The Road to Revival (pt.2) — Shane Idleman

We've been briefly talking about the prophet Zephaniah and what I felt God put on my heart a few weeks ago is to paint this road to revival, to give us an idea of what revival looks like in preparation for the conference.

If you didn't get last week's message you can listen. It was about the messenger Zephaniah and he was a prophet and he actually traced his lineage back to Hezekiah. Many of you know the great King Hezekiah so he was a relative of Hezekiah and so he was kind of political speaking to the king, speaking to the country and that's something you've heard me talk about before where now there's a big lie out there separation of church and state where we don't have to we shouldn't talk about political things but especially in the Old Testament a lot of these people especially the prophets were very political they would talk about the issues of the culture to the king to the people and they would call the people back to God and as I reminded you last week I'll say it again Zephaniah grew up under the reign of the evil King Manasseh as well as his son and this young prophet to be would have been surrounded by the trappings of idolatry child sacrifice and unjust killings of what was going on his culture and not unlike on what we're seeing today.

Zephaniah and the Prophetic Call to Confront Idolatry

So what would happen with these prophets would come in and they would stir the pot. That's something that they were identified with. These were pot stirs I can call them that. Have you ever heard that term?

Ruffle the feathers? Why are you stirring the pot? Why are you ruffling the feathers? Well that's what they would go and do. If you read any of the prophets of the Old Testament you will not find very comfortable seeker friendly messages they were going and they would stir the pot.

It would cost them their lives. In many cases the disdain of the people. The people would say you're not speaking for God. God doesn't say that. And anytime you bring in the light into the darkness what happens you stir the pot you upset the status quo.

So let's talk about this Zephaniah for a minute but also his prophecies and he reminded us and I think it's a good reminder for the church that the day is drawing near. The great day of the Lord is near he said now you have to remember this.

So in the Bible all of the writers most of them at least lived with the sense of expectancy. I knew there's gonna be a tough one. They all expected the God to judge. They all lived under that under that type of a feeling that God's gonna judge his people.

So there's always an expectancy that's taking place. Even when Jesus was was living after he was crucified the disciples believed he was coming right back. So there's always this this urgency of and the reason I think a lot of it is because we God doesn't want people to wait.

Oh it'll be years from now and decades from now that today is the day of salvation when you hear his voice harden not your hearts. So Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 14 it says the great day of the Lord is near.

It is near and it comes quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter. There the mighty men shall cry out. See no one will be able to stand in his presence. Not might nor fame nor power. No recognition nor money.

Nothing will be able to allow a person to stand before God. Even the mighty men will fall and cry out. The day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress. A day of devastation and desolation. A day of darkness and gloominess.

A day of clouds and thick darkness. Whoo that's heavy. A day of judgment and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high towers. God saying no tower no city will be able to stand against me when I come in like a flood.

I'm going to annihilate. I'm going to judge. And people say but Shane that's too strong. No it's the Bible. And see I think that's where we run into trouble telling God what we can and cannot preach. The Bible was written so that we would preach all of the books of the Bible all the truths of the Bible all the essentials of the faith.

So preachers are called to preach about heaven but also about hell about grace and mercy. God's grace and mercy. I'd love to talk to you about his grace and mercy but I can't ignore his judgment and his righteousness and his holiness.

And so that they would go in and they would bring all of God's counsel. And there's it comes a time when you have to warn. I'm one of the people kind of at least in our nation who are more inclined to believe that our nation needs a wake-up call.

We need we need these types of messages. Can you imagine if all the guys on TBN I haven't watched in a long time so I don't know who's on there. I'm not supporting it right endorsing it. I'm just saying all the guys on Christian TV radio if they would start talking about these things from time to time not always.

We don't want to keep beating people up. But there has to be. There has to be a point where the pot is stirred where what we're seeing in our nation needs to be called out. I mean people pastors will go on The View.

They'll go on Oprah. They'll go on Larry King. And they don't say anything. It's almost like whose side are you on. You have this wonderful platform to speak the truth let people know that there is a judgment coming today when you hear his voice harden not your hearts.

That's what he's saying here. He's talking to the people today when you hear his voice harden not your hearts. Not even the fortified cities and towers will protect them. What we would say today is not even Wall Street not even the United States military.

Nothing is going to pull back or prevent God's judgment. It's coming. It's as sure as the Sun is coming up. People say oh but Shane that's so fearful. Not if you know him. How can people believe in a God.

They don't fear in a gospel. They don't understand the gospel the good news. But but we don't want to tell them the bad news. How can you appreciate the good news. Jesus saved us from what. From a difficult life or from God's wrath.

I will bring distress upon men. And they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood shall be poured out like the dust and their flesh like refuge or refuse. I'm sorry I misspelled that one.

Neither neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath. But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy. For he will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.

Judgment, Mercy, and the Need for Repentance

Well it didn't get too too much better then did it. It's it's getting better though. For for those who want the hope God will often lay it out. The reason is when you lay it out you see what's at the risk.

Is you know like a doctor saying here's what you have. What would happen if a doctor didn't properly diagnosed diagnosed. What's going on in your life. He sees the cancer on the screen. And well I'm not going to say anything.

They would lose their license. That's malpractice to not give people all the information and hide information from them. So the same thing when it comes to God's Word were to tell them everything that God says.

Judgment is certain but it can be avoided. Money and possessions can do nothing for you. He is jealous for his name's sake. And I don't know if this is true or not. But I heard Oprah talk about how she rejected God when she heard that he was jealous.

I can't worship a God that's jealous. I can because she doesn't understand the correct terminology there jealousy. Is it okay for you to be jealous for someone not to go after your spouse. I hope so that's a good jealousy to say no.

This is my spouse. I'm jealous for them. And God's jealous for his people to love him and to worship him and to follow him. He says I'm jealous for my name's sake. I want you to put your full trust and confidence in me.

Our God is a jealous God. He's a consuming fire. Because when you're not seeking God you're seeking after an idol. And he's jealous to have you come back. So there's a call there's a summons. It's a proclamation to return.

You'll often see God do that. And we do that to individually. Hopefully when we witness there's a call out to people a proclamation return to God. And that's why after the service we're going to have a little bit of prayer time up front.

For those who who need prayer for any area of their life maybe something's been convicting. Maybe God's been kind of tugging on you to turn something over to him. Maybe he's been encouraging you to pray more.

And we want to. We want to give you that opportunity. But the context here also provides principles. In other words when you look at the Old Testament and you see the context it gives us principles for today.

And he shifts into chapter 2 verse 1 gather yourselves together. Okay. So he says here's the problem. Judgment is coming and nobody's gonna be able to stand in my presence. I'm going to judge. And there's nothing you can do.

However chapter 2 verse 1 gather yourselves together. You undesirable nation before the decree is issued on the day that passes like chaff before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you. Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you speedily.

So he's getting here. He's gonna get to a point here coming together. There's power and unity. And he says Oh undesirable nation. That's an honest assessment. So I will encourage you tonight always look at your heart and do an honest assessment.

Where am I at where. It's the condition of my heart. And then verse 3 seek the Lord. All you meek of the earth who have upheld his justice. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

So he says here's what come. Here's what's coming. However seek the Lord. Seek him while he may be found all the earth all the inhabitants of the land. You meek of the earth. That means meek means humble low lowly and and and wanting God to move on behalf of you.

Those who have held and uphold his justice seek righteousness seek humility. It may be that you'll be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. So here we see if we can learn anything. It's a call to humbly seek God to humble ourselves and seek him.

Those who upheld his justice. What does that mean to hold up his justice. He's looking for those who were take what is just what is right and hold it up. That's the battle you're seeing today. Don't we see it the battle over the unborn or marriage or different things he wants people have to uphold lift up his justice and his righteousness and speak the truth into the lives of others.

And that says here our focus should be on righteousness. What is righteousness. Right living. So it's wonderful wonderful way to get back on track with God. We humble ourselves we uphold his justice. We speak what is true.

And then we focus on right living. There's power and holiness. Simple obedience. That would be a great sermon title. I've taught of thought of this week two words simple obedience. It's that simple God requires simple obedience.

It's a song we heard this morning actually at the worship morning. That's how we change the nation. That's how we make a difference. Simple obedience. And then God often spares his people from judgment.

That's it. That's a very true teaching throughout Scripture that God will spare his people from judgment says here I will. Maybe you'll be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger now we don't know how that works exactly.

And on this idea there are some people who are pre mid and post wrath. You know what that means. Pre mid post trip. Pre trip. Basically are we going before God's wrath is poured out. Are we going midway through God's wrath.

Or are we going through post wrath. Are we going through God's wrath. Well there's three different books written on all three of those. Everybody has their own opinion pre tribulation. Are we gone before the tribulation.

Are we are we lifted out midway. Is there even a tribulation now. If I had about three hours we could try to get through some of those. But this is where this concept comes from from some people that say God we will be spared in God's judgment not necessarily lifted out from it but be spared through it.

And for me it's hard to take a hard-line stance because it's it's like putting pieces of a puzzle together. No one's quite sure. So they put a lot of speculation into things. Well I think we'll be gone before things get difficult.

Well that's not really that might work well in America. But that doesn't work well in other countries where people are watching their loved ones be killed they are facing a tribulation. They are facing difficulties.

So there's there's a lot of end times thoughts out there. Other groups believe that that there isn't a tribulation there isn't a rapture. So I don't want time to go through all that right now. But we do see that God spares his people from judgment.

He told Abram I will spare the city if there are a certain amount of righteous men there. Well will you spare it with 50. Oh yes 45 40 35. And Abram keeps walking down and realizes God's judgment is gonna fall.

We better get lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed that area. But that's one thing that is comforting to me and should be to you as well when God's judgment falls. If it does fall and we're here that God has a way of persevering and holding us and preserving I should say not preserving us.

And possibly we go through difficulties. It's interesting to me that these prophets many of these prophets went through God's judgment. Jeremiah wrote a book called Lamentations. He's lamenting over the fall of Israel.

He saw mothers cooking their own children for food and some things that were terrible. These these people went through the judgments of God. Now there if it's coming a great final judgment where God's just gonna bring all types of catastrophes on the earth then many believe that God will hide his people in that day if they're still here.

So I don't get caught up on here's what's gonna happen. Because nobody really knows for sure nobody can say for certainty this is exactly how it's going to happen. But we can say Christ is coming. Are you ready.

Are you prepared. That day is coming where you will face Christ someday. Do you know him. Are you living right. Are you like the five virgins who were prepared with the oil or like the five who were not prepared.

Jesus gave many types of not analogies but parables on relating to being ready. Don't do he said do not let that day come upon you unexpectedly with carousing and drunkenness and the cares of that life basically living like there's there's no judgment coming nothing's gonna happen.

And Jesus said be careful because that day will come upon you unexpectedly. You will not expect it. So that's how I believe we need to live in expectancy Christ returning. But we also should prepare people in case it gets difficult in case we see a tribulation in a in a in a coming against Christianity.

Preparing the Church for Persecution and Cultural Opposition

And folks let me tell you we are very close in this nation when we have rulers that are okay with infanticide and murdering children and they have no remorse whatsoever. They want to shut the church up.

They want to lock people up. But this isn't pie-in-the-sky conspiracy theories. You put the wrong people in positions of authority. The Christian Church in America is going to know persecution very quickly very quickly and we have to be prepared for that.

I don't want my children. I don't. I don't teach my children. Hey don't worry you'll be out of here when it gets tough. We have to prepare them for that toughness and as things get difficult and be that voice that speaks into the culture.

I'm actually on that note. I'm driving to Los Angeles tomorrow to be on Fox News again talking about this lady who came against Mike Pence is a very evil person because he suggests that LGBT in the gay community that it's a sin.

So he is just lamb blasted. And it's if you get these people in positions of power at some point they are going to call this hate speech prison time. It's it's it's it's right around the corner if the wrong people are in office.

So I think we should be contending. I think we should be praying. I think we should be fasting and trusting in the Lord. We don't trust in the government. But we do know that God wants to raise up godly people to speak his truth to voice.

Hey this isn't right. This is not right. Look some of you are older. How far have we drifted in 30 years. I mean remember I often say leave it. It was leave it to Beaver gee Wally when I was growing up.

Now I can't even there's stuff on there. I don't even know how this is on TV. It's just we've drifted so far. I don't know how many of the clips you watch where there's just people planned parenthood that well if the child's born alive will break its neck.

I mean it's like God help us. I shed some tears this morning thinking about this how how I can't believe that we live in a place that allows this. Why are those people under the scrutiny. Why are they filling the heat.

Because it's a spirit. You'll see those who are for abortion are often for gay marriage. It's it's that same anything against God. And then verse 8. Therefore wait for me. God says this is a key to us this evening.

Waiting on God and Trusting His Justice

Here's a principle we can glean. Therefore remember he just said this seek me humble yourself. Seek justice seek what is right. Seek righteousness seek humility. Are you guys living that way. Are you seeking righteousness and humility.

Then God says that his wrath will be adverted. Therefore wait for me. Yes this is talking to the nation of Israel thousands of years ago. But this principle still applies. God says wait for me says the Lord.

Can you imagine God telling us to wait. Listen. Just wait. Wait for me. Wait on me wait on me to move. And that's how you'll renew your strength. Wait for me to move says the Lord until the day I rise up for plunder to pour on them my indignation all my fierce anger all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

Justice is coming. Be patient. God is a God of justice. He says justice is coming. Be patient to pour on them. Like a cup being poured out. God says I will pour out my wrath. I will pour out my indignation on what is going on in this world.

And then you fast forward. I don't know how many years maybe 800 years depending on what Zephaniah was written. And now Jesus is praying. Take this. What cup from me. So Jesus bore the wrath of God. He took on the cup of God's wrath for us.

And because of that now we can stand before God in right standing. Because he took on the wrath of God that cup was poured out on Christ. See God will always make a provision for his people. If you do this I will provide the sacrifice.

Restoration, Unity, and Cleansing from Shame

And this this judgment to me affects the whole world. If I'm reading it correctly the whole world is affected here. So he could be. What's interesting about the prophets to this is why it's difficult.

Like I said last week they didn't have white out or backspace or delete or copy and paste. They just wrote it out. And sometimes they're speaking to their immediate generation. Sometimes they're speaking to something coming up in 70 years.

Sometimes they're they're. They're prophesying. They're proclaiming something possibly in the future when God will judge the whole world and the nation. And then verse 9 for then I will restore to the people of pure language.

See after the judgment comes after God the justice is reigned in. He says I will restore a pure language that they may call on the name of the Lord to serve him with one accord. With unity. Our speech reflects our heart.

A pure language serving one another with one accord. Isn't unity beautiful. When we can get rid of discord and division and bickering and complaining and fighting and and get on the same page with one accord.

And then verse 10 from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my worshipers I will call my worshipers. The daughter of my dispersed ones shall bring my offering. In that day you shall not be ashamed for any of your deeds in which you transgressed against me.

Is that interesting. He's saying in that day you will not be feel the shame of what you did to me. Why. Because I provided a sacrifice. I cleansed my people. I saved my people I washed away. Now you understand the Psalms what can wash away my sin.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. David said wash me as with hyssop. And I will be cleansed clean as snow the driven snow. There's a cleansing that takes place in that day you shall not be ashamed for any of your deeds in which you transgress against me.

For then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride. And you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. He's saying my worshipers will come from all over as he removes our shame and our guilt.

He removes our enemies after they accomplish their purpose. Your enemy has a purpose. So don't get disgruntled. Don't get too upset. If something is coming against you allow that to shape you and mold you and ask God Lord what do you teaching me.

What are you trying to show me instead. What do we do. We get mad at God. Why am I in this situation. What's going on. Pride comes in instead of God allowing his the enemies to accomplish their purpose in your life.

Listen. Looking back at my life I can see how enemies have helped. You know they draw you closer to God. They remove some of that those those character issues that we need to work on. They can highlight weak areas sometimes.

And maybe God shows us our own weaknesses and maybe a lack of prayer. And he says here there will no longer be haughtiness. What is haughtiness. Haughtiness is pride. Self exaltation self-reliance all about moi.

There you go. It's all about me. And he will remove that haughtiness. I do not put up with a haughty look a haughty spirit a haughty attitude. And God knows to bring down his people. Listen. I've noticed this in Christians.

The number one thing that God will go after very quickly is haughtiness and pride. Pride cometh before a fall. And so he doesn't like that in the believer because it's it's self-exaltation thinking I can handle this thinking I can absorb this.

And then verse 12 I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people and they will trust in the name of the Lord. So see God brings all this judgment this hellfire and brimstone. And that's funny. People say oh that's you're just hellfire and brimstone.

Yeah. But get to the good part. There's hope. See you just don't want the hope. You don't like that. There's a God who requires justice and judgment and and so you want to discount everything. But he says I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

So what do you do. Verse 14. So sing sing. Oh daughter of Zion. Shout Oh Israel. So he's saying here's this judgment this great coming calamity. But God will save his people. He'll bring a Redeemer he'll set you high upon a mountain.

He'll he'll take away your shame and your guilt as a result. Oh daughter of Zion Israel. You should shout and thank God be glad and rejoice with all your heart. He just goes from utter judgment to rejoicing.

That's the prophets will do that often. What is it you do. It's it's to hammer us down to get the sledgehammer and hammer us down. But then to say okay now that you've been crushed let me build you up.

And if he just starts to build us up without the conviction we will not grow spiritually. Have you ever just pampered a child. That's it. It's an ugly sight around 12 years old. Pamper pamper pamper. Always getting their way.

Yes darling what would you like some more. Captain Crunch. Okay you want to watch Netflix. Here you go have fun pampering and pampering and pampering and pampering. They never get that little spanking that little paddle or that confrontation or that conviction.

And then you understand once you get that conviction you see what the wrong you've done you you begin to appreciate the love of your father the love of your mother. So that might be a good application for us tonight is to be glad and rejoice with all our heart what God has done providing a Redeemer.

We should be the most blessed people but also the happiest because of what God has done. So why do we come in frumpy. Can you. Is that a word you English majors frumpy rhymes with grumpy. Many Christians come in frumpy grumpy bad mood bickering complaining.

And I just talked to a man today. It was so true. He said we should be so thankful for our hot running water. Billions with a B do not even have that. And I know it's hard. But you can make an attitude adjustment and you can begin to praise God.

Thank you for the cross. Thank you for Calvary Lord. Remove this critical spirit. Remove this arrogance in my heart. Remove this divisiveness I've had. I'm creating divisions in my family. I'm not being loving and gracious God please change me.

I'm gonna worship you tonight. And you change. Your heart can change because we often say God change me. And he will. But it also takes a movement of our own hearts in the right direction. We have to open our hearts and say God change me.

Joy in God's Faithfulness

The Lord has taken away your judgments. He is cast out your enemy the King of Israel. The Lord is in your midst. You shall see disaster no more. Is that encouraging how he encourages the people back again because there would be King Hezekiah King Ammon King Josiah King Jehoshaphat King Ahab.

But he says here I am the king the king of Israel. I am in your midst and you shall see disaster no more. And I've learned learned and so of you. I'm sure. But it's a great reminder tonight. The joy in God's faithfulness.

Joy is it found in God's faithfulness. If you lack joy this evening if you're if you're frumpy and grumpy. And joy is nowhere to be found. Focus on his faithfulness. Has he ever let you down. Has he ever just said no.

Oh well I'm I'm I'm out of here. Good luck on your own God's faithfulness. And remembering when we remember who God is how sovereign he is there's tremendous joy that follows. And then we look at the news tomorrow and get back off track and forget who really sits on the throne and get frumpy and grumpy again.

And oh that's right. And it's this constant cycle like Jekyll and Hyde. But I believe God wants to live us wants us to live more on that that faithfulness side and rejoicing in who he is. So to sum it up the road to revival begins with conviction.

The Road to Revival: Conviction, Assessment, and Repentance

I don't want to raise hands or take a survey. But I'm wondering how many of you in this room truly want change truly want change. I know some people are going in a healthy direction. They're here for the worship mornings and they're they're.

They're filled with God's Spirit. And maybe that's you. But I'm talking maybe to those who aren't really experiencing a lot of joy. You want God to change something in your life. Christianity is boring.

It's dead. You're going through the motions. Revival means to revive something that was alive is now dead. If the truth be told that can happen in all of our lives. Even you change. Oh absolutely to revive that God this is dying this is dead.

How do I revive. Well number one there has to be conviction. So that's why I read a lot of the hard passages that we need to hear that God I'm not living right. I'm not doing what you want me to do. There's a conviction.

So what happens when there's conviction. Then we learned last week there's an assessment. We assess where is the damage at. We've got a lot of roof leaks. So we go around and we assess where is the damage.

Same thing in our own lives. We walk around and assess and say Lord where do I need to work on. And then what happens. I'm convicted. I see my error. I repent. So many people think that's a word for a one-time or for a one-time experience.

Oh I they tell me that. Oh no I repented 20 years ago for salvation. But brother you've got to repent for a lot of things right now. No I just I did that already. No repentance. And for the Christian repentance is God I'm walking in the wrong direction.

I acknowledge it. I changed my mind which is a which changes my actions. That's what repentance is. It means a changing of the way I was going this way. Now I'm going that way. So we're convicted. We assess our damage created me a clean heart.

Oh God I've been wrong. And we repent of that sin. We repent of that lifestyle. And we make changes to get back on track. That's why I don't let people fool you who say they're repentant but they don't make any changes.

Because with genuine repentance you want to say I was wrong. How can I repair the damage I did that was not right. How much do I owe you. What did I do. How can I apologize. How can I fix it. I want to fix what I wronged.

That's repentance. But when the defense attorney comes out in a person but this but that but I don't know but you don't see my side. But that's not the that person is usually not repentant. Don't you remember when you truly repented of God.

You didn't out you didn't negotiate anything. I didn't ask for anything. I said God I'm sorry. God I'm so sorry. And I cried and I wept. I just said thank you. Thank you for bringing me back like the prodigal son.

I'm eating with these pigs and I need to come home. Is there not room at least for me with among the servants. And God's saying no you're a son and you want to fix what you've wronged. That's repentance.

So is there repentance. Does it need to take place. Repentance doesn't go home and try to be a better dad or try to be a better mom. We go home and we do it now. Don't feel discouraged. You're still gonna struggle and fumble through things and not do things right.

But at least your your heart is right. I'm repenting. I'm not making excuses. And then once that happens glorious things take place. We see here that seeking and praying followed by joy in the midst of challenges occur.

What happens is once you're once you're back on track. Is it interesting. Once you catch that fire for seeking God you want more of God. It's like having a little taste of your favorite food. What's your favorite place.

Chick-fil-a for you junk food junkies. Carl's Jr. Oh you're not being honest tonight. Ice cream. Okay there you go. Whatever it is if you just have a little tiny little tiny teaspoon take one bite of an in-out burger.

That's it. That's it. Oh you just you just started a hunger. Right there. That's the same thing with seeking God. Once you get your heart right there's a hunger for more of God. That's not satisfied. You can ever you know what.

I'm satisfied. God thank you. I'll take a I'll take a break this week. It's an ever-present ongoing hunger where Jesus said if you drink of the water I give you you will never thirst again. That's this ongoing waters is ongoing drinking and consuming of the living Christ who brings eternal salvation not only into our hearts our lives but also calls us to be difference makers in our community and in our families and be more of God more of God and more of God.

Seeking God, Spiritual Hunger, and Joy Amid Adversity

And that is followed by joy tremendous joy even in the midst of challenges. Amen to that we keep believing that lie that there should be no challenges. I don't know if I've had a week go by a day maybe a day go by without any challenges.

I'm waiting for it. But there's tremendous joy. You should you would have not believed the things that happen once we got a radio station on the air. Whoo. Legal battles attorneys bills that are astronomical that should have been paid and and receivers are going out and transmitters are going on the internet.

This is everything. But there's tremendous joy because like God this is your station these are. You handle it you you did this mess. So I'm just I'm just giving it over to you. I'm gonna trust you. And then you start to do things for God.

Here comes the challenges disappointment discouragement setbacks. Listen I deal with that a lot so I can relate. The enemy will use that to throw you off of off track discouragements. Anybody ever get discouraged disappointments derailed sidetracked knocked off course issues at home that Lord I can't continue.

But you need to learn to find joy in the midst of that challenge because that's where true joy comes from. We're so worried about being happy. We have all these books out there happy happy happy. This and happiness is based on what's happening to you.

I feel good. My family life's great everything's going great. Finances are going great. I'm relaxing vacations coming up. I'm happy because that things are happening that are good. But joy is found in the midst of even adversity even in challenges.