 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:28,000 Do not be anxious about anything. 237 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:32,300 But in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, 238 00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:37,400 let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, 239 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:40,000 which surpasses all understanding will guard your 240 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:44,900 hearts and your minds in Christ. Jesus, finally, Brothers, 241 00:12:44,900 --> 00:12:49,000 whatever is true, whatever is Honorable, whatever is just 242 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,500 whatever. Pure whatever is lovely, 243 00:12:51,700 --> 00:12:55,400 whatever is commendable if there is any Excellence. 244 00:12:55,700 --> 00:12:59,300 If there is anything, worthy of Praise, think about these 245 00:12:59,300 --> 00:13:01,800 things. What you have learned and 246 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:06,300 received and heard and seen in me practice these things. 247 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:09,700 And the God of Peace will be with you. 248 00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:13,600 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God, you may be 249 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:18,500 seated. So this whole letter, the whole 250 00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:22,900 letter of Philippians is one big encouragement to the people of 251 00:13:22,900 --> 00:13:26,100 Philippi everything Paul writes and here's meant to encourage 252 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:30,100 them and spur them toward joy in the Lord. 253 00:13:30,100 --> 00:13:32,900 That is the whole theme of Philippians and that is the 254 00:13:32,900 --> 00:13:36,300 theme of our text today. In fact that's the theme of this 255 00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:38,600 entire sermon. If I could sum it up in one 256 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,900 sentence, my big idea for you today is we often call. 257 00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:48,000 It is this, the peace of God. Places our anxiety when we dwell 258 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:53,700 on Christ, the peace of God, replaces our anxiety when we 259 00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:57,800 dwell on Christ. So I want to talk to you today. 260 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,800 About how do we do that? How do we dwell on Christ? 261 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:05,100 Paul gives us three ways in this text that we can keep our mind 262 00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:06,900 and our attention focused on Christ. 263 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:09,600 If we can't dwell on him, the first is to pray. 264 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,500 Alright prayer is the very first one and verse in verse 4. 265 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:18,700 Paul starts out Ending them, he says rejoice in the lord always, 266 00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:24,700 again, I will say rejoice, anytime you see a command like 267 00:14:24,700 --> 00:14:28,900 this repeated back-to-back, it is meant to draw your attention 268 00:14:28,900 --> 00:14:32,000 to that. It's meant to be a big way of 269 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,300 waking you up to say, pay attention to what I'm about to 270 00:14:34,300 --> 00:14:36,300 tell you because this is important. 271 00:14:36,700 --> 00:14:39,100 This would be the equivalent of a parent if they're trying to 272 00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:42,700 talk to their child and I say, hey pay attention to me and look 273 00:14:42,700 --> 00:14:45,700 at me when I'm talking to you. That's what Paul's doing. 274 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:49,100 He's saying, Rejoice, I'm going to say again, rejoice in the 275 00:14:49,100 --> 00:14:53,200 lord. Always, this isn't a request. 276 00:14:53,500 --> 00:14:58,000 This is a command to rejoice in the lord always. 277 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:03,700 Now, Rejoice is a, it's a verb. This is a form of the word Joy. 278 00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:08,500 It is joy in action. In fact, in this context, the 279 00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:13,100 way Paul uses the word it is, it means to be joyful or to make 280 00:15:13,100 --> 00:15:17,200 yourself. Joyful he is commanding them. 281 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,700 He's not saying if you feel like it, maybe smile a little. 282 00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:26,000 No, he's saying be joyful. Make yourself joyful in the face 283 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,900 of all the trials that you're going through, everything that 284 00:15:28,900 --> 00:15:32,900 you're up against be a joyful, people be known for it. 285 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,600 He's not just asking this. Now, here's the kicker, he tells 286 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,900 us how he's not just saying look be joyful just to be a joyful 287 00:15:40,900 --> 00:15:44,100 person, just so that you're happy and you're more easier to 288 00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:48,300 be around. No, he's saying rejoice in what? 289 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:54,700 In the Lord rejoice in the lord always, that is where our joy is 290 00:15:54,700 --> 00:15:58,300 found, is in the lord. It's not in the circumstances 291 00:15:58,300 --> 00:16:00,200 around us. It's not in this world that we 292 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,000 live in its in Christ and Christ alone. 293 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,500 That's how we can be joyful always. 294 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:10,100 That is the cause for our joy, it is the object of our joy. 295 00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:14,600 It's what fuels our joy and not just occasionally, but always As 296 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,900 in any circumstance, we can rejoice in the Lord, amen. 297 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:25,500 Even when our circumstances seem disastrous, we have reason to 298 00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:29,700 rejoice in Christ. We're only on the first verse 299 00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:32,000 and we already have all the motivation. 300 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,100 We need to be a joyful people but let's let's keep going. 301 00:16:35,100 --> 00:16:38,500 So let's see how else Paul is instructing us to do this. 302 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,200 Paul gives a second command he says, let your reasonableness be 303 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:46,600 known to everyone now reasonableness here means 304 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,300 forbearance or a gentle spirit. So remember, there's been 305 00:16:50,300 --> 00:16:53,800 disunity within this church, we saw these two ladies that were 306 00:16:53,900 --> 00:16:57,500 arguing over, who had the better casserole and he's telling them 307 00:16:57,700 --> 00:17:00,100 Y'all kidding. It's telling y'all need to be 308 00:17:00,100 --> 00:17:01,900 reasonable. You need to be agreeable in the 309 00:17:01,900 --> 00:17:03,700 Lord. Don't be known for your fighting 310 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:06,000 in your bickering. Be known for your love, for one 311 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,000 another. And so he just got done, 312 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,300 exhorting them that. He told them back in Chapter 2 313 00:17:11,300 --> 00:17:14,800 to be of the same mind of the same love and full Accord with 314 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,200 one another. So in light of this we know 315 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,800 Paul's talking about our relationships with other people. 316 00:17:21,900 --> 00:17:24,400 He's addressing that specifically, he's talking about 317 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,400 how to love one another how to be agreeable to one another, how 318 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,300 to put aside our differences and let our love for one another 319 00:17:30,300 --> 00:17:33,100 Trump, any Petty differences that we might have. 320 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:39,400 But this can also mean to use reason in your thinking, let 321 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,800 your reasonableness be known instead of letting those little 322 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,000 anxieties or doubts or fears snowball to where you're just 323 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,100 out of your mind and just acting crazy be reasonable. 324 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:54,800 Think about what you say before you speak stop and take a breath 325 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,000 and think about it. Let your reasonableness be 326 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,100 known. So that others. 327 00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:02,000 See that in you you're not the kind of person that just flies 328 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,200 off the handle and let your emotions and your feelings run 329 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,700 you. You're a person that is rooted 330 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,900 and grounded in God's word and confident in what he is done and 331 00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:14,000 joyful in him and nothing can shake. 332 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:18,600 That, that's the kind of people that we are called Next Paul 333 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,900 reminds them his listeners. Why they should have this joy 334 00:18:21,900 --> 00:18:25,000 and this reasonableness as well as the very next command, he's 335 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,600 going to get into. He tells them the Lord is at 336 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,900 hand. Now this could mean that the 337 00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:33,200 Lord is coming soon. It could also mean that the Lord 338 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,600 is with you right now both Are true, but it's because of 339 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,100 Christ. It's because of Jesus that we 340 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:43,400 can have joy that we can love others and that we can be 341 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,800 reasonable again. That's our motivation, our fuel, 342 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,000 our purpose, in all of this is Christ. 343 00:18:50,100 --> 00:18:53,600 Paul then gives a third command and we're really getting into 344 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:59,500 the meat of the text now, verse 6, he says the Lord is at hand. 345 00:18:59,900 --> 00:19:02,400 Do not be anxious about anything. 346 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:07,500 But in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, 347 00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:10,800 let your requests be made known to God. 348 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,400 Here we find the cure for anxiety. 349 00:19:15,900 --> 00:19:19,700 All right, so anyone out there like me that deals with this on 350 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:22,200 a regular basis. This is your text. 351 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:27,300 This is what you hang onto. Don't be anxious about anything. 352 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,700 See, I used to think my problem is that I get anxious and worked 353 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:36,000 up over little stuff. I need to learn how to Discern 354 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,600 in my mind, the things that are worth getting worked up over in 355 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,700 the things that aren't like. Maybe I'm just getting too, 356 00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:43,200 worked up over the little stuff but you know, I'll save it for 357 00:19:43,208 --> 00:19:45,200 the big stuff so maybe I shouldn't get. 358 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,100 So anxious about running late for something. 359 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:49,200 But if I have a blowout on the way there, then I have every 360 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,800 right to just have a full-blown meltdown, right? 361 00:19:52,100 --> 00:19:56,000 That's what I used to think that is not what Paul is saying here. 362 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,900 Paul is saying, don't be anxious about anything. 363 00:19:59,900 --> 00:20:02,900 Now, consider remember the context of these people and what 364 00:20:02,900 --> 00:20:04,700 they're going through as a church. 365 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:10,000 Paul saying don't be anxious about a thing, anything, rejoice 366 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,500 in the lord, always no matter what you're facing, no matter 367 00:20:13,500 --> 00:20:16,700 what you're going through. This is a bold statement for 368 00:20:16,700 --> 00:20:20,000 these people considering what they're facing instead of 369 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,500 getting anxious. He says, let your requests be 370 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:27,100 made known to God. He's saying instead of worrying 371 00:20:27,100 --> 00:20:30,200 and get anxious, take it to the Lord and then he gives us some 372 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,000 specific ways to do that. The first is through prayer is 373 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,100 through talking to God, that's all prayer, is talking to the 374 00:20:38,100 --> 00:20:41,200 Lord vent. To the Lord, take your burdens 375 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,400 to him and pour it all out. He already knows your heart 376 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,300 anyway. You might as well talk to him 377 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:48,500 about it, get it all out of your system. 378 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,700 He wants to hear from you, he's a good father. 379 00:20:50,700 --> 00:20:53,100 He loves his children, cry out to him. 380 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,300 We've been singing in homegroups a song. 381 00:20:57,300 --> 00:20:59,900 It's a classic good old him. The what a friend we have in 382 00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:03,900 Jesus and we're going to sing it today at the end of the service, 383 00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:07,700 one of the lines in that song says o, what peace? 384 00:21:07,700 --> 00:21:11,100 We often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain? 385 00:21:11,100 --> 00:21:15,300 We Bear all because we do not carry Everything To God In 386 00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:19,500 Prayer. Pray to God bear your heart to 387 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:22,600 him, pour it out to him. He wants to hear from you. 388 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,400 The second thing, Paul tells us is through prayer and 389 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,500 supplication. So supplication is asking for 390 00:21:29,500 --> 00:21:32,100 something, it's when you're asking God for something. 391 00:21:32,300 --> 00:21:35,900 You're asking God, take away this anxiety and me, take away 392 00:21:35,900 --> 00:21:38,600 the stress. God, please help me deal with 393 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,800 these circumstances in a sane way where I'm not losing my 394 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,700 mind. Isaiah, 42 3 says that a bruised 395 00:21:45,700 --> 00:21:47,500 Reed. He will not break and a faintly 396 00:21:47,500 --> 00:21:49,500 burning Wick. He will not quench. 397 00:21:49,900 --> 00:21:53,500 Psalm 34:18 says, the Lord is near to the Brokenhearted and 398 00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:56,400 saves the crushed in spirit. God is near. 399 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,900 He wants to hear your prayers. He wants you to bring your 400 00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:02,600 concerns to him. He is glad to hear it, you're 401 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,100 not burdening, God, there's no burden you could lay at the foot 402 00:22:06,100 --> 00:22:08,100 of the cross. It's too heavy for him to carry. 403 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:12,600 So, take it to God In Prayer. Take it in supplication, plead 404 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,200 with him an Skin to help you ask him to help you see what you 405 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,300 need and then lastly, do it all with Thanksgiving. 406 00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:23,300 Do it with Thanksgiving show gratitude and thankfulness for 407 00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:24,900 what God has already done for you. 408 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,000 We don't go to the Lord in arrogance, we go in confidence 409 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,100 knowing we can approach the throne but not arrogant making 410 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:34,200 demands. We go thankful for what God has 411 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,300 already blessed us with when we make our petitions to it. 412 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,900 So that's the first part that's kind of Step. 413 00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:43,300 One is prayer and that kind of Prayer, of Supplication and 414 00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:47,200 Thanksgiving. Pray ask and be thankful, but 415 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,600 don't do it, according to your own will according to your own 416 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:50,900 selfish. Desires. 417 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:54,100 James 4:3 says you ask and do not receive because you ask 418 00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:56,700 wrongly to spend it on your own passions. 419 00:22:56,900 --> 00:22:59,000 We want to make sure when we go to the Lord in prayer and we're 420 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,900 making supplications and petitions that were asking 421 00:23:01,900 --> 00:23:04,800 according to his will according to his sovereignty. 422 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:07,500 So let's be sure to do that when we go to the Lord in prayer. 423 00:23:08,300 --> 00:23:10,200 So that's the first thing is to pray. 424 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,600 We must be sure that we are praying in line with God's will. 425 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,500 We must be thankful. And if we will do this, if we 426 00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:23,400 will do this, he will Guard our hearts and Minds in Christ. 427 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,700 Jesus, look at verse 7, the peace of God, which surpasses 428 00:23:26,700 --> 00:23:30,800 all understanding will guard your hearts and Minds in Christ 429 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,900 Jesus. And the structure of this 430 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:36,600 statement is very interesting. It's what we see in other places 431 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,000 in scripture. This is what's called an if-then 432 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,200 statement. If you will do this, then this 433 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,700 will happen. Paul is saying, if you will take 434 00:23:45,700 --> 00:23:48,500 it to the Lord and take it in prayer and supplication with 435 00:23:48,500 --> 00:23:51,100 Thanksgiving. If you will do that, then he 436 00:23:51,100 --> 00:23:55,100 will, he absolutely will guard your hearts and your minds in 437 00:23:55,100 --> 00:23:56,000 Christ. Jesus. 438 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,800 That is a promise. That's not a maybe that is a 439 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:02,300 promise. He will guard your hearts and 440 00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:04,800 Minds. Now why do we need our hearts 441 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,600 and Minds to be guarded? Why in the world? 442 00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:12,600 Why do I need that? Jeremiah 17:9 says that the 443 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,800 heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who 444 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:20,800 can understand it. Proverbs 28:26 says, whoever 445 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,700 trusts in his own mind, as a fool, but He Who Walks In wisdom 446 00:24:24,900 --> 00:24:28,300 will be delivered. See, I know that left to my own 447 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:30,800 devices. I will begin to worry, and have 448 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:35,600 anxiety and spin out of control. I know that I know that if I 449 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,500 follow my own heart, and my emotions, and my feelings that, 450 00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:41,100 I'm going to get in trouble really quick. 451 00:24:41,300 --> 00:24:44,000 That's why those sayings of follow your heart as a bunch of 452 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,200 nonsense. Follow God's word. 453 00:24:46,700 --> 00:24:50,800 Follow him. My heart will lead me astray my 454 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,000 feelings and my emotions will betray me. 455 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,500 And my mind will wander with thoughts of what. 456 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:58,200 If, what if If this happens, what if that happens. 457 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,800 So I need the peace of God to protect my mind, and my heart 458 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:04,400 from those thoughts, and those feelings. 459 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,700 I need to have discernment to know what God's promise me in 460 00:25:08,700 --> 00:25:13,200 his word versus what my heart. My feelings might be telling me 461 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,500 and we can have that peace. If we will take it to the Lord, 462 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,600 in prayer, is what Paul is telling us in this scripture. 463 00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:25,900 John Piper says it this way, Paul. 464 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,200 Promises that a life of faithful Christ. 465 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,900 Dependent Christ exalting prayer, will be alive protected 466 00:25:33,900 --> 00:25:37,400 from anxiety and its many sinful fruits by God's. 467 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,100 Peace. God promises us. 468 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:43,600 This, why not cash in on that promise? 469 00:25:43,700 --> 00:25:47,200 Let God's peace guard, your heart and mind by taking it to 470 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:51,000 the Lord in prayer. So the first thing, first way we 471 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:56,200 dwell on Christ as we pray, the second way is we think This 472 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:00,200 process of replacing anxiety with joy doesn't just end with 473 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,300 praying to God and leaving it all there. 474 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,800 Once we cast our anxieties At His Feet, once we empty our mind 475 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,700 and our heart of all these burdensome thoughts, and fears, 476 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:13,600 and anxieties, we have to replace that with something 477 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,000 positive. Now, we need to put good things 478 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,100 there. We need to take the bat out and 479 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:20,400 put something good and worthy in there. 480 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:25,000 Well, what could that possibly be Paul tells us in verse 8 481 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:28,800 Finally Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is Honorable, 482 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,600 whatever is just whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 483 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,500 whatever is commendable if there's any Excellence. 484 00:26:35,500 --> 00:26:40,700 If there is anything worthy of Praise, think about these 485 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:46,300 things, What is true? What is Honorable? 486 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:48,000 Pure? Lovely commendable. 487 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,400 Excellent worthy of Praise dwell on that. 488 00:26:51,900 --> 00:26:56,200 Think about that, not your circumstances, not what's 489 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,600 causing the anxiety. Don't think about that, think 490 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,600 about what's good. He's instructing them what to 491 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,500 fill their mind and their thoughts with the ESV Study 492 00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:09,500 Bible says that the Philippians are to fill their minds with 493 00:27:09,500 --> 00:27:13,700 things that will inspire worship to God and service to others. 494 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,700 So that begs the question. Well what what is true? 495 00:27:18,700 --> 00:27:20,900 And honorable and just and pure and lovely. 496 00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:24,000 What is commendable? Jesus. 497 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:27,300 Jesus Christ is all of those things. 498 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:30,600 What is excellent and worthy of Praise. 499 00:27:31,300 --> 00:27:35,500 Jesus Christ. And not just that but all the 500 00:27:35,500 --> 00:27:39,200 good things he's already done. All of the blessings. 501 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,400 He's poured out on us time and time again. 502 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:45,500 We think about those things that is worth thinking about that is 503 00:27:45,500 --> 00:27:48,800 worth dwelling on what we've seen in here this morning. 504 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:53,800 These are the things you think about dwell on that, not the 505 00:27:54,300 --> 00:27:56,600 petty little things that we're going through that can cause 506 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,900 stress remember God's goodness through our trials and 507 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:04,900 tribulations, how can we do this? 508 00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:06,400 How can we meditate on these things? 509 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,300 We study his word, we sing his Praises. 510 00:28:10,900 --> 00:28:14,900 We remind ourselves daily of his goodness of his salvation for 511 00:28:14,900 --> 00:28:18,300 us. Psalm 51, 12 says, restore to me 512 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:22,400 the joy of your salvation. If nothing else remembering that 513 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,700 God saved us from sin and death saved, us from hell should be 514 00:28:26,700 --> 00:28:30,400 enough to cause joy in our hearts every single day, that 515 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:34,500 should be enough. But there's so much more he's 516 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:36,600 poured out. So many blessings on us. 517 00:28:38,500 --> 00:28:41,100 We should always be thinking on these things. 518 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,500 We think on that, if we remember those things, we remember his 519 00:28:46,500 --> 00:28:50,300 goodness and dwell on that and not the negative circumstances, 520 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,700 all of that stuff just Fades away. 521 00:28:54,700 --> 00:28:58,600 If you fix your Gaze on him, the worries of the world just seemed 522 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,800 to fail. Just pale in comparison. 523 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,100 As the song says, Turn Your Eyes Upon. 524 00:29:04,100 --> 00:29:06,900 Jesus look. Full in his wonderful face. 525 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,800 The things of Earth will grow strangely gently dim, in the 526 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:12,800 light of his glory, and grace. Yes. 527 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,700 Romans 8:18 says, I consider that the sufferings of this 528 00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:21,400 present time are not worth comparing with the glory. 529 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,400 That is to be revealed us. So dwell on Christ, not your 530 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,800 circumstances and then the third thing to do. 531 00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:31,300 We pray, we think. And then we do, we can't just 532 00:29:31,300 --> 00:29:33,200 let it all be good thoughts in our head. 533 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,500 We have to put it into action at some point. 534 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,400 He tells us how to do this, in verse 9. 535 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,500 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in 536 00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:48,100 me practice these things. What you've learned received 537 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,500 heard and seen, practice those things. 538 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,300 So practice means an ongoing action, right? 539 00:29:54,300 --> 00:29:56,800 We continually do it. Not just once you don't just try 540 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:58,300 it once. All that didn't work, I'm done 541 00:29:58,300 --> 00:30:01,200 with that. You over and over, and over 542 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,000 again, you do these things constantly doing these things. 543 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:09,100 So, what were these Things that these Philippian people had 544 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:11,600 learned and received and heard and seen in Paul. 545 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:12,800 What it, what is it? What is it? 546 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,300 They're supposed to be practicing. 547 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,700 Well, they learned who Jesus was that he was the son of God 548 00:30:18,700 --> 00:30:22,000 almighty. They learn why he came and 549 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,500 suffered, a death on a cross, for their sake. 550 00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:28,500 And for our sake, they received that message and they believed 551 00:30:28,500 --> 00:30:32,400 it with repentance and Faith. They heard the gospel 552 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:36,000 unfiltered, not watered down preached everywhere. 553 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:42,300 Paul went and they saw Paul live out, the gospel, loving others, 554 00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:45,200 and enduring persecution suffering for the name of 555 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,700 Christ. This is what they heard. 556 00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:50,100 This is what they learn, this is what they saw. 557 00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:54,500 And he's telling them to go and practice, those things practice, 558 00:30:54,700 --> 00:30:57,400 what you've learned, and what you've seen and what you've 559 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,400 heard. Don't just let it be something 560 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,100 that you hear, and then that's it. 561 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,000 Don't just come in this place. On a Sunday morning and hear 562 00:31:04,100 --> 00:31:06,800 good preaching, and hear about the gospel in walk out and be 563 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:08,900 unchanged. Go live it out. 564 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,200 Go practice. The things we talk about is 565 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:15,900 James. 1:22, says, be doers of the word not just hearers only, 566 00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:20,700 and if we will do this, we have another promise in this Text as 567 00:31:20,700 --> 00:31:24,900 if one wasn't enough, he promises the God of Peace will 568 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:28,500 be with you first. We saw that the peace of God 569 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,900 will guard our hearts and minds and now we see that the God of 570 00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:35,700 Peace will be with us so not only is he going to send his 571 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:39,200 peace to protect my mind and my heart but he himself will be 572 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:44,500 with me in every circumstance. What great Assurance is that? 573 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:47,100 What? Cause for Joy is that the god of 574 00:31:47,100 --> 00:31:50,100 creation, God himself will be with me and my son. 575 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:54,000 Circumstances in my stress and my anxiety has promised to be 576 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,000 with me. That is such a reason for Joy 577 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,400 this morning, and such a reason to praise God, and thank him. 578 00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:06,000 We can be joyful, we can be a people known for Joy, not 579 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,800 anxiety, and doubt, and fear, if we will dwell on Christ, if we 580 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,900 will take our cares to him through prayer and think on, 581 00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:16,100 what is good and practice, the things we've learned and seen, 582 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,700 we can live a life free of anxiety and stress. 583 00:32:22,100 --> 00:32:25,500 You don't have to live your life that way like I thought I did. 584 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:30,500 We can't divert our gaze left or right, we have to stay focused 585 00:32:30,500 --> 00:32:33,800 on Christ or like Peter. We will start to sink and drown 586 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:35,800 the sorrows and the worries of this world. 587 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:41,200 The peace of God will replace our anxiety if we dwell on 588 00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:44,700 Christ. So what does this mean for you 589 00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:46,900 today? How do we take all of this and 590 00:32:46,900 --> 00:32:48,900 apply it? There's been several commands in 591 00:32:48,900 --> 00:32:52,600 this text of things to do, so I'll obviously do those things. 592 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,900 But Believers in here today, if you've placed your faith in 593 00:32:55,900 --> 00:33:00,600 Christ, if you are a Christian in this text, we've seen 594 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,100 multiple things. Paul's commanding his listeners 595 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:05,000 to do. And I want you to take this away 596 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,000 from this today, maybe you're like me. 597 00:33:07,100 --> 00:33:10,800 And you think, well, I suffer from anxiety and stress and 598 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,500 worry and depression. And I'm just doomed to be that 599 00:33:13,500 --> 00:33:16,400 way. All my life but firmly believe 600 00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:19,600 because of passages like this, that through Christ, we have 601 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,700 freedom from those things. So, whenever you feel anxious or 602 00:33:23,700 --> 00:33:28,900 worried or have doubts or fears in this life, pray don't be 603 00:33:28,900 --> 00:33:32,000 anxious about anything. But in everything by prayer and 604 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,400 supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known 605 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,600 to God. If you will do this, the peace 606 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:41,800 of God, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus to 607 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:44,700 is think, think about what is pure. 608 00:33:44,700 --> 00:33:47,000 Lovely commendable. Worthy of Praise. 609 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:49,600 Don't dwell on your problems. Dwell on Jesus. 610 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,200 Think about him. Think about At all, he has done 611 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:57,200 for you and then do don't just listen and think and let it all 612 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,300 be in thought. But go and practice the things 613 00:33:59,300 --> 00:34:01,700 that you've seen and heard and learned practice what? 614 00:34:01,700 --> 00:34:04,900 God's? Word teaches, you If you will do 615 00:34:04,900 --> 00:34:07,000 those things, you can have the peace of God. 616 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:09,100 And the God of Peace will be with you today. 617 00:34:09,900 --> 00:34:13,600 But if you're in this place and you've never placed your faith 618 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:17,500 in Christ, if you are not a Believer, you've never said, I 619 00:34:17,507 --> 00:34:20,600 want to make Jesus, Lord of my life and my king. 620 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:22,500 I've never submitted my life to him. 621 00:34:24,100 --> 00:34:30,699 I want you to know that you that this world is full of anxiety 622 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:35,900 and sorrow, and sadness, and sickness and death, and worry 623 00:34:35,900 --> 00:34:37,900 and despair. It is everywhere. 624 00:34:37,900 --> 00:34:41,000 You look now. No, you know, that? 625 00:34:43,100 --> 00:34:47,199 The Evangelical commentary on the Bible, said this and said 626 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:49,300 it. So well, that the peace of God, 627 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:54,300 which replaces anxiety in the life of a prayerful believer is 628 00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:58,300 impossible to experience. Unless one already is at peace 629 00:34:58,300 --> 00:35:00,300 with God, through faith in Christ. 630 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:09,100 How true that is. There is no peace from God. 631 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:14,300 Peace in this world. We don't have our minds and 632 00:35:14,300 --> 00:35:17,900 hearts protected from the stresses of this world apart 633 00:35:17,900 --> 00:35:22,500 from peace with God. Through Jesus Christ, that has 634 00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:27,000 to come first without repentance and faith in him. 635 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:32,600 We are at enmity with God and that is reason to have anxiety 636 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:38,200 and worry and doubt and fear. But if you will place your faith 637 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,200 in him and him alone, not yourself. 638 00:35:41,900 --> 00:35:45,100 If you will, repent of your sins and give your life to Christ, 639 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:49,600 you can know this same piece, the Troubles of this world will 640 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:53,600 melt away and comparison to knowing him. 641 00:35:54,700 --> 00:35:57,100 This is the promise that were given in this text today. 642 00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:01,100 Romans, 5:1 says, therefore, since we have been justified by 643 00:36:01,100 --> 00:36:06,200 faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 644 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,300 So if you've never done this, I invite you today. 645 00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:13,300 And I beg you to repent of your sins and place your faith in 646 00:36:13,300 --> 00:36:19,100 Christ and him alone. Turn your doubts and cares and 647 00:36:19,100 --> 00:36:21,700 anxieties toward him, cry, out to him. 648 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:25,600 And let that piece guard your mind and hearts, give your life 649 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,300 to him, and Noah piece that you can never know. 650 00:36:29,300 --> 00:36:31,900 Apart from him. I beg you for that today. 651 00:36:32,100 --> 00:36:37,700 Let's pray, father, we love you, God, we thank you for this time 652 00:36:37,700 --> 00:36:39,500 together. We thank you for your word. 653 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,200 We thank you for what we read in Philippians for that. 654 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:47,100 No matter what this world throws at us, they're all the anxieties 655 00:36:47,100 --> 00:36:49,800 and doubts and fears that this life may have for us. 656 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,500 That we can have peace through your son, Jesus. 657 00:36:54,900 --> 00:36:59,500 God, we thank you for his death on the cross that he paid for 658 00:36:59,500 --> 00:37:02,400 our sins and that by putting our faith and our hope and trust in 659 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:07,100 him that we can be free of sin. God, I pray if there's anyone in 660 00:37:07,100 --> 00:37:10,200 this place today that has never done that, they would do so, now 661 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:14,700 that they would cast their cares and anxieties that your Feet 662 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:17,400 that they would trust in you that they would put their full 663 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,000 confidence and faith in you. That they would know your peace 664 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:25,200 Lord. God please help us to not trust 665 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:28,900 our own Hearts. I trust our feelings not be 666 00:37:28,900 --> 00:37:31,800 weighed down with the anxieties of this world but to remember 667 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:35,800 Christ to dwell on him. Always want to experience this 668 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:37,700 piece that you've talked about in your word. 669 00:37:38,300 --> 00:37:41,300 God, we thank you for that in Jesus name. 670 00:37:41,700 --> 00:37:42,900 Amen. You have any? 671 00:37:22,700 --> 00:37:26,200 God please help us to not trust our own Hearts. 672 00:37:26,300 --> 00:37:30,400 I trust our feelings not be weighed down with the anxieties 673 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:33,600 of this world but to remember Christ to dwell on him. 674 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,000 Always want to experience this piece that you've talked about 675 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,400 in your word. God, we thank you for that in 676 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:42,200 Jesus name. Amen. 677 00:37:42,500 --> 00:37:42,900 You have any?