For this morning's devotional...I just wanted to take a minute and celebrate. This weekend was a test run for our live cutaways for our campus and many of you took time to join us! I'd like to dedicate this morning's quiet time together to this verse:
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 [emphasis mine]
What in your life causes you to rejoice? To experience real joy?
For me...I got the chance to rejoice this weekend. The internet team and I were testing out some things before we officially go live every week...when we noticed the many different places where people were connecting from...
The United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Puerto Rico, England, Korea, Argentina, and Peru.
Now let that sink in just a minute. All of us...you and I...were all worshiping the same God...at the same time...from 10 different countries! Isn't God amazing? Does that make you rejoice? Doesn't that bring you joy?
Do we really understand joy?
I have found that true joy is from an internal and eternal source. Joy isn't happiness. Happiness comes from a temporary condition....a mood...a thing...an idea.... here for one moment and changes the next. Joy isn't that way. It is that euphoria that starts from the basement of your soul and takes the express elevator to your heart. It isn't leaving. It doesn't matter what the external circumstances are...you have joy! It doesn't matter what your mood is....your source of joy stays with you.
Joy is also from an eternal source. I believe that true joy comes directly from God. He created us...He sustains us...He gives us pure joy! Do you believe that this morning? Do you believe that God is going to put something in your path today that brings you joy? Can you imagine living your life anticipating what joyous thing God is going to bring into your life? How different would life be if we focused on our joy as opposed to our sorrow?
This past weekend we came together as a global community of believers...each of us worshiping in our homes...or with friends... but all of us connected. Connected by the joy of worshiping a loving God....connected by the internet and one global campus going after our God-potential...and sustained by the never-ending love of the ultimate joy-giver....Jesus Christ.
God bless you as you start another week. Please feel free to leave a comment or prayer request by clicking the comment link below. Have a blessed and joyful week! See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
5 comments:
CUDOS Pastor Brian.. So cool what you and the team are doing to spread the word. What a neat feeling knowing while I was at cooper city worshiping ten other countries were sitting right beside me hearing the same POWERFUL MESSAGE.. I am praying this morning that many were touched and moved to step up and be the Joshuas and the army we need to battle the enemy every week.. So we can run toward the vision.. Pastor Troy holding the staff high for all to follow as we go after those in need of hearing the word and saving them from a eternity of misery.. That was my second time hearing the same teaching and I have to say it really is a strong message that makes one think about themselves.. It sends chills through me right now thinking about what we can do if we all pull together..I am proud to be a member of the VISION.
Congrats Brian on a super inaugural weekend. It is really great to see the vision that God has given FRC at work. I'm thankful to be part of it.
Thanks guys,
We are indeed part of a huge vision for the world. Looking forward to God using the internet campus in a mighty way!
Have a great Monday!
Pastor Brian
Brian
I just wanted to let you know that even though we attend service at Cooper City, we still wake up each morning and read your daily devotionals. It starts our day out the right way and we sure appreciate the time and effort you put into posting each and every day. You and your crew are doing an AWSOME job!Congratulations.
Thanks Kathy,
I'm glad that you are enjoying the devotionals. I truly enjoy preparing them! I hope soon to be able to post video devotions on this blog as well.
See you this weekend!
Pastor Brian
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