A Letter To Sunrise - Joy In Your Future

Greetings,

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!
Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad.
Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!
Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy.

The above are all Philippians 4:4 in various translations. You can find these at www.biblegateway.com. This website will help you as read and study the Bible. You may want to take some time this week and visit this site and read the letter of Philippians in several different English translations. As you read the letter be sensitive to God as He speaks to you and you will sense your joy quota increasing as He shows you how to find joy in Him at all times.

Today’s service was sweet. The children interviewed on the DVD clip was funny, the children singing was encouraging, and the Lord’s Supper reminded us of the bright future we have as followers of Jesus Christ. I thank God for the opportunity to worship with you on the weekends and I hope and pray that you are encouraged in your faith walk as you worship God and offer yourself to Him.

The future for followers of Jesus Christ is bright and hopeful. Yes, we will experience difficult days, and seasons of sadness, but the hope we have is that “God is with us” and that He “will never leave or forsake us”. He is real and He does restore and heal. He cares and can provide joy in the midst of difficulties. The future for a follower of Jesus Christ is ultimately heaven. Heaven is a place beyond description. A place of hope, love, joy, peace and goodness. The place of our beginning. The place all people long for whether they know it or not. Look around at the spring beauty, smell the scent of fresh air after a hard rain, note natures colors and the breeze on your face and you will smile. You will sense a little joy. Multiply that joy times ten million and you still have not tapped into the wonderful future awaiting followers of Jesus. Wow, that is refreshing. Much like a morning coffee, an ice cold sweet tea, a V-8 or the Dallas Cowboys winning the Super Bowl (For those who do not know, I am a Cowboy fan)

In order to experience joy in our future as we traverse this terrestrial ball you and I need look forward, lean forward and live with just a hint of discontent in our spiritual lives. We need a discontented contentment as we place our lives in God’s hands, God’s future and grow in our relationship with Him and others. Learning more, growing more, serving more and looking forward to the hope we have in Christ. We also need to be committed to following Jesus. You and I know that a half hearted commitment is not really a commitment. We know that a half hearted commitment to anything in life will not produce joy. We do know it will result in drudgery, sorrow, disappointment and negativism. Who really wants to live there? All in favor please call 1-800-HELPMEE (JK). We also know almost instinctively that a commitment to a goal, project, relationship and other facets of life will give birth to excitement, anticipation, and joy. Joy in your future can be a reality if you will commit yourself to the Great Joy Giver. As you experience your joy quota rising do not give up when difficult times visit your porch. Look forward. Remain firm in your faith and allow God to do His work in your life and the lives of others. He loves you and cares for you. He desires for you to live in His full joy. This week give God your future dreams. Give God all of you. Commit your life to Him. Be still just a few minutes on your porch or in your yard and know that God is for you, with you, and His joy can be yours.

I and the other leaders in Sunrise thank God for you and look forward to God’s continual work as we worship, serve and share Jesus Christ with others.

Looking Forward and Rejoicing,
Steve Nethery