Finding True Joy Amidst Life's Challenges

The joy that receiving the new birth, it's worth it, even though there will be suffering, sorrow, and pain. It's worth it, it's worth it. When Jesus returns and sees us, our joy will be full, and no one will take that joy away from us. 耶穌再回來見到我們的時候, 之前所經歷的種種痛楚, 都是值得的 ,是吧? 所有之前經歷的事都值得的。 And nothing is going to take away that joy. [00:29:07]

When are we going to see Jesus? Okay, so there's two ways to interpret, there's two ways to interpret these three verses. One, in God's context, in that context, 是門頭會再見耶穌。 Within John, in the pericope, within the book of John, the Jesus' return, and he sees the disciples. That is one possibility. 他們會再見到耶穌, 他們見到耶穌的時候, 他們會充滿喜樂。 [00:30:08] (27 seconds)


The key to joy is to abide in Jesus, is in Him. Now, still again, what does it have to do with Jesus? I mean, with prayers. Now, I think the joy comes after we see prayer changes circumstances. Like I said, in the Bible, in the beginning, the joy doesn't come in the absence of pain and sorrow, but the joy comes in the presence of them, in the presence of all the things that's going on, on the chaos, in the desperation, in our crying out. [00:42:12] (39 seconds)


And that's why I think when John or when Jesus said these words, he had to tie it to prayer. He had to tie it to prayer. Because that's how we see Jesus with our spiritual eyes, through prayers, through our experience. Because we cannot see Him now. We can't see Jesus with our eyes. Except for the individual example, the individual example, we will hear a lot of testimonies, some Muslims, they say, when they see Jesus in their dreams, Jesus tells them, believe in me, follow me, and receive the joy. [00:43:24] (35 seconds)


But the joy that Jesus presented to us, Jesus gave us that joy, that joy, that joy, that joy, it's not buying something, it's not getting something, but pursuing and seeking someone. That joy is not to you have it and then you will lose it again. He said, the world cannot take it away from you. And that's joy that he remained and let us have it until we see him again. [00:48:24] (37 seconds)


Instead of finding joy to come in and fill that pocket, but he took what's inside of you. The desperation, the sorrow, the hardship, the chaos, and turned that into joy. And that's through prayers. And that's through prayers. And what if that joy, this joy that we are talking about, it takes us not from, away from the reality, but into an alternate reality. The reality not seen by human eyes, but with our spiritual eyes. [00:49:10] (45 seconds)


To conclude, I'll share an example. I have a great experience with you guys. I want to share a short story from my experience in Taiwan. When I went to Taiwan for a short sermon, a BCC pastor said, if you have time, you should come and talk about it. And I said, OK, I'll talk about it. So I was invited to preach since I was there, and they wanted a break. [00:50:12] (23 seconds)


It's a customary in Taiwan, people, after the sermon preaching, people will come up and talk to me. I really appreciate that. They talk to me, and say, hey, pastor, I don't understand what you talked about at that point. Or that, hey, I have a different idea. I think what you said is not right. And that's OK. And I really enjoy it, because then I know that they are listening. [00:50:35] (22 seconds)


But through prayer, and God answered his prayer. Do we see that? Do we see that alternate reality that in God all things, with God all things are possible? If we see that, if we understand that, that our life should not remain joyless, because all things are possible, then you pray and you seek, and you will see it happen. And that the reality of Jesus is not a fantasy, is not a fairy tale. [00:53:06] (39 seconds)


I pray that in this holiday season, I just, yes, the world is manufacturing joy for us in a shopping mall, on the social media, in our homes, we create that joyous, lovely family atmosphere. But joy comes from within. Joy comes from the reality that could be changed and overturned. Overturn comes from the presence of Lord Jesus in our life. Let us pray. [00:55:19] (37 seconds)


We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you gave us your name, the name above all names, the name in which all powers from above the heavens, from below all powers have bestowed upon us. You have called upon us, that by your name we can pray and pray and receive and pray in our joy be full and be perfected, be completed. Father God, help us, remind us, all the little things that happen in our life. [00:56:07] (43 seconds)