The Pursuit of Joy

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The three reasons that the Pursuit of Joy isn’t going well:

1) Most people base their joy on ________, ______________, & ________PEOPLE POSSESSIONS PLACES

o The WHEN/THEN Lie: When I _________ this, when I ______________ that, then I will be happy, then I will be full of ____.

ACQUIRE ACCOMPLISHJOY

The three reasons that the Pursuit of Joy isn’t going well:

1) Most people base their joy on ________, ______________, & ________PEOPLE POSSESSIONS PLACES

2) Most people are fundamentally _____________ DISCONTENT

3) As a nation we have devised a multitude of _____________ rather than deal with our lack of joy

DIVERSIONS

Blaise Pascal, a 17th century Christian Philosopher,

“We tend to be miserable. That we don’t like to think about being miserable, so we create diversions. We think about something else.

We do something to take our mind off our misery.”

Soren Kierkegaard,

“If I could prescribe one remedy for the human condition, I would assign every human being to sit alone in silence in their room so they

can meditate on their misery.”

The three reasons that the Pursuit of Joy isn’t going well:

1) Most people base their joy on ________, ______________, & ________PEOPLE POSSESSIONS PLACES

2) Most people are fundamentally _____________ DISCONTENT

3) As a nation we have devised a multitude of _____________ rather than deal with our lack of joy

DIVERSIONS

Joy Defined:

o Chara which means “_________.” Gladness is an issue of the heart. It is based upon an internal reality and not on external circumstances.

GLADNESS

Joy Defined:

o Joy is the settled assurance that God is in _________ of all the details of my life, the quiet ____________ that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined _______ to praise God in every situation.

CONTROL

CONFIDENCE

CHOICE

“Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ

Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. Grace

to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 1:1-2 (HCSB)

Through this study we are going to learn that true, God-honoring joy, has little to do with accomplishments or acquisitions It has everything to do with a ____________, a ____________ and a _______________ to God.

RIGHT HEART RIGHT MINDRIGHT RESPONSE