Characterized by Joy

We look for so many things in life, but the answer and all that we need is him. He is our source. He is our everything. He's the one that holds us together, and he's the one that will never leave or forsake us. Man will let us down. People will let us down. God never will. And sometimes in our humanity, we point our finger at God as having let us down when at times what has taken place is that what we wanted is not God's best for us. [00:42:54] (44 seconds)  #GodIsOurSource

And in my life, I can tell you there's been moments where I've looked at God and said, well, why is it taking so long? Why does it feel like I'm wandering in the wilderness? But here's the reality. If he had taken me the shorter way, I would have lost heart, and I would have lost faith. And sometimes we look to God, and it's like, you you you didn't do it how I wanted, and God says, because I know what you don't know. [00:44:10] (24 seconds)  #GodKnowsBest

And many times, the reason we don't have joy is because there's unrepentant sin in our lives. As a matter of fact, I'm gonna say it this way. Sin makes joy go away. Sin in our lives makes joy disappear. It makes your joy go missing because you can't have sin and god's joy at the same time because sin separates us from god. Separates us from god. [00:56:11] (34 seconds)  #SinStealsJoy

In this course of time, David was separate from God. David was not walking in that anointing. David had no joy in this time. Why can I say this with confidence? Because I can read Psalm 51, which is the Psalm that David writes when he repents before God. And in Psalm 51 verse one, he says, create in me a clean heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. And in verse number 12, read the whole psalm later, but here's verse number 12. He says to God, restore to me the joy of your salvation. [01:02:56] (41 seconds)  #RestoreTheJoy

The choice is now. Parents, the way that your kids see you treating your spouse is what they're gonna think is acceptable and okay in the boyfriend or in the girlfriend. Yep. I know. Pastor, that's hardcore. Yep. You raise your voice at your wife, your daughter will tolerate a man raising his voice at you or at him at at her. All of those things, us walking in the way that god doesn't want us to walk, will hinder the joy of god in our life. [01:14:25] (43 seconds)  #ModelLoveAtHome

Because every single one of us has things in our life that God wants to continue to work on. Every single one listen to me. Every single one of us, me too. I ain't perfect. I mess up. And then I go, god, I I messed up. Forgive me. Sometimes I have to go to my wife or my children. Hey. I'm sorry. Or my parents. I'm sorry. Or some or some of you, I've had to say I'm sorry to some of y'all. Why? Because if I don't get right with God and I don't get right with my brother, I will not be able to walk in the fullness of his joy. [01:16:23] (46 seconds)  #ReconcileForJoy

If you are connected to the vine, as it says in John chapter 15, that we are to abide in him, the production of fruit in us is the fruit of spirit, and the fruit of the spirit is all of these things. It is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. And when you and I are walking in the fullness of this fruit of the spirit, it is contagious, and people can see something different in us and will want what we have, and we have is because of our relationship with God. Have you ever laughed because someone else was laughing and not knowing why they were laughing? [01:18:08] (33 seconds)  #AbideAndBearFruit

``And we look and we say, well, if I'm distinct, if I'm supposed to be different from the world, the questions are this, are we truly living a life distinct and set apart? Are we truly being renewed? Are we truly spending time with him? Or do we look like the world, talk like the world, smell like the world, act like the world? [01:20:09] (31 seconds)  #LiveSetApart