Title: Rejoice in the Lord
(Philippians 4:4-7)
1. We live in a world where there are more worries than joys in our daily lives.
But today's text says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
It is said, 'Do not be anxious about anything', but in real life, it is our reality that we cannot not be anxious. Here is the conflict between faith and reality.
To be honest, we believers too have a body, so we can't shake our worries. Even if my body was a little uncomfortable, would I have contracted some kind of disease?
Even if you have poor digestion, maybe you are suffering from some terrible disease?
There are times when I am very anxious.
On the other hand, there are many cases of worrying about life.
afraid of losing your job? Concerned about how to live?
In this way, by nature, humans are solitary beings who live in anxiety.
There are many times when I worry and worry about the future when I will be alone someday in time. But I'm telling you not to worry about it.
How would that be possible?
There are several things in our lives that cause anxiety.
Broadly speaking, it is divided into two parts. These two always haunt us. In other words, when the immediate economic power is threatened, joy disappears and anxiety arises. This is very real.
No matter how precious faith is, if it is not supported by economic power, it will only lead to exhaustion and suffering. On the other hand, when you are not as healthy as others and suffer from chronic diseases, joy disappears and concerns arise. And when one's wish fails, the joy disappears. In this way, in fact, there are more conditions to be concerned about than conditions to be happy in this world.
How can I live my life with joy?
This question always leaves us insecure and insecure.
This is not just yesterday and today. No matter what era they lived in, people who lived in that era must have always had the same worries and concerns as we do today.
What is the difference between living with faith in a world where anxiety and worry are always together, and why should we live with faith? God's Word teaches us what to do today.
2. First, I told you to rejoice within.
There are characteristics of those who live and those who live without the Lord.
The characteristics of those who live in the Lord change the purpose of life.
People who live in the Lord live in the same environment, in the same era, and in the same conditions, but do not live according to the values of the world.
Same business, same job, but different goals.
The Apostle Paul said, “In my body, whether alive or dead, I honor Christ.”
said. The purpose of life is no longer to seek things of this world, but to seek things above.
That's why Colossians 3:1 says, "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above."
① The purpose of making the same amount of money is different.
② Even though they are studying the same thing, the goals they pursue are different.
③ Even though they do the same art, the meaning is different.
④ Even though they are doing the same music, the purpose is different.
Those who do not know the Lord in the world live only for themselves.
They live for their own success.
He lives to increase his reputation.
He wants to live while receiving all the glory.
So all they do is to their own glory.
To eat well, to dress well, to live in a good home, to make a name for yourself is the purpose of everyone's life.
However, that is not the purpose of those who live in the Lord.
The purpose of making money is also different.
The purpose of study is also different.
The purpose of art is also different.
The purpose of making music is different.
Not everyone is for myself.
I do it for 'the Lord who saved me.
I do it to hear the name of the Lord.
We do everything for the glory of the Lord.
Therefore, we do not only eat the food of the flesh.
They eat spiritual food.
The Lord referred to Himself as “I am the bread of life.”
The Lord called Himself the living water that never thirsts.
“The water I give will become a spring of water springing up to eternal life.
In this way, we receive power from the Lord and live our lives.
We get wisdom from the Lord.
Learn patience from the Lord.
Learn to love from the Lord.
You will run the fruit of the Spirit in the Lord.
You will live a spiritual song and a life of thanksgiving in the Lord.
This is the characteristic of living in the Lord.
In the eyes of the world, this is incomprehensible. said to have rotated.
3. The characteristic of Christian life is to always live joyfully.
A happy life is first of all a cheerful life.
Living with a cheerful heart is a characteristic of saints.
The character of sin is envy, strife, and fear.
It is because of sin that we cannot live a cheerful life.
When sin enters, the peace of mind is broken.
Always hate, always resent.
This is true both in your relationship with yourself and in your relationships with others.
You cannot praise others. Because there is a shadow in that heart.
A person with a bright heart and a cheerful heart sees others as beautiful.
There are always people who gossip and be critical in their dealings with others.
Such a heart is not a Christian heart.
It is the Christian heart to praise others' good points and to treat others' faults with tolerance. That's why today's text says, "Let everyone know your generosity.
Dear saints!
Just look. When we see people who perfect their faith lives in the Lord, their faces shine first.
Your appearance will also look different.
It is always a pleasant impression.
Something comes up as a good impression on others.
I'm interested in him.
Seeing you always happy makes you want to be close to something.
The older you get, the more noble you look.
It appears to be solid.
However, there is always a shadow on the faces of those whose lives of faith are not modest. There will never be a day when the worries and worries will always disappear.
So it makes people around me depressed.
I feel something cold. I hate getting close.
We must all live according to the Word so that this does not happen.
The Christian has the duty and responsibility not only to live cheerfully for himself, but also to share joy with his neighbors. You will discover the love of God in the midst of rejoicing.
The more you rejoice, the more grateful you feel.
'Rejoice in the Lord always' is a command. An order is a duty to be followed.
4. But how can we live only in rejoicing all the time?
Occasionally, worrying things happen to us believers.
Sometimes frustrating things happen.
However, you should not be discouraged or give up.
Crying and screaming and scolding like everyone else
no.
He told them to report their concerns to God.
“But in everything by prayer and supplication your requests
Say it with thanksgiving.” Truly, these words are mysterious.
I was worried, so why did I tell you not to worry?
Also, what does it mean to tell God through prayer and supplication?
These are all words with deep meaning.
Prayer is usually available to anyone.
There are times when prayer comes out with less urgent things and prays.
Sometimes, even though we are actually praying, there are times we pray in a dry way.
Also, there are cases where it is a formal request.
If you look at those who come out to pray in the morning, there are many cases where it is just a ritual prayer. There are cases where it is just a habit, it has become a rhythm of life, or even learned from parents.
So there may be cases where it's just coming out and going, and then doing something as a daily routine. Whose is that? It was my own story.
But even though I prayed with him like that, there are times when I ask for prayer.
The prayer of supplication is literal. It is a character to save (求) with sincerity (懇).
In the English Bible, it is called prayer and supplication.
What is a supplication? It means pleading, pleading, pleading.
Saints!
Have you ever pleaded? What have you been begging for?
What have you been begging for? That's not usually what you're looking for.
That is why prayer and supplication are so different.
Please pray for it.
If so, what would you do?
Then comes a very important statement.
“Then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Who is Christ Jesus? Isn't it the Lord!
It means that if we ask for everything, the Lord will guard our hearts and thoughts so that we do not become discouraged.
In Korean, it is translated as sensible..., but in the original text, it means above your thoughts... more than your thoughts....
So, in the English Bible, it is translated as 'surpasses all understanding'. The word surpass means 'better than'.
It means that I will protect my heart with things that are born more than I thought. What an amazing saying.
According to these words, if we all have a problem we are concerned about, let us know by prayer and supplication to God, and I hope that you will get better results from the Lord than I expected.♣