Philippians 1 | Joyful Living

When I was a kid, we used to sing a song: 

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart! 
    Where? 
Down in my heart!  
    Where?
Down in my heart! 

We don’t really sing that song much anymore.

Maybe it is a little too silly?

Or maybe we are a little too grim. 

An old country preacher used to say: Many of you have the joy so deep down in your heart that your face hasn’t found out yet!

Our advent theme this year is joy, and our text will be the book of Philippians.

Could you use more joy in your life?

In a world filled with downers and disappointments, setbacks and failures, disasters and despair, we are seeking true joy. Joy is like peppermint bark. You can never have too much. 

But what is the joy that the Spirit provides?

What is real Christmas joy? 

The type of joy that the Spirit provides, and Christ purchased is not sentimental happiness.
It is not the silliness that sees all of life as a joke.
It is not the sarcastic sneering that is so prevalent today. 

We are in search of genuine joy.
The kind of joy that is not dependent on circumstances and not susceptible to the mood swings of others. 

Charles Swindoll says the book of Philippians was written to encourage believers to find Christ-centred, Spirit-empowered joy. Joy in living, joy in serving, and joy in sharing and resting. ‌

That perfectly summarizes the book and our goal for this advent season: to find Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered joy!