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The Joy of Being a Faithful Christian

The Joy of Being a Faithful Christian. Philippians 4:4. Matthew 13:46. Difficulties in Being Joyful in the Lord. Unable to see beyond the restrictions of God’s word: can’t feel free. Difficult being joyful when they see the sin in their lives: discouraged.

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The Joy of Being a Faithful Christian

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  1. The Joy of Being a Faithful Christian Philippians 4:4

  2. Matthew 13:46 Difficulties in Being Joyful in the Lord • Unable to see beyond the restrictions of God’s word: can’t feel free. • Difficult being joyful when they see the sin in their lives: discouraged. • Try to reach for Christ, but godliness and maturity seem so far away: grow weary. • Difficulty letting go the things of the world.

  3. Joy in seeing from where we have come. • Eph. 2:1-6: dead in trespasses and sins, but made alive. • Eph. 2:12: Without God in the world. • Eph. 4:17-19: Futility of mind, darkened understanding, ignorant, blind.

  4. Joy in seeing from where we have come. To say a blind man is blind is simply a statement of his physical condition. God gives us a description of our spiritual condition. We can take joy that that condition is removed in Christ! Eph. 4:20-24

  5. Joy in Forgiveness • Without Christ we are in sin. • Without Christ we have no way of overcoming sin. • To be forgiven in Christ brings great joy—Acts 8:39; 16:34 • But this is just the beginning!

  6. Joy in Truth and Simplicity The World is a spiritual mire of human reasoning and speculation 2 Tim. 4:3-4; Col. 2:28, 23; Rom. 1:21-23 • To those who see this, God’s word is not a burden, but a lifeline to pull us out of the muck! • John 6:45; 8:32. • It is a light to our feet: Ps. 119:105

  7. Joy in Spiritual Growth • Many wait to become Christians because they think they have to perfect now. • On the contrary, we cannot be made perfect without Christ. • We come to Him poor and wretched and He lifts us up and helps us to grow. • It starts with a new birth (John 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:23). • As babes, we grow (1 Pet. 2:1-2). • Each step we take brings greater joy (Gal. 6:4).

  8. Joy in Peace • Not the peace of the world (John 14:27). • Peace with God (Rom. 5:10). • Peace with brethren (Eph. 4:1-6). • Peace of heart (Phil. 4:7) • Free from turmoil of sin. • Free from prodigal living in the world. • Peace and comfort in God’s eternal promises.

  9. Joy in Eternal Hope • What can we look forward to in the world? • An attractive plot of ground? • Life without God → Eccl. 9:5-6 • But for the faithful there is so much more! • Glory beyond compare (Rom. 8:18). • 1 Cor. 15:50-58; Matt. 6:21

  10. Joy in FAITHFULNESS Faithfulness: full of faith—faith perfected by works (James 2:22). Only those who build their houses upon the words of Jesus can know this joy.(Matthew 7:24-27) Only those who do the will of the Father can know this joy.(Matthew 7:21-23)

  11. Conclusion • God offers this joy to all men. • But we must be willing to let go of the passing pleasures of this world in order to appreciate the eternal joy in Christ. • Faithfulness is worth it!

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