Dan Stockum - April 18, 2021
Finding and Keeping Joy
Joy: the kind of joy that seems to overwhelm you, that almost lifts you off the ground, that makes you feel whole. We could all use that kind of joy. But how do we get it? Where does it come from? Is there a way we can make it appear in our lives or is it mostly out of our control? This week, as we study one of the most joyous celebrations in all of Scripture, we will see four ingredients for the type of joy we all want and all need.
From Series: "Let's Build It Again"
This Week's Sermon: "Inching Away from Spiritual Revival"
Spiritual decline is often like a flat tire. Most flat tires occur because air leaks out over time. Gradually. Imperceptibly. We're usually not even aware that there is a problem until the car becomes too difficult to steer or a worse problem arises.
The decline of one's spiritual life, the loss of one's vitality and first love for the things of God, can be quite similar. It happens gradually and imperceptibly -- and it’s what we see taking place in the nation of Israel in the final chapter of the book of Nehemiah. After having experienced such great spiritual renewal earlier in the book, what went so wrong for Israel in Nehemiah 13? And what can we learn from their story that can help us to maintain our spiritual fervor for God and prevent us from making the same mistakes?
