Rediscovering Joy: Prioritizing Christ Over Worldly Cares

Devotional

Day 1: Prioritizing God's Kingdom Over Worldly Cares

Description: Jesus consistently warned His disciples about the dangers of being consumed by the cares of the world. He knew that focusing on worldly concerns would hinder their spiritual walk and rob them of joy. In Matthew, Jesus addresses various aspects of worldly cares, such as the need for recognition, the pursuit of wealth, and even legitimate concerns like food and clothing. He teaches us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, assuring us that our needs will be met if we prioritize our relationship with Him. By doing so, we can maintain our joy and spiritual vitality, free from the anxieties that often accompany worldly pursuits. [38:43]

Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Reflection: What is one worldly concern that has been consuming your thoughts lately? How can you shift your focus to prioritize your relationship with God today?

Day 2: Serving with Pure Motives

Description: Our acts of service, prayer, and fasting should be motivated by a genuine desire to glorify God, not to seek human approval. Jesus criticized those who perform righteous acts for public recognition, urging us to examine our motivations and ensure our service is directed towards God. When our motives are pure, our service becomes a true act of worship, bringing us closer to God and filling us with His joy. Reflect on your recent acts of service and consider whether they were done with pure intentions or for the sake of being seen by others. [47:27]

Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV): "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

Reflection: Think of a recent act of service you performed. Were your motives pure, or were you seeking recognition? How can you ensure your future acts of service are done to glorify God alone?

Day 3: Anchoring Joy in Our Salvation

Description: The simple gospel—the truth that God saved us through Jesus Christ—should be the anchor of our joy. When we remember the joy of our salvation, we can navigate life's challenges with a sense of peace and purpose. This foundational truth helps us maintain our joy regardless of our circumstances. By focusing on the eternal relationship we have with God, we can find joy that transcends the temporary trials and tribulations of this world. Reflect on the moment you first experienced the joy of your salvation and how that joy can sustain you today. [01:35:15]

Psalm 51:12 (ESV): "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."

Reflection: Recall the moment you first experienced the joy of your salvation. How can you let that joy anchor you in your current circumstances?

Day 4: Trusting in God's Provision

Description: Jesus taught us not to worry about the basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter. He assured us that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, our needs will be met. Trusting in God's provision allows us to focus on our spiritual growth and service. When we trust that God will provide for our needs, we can let go of anxiety and concentrate on deepening our relationship with Him and serving others. Reflect on areas of your life where you struggle to trust God's provision and consider how you can grow in faith. [01:23:21]

Philippians 4:19 (ESV): "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's provision? How can you take a step of faith to trust Him more today?

Day 5: Valuing Eternal Rewards Over Instant Gratification

Description: Our culture's obsession with instant gratification can lead us to seek immediate rewards rather than eternal treasures. Jesus warned that earthly rewards are temporary and can be destroyed, while heavenly rewards are eternal. We must learn to value God's eternal rewards over fleeting earthly pleasures. By focusing on the eternal, we can make choices that align with God's will and bring lasting joy and fulfillment. Reflect on areas of your life where you may be seeking instant gratification and consider how you can shift your focus to eternal rewards. [01:05:29]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you seek instant gratification. How can you shift your focus to value eternal rewards instead?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we gathered to reflect on the importance of joy in our walk with Christ and how the cares of this world can often rob us of that joy. After a period of rest and reflection during my sabbatical, I felt compelled to address a recurring issue within our community: a noticeable lack of joy in our spiritual lives. This lack of joy often manifests as a disengagement from church activities and a general sense of spiritual fatigue.

We explored how Jesus consistently warned His disciples about the dangers of being consumed by the cares of the world. He emphasized that focusing on worldly concerns can hinder our spiritual walk and rob us of the joy that comes from our salvation. We looked at various passages in Matthew where Jesus addresses different aspects of worldly cares, such as the need for recognition, the pursuit of wealth, and even legitimate concerns like food and clothing. Jesus teaches us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, assuring us that our needs will be met if we prioritize our relationship with Him.

We also discussed the importance of maintaining a pure heart in our acts of service, prayer, and fasting. Jesus criticized those who perform righteous acts for public recognition rather than out of genuine devotion. He called us to examine our motivations and ensure that our service is directed towards glorifying God rather than seeking human approval.

The sermon concluded with a call to return to the simple gospel—the foundational truth that God saved us through Jesus Christ. This simple yet profound truth should be the anchor of our joy. When we remember the joy of our salvation, we can navigate life's challenges with a sense of peace and purpose. We were reminded that our ultimate reward is not in earthly treasures but in the eternal relationship we have with God.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Danger of Worldly Cares: Jesus consistently warned His disciples about the dangers of being consumed by the cares of the world. He knew that focusing on worldly concerns would hinder their spiritual walk and rob them of joy. We must learn to prioritize our relationship with God over the distractions and anxieties of life. [38:43]
2. Pure Motives in Service: Our acts of service, prayer, and fasting should be motivated by a genuine desire to glorify God, not to seek human approval. Jesus criticized those who perform righteous acts for public recognition, urging us to examine our motivations and ensure our service is directed towards God. [47:27]
3. The Joy of Our Salvation: The simple gospel—the truth that God saved us through Jesus Christ—should be the anchor of our joy. When we remember the joy of our salvation, we can navigate life's challenges with a sense of peace and purpose. This foundational truth helps us maintain our joy regardless of our circumstances. [95:15]
4. Trusting God's Provision: Jesus taught us not to worry about the basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter. He assured us that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, our needs will be met. Trusting in God's provision allows us to focus on our spiritual growth and service. [83:21]
5. The Perils of Instant Gratification: Our culture's obsession with instant gratification can lead us to seek immediate rewards rather than eternal treasures. Jesus warned that earthly rewards are temporary and can be destroyed, while heavenly rewards are eternal. We must learn to value God's eternal rewards over fleeting earthly pleasures. [01:05:29]
### [65:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:52] - Introduction and Gratitude
[30:10] - Opening Prayer
[31:21] - Seeking Confirmation from God
[33:07] - Addressing the Lack of Joy
[35:12] - The Connection Between Joy and Engagement
[37:43] - Jesus' Teachings on Worldly Cares
[39:51] - The Cost of Following Jesus
[45:43] - The Importance of Intimacy with God
[47:27] - Pure Motives in Service
[53:10] - Simple and Sincere Prayer
[55:23] - True Fasting
[57:41] - The Need for Recognition
[60:05] - The Dangers of Popularity
[65:29] - The Perils of Instant Gratification
[72:24] - Chasing Wealth
[83:21] - Trusting God's Provision
[95:15] - The Joy of Our Salvation
[106:36] - Closing Prayer and Reflection

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus warn against in Matthew 6:1-4 regarding acts of righteousness? How should we perform our acts of charity according to this passage?
In Matthew 6:25-33, what examples does Jesus use to illustrate why we should not be anxious about our basic needs?
According to Psalm 51:12, what does David ask God to restore to him, and why is this significant in the context of the sermon?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize the importance of performing acts of righteousness in secret rather than for public recognition? How does this relate to maintaining pure motives in our service to God? [47:27]
How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:25-33 challenge our cultural obsession with instant gratification and materialism? What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God in practical terms? [01:05:29]
What does it mean to have the joy of our salvation restored, as mentioned in Psalm 51:12? How can this restoration impact our daily walk with Christ? [01:35:15]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you performed an act of service or charity. Were your motives aligned with seeking God's approval or human recognition? How can you ensure your future acts of service are directed towards glorifying God? [47:27]
Jesus teaches us not to worry about our basic needs and to trust in God's provision. Is there a specific area in your life where you struggle to trust God for provision? How can you actively seek His kingdom in that area this week? [01:23:21]
The sermon highlighted the dangers of being consumed by the cares of the world. Identify one worldly care that often distracts you from your spiritual walk. What steps can you take to minimize its impact on your life? [38:43]
How does the pursuit of instant gratification affect your spiritual life? Can you think of a recent decision where you chose immediate satisfaction over long-term spiritual growth? How can you make different choices in the future? [01:05:29]
The joy of our salvation should be the anchor of our joy. When was the last time you felt truly joyful about your salvation? What can you do to regularly remind yourself of the joy of being saved by Christ? [01:35:15]
Reflect on your current engagement with church activities. Do you find yourself disengaged or spiritually fatigued? What practical steps can you take to re-engage and find joy in your spiritual community? [35:12]
Consider the importance of maintaining a pure heart in your acts of service, prayer, and fasting. How can you examine and purify your motivations in these areas to ensure they are directed towards glorifying God? [47:27]

Sermon Clips

1. "And so there's a lot of, and so what happens though is whenever that happens, joy in our walk is typically connected to our engagement and our presence. And so what happens is when there becomes a struggle in our joy with our walk, which essentially is just a faith-based walk, right? You begin to have this mini faith crisis. What typically happens when there's a struggle in our joy, there's a struggle to be present. And if we are fighting through presence, there's a struggle to be consistent in presence or to be engaged." [35:12] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "And Jesus is like, hold on. I want y'all to understand. As I'm going to send you out, as I'm calling you guys to go move and shake the world up, you got to learn early on to not allow the cares of this world to cripple your walk." [38:43] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "And so it's not just like y'all either. Like, he's telling that to me too. Right? Because my cares of the world may be different than your cares of the world, but yet they're still cares of the world, right? A lot of my cares of the world are connected to ministry and there's other cares of the world, but a lot of stuff that like outside of ministry, I just kind of be like, whatever it is, what it is. Like, I've just learned to just deal with that stuff." [40:41] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "And the problem with that. The problem with that. You might not even be able to follow this live. The problem with that. I'm in there somewhere. The problem with that is the world is so finicky. You do all that work to get the world to like you. And all it takes is one post for the world to hate you." [57:41] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "But obedience to the Lord doesn't guarantee your name will be in lights. It doesn't guarantee that you will get the likes. It doesn't guarantee that your business will blow up. But since that is the care of the world. Grand. Go big. Everything got to be big. Everything got to be mega. Everything. Everything. And when it doesn't happen, sadness and disappointment begins to plague our hearts." [01:01:21] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "And the problem with chasing the bag that steals your joy as a Christian. Especially when you're trying to monetize the gospel is it don't work. Not if you're going to do it in purity and authenticity. It don't work. The problem is you might not get the bag." [01:14:47] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "And so we compromise. And the enemy knows that. He says everybody needs to eat. Everybody needs a piece of clothes. Everybody needs some type of shelter. But then when we're overly concerned about it. The enemy grabs hold of that. And he starts to threaten the things that are resources. So that we turn our back on the source. And what Jesus said is not that you will not have the necessities of life. It's not what he said. He said stop worrying about it. I got you. Just follow me. Just seek me." [01:26:08] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "And so some of us need to go to the Lord and say God I need you to prune that thing out of my heart. I need you to take those desires from me. I need you to help me. So that my joy can be restored when I serve you. It's not our yes that is affected by dying. It's our joy that is being robbed." [01:30:34] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "When we remember the simple gospel, our joy of salvation will be restored. The simple gospel. I heard I don't remember exactly what Hadassah said in the last message, but she talked about the simple gospel. It's returning back to the. Simple things of the Lord. Right. It's not a promise of a better life. The simple gospel is not abundance of materialism. It can't be. You just said I ain't got none of that." [01:35:15] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "And so in the moments when you feel your joy slipping, I need you to be able to go back to the moment when you feel your joy slipping. To that day when you first remember what it felt like to feel the joy of the Lord. And keep going back to that day. And keep going back to that day. And keep going back to that day. And the way that you do it is that you have to be every single day choosing to live from the gospel." [01:45:14] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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