The Healing Word

Guest (Male): The Healing Word Ministry on one place is brought to you by the generous donations of people like you. At any time during today's message, feel free to send a prayer request or make a donation using the links provided. Now, I pray you will be blessed as Pastor Jack Morris delivers a message from the word of God that will encourage and strengthen your faith in him.

Pastor Jack Morris: You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can respond the way you choose to respond. I can choose my response.

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Healing Word, a ministry dedicated to offering strength and encouragement through God's word for anyone facing life's challenges. Today's message is here to meet you at your point of need, bringing hope and renewing your faith now. Here's Pastor Jack Morris.

Pastor Jack Morris: There's a very important statement that I put in your sermon outline. I want you to look at it. You may not always be able to choose your circumstances, but you can choose your response to your circumstances. You see, things are happening to us all the time. Life is never stagnant. Change is is the word. Everything changes. That's be really the only predictable thing is change. We know that there's going to be change. Nothing remains the same. Everything changes. And events and happenings are are coming at us. We can't stop it. We we can't hold it back.

We cannot lessen the impact. We can't make that event go away. Worse often victims. And you may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can respond the way you choose to respond. I can choose my response. Friend, I want you to know and I know and you know there are many things that are happening to you. Some of these things are pleasant. Many of the things that are happening to you are unpleasant. You may not be able to choose the pleasant and the unpleasant things that are happening to you. But you can choose how you respond to what's happening to you.

You can choose to respond in a Christian, Christ-like manner regardless of what happens to you. Can I hear somebody say amen? You can choose your response. No one can take that freedom away from you. Now, that's exactly what the Apostle Paul was saying here in chapter four of Philippians verse four. I want you to read this verse quickly. Will you read verse four? Just verse four, Philippians four four. Hold your Bible up and rather quickly read together. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice. Now, under point A in your outline in your bulletin, write down that word rejoice and exhortation to rejoice.

Now, this exhortation to rejoice is not a pleasant suggestion. This is a grammatical imperative. By divine authority of the Holy Spirit, Paul is instructing you, even commanding you how you are to react to the things that are going on around you. And the response that you and I are to give to our circumstances, whether you like the circumstances, whether you have chosen those circumstances, the response is to rejoice. Now, we've been going through the book of Philippians. We know that Paul was in prison. He didn't choose that. I mean, who really chooses to go to jail?

Not only was he in jail, but he was shackled. And why they put chains on him? I mean, that's I I I don't know. I don't even know why they arrested him. I I know that they arrested him because he was in the temple praying and they falsely accused him. Some Jewish people did of bringing Gentiles into the holy court. But it was a trumped-up charge and they arrested him. Now, while Paul is in chains, he hears about his beloved congregation so far away going through dire circumstances. The church was being persecuted by the Roman pagans from the outside.

The church was divided on the inside because simply because two ladies, two very prominent women in the church had a falling out. And they had their own position. And neither would give in to the other. And so like in all congregations or wherever there's a group or even a small family, people begin to choose sides with her and people say, well, I understand where she's coming from. Other says, well, I understand where she's coming from. And the church was divided. Now, here is the church being persecuted from the outside. Here is the church being divided on the inside.

And not only that, Paul said, there are false prophets that have arisen right out of your congregation, right out of Paul is saying, right out of my congregation, people that I preach to. No doubt he even baptized them. And they started studying the Bible. But this is what happened. They put their own spin on what they were studying. They interpreted it from where they were, how they saw it. And that's what false prophets are. False prophets don't say, I don't believe the word. False prophets say, I believe the word. And then they tell you how they believe it.

And they can quote chapter and verse and turn to the scripture and and prove their point. But it is has that little twist, that little into it. And here is Paul. You know, I can't think of a worst situation for a pastor to be in than to know that his church is divided, his church, people that he loved and even served and preached to and baptized. They've turned against him and telling the people now, you listen to us. Paul was wrong. We're right. This is what you're to believe. And here is Paul knowing his beloved congregation is way over in Philippi.

Here is Paul in shackles and he can't get to them. You know what I'd be doing? God send fire on them. Chill them. I rebuke them in Jesus' name. I come against you in the name of the Lord. That's how I would. What does Paul say? Rejoice. Let me hear you say that word rejoice.

Guest (Male): Rejoice.

Pastor Jack Morris: How he can do it. Woo. I don't know that I can do it. I don't know. But by God's grace, there is special grace in the Lord. We're going to look at this. He tells them to rejoice. You see, they had other options. They could have gotten sad, those members of that congregation. They could have gotten discouraged that they could have become angry. They could have become hostile. They had a lot of options. Paul said, no, you don't. As a believer in Christ, as a spirit-filled believer, you don't have any other option other than one, rejoice.

How can you rejoice when everything is is falling apart and there's so much problem and so much trouble and you can't correct it. And Paul said, just put it all in God's hands and praise Jesus. Just praise Jesus. Just rejoice. This is what he's telling them. Now, look at verse four again. He said, rejoice in the Lord when things are going good for you. Say it again.

Guest (Male): Always.

Pastor Jack Morris: Always. Hey, when I'm sick, I'm going to rejoice. When I'm broken out of money, I'm going to rejoice. When I've lost my friends, I'm going to rejoice. I'm going to rejoice always. Under all circumstances, I'm going to rejoice. And Paul is saying, look, I know what's going on. You don't have to even write and tell me about it. I know there's some ungodly people who claim to be very godly and they're just tearing things apart and they're destroying the testimony of Christ. And it's a church that I established and pastored. But it says, rejoice in the Lord.

Rejoice. Friend, we are to rejoice always in the Lord. You know, there's only two times. Listen to me now. Only two times that you and I are to praise the Lord. Do you know those two times? Number one, when you feel like it. Number two, when you don't feel like it. That's the only two times. Isn't that the truth? That's what Paul said. Rejoice in the Lord always. Even when you don't feel like it, you're to do it anyway. You're to do it anyway. Someone said, I don't feel like praying. I don't feel like going to church.

I don't feel. It's not your feelings. It's what God has commanded you to do and you haven't obeyed the command. You need to repent and get right with God.

Guest (Male): We'll be back with the conclusion of today's message in just a moment. But first, here's an invitation for you to make an impact on reaching souls with God's word.

Pastor Jack Morris: Hello friends. I'm Pastor Jack Morris. I just want to take a moment to thank you for your prayers and your donations in that order, prayers and donations. I need both from you and if this ministry is to continue and I believe it's God's will for it to continue, I'm going to need your partnership more so than ever before. I thank God for you. I trust that the Healing Word is a blessing. Pray that God's word will go forth in mighty power for the saving of souls and for the healing of lives, emotions and bodies. God bless you dear one in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Guest (Male): If the Healing Word has blessed you or someone you love, we invite you to prayerfully consider pledging your financial support. Simply visit thehealingword.com and click on donate now to make your tax-deductible contribution. Together, let's continue to share the beautiful blessings of God's word with the world in need.

Pastor Jack Morris: Now, notice what he says here. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice, a double emphasis. I suppose that those Philippians couldn't believe what they were hearing. I imagine they'd do the second take. He says to rejoice when the church is split, when the church is persecuted, when there are false prophets. And let me look at that letter again. Yep, he says we are to rejoice when it seems so unreasonable. When it's so easy to get discouraged, when it's so easy to get bitter, when it's so easy to point to others and and to blame others Paul says, rejoice even when it's so unreasonable to do so.

Rejoice. Why? Because the Lord has risen and he is reigning. That's why. He is still God overall. When everything is wrong and nothing is right, he is still the risen Christ present with us to bless and to help us. This Philippians is the epistle of joy. Even with all of the problems, the word rejoice is in this epistle four chapters. That's all. Four chapters and the word rejoice is found 11 times. And in addition to that, the word joy is found an additional five times. So it's time for the church to rejoice, to rejoice in the Lord, the scripture says.

In his strength, by his might, because of his presence, we can rejoice in the Lord. Now, when Jesus was in the upper room, see, I'm going to give you now how the secret of how this is done. When Jesus was in the upper room with his disciples, breaking bread, having the Lord's supper, he knew what was happening. Not a thing that happened in his life took him by surprise. Everything pretty much takes us by surprise, but not him. He knew exactly what was happening, everything. He knew that very shortly within hours, unless than 24 hours, he was going to drink the cup in Gethsemane.

He was going to experience the whip lashes of Gabbatha. And then he was going to be taken to the cross at Golgotha. I can't imagine. I can't imagine how he must have felt. But the scripture says, who for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. You know, there are people today it's it's it's be I'm not going through it. I 'm not going through some of the things that what you're going through. And I know it's a lot easier for me to stand up here and say some of the things I 'm saying that it is for you to sit out there and apply it.

But some of you today I have spouses who are very sick and are very ill. Some of you have marital problems and your spouse and you aren't getting along very well at all. Things are very very bad in your home. Some of you have told me that you're you may be laid off your job. There there there are things that are going on, going on. But you can rejoice. Number one because you have a savior. Though all hell assail you, you have a savior that is greater than hell itself. You have a savior. And you may not be able to thank God for anything other than that.

I have a savior and I will rejoice. I have a savior and I will rejoice. Say those words with me. I have a savior

Guest (Male): Savior.

Pastor Jack Morris: and I will rejoice. Choose your response. Don't just give in to your feelings and into your into your emotions and and begin to pity yourself and say, poor me. I've lost my health. I've lost my job. I've lost my family. Hey, you can lose everything, but you can't lose Jesus. You can't lose eternal life. Your name is in the book of life. And Satan himself can't take it out. You have a lot to rejoice over. Paul is saying, yeah, I know what's going on. But rejoice anyway. Rejoice in the Lord. Well, in that upper room with Jesus knowing all that was before him, he knew of Gethsemane where he was going to sweat as it were drops of blood.

He knew the 39 lashes and how they were going to spit on him and beat him and how they were going to put crown of thorns on his head. How one of his very own Judas was going to betray him and tear him down with a kiss. He knew all of that. He knew all of that. And then, listen. And then he says to his disciples, my joy I give to you. You see friend, it after all, it's not your joy. It's his joy imparted in you. If you try to sort of oh, I'm going to rejoice.

I 'm going to try to be happy. Hey, let me say something right now. The word happiness does not not doesn't even belong in the Bible. That's not even a scripture word. The scripture word is joy. And Jesus gives his joy, his joy. You say, oh, if if he only knew what I was going through. Friend, you don't have to try to muster it up or or lift yourself by your own boot stab straps or just strain real hard to be happy. No, that's not it at all. There there's an underlying joy. It's it's foundational.

It springs up from within. It's imparted by Jesus. It's his joy. You don't even have to try. All you have to do is be connected. And when you are in unity and connected to Jesus, that joy will flow right from him to you and you'll be able to smile and rejoice and you wonder what's wrong with me. Going through what I'm going through, feeling and feeling so good. It's Jesus. It's not you. This is what he says. My joy I give to you. Now, under point B, I want you to write down the word gentleness.

Now, as soon as you write the word gentleness down, pick up your Bible real quick and turn to Philippians four verse five and read that one with me. Philippians four verse five together. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Now, Paul is telling those people, don't get hostile. Don't get mad. Don't bite back. Be gentle. Be gentle. You know, as he is a gentle savior. He is a shepherd who takes the lambs in his arms. Be gentle. Choose your response and let that response be gentle. That's the spirit of Jesus within you.

Gentleness. Isaiah chapter 52 says how that Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before his shears. He was silent. He opened not his mouth. And then hundreds of years later in the book of Mark, the scripture says, Mark chapter 14 that that scripture was fulfilled. He was taken before the Sanhedrin, Jesus was. And they they just made up one lie after another lie after another lie. You couldn't take that. People stand and just lying to their teeth right in your presence. I couldn't either. Only Jesus could take it. And only right now with what you're going through, Jesus can take it.

Jesus in you can take it. And the Sanhedrin high priest stood up, stood to his feet and looked at Jesus and said, man, are you deaf? Those are my words. That's what he was basically that's what he was saying. Don't you hear? Wake up. Don't you hear what they're saying? Don't you hear and you're not going to say a word? And the scripture says, he kept silent. Silence is golden sometimes, isn't it? Silence is heavenly. Now, that's the fruit of the spirit. That's the work of Christ in you. Only Jesus can make that happen in you and in me.

Only the Lord can do that. See, gentleness is a lost word. Perhaps well, it is basically a lost word in today's world. It's just a lost word. We do not treat people with gentleness. Matter of fact, that's a long time since I've heard that word. Have you heard that word lately, the word gentleness? Maybe at a petting zoo for children they say be gentle. Once in a while we handshake and hug here and we're gentle. But uh gentleness. Today, you know how we treat people? Harshness. Stand up for your rights. Be assertive. Even Christians. We're gentle in here, but old like golly when we get out there.

It's going to be different. And we just don't even think about it. We just lop in our mouth and let them have it. Gentleness. That's how it is in today's world. You know that let me tell you something and you already know the answer to this. You know the hardest time to be gentle? Anybody? The hardest time to be gentle is when you know you're right and they're wrong. That's hard to be gentle then. We want to straighten them out. Paul is saying, choose gentleness. Don't don't attack back. God wants to do open heart surgery.

He wants to go to the very core of the being, of the need and touch you where you are hurting. It's not within you to be gentle or within me. It's the spirit of God. It's only as we are connected, united with Jesus. Only then can I be the man that God wants me to be. Only then will I be able to derive the strength to bear fruit and be the Christian that God wants me to be. It is not within you or within my human nature or your human nature to be a man of God or a woman of God.

It is the power of God within us. Only then. The Lord is near to give you strength to help you to overcome. The Lord is near. He's coming. He's near, but he's also near right here standing with me, sitting with you. He's listening in. He knows your alibi. And your alibi has become nothing other than a Christian lie. So you need to practice the presence of Jesus Christ always. The Lord is near us to bless us. Choose your response. That's what we're going to do today. We're going to come to this table, but before you come, I want you to think back.

This past week, this past month, the last time since you've been to the communion table. The scripture says that we Jesus said this as often as you do this. This should be something that is done often. Some of us need to say, Lord, forgive me. I haven't done it often enough. Lord, forgive me. I have bitterness and or anger or sadness or discouragement in my heart. Now, it's become part coming out of my heart out through my mouth. We need to point it out to him because he will restore to you the joy of your salvation when you do that.

He will give you his joy, not your joy, his joy. You can conjure up happiness, but happiness is short-lived. He wants to give you joy, abiding joy.

Guest (Male): We pray that you were blessed by today's message. But before we go, are you seeking a way to start your week filled with hope and inspiration? Every Monday morning, receive a fresh devotional delivered right to your inbox to uplift your spirit and encourage you throughout the week. Pastor Jack Morris carefully crafts each message with scripture that speaks to the heart, reflections to inspire growth and practical steps to help you live out your faith every day. These are words of hope and strength meant to meet you right where you are. Ready to begin? Just visit thehealingword.com and click the banner to sign up.

Start each week with renewed purpose, feeling connected to God and ready for what lies ahead. Join us tomorrow for another Healing Word message. Until then, blessings on you.