THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER Part 2: Does Your Joy Need a Jumpstart? ## Micaiah Irmler Psalms 51:1-12 NKJV Merry Christmas and Welcome to Southridge Church! Question: How many of you are over being overwhelmed overloaded and overworked? Note: Everything you own demands your . Illustration: You have a dog it calls for your attention to play with it. You have a tv it calls to you to watch it. You have email it calls to you to check it. Christmas is almost here! I have a little tradition where I take each one of my kids out and have them buy presents for their family. Yesterday was my daughter Meagans day to go shopping. We made it to Oakridge Mall and the Great Mall. On the way home Meagan said this year there doesn’t seem to be as much Christmas Cheer. When she said it a quiet usually jovial happy part of me knew that I have been not fightin against a funk but fighting again the areas we all face that we mentioned last week: The of life. The of life. The of life. The of life. Remember: Last week we said God gave us peace to fill in the missing peace. Question: Does joy just happen? Illustration: How many of you know what these are? Jumper cables. Oh good because I actually just need a jump after church… just kidding. Jumper cables help to jumpstart your car. My dad would deliver about 700 hundred papers everyday for several years and he would buy these old cars to deliver the papers and some of them were old manual transmission cars that when the battery died he would park it on a hill in 2nd gear and then would let the car roll for a bit and pop the clutch to start the car. It was the first real life hack Key Thought: Some of us need a jumpstart. Remember: This morning I want to ask the Holy Spirit to jumpstart your joy. Psalms 51:1-12 NKJV 1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. 2 Samuel 11:1-2 NKJV 1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” Remember: is joyful. Remember: Life works best when we are joyful. David Couldn’t Change the Season so He Changed His Surroundings vs. 1 1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Question: Are you waiting for this season to pass to start having joy? Note: Sometimes we just want to make life better but what if it were also good to not make life worse? Note: When life is hard we sometimes do things to make life harder. Joy is not subject to seasons and situations The Fruit of Joy Grows Best in the Right Soil Not the Right Season Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Remember: Anyone can rejoice over results learn to rejoice over . Joy is a seed planted in the soil not the season we’re in. Davids Focus Changed and His Feelings Followed vs. 2-4 2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. Note: You are both spiritual and natural. Christian and Carnal. Remember: You Spiritual man always wants to do right and rejoice. Note: The Don’t Call Yourself a Believer and only do what you feel. Note: You don’t want that generic joy anymore David? A. Joy is found in our not our feelings. Hebrews 12:2 NKJV looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Quote: As Dallas Willard wrote, "Failure to attain a deeply satisfying life always has the effect of making sinful actions seem good. If you are full of Joy you don’t have room from anything else. Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Illustration: In college someone borrowed my car and filled it up with diesel. They said they did it because diesel back then was so much cheaper. How many of you know that it matters what you fill up on? Note: Joy is found in His presence and His presence can be found everywhere. Remember: Evidence that I have spent time in the presence of God is that I have Joy. Romans 15:13 NLT I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Note: Joy makes junk look less . Illustration: When I am enjoying my marriage why would I want to cheat on it? When I enjoy God why would I want to skip church or Bible reading and prayer? When I am joyful why would I get. Note: I thought we are believers. Joy isn’t fleeting nor fragile and guards you against frustration. Remember: If you are drained of joy than you didn’t have joy but happiness. 1. . 2. . 3. it make. David Forgot that the Source of Your Joy Will Determine the Strength of Your Joy vs. 51:12 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Remember: There is a strength that you need for this season. Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Remember: It's Never Lost if You Know Where You Left it. I Am Going to Enjoy This. James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Touch Your Neighbor and Say: I am going to enjoy this. Quote: Someone has wisely said Joy is the happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens to us. ~Unknown B. Joy is . C. Joy is . Remember: Happiness is hard work but joy is not gained.