Welcome back to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Hey, if you're brand new with us, we're glad that you found us.

Every day we're going to dive into Rick's teachings, and today we're continuing the series called How God Meets Your Deepest Needs.

Now, in this series, Rick explores how the different Hebrew names of God that are found in the Bible

actually illustrate the special ways that God cares for us, his constant presence,

his purpose for your life, and his preparation for a place for you in heaven.

Okay, now let's join Rick for the final part of the message called How to Live a Joy-filled Life.

Now, some of you are facing some not-so-happy circumstances right now.

And some of you, you're having to swallow a bitter pill right now, financially or physically or in a relationship.

And you think, there's nothing in my life worth being joyful about?

And you say, how in the world, how can I be joyful when everything is wrong in my life?

Well, let me tell you two reasons.

Two reasons.

Look at the last two verses on your outline.

Number one, I can always be joyful no matter what happens because I know God is in control.

Paul says, I'm going to keep on being glad. Now remember, he's in prison awaiting execution. I'm going to keep on being glad.

For I know that as you pray for me and as the Holy Spirit helps me, this is all going to turn out for my good. He says, I got a couple of encouragements here. He says, you're praying for me. The Holy Spirit's helping me. But he says, here's the real issue. God sees it all. God knows it all. God cares about it all. God's in control of it all. God will use it for my good and God will give me the power I need. So what am I

worried about? Nothing. Now, granted, this isn't the way Paul had planned it. Paul wanted to go to

Rome, rent the Coliseum, and have a Billy Graham crusade with him being Billy Graham. And that's

what he want to do, to share God's love with all of the Roman Empire.

Instead, he goes with his hands and feet shackled and put in a dungeon for two years with a 24-hour guard.

Well, I'm sure he shared Jesus Christ with every one of those guards.

If they changed every four hours, that's a couple thousand guards over a two-year period. Who do you think was the real prisoner?

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