www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15

Rejoice Evermore
I Thessalonians 5:16

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4

Live audio sermon - PalTalk - November 16, 2005


Rejoice not in what you 'see' as much as what your faith shows you to rejoice in.

Why have Christians come to have to 'see' before they believe and rejoice?
We believe and have plenty to rejoice in - 'regardless' of what we 'see' these days.

Remember, blessings and riches are of a spiritual nature today.  All those physical blessings have a tendency to bring on a faith based on sight instead of sight based on faith.

Jesus said... blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.  John 20:29b

And he still means that for today.  The Great Commission is all based on sight then faith - Paul's Greater Commission message is based on faith to see!

It all starts with hearing the word of truth - not 'seeing' anything!
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:12,13

We are to rejoice in:


Truth
I Corinthians 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Have you seen the increase of iniquity?
How about the intense deception concerning truth!
Isaiah 59:14: And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Man, that list could go on, eh!  More than 'just a Book,' the King James Bible is the truth for all about everything!

Jews!
Romans 15:10
See Romans 15:5-12
With his people!  Includes the saved Jews, eh!  See Ephesians 2:11-22 for reconciliation, etc.
Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Hope of the glory of God
Romans 5:1,2  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

More of chapter 5:
3-8:  And not only so...
9-10: Much more then...
11:  And not only so...
12-13:  Wherefore...
14:  Nevertheless...
15-16:  But...
17:  For if...
18-19: Therefore...
20-21:  Moreover...

What a string of verses, eh!  Surely we can rejoice over that chapter!


Christ is still being preached...
    ...and that is better than Ramadan, Kwanza, Hannukah, or nothing but things that will burn, etc. but...
Philippians 1:18-20  What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Note - even though the tares are doing better, we don't jump in with them - and we keep our kids from them!
Matthew 13:10 - Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.


One more...
Rejoice With the Brethren!
Romans 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Greek Words we have learned in the past:
Yaoughtah
yashouldah
whydidntcha

new one:
IwishIhadah

We tend to think of ourselves when we should be thinking of others!
(When someone buys something, does something, goes somewhere, receives something, thinks something, etc.)

Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Don't be jealous, prideful, selfish when it comes to others - rejoice with them, don't try to oneupthem with a story or something better, etc.  Just rejoice with them!


Are you finding it hard to rejoice?
Do you claim I Peter 1:6; I Peter 4:13?
Really?  Those are for the tribulation - we have no reason to this day to not rejoice!

Paul's gospel is all about joy and rejoicing!
joy - 28
rejoice - 30