This weekend we are having a Bi-lingual (Spanish and English) revival campaign here at Joy. We started on Friday night, then last night and this evening is the final night of the campaign. Moving forward after tonight we are going to have Sunday night service each week except on major holidays. The services will continue to be at 6pm with a fellowship dinner after service between 7:30-8:00. For the past 4 years we have been holding Sunday night services in both English and Spanish two times a month, but now we are going to every week. The evening service includes praise, worship, communion, a message from the bible and prayer. I cannot stress to you enough that this service is for everyone. It is not a Spanish service, it is not an English service. It is a worship of Jesus service where if you speak English or Spanish, both or neither you can come and be in the presence of the Lord.
Easter Sunday- April 20th – Who is God calling you to bring? Are you going to be baptized?
Sedar Dinner- April 9th in the Gym- We need you to sign up after Church: Beef, Chicken, Lamb.
It was 5:34 this morning when the Lord woke me up with this scripture:
1 John 3:20-24
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
- This morning I believe God wants us to talk about the heart…..and not just any heart, specifically I believe God wants us to talk about our heart.
Just a quick reminder of the way that we believe God has created humankind: We believe the bible is very clear that God created you in three parts:
- You are a living Soul. This is the real you: Your mind, will, emotions. Your attitude
- You have a spirit- The part of you that knows God and yearns to worship him. And desires relationship with him.
- You live in a Body- Today an earthly body but in the future a quickened or heavenly body.
We are going to go through these scriptures so please write them down so you can go into a deeper study in homework.
Genesis 1:26-28
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47
King James Version
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
****Jesus speaks of the Soul and Body being cast into hell***
Matthew 10:26-28
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
****Let’s talk about the Spirit of a man***
Proverbs 20:27
King James Version
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Hebrews 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
***The 1st point of the Message today: You are a living soul, you have a spirit (given you by God), and you live in a body.
**It is important that you understand the principle of the Spirit of and soul of a man being so close to each other. So much a part of each other that it is difficult to tell where the spirit ends and the soul begins. The writer of the book of Hebrews explains that it is only the word of God that is able to separate between the three parts of you. Body, soul, spirit.
This is where the imperfect, human translations of the bible can cause some confusion when the word for Heart, Soul, and Spirit are all used interchangeably when in fact there are very important distinctions depending on what you are talking about.
The Disciple John spent a lot of time meditating on this and really understanding from God how and what Jesus did and why he did it. John was not just an observer / reporter without context, intent and meaning. John calls himself the disciple that Jesus loved. He was the one who stayed closest to Jesus and the only one of his disciples that the bible records to have been standing at the foot of the Cross with Jesus’ mother.
Bible scholars believe that John did not write his Gospel until 30-40 years after Jesus’ resurrection. But when you read John’s writings you can see that his relationship with Jesus only grew deeper. God showing him insight.
John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Matthew 6:22-24
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
***The 1st point of the Message today: You are a living soul, you have a spirit (given you by God), and you live in a body.
*** The 2nd point of the Message today: It is only the word of God, Jesus who can bring light into the darkness of your soul and spirit.
***Back to our key scripture for a reminder of what we are discussing this morning:
1 John 3:20-24
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
*** In the time remaining this morning I want to talk about your heart. John shows us three powerful things in the passage of scripture:
- He tells us that regardless of what our heart is telling us God is greater than our hearts.
***Some of you need to hear this today; Your heart is a part of your soul and it can have opinions, it has desires, it can be deceitful. It can be wicked….. but God is greater than your heart.
Jeremiah 17:7-10
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
****The 2nd thing John is telling us is that we can get our heart in alignment with God’s word and have faith and confidence when we pray to God.
***You see when we look at our heart in the way that God looks at our heart then it will bring freedom to our lives.
1 Samuel 16:7
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
***My friends Jesus is the great physician. Jesus is the heart healer. He is the heart replacer. John says listen: He tells us that regardless of what our heart is telling you, God is greater than your heart…….But Jesus is the heart healer and can give you a heart transplant so you can live in confidence and not conflict with God and your heart.
***The 1st point of the Message today: You are a living soul, you have a spirit (given you by God), and you live in a body.
*** The 2nd point of the Message today: It is only the word of God, Jesus who can bring light into the darkness of your soul and spirit.
*** Point #3: God wants to heal your heart so you can live in confidence and not conflict.
Globally, reported cases of depression have increased significantly over the past 30 years, with the number of incident cases rising by nearly 60% between 1990 and 2019.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the trends:
- Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study:
The GBD study found that the prevalence of depression among adolescents and young adults has been rising globally over the past three decades.
- Sex Differences:
The number of incidences is significantly higher in females than in males.
- Older Adults:
There was a significant increase in depressive disorders prevalence among individuals aged 60–74 years.
- Young Adults:
The prevalence of adults with a major depressive episode was highest among individuals aged 18-25.
Ezekiel 36:26-27
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Proverbs 17:3
3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.
*** Point #3: God wants to heal your heart so you can live in confidence and not conflict.
Back to our Key Scripture
1 John 3:20-24
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
***The next thing that John tells us here in verses 22 and 23 is: in order for us to have this confidence toward God is we have got to believe in Jesus Christ and Love one another.
*** Point #4: God is calling you to believe in the Name of Jesus, and Love one another.
Philippians 2:9-11
King James Version
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
*** In Closing I want to talk about how God works in our hearts…..
2 Chronicles 32:22-31
King James Version
22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.
23 And many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
Hebrews 10
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.