In our world, there is so much sorrow, misery, and sadness.

We see indicators all around us that reveal to us that most people are looking for something,

anything, that can bring them true joy. In this study on joy,

Scott Pauley will take us to God's Word and help us discover the source of true, lasting joy.

And as we study the Bible together, we will find that God's joy is readily available to us

through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Nothing on earth can take the place of the local New Testament Church. It is the Lord's

anointed and appointed means of carrying out his work in this world, advancing the gospel,

and it is also the means by which his people come into the greatest strength and blessing in their own Christian experience.

Because the Lord connects us to one another.

Oh, it is my sincere prayer for you and wisdom counsel to you, that you be a member,

an active member of a local New Testament church.

Don't just be an attender.

Don't just be a spectator.

You be a person that connects your life to what God is doing in this world through the local assembly. We come today

to the joy of the local church. We're in Philippians. One more time, Philippians chapter four

and verse number one. You know, you have all these verses in the book of Philippians about rejoicing the Lord always.

And again, I say rejoice and rejoicing when you're abased.

And those verses get a lot of attention.

But there are some verses here that I think sometimes we just kind of skim and we skip over.

And we're missing vital truth. And here's one of them philippians

four verse one paul writes from his heart under inspiration of the holy ghost and says therefore my

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