The scripture reading comes from Philippians chapter 4 verse 1 to 9.
Please follow along on the screen or on your Bible.
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
I entreat you, O dear, and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I will say, rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand.
Do not be anxious about anything.
But in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable.
If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
What you have learned and received and heard and sent in me, practice these things.
And the God of peace will be with you.
Amen.
Thank you so much, Iris.
It's great to see all of you virtually.
At the moment, we would love to be back together physically.
But as you're online and in your home, wherever you are, I'd love you just to pray right now for God's word to really engage in our hearts.
So let's bow your heads and pray.
Father, just thank you that you are an incredible God.
That you're the God of all the universe.
And yet you're the God who wants to be with us and to bring us peace.
I pray, Lord, right now, Lord, many of us are in totally different circumstances.
Some of us feel very stressed.
Some of us feel worried.
Some of us feel all over the place.
But, Lord, we pray right now you'd center our hearts on you.
That your word would get into the depths of our souls and would bring joy this morning.
Joy in you.
So I pray, Lord, take your word.
Take away my words and let you speak through what we say this morning.
For the name and the glory of Jesus.
Amen.
Great.
If you don't know me, my name is Chris.
I'm one of the leaders here today.
And we've been looking at this series in Philippians over the last few weeks.
Now, for me, I've been in Hong Kong for nine years.
And Hong Kong is one of the most incredible cities in the world.
It is beautiful in scenery.
It's modern.
It's efficient.
It's an extraordinary city.
But if there's any word that I would say doesn't describe Hong Kong, it would be the word peace.
And maybe also the word joy.
Because, you see, in Hong Kong, we're a hurried, anxious, stressed people.
And there's also so much division and conflict that has been taking place particularly over the last year or so.
And so this passage is, we're going to look at with Paul writing to a pressured, anxious people.
And he's going to take them through in the first two to three verses.
He's going to look at dealing with some relational, bringing relational peace to people.
And then he makes a promise.
In verse 7, he says, the peace of God will be with you.
And then he says in verse 9, the God of peace will be with you.
This passage is a promise of peace.
Not just to the Philippians, but to us, right where we are, right today, whatever circumstances you're in.
God wants us, as his people, to be a people who love and walk in peace, no matter what our circumstances are.
So, the question we're going to look at is, how do we get to be a people of peace this morning?
Well, maybe let's just first start thinking about what actually is peace in the Bible.
Well, let me tell you what it isn't.
It isn't just being chilled out and having a laid-back personality.
Because often people who are very laid-back can struggle to really care about the real realities of life.
They just want to chill.
Whereas, it's also not just going on a staycation without your kids.
Because when you come back from staycation, the stress just comes again.
You see, biblical peace is actually upward, inward, and outward.
In the upward, the gospel promise here, you notice it says,
the peace of God will be with you.
But it's only experienced when you have the God of peace who is with you.
In other words, Romans 5 says this,
therefore, since we've been justified by faith, we have peace with God.
This first peace is a God peace because of Jesus' death on the cross.
We are no longer his enemies, but we're reconciled in relationship with him.
We're his.
And that peace with God then leads to the inward peace.
A calm, confident trust in God where in your soul,
it doesn't matter if the storms of life are going crazy,
you know that God has got you.
You know that you're his.
You know he'll provide.
You know that he is the one who anchors and holds you.
And he says it surpasses understanding this peace
because it's not what goes on in your brain
that you're planning to try and fix your circumstances that's going to get it.
It's a peace which has gone from here and it's gone down deep into here.
You see, you need upward peace to get inward peace,
but then that leads to outward peace.
You see, that's relational peace with others.
You don't have to prove yourself or fight to win in the argument
because the peace of God leads us,
and our reconciliation with God leads us to seek to reconcile with others
and to lay down our rights and our interests.
You see, Paul says here that the peace of God,
upward, inward, outward,
will guard your hearts
and minds
in Christ.
That word guard,
it's the word which means to act like a security guard.
You know,
I don't know if you remember,
back in 9-11,
just after 9-11,
I went to Los Angeles airport.
And the security there
was just insane.
It was,
you could hardly move one meter
without someone asking for your ID,
trying to get past it.
It was just almost impossible to get through.
And Paul is saying,
in your heart
and in your heart
and in your mind,
the peace
of God
is meant to be like security guards
guarding your heart
to keep it trusting in Christ.
You see,
you hear you're getting fired
and worry comes along saying,
oh,
what about the future?
And the peace of God says,
let me see your ID,
worry.
You see all your friends
are getting married
and you're still single
and fear of missing out
comes to you
and says,
you should worry now.
But the peace of God says,
no entry,
FOMO.
You've been hurt.
Resentment and bitterness
are eating away at heart.
They're trying to get into your heart
and the peace of God says,
access denied.
That's what peace is.
Peace is like a ballast.
A ballast is what?
It's the heavy weight
you put in a boat
which no matter whether
the waves are pounding away,
it keeps that boat
rock solid and steady.
It's not going to capsize.
That's what the peace of God
wants to do
in us as a community.
Do you want that kind of peace
in your heart
and in your relationships?
Well,
Paul is going to show us
how do we get to take hold
of that peace.
So if we remember
over the last three chapters
in the book of Philippians,
Paul has been writing
to anxious,
in anxious,
troubling times.
Paul's in prison
because of the gospel
and he's awaiting trial
and possible execution.
The Philippian church
have been under pressure
from outside
and there are relational
tensions inside the church.
Paul has told the Philippians,
guys,
we're on the same team.
We're united
with our minds
set on Christ,
putting him
and others' interests
before our own.
We're going to follow
and imitate the J-curve
where the way down
is the way to life.
The way of dying to self
is the way to resurrection power.
We put our hope
and our minds
on knowing Christ,
heading towards that goal.
It's been inspirational stuff.
It's been a great sermon
Paul has been preaching
and you'd have thought
that would be enough
for the Philippians to go,
great, we've got peace now.
But Paul says,
no, gospel preaching,
even reading scripture
or spiritual disciplines,
though they are vital
in the Christian life,
Paul says,
first of all,
that if we're to be
a people marinated
in peace,
we've got to take hold
of the first path of peace
which is,
we need to walk
that path together.
This is verse 2 and 3.
For Ahir,
he gets specific
and he names
Euodia and Syntyche,
two women
who aren't getting on
with each other.
And we don't know
exactly why,
but it seems to be
not a major sin issue
because he doesn't
rebuke them,
but it seems to be
a preference issue.
Like,
I like hymns,
she likes rock music,
we don't get on.
But why does he name
Euodia and Syntyche?
And entreat them,
urge them.
You see,
what he's saying is,
this kind of conflict
in the church
is an issue.
He's saying,
don't let conflict
just fester
like an open wound.
It says,
it may not feel like
it's a massive deal
for these two women
not to be talking
to each other,
but there is a lack
of peace here.
And so he says,
agree in the Lord,
which doesn't mean
have all the same opinions,
but it means
live in a harmony
in Christ.
Make Jesus
and his honour
and the gospel
and your mission together
more important
than being right
or getting your own way.
Because you're on
the same team
and your fighting
is like trying to
punch yourself
in the face.
It harms you
and it harms the gospel.
But then he says,
okay,
let's deal with this.
But then he says,
true companion,
help these women.
And we don't know
exactly who
this true companion is.
Some people think
it's Luke.
But what he's saying
is,
you're not just
going to do this
by yourselves.
You know,
I can tell you
we need community
to help us
in our relationships
and to have peace
internally as well.
I can't tell you
how many marriages,
how many family relationships,
how many CGs and churches
are divided
and have issues
and flounder
because we've either
brushed conflict
under the carpet
and tried to avoid
talking about it
or because we're
so independent
and private
and fearful
of what others
will think about us
that we haven't
invited anybody in
to help us
on the journey
to peace together.
You see,
privacy
kills peace
because it leaves you
wrestling with your issues
in isolation
without other
mature believers
that God has placed there
to help you walk
on that path
towards peace.
So let me encourage you.
I don't know where
you're up to
but if you are going through
any either relational issues
or just anxiousness
in your own soul
right now,
don't walk it alone.
Talk to a member
of your CG.
Come and talk to a member
of staff or an elder.
We want to walk it together
because the way of peace
is a communal journey.
That's the first thing.
The first path to peace
is walk together.
Second path to peace
is this in verse 4.
He says,
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I'll say it.
Rejoice.
Did you get what he said there?
He said,
In the midst of all the challenges,
everything you're facing right now,
rejoice in the Lord always.
In Greek,
the word always
means always.
And you just received
a harsh text from your boss.
Rejoice.
Your spouse just left
the towel on the floor
for the thousandth time.
Rejoice.
Your economy is collapsing.
Your work is on the line.
You're fearful about
the future of politics.
Rejoice.
And inside,
aren't we going,
Paul,
what planet are you on?
Could you just get
a little bit of a reality check here?
And Paul anticipates
our kind of natural objection
in our heart
and he goes,
No, no, no.
Did you hear what I said?
No, let me say it again to you
if you're wondering.
Rejoice.
You see,
this is not a suggestion.
This is a command.
And with commands,
you're not meant to go,
Oh, that sounds
a little bit difficult.
Maybe I'll just give
that one a miss.
No, commands,
you're meant to obey them.
Commands are not optional.
And so Jesus,
what he's saying is,
Jesus calls every Christian
to a life of joy.
It's one of the chief markers
of the Christian life.
It's the pathway to peace.
Romans 14 says,
Paul goes,
The kingdom of God
is not about external things
like eating and drinking.
It's a matter of peace
and joy
in the Holy Spirit.
This is what it's about.
You see,
what is joy really,
what is he talking about here?
Well,
what he's not talking about
is going around
with a fake smile
on your face,
pretending that everything's fine
when everything else
is collapsing around you.
You know,
we should feel sorrow
when we lose a loved one
or when there is pain
and difficulty
in circumstances.
We should feel grief
when Liverpool lose
in the Champions League.
That is right
and appropriate.
But,
some people are thinking
that's joy,
but we need to correct that.
But so often,
you know,
and I've experienced this,
many Christians,
when you're feeling down,
when you're feeling miserable,
I've had so many come to me
and say,
I don't really want to go to church
and engage with community
because I think
I'm just going to be a hypocrite
singing songs
and those kind of things.
Because we're supposed
to be happy,
right,
as Christians.
But the thing is,
we've got the total wrong idea
of what joy is meant
to be about here.
In 2 Corinthians,
Paul can say,
I'm sorrowful,
but I'm always rejoicing.
You see,
you can have sorrow and joy
at the same time.
Christians should be
the most real people
in the world,
not denying our feelings.
But what is joy?
If that's what it's not,
what is it?
Well,
the most simple thing
we can say is,
joy is a feeling
or a state of happiness.
In scripture,
you can feel joy
because of a good meal,
seeing friends again
like Epaphroditus.
You can even feel joy,
rejoice,
getting your own way.
The Pharisees rejoiced
when Judas betrayed Jesus.
So you don't even need
to be a Christian
to rejoice.
But there is something unique
about Christian,
biblical joy,
joy,
which is it's not determined
by your circumstances.
You know,
you can rejoice
when you're in prison
like Paul
or when you've just been beaten
like the apostles
in Acts 5.
It's a Christian joy.
It's not primarily
joy in circumstances,
it's joy in Jesus.
And so that means
there's two things
that joy is,
and rejoicing.
Joy is both a gift
and a fight.
It is both
a fruit of the spirit
and a choice
of focus.
So let me think
of the first one.
Why is it a gift?
Have you ever
tried
to command
a feeling?
Okay,
you've just heard
you failed an exam.
Now be happy!
Okay?
It doesn't work right.
You can't just
switch on
and off
your emotions.
That's why
this kind of rejoicing
is a fruit
of the spirit
because
it is the Holy Spirit
opening your eyes
to see
the beauty of Jesus
right where you are.
You see,
I've just talked
to a couple people
even in this past week
who are going through
really difficult
work circumstances.
And both of them
have said to me,
you know,
everyone around me
I talk to
thinks I should be
really worried
and really stressed
because this is
just a tough situation
but I feel like
this sense of
just real peace
and real joy
at the moment
in God
because I just see
God is good
at the moment
and he's going to
provide for me
and everyone's
looking at me
like how can you
do that?
And the reason
they can do that
is because it's
a work of the spirit
in their lives.
It's a gift
from God.
But the
Paul actually
he says,
you know,
I want to know
the resurrection
power of Jesus
and resurrection
power is the
power to rejoice
no matter what's
going on in your
life
because of Jesus.
That's why we need
to pray for joy
in Jesus.
I don't know
when the last time
you actually prayed
that you would
actually learn
how to rejoice
in Jesus
in your circumstances.
I'm just challenged
by that.
But we desperately
need the spirit's work.
Doesn't our
automatic response
to that command
of thinking
that's just
not realistic.
Show that we're
so self-reliant
in our lives
that we think
it all depends
on us.
No,
we've got to get
desperate for our
eyes to be focused
on him
and to have the spirit
bring us joy
in our hearts.
But it's a gift
but it's not just
a gift.
It's also a fight
for focus.
You see,
he says rejoice
in the Lord.
Not rejoice
because your
circumstances suck.
He says rejoice
in the Lord
because Paul
has just got
this active focus
on Jesus
all the time.
We've seen it
all before.
Chapter 1,
he says for me
to live is Christ
and me to die
is gain.
Chapter 3,
I've counted
everything a loss
compared to the
surpassing worth
of knowing Jesus,
my Lord.
In his struggles,
what he's doing,
he's actually
not looking down,
and he's looking
up and he's
seeing Jesus
and he's saying,
I can see him
and his grace
in the midst
of this.
You see where
his focus is?
He's fighting
to fix his eyes
on Jesus.
You know,
part of the fight
of joy is when
you are feeling
miserable,
when you are
feeling stressed
and down,
it's not backing
out of community
because you feel
like a hypocrite.
It's actually moving
into God's people.
It's getting
into God's word.
It's fixing,
it's choosing
to fix our
thoughts on
Jesus and say,
I'm going to
trust him even
though I don't
feel like it.
It's a fight.
It's putting on
Jesus-centered
worship music
when you just feel
like you've got
no energy left
to fight,
just to help
lift your eyes
up to him.
It's pouring out
your emotions
to God
and trusting him
and lifting him
with an expectancy
that the spirit
will restore
joy and peace
into your heart
in his timing.
And you're going
to come back
again and again
and that's the fight.
That's the fight
for joy.
Some Christians
think joy
should just be
this kind of
automatic thing.
They think it's
just gift
but no fight.
But God says,
no,
it needs both
of those things
together.
So what do we
fight with?
How do we fight?
What are we
rejoicing?
Well,
here's what we
need to do.
We need to get
out our gospel
shotgun.
And we need
to fire the
promises of God
in our circumstances.
Here's what we
rejoice in.
First,
we rejoice in
grace.
Philippians 3,
20 says,
our citizenship
is in heaven.
So we rejoice
in whose we are.
You know,
our citizenship
is in heaven.
You could have
just been treated
really unfairly
at work
and you're feeling
miserable,
angry,
frustrated.
Peace is gone.
But when you
remember,
Jesus died for me
when I never
deserved it.
He's treated me
so much better
than I deserve.
In Christ,
they can mistreat me
but I have a
savior who loves me,
who holds me.
I'm safe,
I'm held,
I'm secure.
No one can ever
take away what I
have in Jesus.
We can rejoice.
We rejoice in grace.
We rejoice in power.
You wake up
and you feel like
you've got just
to face a whole
load of people
or situations
you just don't
know how to face
or you just
don't want to.
Anyone ever like that?
Pull that gospel
trigger which says,
I can do all things
through Christ
who gives me strength.
His resurrection power
is at work in me
right now.
He's the Lord
and he has this situation
in his hands.
He's changing me
by his spirit
so I can be more
than a conqueror
today through him.
Jesus,
let's go together
and face this.
I rejoice in power.
I rejoice in grace.
We rejoice in hope.
You failed again.
You feel the shame
and stress
of just constantly
messing up
or you're waiting.
You're seeing
other people's mess ups
and you're waiting.
You're longing
for them to change.
32021 says,
we await a savior,
Jesus.
Who will transform
our lowly body
into his,
to be like his glorious body.
You say,
shame,
I'm not going to live
under you any longer.
I have a savior
who is bigger,
who is more glorious,
who loves me.
His love is deeper.
His power is greater
than any failure.
And he can work right now
in my life
and in the life
of the people around me
because he's going
to take today,
he's going to transform it
for his glory
because he is near,
he's coming back again
and he's going to do
a restoration work
and he's going to work
even right now
for his,
for redemptive glory.
We can rejoice
in grace,
in power,
in hope.
this ain't all there is.
Our savior is returning.
The Lord is near.
And as we learn
how to fight in that
and pray for the spirit
to work in our life,
Jesus becomes
more precious to us.
The word of God,
the spirit takes his word
and just warms your heart.
some of us
don't experience
that joy
or that peace
that joy
is like a
playmate with
because our focus
is so cluttered
on so many other things.
Our minds
are so focused
on our own plans
that we often
count following Christ
as loss
compared
to the surpassing
worth of everything
else we want
in our lives.
but the path
to the fortress
of peace
goes by the gateway
of walking together
and of rejoicing
in Christ together.
I want to just stop here
and pause.
We're going to come on
to the last couple of points
in a minute
but I want you to stop
and either with the person
next to you
or if you're on your own
I've got a couple of questions
that I want you just to reflect on
to talk about together.
What gives you
the greatest joy?
Does that lead
to peace in God?
How are you fighting
for joy
and peace
in Jesus
right now
in your present circumstances?
So take a couple of minutes
and then we'll come back
and we'll carry on
with the next part.
we'll see you once again.
Amen.
Okay.
So we've looked at the pathway to peace, that fortress, which means we don't walk alone.
We do it together.
We rejoice always in all circumstances.
But then thirdly, the passage says, pray thankfully.
Here's what it says in verse six.
Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,
let your requests be known to God.
You see, the Philippians have got good reason to be anxious.
Paul is in prison and potentially about to die, and they may even be next.
They don't know.
Paul's not saying at this point, just be zen.
You know, don't be concerned about anything.
You see, if my 11-month-old son went missing for 24 hours and I was not concerned, that would be a lack of love.
The reason we get anxious and we worry is because we love things, because we care about things which seem to be under threat or out of our control.
Whether it's our health, whether it's our kids, whether it's our love life, whether it's our job, whatever it is in our relationships.
But Paul is saying when anxiety knocks on the door, if you want the security guards of God's peace-filled presence to be with you,
stop clinging with clenched fists to what you care about most.
Just like my son with his favorite toy.
Surrender them open-handedly to the feet of Jesus to entrust them to him in prayer and supplication.
And what he's saying is in prayer, and he's talking general prayer, that regular routine of opening your life up to relate to God,
for him to come into all of your life.
That's time with God.
If you don't spend time with God regularly in scripture, in seeking his face, to enjoy him,
don't be surprised if you discover a restlessness in your own soul,
because you've already fired the security guards of God's peace.
Worry and relational tension can just walk right in if you're not doing that regularly.
But then he doesn't just say general prayer, he also says supplication and request.
That's specific requests for help.
And he says, in everything.
That means not just spiritual stuff.
It's in everything.
Big stuff, little stuff, the things you think God might not even be concerned about.
You know, I remember it was late.
I was walking back late night from Kowloon somewhere.
And I was walking back and I was feeling tired.
I was feeling miserable.
I was feeling hungry.
But it was late night, so I didn't want to eat very much.
I wanted just a snack.
But if you know me, I have some food intolerances and snacks I can never find anywhere that I can eat.
And that all just made me feel like, oh, a little pity party of how unfair life was at that moment.
But then I stopped to say to myself,
God, and I prayed, God, I know that you promised to provide for me.
And God, I just give you this stupid little moment to you.
And I walked around the corner and there was a sushi shop.
And sushi is one of the few snacks that I can eat.
And I wasn't in an area where I thought there was any sushi around.
It was so late.
I thought everything was shut.
And I rejoiced in the Lord at that moment.
But that sushi shop was actually always there.
It wasn't a miraculous event in one sense.
But I saw God in the ordinary everydayness, his gracious hand, because I had entrusted my care to him.
And I saw, like, if I hadn't prayed, I would have just felt entitled.
And I would have just not even stopped for a second thought at that moment.
But instead, thankfulness filled my heart, because I saw grace, evidence, in the little things, as well as the big things.
And when we have that constant attitude of prayer, we will see the glory and grace of Jesus.
And it will cause us to rejoice more in him.
You know, the hymn says,
Oh, what peace we often forfeit.
Oh, what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry.
Everything to God in prayer.
Whatever it is.
Your kid's temper tantrum.
That car park space.
Your work issues.
We pray, not with demanding clenched fists that God's got to answer in our way.
But with open hands, entrusting the things we care about to the God who cares more about us than we care even about him.
And we do that again and again and again.
Gordon Fee, who Kevin referenced last week, he's got this great quote.
He says,
Peace comes because prayer is an expression of trust.
Did you hear that?
He said,
Sometimes we need to wait.
But actually, even in the waiting, we can thank God and see his goodness to us in Christ.
We walk together.
We rejoice always.
We pray thankfully.
And the final thing is we focus on grace.
Have you ever been talking to a very attractive looking person?
And they had a big spot or piece of food on their face.
And all you can do is fixate on that spot or that food.
You can't see the person.
That's what we're like in relational conflict.
That's what we're like when we're under stress.
All we see is everything that's wrong.
In the other person or in our circumstances.
And we miss peace because like I said before, we don't see the gracious hand of God at work in our lives, in the people around us, and in the world around us.
That's why Paul says,
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, if anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about these things.
He's saying,
The person you have issues with, look for signs of grace.
That tough situation you're in.
See where it's beautiful.
See where there is truthness.
See where there's something worthy of praise.
And you'll see tiny reflections of a gracious, beautiful, truthful, just, pure, praiseworthy God.
And make that your focus.
We don't ignore issues, but we dwell on grace.
And as we do these four things, we will see that we will become a kind of community that Hong Kong desperately needs.
Hong Kong needs a community of peace and joy.
We can't do it by ourselves.
We've got to rejoice in Jesus.
We've got to pray continually.
We've got to fix our eyes on the right things.
But if we're to be a people of that calm confidence and reconciled relationships in this sea of fear and hostility,
we need to make space for it.
Can I be honest?
I'm going to finish with this.
Many of us are restless.
Many of us are anxious.
Many of us are intense relationships.
Because we have an unguarded fortress in our hearts and our minds.
The reason is we just haven't made space in our minds, in our hearts, and in our schedules for the rejoicing in God.
And for other people to invite others in to walk with us in our issues.
You know, anxious people cram their days full to try and be as efficient as possible.
Anxious people are always on their phones.
Anxious people are always listening to other anxious people.
And always engaging with anxious news all the time.
And that's what fills your mind.
This church doesn't need more headless, chicken, hurried people.
It needs a people who are pursuing the God of peace.
So much that we're going to make radical decisions to make space to rejoice in him.
What does that mean?
Well, just think.
Do you plan in your week for time to rejoice in Jesus?
Jesus.
Every day, switch off your phone for 30 minutes.
And focus on Christ and his word.
Pick up the phone.
Text someone.
Invite them into your issues right now.
Set aside a day or half a day, if you can only do that, to Sabbath.
With your family or in community.
And don't just think about it.
You've actually got to do it.
You've got to plan it.
You've got to put it in there.
Because your joy and your peace is at stake.
Are we willing to take the steps to deal with relational conflict?
Realizing that Jesus died to make us this kind of people.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all your great thinking,
will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.
And the God of peace will be with us.
Do we want that?
Let me pray.
Maybe you just actually want to do business with God right now.
Just feeling, is there a restlessness in your soul?
Maybe you're actually just feeling just a bit out of sorts with God at the moment.
And the idea of joy in him seems a million miles away.
Maybe you've actually been pressing into God.
But it feels like it's just been hard.
Wherever you are, I just want you to bring where you are to God right now.
I want you to be real with him.
And I want you to ask him for a supernatural work of his spirit to fill you with the joy of seeing Jesus in the gospel,
in everything around you,
in hope, in grace, in power,
to realize that he's what you need.
Father, I pray,
make us a people of peace and joy.
I pray, Lord,
where there is tensions in our relationships,
don't let us go another day,
just letting that drift.
Lord, I pray
that we would come to you,
the God of peace,
and find mercy,
find grace,
find reconciliation and power to live
a joy-filled life.
Let us be more consumed with you
than with all the things that we chase after,
realizing to become more like you
is the greatest joy we can have
because you are the greatest joy there is in the world.
Fill us more with that joy,
I pray.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.