WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:20.559 Good morning, guys. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:22.000 If we haven't met, my name is Nassi. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:23.760 I'm one of our pastors here on staff. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:25.199 It's so good to see you. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:26.719 Welcome to church. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:30.800 We are finishing our Advent series this morning. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:33.439 I can't believe it's Christmas in a few days. 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:34.240 Crazy. 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:35.840 So we're finishing our series. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:43.280 And if you've been with us the last three weeks, we've been camping out in this very powerful passage in the book of Philippians, chapter four. 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:48.000 And we had these cards going around this last month where we encourage you to memorize the scripture with us. 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:50.240 I'm just curious, anyone else have you been memorizing? 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:50.799 Raise your hand. 00:00:50.880 --> 00:00:51.920 I won't call on you, I promise. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:52.320 Okay? 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:53.039 Cool, good. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:54.240 How are we doing with that? 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:54.960 Huh? 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:55.679 Good? 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:57.280 Okay, okay, got there. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:05.519 Okay, so in case you weren't here, I want to recap a little bit this powerful scripture as we dive into part four and we close out our series. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:10.239 So take a look with me at Philippians 4, starting in verse 4. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:14.079 Paul says, Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.879 I will say it again, rejoice. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.159 Let your gentleness be evident to all. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:21.439 The Lord is near. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:30.879 Don't be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:38.640 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:41.280 Now look at verse 8. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:48.239 I'm not going to read it fully, but this was the verse that Ryan preached out of last week, talking about our mindset and what we focus on if you were here last week, right? 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:52.719 And so for this Sunday, we are going to be working on verse 9. 00:01:52.959 --> 00:02:04.079 Paul says, Whatever you've learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice, and the God of peace will be with you. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:08.719 I don't know about you guys, but I've grown up in church, so I've read this scripture a lot growing up. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.120 I kind of tend to gloss over verse nine. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:11.759 Anyone else? 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.879 I don't, it's not really one that like shines, like that kind of stands out to me. 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:19.919 The rest of it, yes, but verse nine, I believe, has so much power for us this morning. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:25.280 Paul is saying, whatever you've learned from me, whatever you've received from me, put it into practice. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:28.800 And so this morning, no pun intended, our sermon will be practical. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:29.840 It's gonna be practical. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:33.919 I want us to look at what we can learn from Paul and put into practice. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:42.719 And I wish I could tell you this morning that it's like do X, Y, Z and you have all your prayers answered, or you know, you have a perfect life with no suffering. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:43.680 I wish I could give you that. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:44.800 That's not possible. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:49.680 But what I believe Paul promises is even more hopefully. 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:54.639 He's saying the God of peace will be with us, and that is cause for rejoicing. 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:55.360 Amen. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:55.919 Amen. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:57.120 So let's pray. 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:00.719 God, we just thank you. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:04.080 We thank you in gratitude for your goodness. 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:05.439 We thank you that we're here. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:11.039 And God, I just pray, Lord, that there would be a spirit of receiving from your Holy Spirit this morning. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:16.800 God, whatever people walked in with, Lord, I pray that they would just put that aside mentally, emotionally. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:19.280 And Lord, we just wanna experience you. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.520 We want to hear from you this morning. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:28.400 And God, I yeah, I just pray that this would honor you and make your name known and loud. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.560 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:31.520 Amen. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:34.560 So let me set the scene a little bit for you. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.080 We're gonna be in the book of Philippians. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:39.120 I want to set some context in what is happening in Philippians. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:40.639 Why was Philippians written? 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:45.120 The book of Philippians was written by Paul, and he was in prison during this time. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:56.400 And I think that we kind of know this by if you've grown up in church, like, yeah, Paul was in prison, but I really want to start with understanding what that must have been like for Paul being in prison at the time, right? 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:04.879 Probably chained, shackled to something in that in that room that he was in, probably a very dark room, not a lot of clothing, not a lot of food. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:12.319 And so picture with me probably the mental and emotional state and the exhaustion he must have been experiencing, right? 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:20.720 And with that, the book of Philippians is this beautiful thank you letter to the church of Philippi for how they've surrounded Paul. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:32.240 And we'll talk about that a little bit later in the message, but it's also this amazing encouragement for us today as Christians to take from Paul and again put things into practice that we've learned from him, right? 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:41.519 And so when we see Paul saying in verse 9, take what you've learned, take what you've heard, put it into practice, that should be a cause for us to pause and be like, well, what have I learned, right? 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:42.399 What do I know? 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:43.519 What has Paul taught me? 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:49.120 And so we're gonna be looking at that this morning to be able to fully experience joy and peace in a new way. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.800 And so I wanna set some context, I wanna throw it back a little bit. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:56.240 If I may, can I take you back with me to April of 2020? 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:57.120 Is that okay? 00:04:57.360 --> 00:04:58.399 Might be triggering for some. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:00.160 You're like, no, yep, I know. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:02.399 Something happened in our society, right? 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:03.199 In our world. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.720 So April of 2020, I'm not gonna, obviously, the pandemic happened. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:13.519 During the beginning of the pandemic, I, like probably many of you, decided to reorganize and redo my bedroom. 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:14.240 Anyone else? 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:17.600 Just like the cleaning and reorganizing, the shuffling about, yeah. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:19.600 And I love my room. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:20.480 I love my room. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:22.240 It's like a safe haven for me. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:30.879 I painted all my walls, this beautiful oatmeal-colored shade, got some new, you know, furniture, and I made a little reading nook in the corner. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.480 And I above it, I made a little gallery wall of different prints. 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:40.720 One of those prints that I got, the biggest one of all, is this simple black and white print that says joy is here. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:42.240 Joy is here. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:45.199 And that's been hanging in my room now for almost three years. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.439 Let's throw it back to present day. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:54.959 And in the last several months, I have just gone through a series of a lot of discouragements. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:58.319 And it's not one thing I can attribute it to necessarily. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:01.680 I think what I've kind of summed it up with is just simply this adulting is hard. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:02.319 Anyone else? 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:03.199 Can I get an amen? 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:04.000 Yep, okay. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:07.519 And I think being in my early 30s now, I'm like, no one really prepared me for this. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:10.000 Like, mom, dad, why didn't you really prepare me? 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:11.040 But it's hard, right? 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:15.680 And so I'm wondering for you two sitting here today, I hear this resounding yes, you get it, right? 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:21.040 It's just the roller coaster of unpredictable ups and downs that we go through in life, right? 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:35.040 And so I remember this one day, I think it was August or September, walking into my room, and it's the first thing that you see when you walk, open my door, and I had this animalistic instinct come over me where I just wanted to go up to the wall and just rip the frame off the wall. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:39.199 And I'm not an aggressive person by any means, if you know me, it's really not my vibe. 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:44.560 But there was something that I was just so frustrated, and I was like, God, joy is here. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:46.480 Like, I'm not, I don't feel any joy. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:47.759 Like, I don't know what that means right now. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:48.160 What? 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:51.360 And like I look at the word, and Paul is saying rejoice in the Lord always. 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:58.879 Like, I can't really do this verb or this action that God is calling me to do, because I don't even think I'm understanding joy anymore, to be honest. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:00.079 Like, what does this mean, right? 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:03.120 And God's word says, you know, the joy of the Lord is my strength. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:05.759 I was like, I don't feel strong, I don't feel joy. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:07.600 Like, how, you know, anyone else been there? 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:08.480 You can feel me? 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:09.120 Yeah, okay. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.000 Total side note, I'm a pretty call and response kind of gal. 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:16.879 So if you're with me and you want to be like yes and amen, and you're here and awake, I love that, and I'm here for that, okay? 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:18.160 Just gonna throw that out there. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:18.720 Okay. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.399 And so maybe you've been here before and it sounds like you have. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:28.480 And so I want to invite you now to take that and geek out with me on a little brain science, shall we? 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:30.240 Okay, let's do it. 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:32.240 I am extremely, thank you, Jay. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:33.279 Glad someone's here. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:35.759 I am extremely passionate about psychology. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.480 I was a psychology and communications undergrad. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:42.720 And after college, I also decided for fun to take some psychology graduate courses. 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:48.480 I'm very interested in how our minds work, how we process relationships, emotions, all of the above. 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:54.879 And so a month ago in preparation for this sermon, Dave, our new executive pastor, he didn't even know this about me, but he suggested this book. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:57.040 It's called The Other Half of Church. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:07:59.680 And it is co-authored by two people. 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:04.319 One is a biblical theologian, and the other is a PhD clinical psychologist. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:05.199 Yeah. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:12.959 And the premise of the book is how our brain development correlates to our discipleship to Jesus, to us following Jesus. 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:15.920 And so one of my best friends was like, Nassim, this book was like made for you. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:16.160 What? 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:18.879 It's like literally like with my exact bread and butter. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:27.120 And so this morning, for setting the foundation for this sermon, I want to talk to you a bit about the section on joy in this book. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:32.000 The authors interview this neuroscientist. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:32.879 His name is Dr. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:33.919 Alan Shore. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:40.320 And for the sake of his studies and in this book, he defines joy relationally this way. 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:48.480 He says, Joy is what you feel when you see the sparkle in someone else's eye that conveys, I'm happy to be hanging out here with you. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:50.080 Isn't that so beautiful? 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:52.080 I wonder, have you felt that before? 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.279 Maybe it's with a friend that you reunite with after a really long time. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:59.919 Maybe it's with someone you see a lot, but when you're with them, you kind of just feel like I don't have to be on, right? 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:01.039 I can just be myself. 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:07.440 And when you're with each other, you're just basking in each other's presence and you're like, you know that we're happy to be here together, right? 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:09.200 I feel that with many of you sitting here today. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:10.399 It is so beautiful. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:18.799 And so the premise of what their study held is that our brains look specifically to the face of another person to find joy. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:25.759 Our brains look to the face to find joy, and that God's face is connected to joy in the Bible. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:27.360 So let's look at this scripture. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:34.240 In Psalm 21, 6, the psalmist says, You make him most blessed forever. 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:37.840 You make him glad with the joy of your presence. 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:43.840 Now, the Hebrew word for word original translation for that is actually this. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:50.559 It's you, God, make him happy with joy with your face, with God's face. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:57.200 And so I think that's one of the coolest things about studying God's word and being able to look at commentaries or the original translation. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:03.440 You see what was originally written and you see, wow, God's face was shining down on us with joy. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:14.639 And so our brains, when we read when we read this, when we see, wow, it's God's face shining down on me with joy, our brains process that a whole different way than if we were to have not read it that way, right? 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:18.559 And it makes me think of this um really awesome worship song that we sing here a lot. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:19.600 It's called The Blessing. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:21.600 It's actually my parents' favorite worship song. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:27.759 And it's taken out of number six, and there's a line in there that says, The Lord makes his face shine upon you. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:30.559 The Lord makes his face shine upon you. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:43.840 And so, where I want us to start with this foundation this morning is in order for us to know and to experience true joy, we have to start with first seeking the face of joy, and that is in Jesus Christ. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.120 Seek the face of joy in Jesus Christ. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:54.000 Throughout this letter to the Philippians, Paul urges them, he says, hold firmly to the word of life. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:56.399 Hold firmly to the word of life. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:59.759 And we know that the word became flesh, right, in Jesus. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:01.919 And so we are called to seek him. 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:08.720 And as we studied in this book, right, joy is relationally shared through experiencing someone's face. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:12.399 While we can't experience the face of God physically, maybe some of you can. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:13.360 I don't want to knock that. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:14.559 Maybe you do see his face. 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:15.360 That's awesome. 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.559 But another way that we actually can seek his face is through God's word. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.279 It's through scripture, it's through the Bible. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:28.799 In Jeremiah 15, 6, it's one of my 15, 16s, one of my favorite verses, it says, When your words came, I ate them. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:32.080 They were my joy and my heart's delight. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:33.039 I want that. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:34.399 When I read the Bible, I want that. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:36.480 I want to eat it with joy and delight in it. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:37.360 Amen. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:45.440 And so when Paul is talking to the Philippians, he tells them, I'm praying that your love would abound in more knowledge and in more insight. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:48.399 Friends, this happens as we study this. 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:52.559 As we take this and as we study it, we get to know God's face more and more. 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:56.720 I think of this analogy of a forensic sketch artist, right? 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:03.039 When a crime happens, when the detective is describing to the forensic sketch artist what the victim looks like. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:07.679 You know, more often than not, you put the pictures together, it almost looks identical to the suspect. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:09.919 And it's because they're so good at their job. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:22.960 And how much more powerful is it for us today that we have not just a different, you know, not just the detective trying to think of, here's what I think I saw, we have the exact God-inspired word from eyewitnesses, the actual word of God. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.240 We have that as that as our access point, right? 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:32.799 And so the more and more that we get to know God's word through scripture, the clearer God's face becomes to us. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:37.120 If you don't think you know really who God is or his character, look into his word. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:42.159 Look at his word, get to know his face, the clearer his face will become. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:49.279 And Paul says in Philippians 2, he says, as you hold firmly to the word of life, you will shine like stars. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:50.879 Isn't that so beautiful? 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:52.960 You will shine like stars. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.879 And so I want to encourage us to start there. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:02.879 And you know, in verse 9, when Paul says put into practice, put into practice sounds nice, doesn't it? 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:04.879 We read it, yeah, that sounds cool. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:09.279 You heard it in a sermon here this morning, but let's be real, you might go and forget this sermon. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:11.039 I mean, I'm hoping you'll never forget it, right? 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:12.159 But you know, you might. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:19.919 But really, when you look at the word practice in the New Testament, that original verb means an ongoing, daily effort. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:21.759 An ongoing daily effort. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:24.240 Put into practice these things that I've taught you. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:27.039 So, friends, it is hard, but it is so worth it. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:30.799 Put into practice creating this regimen of getting to know God. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:37.440 Get to know who he is, get to know what you can bank on and what it what are things that might be untrue and what is true. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:38.559 Get to know him. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:45.840 And then we'll then we begin to start to experience what true joy is and who true joy is through the face of Jesus. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:52.399 Another way that we seek God's face is through the church body. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.600 It's here and now in this moment, it's right here around you. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:03.679 And I want to encourage you with this second posture that Paul invites us into to surround yourself with the church body. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.840 Specifically those who are in pain or suffering. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.440 Now, I know you might be thinking, Nassim, this is a sermon on joy. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:13.440 Like surround yourself with happy people, right? 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:15.600 And their happiness will rub off on you. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.679 No, maybe, but no. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:19.120 I don't think that always works. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:24.159 No, if we look at what Paul is teaching us, he's actually encouraging us to do exactly this. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:31.120 Chapter 4, verse 15 of Philippians, he says, It was kind of you to share in my trouble. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.279 He's telling the church of Philippi this, right? 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:34.559 It's like a thank you note to them. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:38.320 A footnote in my Bible under share, it says to have fellowship with. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:41.679 It was kind of you to have fellowship in my trouble. 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:44.960 Paul is affirming the community, hey, you did exactly this. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:48.320 You came alongside me in my time of trouble, and he's thanking them. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:52.159 And I think that we really need to model this more in the church today. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:57.759 We really need to be coming alongside and befriending those who are in pain and in suffering. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:08.399 You know, in the last year or two of being in pastoral ministry, I have walked alongside people in our church through very extreme, long-term pain. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:11.120 And I want to say two things with that. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:14.320 The first is that my faith has been deeply challenged. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.559 Being very raw here, I've questioned, can I even be a pastor? 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:20.320 Like, what did I just sign up for? 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:23.840 My empathy has been through the roof, sometimes to an unhealthy degree. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:29.120 I've had to fight not wanting to numb out, or knowing what can I take home with me and what do I need to leave? 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.720 How much do I show up for someone? 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.679 How little? 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:36.480 And then on a grander scheme, I have questioned my own theology. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:38.000 God, where are you in this, right? 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:40.720 What do I tell the person who just lost someone? 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:42.639 God, where are you in all this, right? 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:45.440 What does suffering mean in light of who God is? 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:48.320 All of the above, my faith has been challenged. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:52.879 The second thing I want to say is again, my faith has been challenged. 00:15:53.519 --> 00:16:08.399 What I mean by that is as I have walked with these people through their pain, through their suffering, because there's a mutual trust there, because there's a friendship that's been developed and a bond over time, there are very real conversations that we're able to have. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:09.840 There's an openness there. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:14.480 And I've been able to ask these friends, what does joy look like for you? 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:17.279 Do you do you even experience joy right now in this? 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:18.799 Where is God here for you? 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:19.200 Right? 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:21.919 Real questions that we should be asking each other. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:27.039 And for the sake of this message, I want to share one of those stories with you this morning. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.039 This is a story of a dear friend of mine. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.720 Her name is Haley Bowers. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.159 And she has been so gracious to allow me to share her story. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.080 I think she's live streaming this service too. 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:36.879 Hi, Haley. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.480 And she's been praying for you guys. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:40.960 Haley is a true awakening OG. 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:42.879 She actually got here before I was ever here. 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:46.000 She joined Awakening in um when she was 21 years old. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:47.440 She's currently 29. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.120 And she was in college at the time. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:50.799 So if you were around then, you know her. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:54.000 She is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful inside and out. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:58.159 And Haley grew up for, you know, very normal life, healthy. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:04.319 And when she turned 21, right before she was about to graduate from San Jose State, she got really sick. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.160 She started getting very sick. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:14.160 And over the course of the last decade, Haley has gone through the ringer to figure out what is wrong with her body. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:20.880 And in the last 10 years, she has been diagnosed with close to 20 different diagnoses. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:22.960 She is very, very immunocompromised. 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:30.160 And for the sake of, I know not men, not all of us are in the medical world here, I tried to ask her, Haley, tell me as lame in terms as you can get. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:35.759 She has unfortunately three rare diseases that are called motility disorders. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:41.759 These are disorders that cause a paralysis of the GI tract, obstruction of the intestines, and her stomach. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.440 So she has to use a feeding tube to get her nutrients. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:56.000 She has to get blood plasma infusions every Friday in order to support basic automatic body functioning, like her blood sugar, her breathing, her heart rate. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:03.839 And I want you to think about this for someone like Haley, who has been so immunocompromised for almost a decade now, what COVID must have been like for her. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:13.359 You know, we were quarantined somewhat, but for someone like Haley, her quarantine looked a little like this. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:18.799 Haley has not eaten food for three years, the way you and I ingest food. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:23.920 She's not been to a restaurant, she hasn't hugged a friend in three years. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:25.839 I've seen her twice through a window. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:31.119 She has missed the normalcy of being in your 20s. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:37.920 Dating, seeing your friends get married, friends having children, building your career, et cetera. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:48.000 And yet, for Haley, being the Enneagram three that she is, she has worked so hard in the face of adversity. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:52.960 She graduated college, she got her master's degree in one year instead of three. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:54.000 Yes. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:59.759 And she currently runs advocacy groups all over the world to support people with rare disease. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:09.279 She meets with members of our government, Congress, legislature to pass acts and to really just raise awareness for the rare disease community that exists. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.720 She's amazing. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:13.599 And so Haley and I got close actually during COVID. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:18.960 We met in 2019, for like we had met a few times, but in 2019 we really met and then COVID happened. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:21.599 So we got close through voice memos. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:25.680 And I like to take credit for voice memos here at Awakening. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:27.200 If you know me, maybe I've sent you one. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:30.000 They're kind of, you know, this like, you know, if I've sent you one, we're close. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:30.880 I like you. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:34.160 And so we have only communicated through voice memos. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:42.640 In that time, she has told me things that have challenged and rocked my faith in a new way because of her perspective. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:45.200 And I want to share a few of those things with you this morning. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:52.160 She told me, Nassim, I see God the most when I'm suffering the most because I'm so desperate for him. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.240 I only have God left. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:20:04.160 And then she said, maybe those who are in suffering are more prone to experiencing and witnessing joy because we're more open to looking for it. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:06.559 How powerful is that? 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:09.920 And it made me think of this conversation that we had. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:16.799 I remember when she was able to have bone broth for the first time and how that was this exciting moment for us to celebrate. 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:19.519 That was like the filet mignon, going to the Michelin starred restaurant. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:24.079 She was able to have bone broth and not have to have just the feeding tube for a moment in time. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:29.200 Or when she was able to go for a walk around her block and had energy to go for a 10-minute walk. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.880 She's also told me, Nassim, this is my ministry. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:34.559 This is my mission field now. 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:38.480 I really believe that God has placed me here to advocate for this community. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:40.640 It's a new people for me to love. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:53.680 And I wonder for us today, church, might some of our suffering be an opportunity for the body of Christ to come together, to be Jesus to one another, to offer hope and to offer presence of the Lord to one another. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:58.480 And I want to be really clear that this is not in any way to make someone the hero and someone the victim. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:00.240 I think we can get into that mentality, right? 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:01.680 Like I'm here to save you or something. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:04.000 No, because all of our pain is valid. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:07.200 It's one of the most beautiful and humbling things Halia has taught me. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:09.039 She always asks about my pain. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:11.119 She always says, Nassim, don't compare pain. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.720 Your pain matters just as much as mine. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:15.039 It is so beautiful and so humbling. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.960 It reminds me of this quote in the book I just mentioned earlier. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:26.079 The authors say this joy does not remove our pain, but it gives us strength to endure. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.960 Joy has this relational component to it. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:34.960 So joy and suffering means God and our community are glad to be with us in our distress. 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:37.039 They don't allow us to suffer alone. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:40.319 We are able to bear our suffering like Jesus. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:45.759 Joy and suffering, being glad to be with us in our distress. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:49.440 And you know, I would be remiss without mentioning this. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:58.160 I've been deeply, deeply affected this past week, as I'm sure many of you have, by the sudden, tragic suicide of a celebrity dancer Twitch. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.759 And what I keep saying. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.839 Seeing is this, he was always happy. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:02.880 He was always so happy. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.799 It's always the people who are the happiest. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:10.400 And I just want to say this you know, Haley, her pain and her suffering is more overt, right? 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.119 It's visible. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:13.119 She's shared it, it's seen. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:18.799 I wonder who in your life, as I'm talking about, might have that overt pain? 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:23.920 Who in your life has undiscovered, unshared pain, the covert pain? 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:28.160 Who in your life seems the happiest that you need to check in on? 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:31.039 It's often those people that need to be checked in on the most. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:36.240 I know even for myself, when there's certain people I feel like safe with and trusted awakening, when they're like, How are you? 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:38.240 No, how are you actually doing? 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.519 It means so much. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:41.759 I just feel like I'm like a human being and somebody cares. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.200 Like, how are you actually doing? 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:46.240 And church, I wonder who you can do that for this morning? 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:49.119 If somebody comes to mind right now, would you write their name down? 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:50.240 Would you ponder it? 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:50.960 Would you think of it? 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:57.920 Who in your life does God want you to show up for who is in pain and suffering every day that might be covert or overt? 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:06.880 And I want to say this that joy can coexist with pain. 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:09.039 It can coexist with sorrow. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:12.160 There's this term in psychology, it's called a supra emotion. 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:15.200 Supra is a prefix, it means to sit atop of. 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:20.720 And joy can sit on top of any other emotion we're feeling, and both can be true at the same time. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:24.000 This beautiful example Haley gave me illustrates this perfectly. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:29.920 She told me, Nassim, when I get my blood plasma infusions every Friday, I am so deeply thankful. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:36.400 I have gratitude for the people who've donated, for my insurance that covers this, and for the fact that this is a lifeline for me. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.480 It's a survival mechanism for me, right? 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:47.119 At the same time, I cry through every single infusion because of how much it hurts and how angry I am that this is my reality, right? 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:49.359 Both can be true at the same time. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:54.240 I think about that in my own life right now, with what is happening in Iran. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:59.519 I'm Iranian American and I feel so blessed that this morning many of my Iranian family is here. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:08.799 And what is happening in Iran right now is nothing short of brutal mass murders that are taking place every single day. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.720 It is devastating. 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:20.400 And especially for people who were born in Iran, like my parents and my aunts who are here today, there is a deep depression and a devastation that has taken place in their hearts. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:22.720 This is their hometown, their homeland. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:33.680 And every single day you're seeing women, men, and children, even now these days, athletes and celebrities who are being executed and brutally murdered and arrested for standing up for basic human rights. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:37.279 This has been happening since October, and there's really no end in sight. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:47.759 With that, with that anger, with I don't even think I have a word to describe the emotion anymore, as you'll ask many of us, there's just an exhaustion and such a pit of sadness. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:52.960 If you ask any Iranian, how do you really feel though? 00:24:53.359 --> 00:25:10.640 There seems to be one small shred of this hopeful joy deep down burning inside, where you're like, maybe, just maybe, this female-run revolution, this courage you're seeing, this resilience you're seeing in these women, their bravery, maybe this could be the end. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:11.920 Maybe this could be the end. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.839 Maybe this could be the start of a brand new revolution that overthrows this evil regime. 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.200 It's amen. 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:18.799 Both, yeah. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:22.079 Both can be true and it's okay. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:25.039 It reminds me so much of Paul in 2 Corinthians. 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:30.000 He said this, he says this phrase, he says, I'm both sorrowful yet always rejoicing. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:30.799 I love that. 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:33.920 I'm both sorrowful yet also always rejoicing. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:36.319 It's both and and it's okay. 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:40.720 And so who are you thinking of as I share? 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:45.519 Who in your life can you show up for who's in pain every day, whether it's covert or overt? 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:54.480 And I want to encourage you, if you're not part of a church body, if you're sitting here now and you've been maybe detached from church, I want to encourage you to get back into community. 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:57.839 Get back into investing in church in people. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:25:59.920 That's what we're made to do. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:08.000 Paul says in chapter one, he says, I will remain with you and I will continue with you for your progress and for your joy in the faith. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:09.519 Let's do exactly that. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.960 Let's remain with people. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:13.200 Let's fight for their joy in their faith. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:17.279 Be open to asking people how might joy coexist for you. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:25.440 I know in my own life, especially, I think, like, you know, for Haley, she'd say, like, my presence has helped her in her life in any way. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:28.000 But besides that, she's helped me so much. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:35.119 I have a more accurate picture of the gospel because of the cross-shaped life that my friend Haley lives. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:38.880 I have a more accurate view of who Jesus is because of my friendship with Haley. 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:54.799 And so to recap thus far, friends, these rhythms, these regimens that I think Paul really encourages us with to experience more joy is first seek the face of joy, seek the face of joy in Jesus, and surround yourself with the church body. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:58.400 And finally, surrender to the Holy Spirit. 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:01.119 Surrender to the Holy Spirit in you. 00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:07.440 You know, when Paul tells us to rejoice earlier in this scripture, I don't know about you guys, but we just talked about suffering. 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:10.799 And I'm sure for many of you, your mind went to like a really somber place. 00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:11.920 That was intentional. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:13.119 I want us to go there. 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:16.640 But when I think about rejoicing, we're not robots, right? 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.680 We can't just do that. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:20.480 And so when I read Philippians 4, I'm like, that's hard, God. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:22.079 Like I don't know how to do that. 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:35.119 And so there's this component of surrender that I believe needs to take place that's out of our free will, it's out of our action in order to fully experience the peace of God guarding our hearts and our minds, right? 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:39.599 When Paul says the peace of God will guard your heart and mind, we have to let him penetrate our hearts and our minds first. 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:41.519 That's an act of free will on our part. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:45.519 And so let's look at Paul one last time, Philippians 1.19. 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:47.039 Here's what he says. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:49.759 He says, I know that through your prayers, right? 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:58.960 The community, through your prayers, and God's provision of the spirit, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:01.920 Through God's provision of the Spirit. 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:07.519 I want to tell you something about the Holy Spirit, his character as our advocate. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:09.839 These are from the mouth of Jesus. 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:13.680 In John 16, here's what Jesus says about Holy Spirit. 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:18.400 He says, When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:25.680 He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:30.960 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and he will declare it to you. 00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:33.119 All the Father has is mine. 00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:37.759 Therefore, I said, He will take what is mine and he will declare it to you. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:39.279 Friends, Bible reading tip. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:44.480 When you see something repeated three times, that is cause for pause, that is cause for reflection. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:46.480 There is power in this repetition. 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:51.440 Jesus says three times, Holy Spirit will take what is mine and he will declare it to you. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:55.839 Some of your translations might say, disclose or show it to you. 00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:57.039 I love this. 00:28:57.200 --> 00:28:58.960 There is so much hope here. 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:08.720 Once we surrender to the Holy Spirit, we have this promise that he will speak to us, that whatever is true of Jesus will be disclosed to you and I as we surrender to the Holy Spirit. 00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:09.440 Amen. 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:11.200 There's so much power in that. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:15.440 And the beauty is one of the things the Holy Spirit deposits in us is joy. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:17.119 That's a fruit of his spirit. 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:19.599 We have access to his joy. 00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:26.079 And I want to remind you of this when it comes to joy, this attribute of joy, I think we often overlook. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:28.000 Joy has grit. 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:30.799 There is a grittiness to joy. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:37.359 Pastor Matt Summers, he's also the editor at the Gospel Coalition, he says this joy is tenacious. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:42.400 It fights, it grips the promises of God and it won't let go. 00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:45.279 Joy is not a mere good mood. 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:53.279 It is the anchor in our storms, the immovable rock to stand on when the waves of life threaten to flatten us. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:57.279 So, friends, allow the Holy Spirit to help you fight for joy. 00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:59.920 It's so much easier to just say choose joy to people. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:01.279 I think that can be so trite. 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:03.440 It can even be disempowering to people. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:12.720 And yet, you and I have the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you and I, enabling us to fight for joy, to take joy, right? 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:13.680 To take it. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:27.359 And so once we do that, once we practice these postures, as we seek the face of joy, as we surround ourselves with the church body and surrender to Holy Spirit, we then are able to experience the promise, the crux of it all. 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:30.880 Paul says, we have access to the God of peace. 00:30:31.119 --> 00:30:33.440 The God of peace is with you. 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:35.839 Notice the focus is on God's character. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:39.920 It's not like here's what you do and here's what you get, like all your prayers answered, perfect life. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:43.039 It's here's what you do and here's who you get, here's who you get. 00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:49.839 You have access to the God of peace who is near, who is here with you, who helps me weather every storm and uncertainty. 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:51.119 He is near to me. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:58.319 And so as we get ready to close, I want to land the plane where we started. 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:02.240 I want to take you back to the joy is here picture frame in my room. 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:08.480 In present day, you know, none of my circumstances have necessarily changed. 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:12.000 And as we talked about earlier, we can all relate. 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:14.559 The roller coaster will come and go, right? 00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:17.759 Paul says to expect suffering in this life. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:20.559 Life is unpredictable. 00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:26.880 But I've had this aha moment with the Lord that has allowed truth to take root in my life. 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.480 And I want to share that with you. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:40.880 See, friends, the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, if you know him, thanks to his death, thanks to his resurrection, Jesus Christ is presently interceding for you and I. 00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:45.119 He is constantly, currently praying for you and I. 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:49.759 And one of the things that he's praying, he's praying that your joy would be full. 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:54.640 He says in John 17, he says, Would you have the full measure of my joy? 00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.920 Isn't that wild? 00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:00.400 The God of the universe whose face shines on you and I is praying for your joy to be full. 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:12.000 And I had this aha moment where I realized, oh my gosh, maybe joy is here is not this like feeling I need to experience when I walk into a room that exists in the four corners of a wall, right? 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:14.880 Maybe joy is here is more personification. 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:30.079 Maybe joy is here, is here and now, knowing that the God of the universe who is dwelling within you and I is interceding for my joy, that the very essence of joy is fighting for my joy and enabling me to experience joy. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:32.079 And that causes me to have hope. 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:33.039 Amen. 00:32:34.079 --> 00:32:36.640 And so I want to leave you with this. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:45.039 The beauty of Advent season, the beauty of this Christmas season is Jesus has arrived to you and I. 00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:47.119 After all, he's Emmanuel, right? 00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.079 God with us. 00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:49.279 He's come. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:51.440 We have his nearness. 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:53.599 We have this God of peace. 00:32:54.799 --> 00:33:01.119 And yet, I want to speak to the person in the room where you might feel like your pain will never end. 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.960 I pray for Haley as often as I can. 00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:09.920 I can't promise or guarantee that her pain will be healed this side of eternity. 00:33:10.640 --> 00:33:16.799 My friend who just lost her mom a few weeks ago, her pain is not gonna go away anytime soon. 00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:20.799 The family in our church who lost their son last year, that pain is still very real. 00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:25.519 And for many of you here today, whether it's overt or covert pain, that pain is real. 00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:32.160 And so, as we close, I want to leave you with probably my favorite words that Jesus has spoken in the Bible. 00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:36.640 Jesus says this in John 17, 13. 00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:47.839 So you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:50.400 No one will take your joy from you. 00:33:50.799 --> 00:34:01.759 And so, friends, you have access to the God of the universe whose face shines on you with joy, who is constantly interceding for you, and this is not the end. 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:03.200 This is not the end. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:11.519 No matter what you're going through, no matter pain that exists now and might never be done this side of eternity, when he returns, our hearts will be in full rejoicement. 00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:12.719 Rejoicing. 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:15.440 No one will take your joy from you. 00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:19.039 So will you pray with me? 00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:20.719 Will you close your eyes? 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.880 And will you take a breath? 00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:27.599 And if you want, maybe even open up your hands in a posture of surrender. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:32.239 And God, we just take a breath. 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:36.159 And Lord, we say that life is hard. 00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:43.519 Every person in here, Lord, walked in here with their own unique story, with their own pain, with their own joy. 00:34:45.519 --> 00:35:05.599 And God, I just pray, Lord, that for my brothers and sisters in this space, especially for the person where it might feel like joy is impossible or where is joy, Lord, I pray that right now in this very moment, Holy Spirit, that you would move mightily in the lives of my brothers and sisters who are seeking you and that you would show up. 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:09.519 That you would show up because we have access to the God who is near. 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:12.079 We have access to the God of peace. 00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:20.719 And so, God, I just pray, Lord, that we would learn from Paul, that we would learn from Paul, that we would seek the face of joy in you, Jesus. 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:28.719 And God, I pray for the person in the room who might have trouble opening up about their pain. 00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:35.840 And I pray, Lord Jesus, for the person who is in that situation, God, that you would give them people, give them community. 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:39.039 Lord, I pray that you would help them to feel safe to open up. 00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:45.039 And in turn, for others, Lord, that we would show up, that we would show up and make space. 00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:51.760 No need to have a solution or a fix, but just hold space for people in their pain. 00:35:53.199 --> 00:36:07.599 And God, finally, Lord, we just ask that by the presence of your Holy Spirit, that by Jesus Emmanuel, you are here with us, that we'd be able to take joy, that we would take joy at your nearness. 00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:14.880 Would your peace guard our hearts and our minds in this very moment and as we leave this place, God? 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:19.280 And we pray all this in faith and in hope in your name, Jesus. 00:36:19.599 --> 00:36:20.239 Amen. 00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:23.920 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:28.559 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:30.800 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:36.960 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.