Sunday Morning at James River Assembly

September 23rd, 2012

Nehemiah "Built to Last" Series
Pastor John

"Dedication and Joy"
Nehemiah 12:1-47
Read Nehemiah 12:1-47

• Joy is something God works in our heart as we follow His commandments and serve Him.
• Happiness is based on what happens to us. Joy is exurbarnat and something we have regardless of circumstances.

Nehemiah 8:10
Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Psalm 4:7
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

1. Joy comes by remembering the people who have helped us.

Philippians 1:3-5
I thank my God in all my rememberance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

• The key to Christian joy is to look beyond the mistakes people make, and look at the good and celebrating the good.
• Key to joy is remembering the people God has put into our lives.

2. Joy is the result of whole heartedly worshipping the Lord.

• Come to church ready to worship God with enthusiam. Come without distractions.
• Have you or are you preparing your heart for the worship service and sermon?
• We were made to worship God.

3. Joy is the result of getting involved in serving the Lord.

• There's joy in being part of something that is bigger then yourself.

Mark 8:34-35
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

4. Joy is the result of giving your resources to the Lord.

Proverbs 11:24 (MSG)
The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

Proverbs 11:24-25 (NKJV)
There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (MSG)
Remember: a stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than ready to do what needs to be done.

• "There was a man, some called him mad, the more he gave the more he had."

Malachi 3:10-12 (MSG)
Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.

• We cannot imagine what God will do.
• God can only bless the parts that we surrender to Him.
• As we are faithful to God, He will be faithful to us.
• We get in life what we're looking for. If you look for the bad you will find the bad, if you look for the good you will find the good. Look for the good in life.
• The joy of the Lord is our strength!