Are you a joy to be around?

                                        Or are you real negative and insecure?
     John 10:10 
                            “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I  have come  That they may have life, and have it to the full.”
So the miserable life I use to have wasn’t Gods plan for me I had to go threw some things but his plan is for me to have a good life and have it to the full. As we have a relationship with Christ we grow and learn to let go of things the more we trust him the more we can let go of things. The more we trust the more we will live life to the fullest like he planned.
Were gone to talk about some things to help us learn how to enjoy life.

            1. How to make the decision to enjoy life.   

 A. By making God the basis to ever and all decisions.

   1 Corinthians 3:11
                       “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,
 Which is Jesus Christ.”

If were not using the right foundation, which is Christ, it’s not gone to work   
Out.

When we do it his way it will work out and we will be joyful.

 B. Choose his ways of doing things instead of are own.

When we choose to obey then we won’t have to go around and around like the Israelites.
                                     
                                                     Joshua 5:6
  “The Israelites had moved about in the desert forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

 So when we disobey God or just plain don’t listen to him. We prolong are misery till we get on the right path. Or some times it can end in death when we choose are destructive way instead of Gods protected way.
C. Know that if we are saved we have a choice to enjoy life.

So if we are saved that means we have the Holy Spirit if we have the Holy Spirit then we have the fruits of the spirit, which is given to us, buy the Holy Spirit. so if we choose to not be joyful its are choice its not that we can’t be joyful its that we are choosing not to be.
Galatians 5:22-23
 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.

So there is a choice.
2. How to find joy during times of waiting.

A. Buy choosing to look at positives in ever situation.

When we choose to look at the good while we wait, waiting is gone to go much smother. A lot of times when we have a bad attitude while we wait it prolongs the waiting period.
PSALMS 104:33
 “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”
We need to praise him and respect him.
B. No madder what situation were in God has are best interest in mind.

 JOEPSH
All the bad situations he was in but God had a plan for him and gave him favor in the situation. Brothers betraying him jealous, go to prison,

God is in complete control there’s know surprises to him he knows what were gone to go threw. What needs to happen to help us use are gifts and develop are personality.
My mom finances how it made her strong in faith.

Me not doubting God that he would perform what he told me that we would have a baby.

Kurt when he got laid off from a job at I.T.T. trusting God that he provides and will supply a better job.
Matthew   6:25-26
 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than close? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

So God thinks we are very valuable more valuable then animals and he takes care of them. We need to trust and know he has a plan for us.

 C. Hold on to what God has told you.
  If he said he would do it write down the things he tells you and date them so when you get weary you can go back and read them to remind you.

Don’t talk to other people about it in less you feel lead to. There’s so many people who can give doubt its not worth it focus on what the Lord said to you.

Isaiah 55:11
 “So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
So if he said it he will do it.
3. To live ever day as if it were are last.

A. We would talk to people more about God.
Think about that, we would have so much to say to people to try to get them saved. We wouldn’t be so concerned about their opinion of us or what they think when we talk to them about God.

To live ever day as it was your last you would live ready that’s the way were suppose to live ready, ready to give an answer for are hope.

1 peter 3:15
 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

B. We would be more thankful in all things.
 If we lived ever day as if it were last we would be thankful even with what we think are small things. We would realize how much he truly has blessed us.
1Thessalonians 5:18
 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
C. We wouldn’t worry.
We would live care free, do what were suppose to not worry about things of this world. Which is what his word says.

Philippians 4:6
 “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’
Therefore ever Christ follower can have Joy buy choosing to allow the fruits of the Spirit to be active in there life.

 Maybe a loved one died or is sick.
                            Or a loss of a job not knowing how you can pay the bills.
          Maybe your going threw a divorce?
 Psalm 46:10

 A. “Be still and know I’m God;’

 Being still means we can rest in him (Christ the Holy Spirit.)

 We can do this buy.

               1. Having a good foundation. 
 Reminds me of Nancy Keels friend when her husband died  she came  to help Nancy with what she was going through she knew where her husband was in heaven with Christ but there was work to do here to help someone and she came to help regardless.
                                               Luke 6:48-49
  “He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house, on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
That’s just like Nancy friend a bad thing happened it might of shuck her up but it didn’t tare down her house because it was founded on

the Lord.
2. We need to realize problems will arise.
Being a Christ follower your still gone to go threw things we still may get depressed sometimes and have hard ships. But the difference is you will go threw them not get stuck in them. Because if you belong to Christ and have a good foundation when you become hopeless Christ is your Hopefulness. Are house will not be destroyed the pictures on the wall might be crocked but we will stand get up dust are self’s off and get moving again.

                                   
    James 1:2-3
 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

So we will go threw things but once we get threw them it will develop patience and we will be refined and more beautiful then when we started.

Daniel 3:
Shadrach, Meshach , and Abednego
When they got threw in the furnace because they would not bow down to king Nebuchadnezzer   Gods.  They chose to trust God to help

them and he did they got thrown in the fire but when the king looked in the furnace he seen four men in the fire walking around. And they did not burn.
B. Know he is God

1. Reverence for him.
To show extreme honor and respect for our Lord.

We can do this buy obeying his word, reading his word, and watching how we talk to him. Spend time with him get to know him and his ways.
Psalms 34:9
 “Fear the Lord, you saints for those who fear him lack nothing.”

 2. Look at all he has created.

  You can’t possible look at all creation without knowing that there has to be a creature.

Look around at all the different kinds of birds and animals, and trees and different flowers And people not any of us look exactly  the same. Know one could do that but God.

Isaiah 45:12
It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.
3. Look back to times when he’s helped you before. Zecafernia. Miscarriages,  school g.e.d.

If you keep a journal sometimes it’s a good idea   go back and read some things you went threw that you thought there was no way out.

But God delivered you helped you threw it sometimes that’s a good reminder of who he is. We forget sometimes that we can trust him all the time even when things aren’t so good he’s in control.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God will go before you so rest in him.

C. When we are weak he is strong.

1. When we submit to him he can do a work.

Like when I was married before and I was sick my husband at the time was doing all kinds bad things. God said to me to focus on the Lord that’s all I have to do is focus on him he brought everything to pass he healed me   gave me a new life new husband.

It was because I submitted and said Lord I’m weak I don’t have the answers help  me  and he took over And I rested.
Proverb 3:5-6
 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

So when we lean on and trust in him he will make are paths straight. We can’t rely on are own understanding; He is so much above our understanding that we need to give it to him.

2. Barry your selves in the word and in his presence.

When I asked the Lord for help and a healing and began to rest.
The first thing I started to do is surround my self with his presence and word. Constantly reading the word listening   to my new testament tapes christen t.v.
 
When we berry ourselves in the word it makes us new. It makes are flesh get under submission and it makes the Holy Spirit that is in us stronger and stronger. Which helps us to submit to the Lord.
Psalms 1:2
 ‘But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night.”
3.Relax let go and let God.
When we submit to him and burry are selves in his word and get to know him we can relax let go and rest in him. We were never met to carry all these burdens anyway. Learning to give it over to him that will turn are restlessness into restfulness.

 Matthew 11:28-29
  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Psalms 91:1
  “He who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Conclusion: therefore ever-Christian follower can learn to rest in him. By getting to know him which is reading his word talking to him learning to trust him then learning to relax let go and let God.

We only have a short time here and if we belong to Jesus Christ we have eternity with him lets not spend it worrying about things we can’t change or aren’t in charge of lets chose to rest in him.

             Every Christen can be thankful in all circumstances?

               1 Thessalonians 5:18-19

 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Quench not the Spirit.”

When were not thankful and giving God praise, that word quench means extinguish like putting out a fire, which is the Holy Spirit, so

when we don’t praise God we put him out.
 1.How to have a thankful heart.

A. By choosing to praise God in everything.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

When we chose to praise God in ever thing this develops a thankful heart.
B. Being content with what we have and where were at.

 Php 4:12
 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

When we always want more we never appreciate the things the Lord has blessed us with because were so focused on what’s next.
Some of that comes from the culture we live in, ever thing is now, what can I get that’s better we really live in a spoiled satiety. But when we turn to God and turn it over to him we can become content.
2. Seeing things the way they truly are.

A. You are no better then anyone else.

Acts 10:34
 “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.”

God loves us all the same. There is no better.

B. You are ware you are because God allowed it.

Psalms 139:16
  “Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

We are right ware God wants us to be, we need to ask what he wants us to do with ware we are at in life. Be open to him because he will answer.

God puts all of us in different places during are life and we need to choose to be thankful in everything.

C. Choose to bless others with what you have or can do.

When we choose to be thankful by sharing what God has blessed us with others that is truly a thankful heart.

Your saying God what you give me gifts, or talents I will give to further your kingdom. That is truly (selflessness)

Matt 25:41-45
 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They will also answer’ ’Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did unto me.’

By choosing to help people with what we can is the character of Christ.
We can show Christ buy doing these things, lend a hand if they need it if you see a senior all buy her self in the parking lot help her load her groceries if she needs help.
Buy some one some food if they don’t have it. Or just buy loving them then we don’t have to tell people were Christ followers they will know by are actions.
3. Choosing to bless others.

A. We need to not just bless people during the Holiday season.

We need to bless people all year long God wants us to love all year long not just during the holiday season when we feel lovey, dovey.
(ReMember loves a choice not a feeling)

Luke 10:27
 “He answered: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; love your neighbor as yourself.
He didn’t say love your neighbor as yourself just during the Holiday season. We need to make a concise effort ever day to love and bless people.
B. We need to Share Christ with others.

When we share Christ with others it is showing how thankful we are for what Christ has done.
Mark 16:15
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Living a life of thanksgiving means we praise God for all that he is and has done and will do. Living a life of giving thanks is sharing with others about are Christ so they can experience what we experience threw him.

There fore in ever circumstance we should be thankful.

          When we look at people do we see them the way the Lord     
  Sees them?
  
  O r do we think we already have it figured out?
1 COR 6:9-11
“ Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Main-point 1.  There’s know difference in sin.

 A. Sin is sin to God (drunkard or the greedy)

  1 Cor 6:11
   “And that is what some of you were. But you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”.

B. ( We like to categorize sin) ex-husband, porn

John 8:34
 “Jesus replied,” I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin’.

He didn’t say everyone who’s a drunkard is a slave to sin He said everyone who sins is a slave to sin. So sin is sin.

We tend to categorize sin because that sin hurt us. Or offends us all sin offends God but he still loves us.

C. We need to realize we have all sinned.

Romans 3:22-23
 “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Acts 10:34
  “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of the truth I perceive
   That God is no respecter of persons,

We let peoples sin keep us from ministering to them we can’t do that they need the Lord as much as we do.
Main-point 2. Learning to build bridges.

A. By finding common ground.

We need to meet people ware there at. That’s why in class we studded different demotions and cults.

1 Cor 9:22
 “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”

B. Loving them
That’s a commandment.

Mark 12:31
 “The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these”.

That’s the most thing that people need because there is such a lack of it. Is to be loved and know they madder that will knock down so many walls. To know they are here for a reason not by chance.
C. Sharing Christ with them.
We can do this by being example. Not just talking the talk but walking the walk. Lost people are looking for real people who are who they say they are.

1 John 3:16-18
 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth”.

Main-point 3. Where here for 3 reasons

A. To get saved

1 Tim 2:4
 “Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth.”

B. Prepare are self’s
By reading the word getting to know God learning his ways.
Romans 12:12
 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will”.

C. Make disciples (getting people saved)

Matt 28:19-20
 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”.

We are only hear for a short time we need to spend less time trying to figure ever one out why there this way or this is so wrong that I can’t even acknowledge them and realize that God loves them just as much as he loves us the only difference is they don’t have him. And all these other things will not change untill they have Christ.

It’s our job to love them like Christ loves us even when we were sinning and give them the word even if we don’t think it will madder. God knows there heart and we need to be obedient to the Lord.

Are we thankful for what we have and for the people God has put in are lives?

Or do we complain about what we don’t have and what we think we should have and are never satisfied always having

something else on the list. If we do that is called having a unthankful attitude.

God wants us to be thankful for what he has blessed us with, we even need to praise him when things don’t make sense or

we don’t like what’s going on.

I believe thankfulness and praising break the chains of the Devil and open the door for God to do a work in are lives

Paul and Silas went to prison.

Acts 16:16-26

“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted

the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of

us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18She kept this up

for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ

I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and

dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These

men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or

practice.”

22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.

23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them

carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison

doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose”.

So they went threw some things and it was painful. But they chose to praise God because they chose to praise him he

literal broke there chains and set them free. And if you were to read on threw Acts 16:27-34 You would see that the

officer who was watching them got saved .

God isn’t concerned about are comfort he’s concerned about are condition. We need to praise God because he is good.

Thank God he’s not worried about are comfort because if we only did things that were comfortable with would never

grow spiritual.

There is so much to praise God for we need to praise him ever day there are little things that sometimes we don’t even

notice that he does for us like having a job, a bed, running water and food, and heat things like that.

Are God is so awesome.

I believe when we praise God even in the bad things it open are spirit to him. It gives him something to work with. God

loves praise

Exdous 34:14

“ Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”

James 1:2-4

“’2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of

your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not

lacking anything.”

So we need to trust the Lord we aren’t always gone to know why were going threw things but we know that God is there

and he wants us to be complete not lacking anything and we need to praise him for that. And move forward we may not

always no why but we know he loves us and he is good.

We also need to praise because it puts the devil back where belongs under are feet. When we praise God even in the

hard stuff the Devil doesn’t know what to do he doesn’t have anything to work with. He wants to keep us down when

things happen but if were constantly claming the scriptures and believing God and knowing and saying that he’ll take care

of us. Satan doesn’t have anything to work with when we talk negative though it shows all of are weakness so he knows

what direction to hit us in, praise confuses the Devil and open the door to God to do a work in us, praise God isn’t that

awesome.

Ephesians 6:10-12

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand

against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the

authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

We forget when we speak there a spiritual realm to. So we need to speak positive and be thankful and praise the Lord.

You may think that’s the style is to ware the low cute things then where layers if you want to ware that, like tank tops to cover the obvious but to still look cute.
We need to be example.
  
We are the temple of God, Christ lives in us we need to make his Temple presentable.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (New International Version) “16Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you”?

But not only for that reason ,We need to be aware men see things visually. Do you think its fair for a man to come to Church to worship God and come to a safe place? To have some women in front of him with A Short skirt on and her front hanging out. That’s not fair yes its his choice to dwell on the image or not. But it is also are choice to behave like Godly woman or not and we will be held accountable.
We have a responsibility to be Godly woman and men and to dress like Godly woman and men.
Matt 5:13
We are suppose to be the salt of the earth.

We have to be careful if we call are self’s christens we need to examine are self’s make sure were doing right ask God if there’s anything we need to change.

We don’t want to be a stumbling block for someone were witnessing to or the poor man walking down the street I don’t want to be responsible   for someone sinning do to the way I’m dressed.

Ladies we are beautiful there are so many ways to show your beautiful   with out using your body to do it the wordtalks about some of these things.  
 
1 Pet 3:3-4
Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

God focuses on the inward person not the out ward your gone to eventually lose the out ward. Don’t you want to knowwho you are inward that’s the thing that’s going to heaven anyway.

When you have that inner peace and rest, the world will notice it more then your newest designer outfit.

Prov 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

The Lord thinks were beautiful we need to please him with are bodies word and deeds. Buy dressing appropriate buy reading the word and buy doing what the word says.

He died for the saved and the unsaved, the people who wanted him and the people who didn’t.
God loves us so much he wants to be in a relasionship with us, He wants to meet us where we are, we don’t have to clean up first or quit that sin first he wants us to come to him as we are and he will begin a work in us.
                                                                                                                    

 Romans 5:8
  “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this, While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. “

There are so many things Christ wants to give us so many blessings but he needs workable vassals, people who love him and want to do his work buy excepting him and all of his blessings. Then turning around and loving someone else the way Christ loves us. Showing him or her who God is.

When we receive Christ we also receive the Holy Spirit who lives in us our helper, He will help us in so many ways and guide us to make right decisions.

John 14:26
 “But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you”

That’s just one of the two ways he shows his love for us He died so we could have life, and gave us a helper to live inside of us to talk to, ask for help to make right decisions.

He also gives us spiritual gifts to help the kingdom to bring others to Christ and help the ones in our church and family.

  1 Corinthians 12:4-5  

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.”

1 Cor 12:27-28 

“You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. First, God has appointed apostles in the church. Second, he has appointed prophets. Third, he has appointed teachers. Then he has appointed people who do miracles and those who have gifts of healing. He also appointed those able to help others, those able to direct things, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages they had not know before.’   

God loves us, he wants to be able to fellowship with us, we are precious to him he made us and formed us.

God loves us so much he spent the time to make each and everyone of us different and, unique with different gifts and personalities.

Now we in turn need to do the best we can to love one another the way Christ’s loves us.