My dear brothers and sisters. I am immensely grateful for your prayers for this past weekend and the encouraging messages that I received from many of you. The weekend went amazingly, and the word was powerful and effective in the hearts of many. A few of you have asked for recordings of the messages. Below you will find a summary of each message and an audio recording (the video didn't work apparently).
Life in this world can feel so hollow and empty. Why is life so hard and joyless? Why is there so much pain? At times it feels like no matter what we do, we never manage to find joy, it can feel like chasing the wind. On top of that, when we do obtain an object of joy, it is fleeting and never leaves us satisfied. In this message, we will consider the reason why we have a feeling of emptiness and sorrow in this world. Is it meant to be this way if the Lord is on the throne?
We grasp at joy in this life, but like sand, it perpetually slips through our fingers. Where do we go to find joy that will not disappoint? Well, at the birth of Jesus Christ, the angels declared, “We bring you good news of great joy”. Why is the coming of Jesus Christ a story of joy and how does that help us? In this message we will contemplate why the incarnation of Christ was a moment of great joy for humanity and how it helps us in our pursuit of joy and delight.
All Christian’s lives continue to be filled with much pain and sorrow. How do we find joy in the darkest of times? Are afflictions a sign of God’s displeasure? In this message we will consider the key to facing the vales of sorrow in the Christian life.
Often we hear people say that a loved one is in a “better place”. Is there a greater joy to come? Is there a joy that is worth obtaining in heaven? After all, doesn't heaven sound pretty boring with all the harps and angels? In this message me will look towards eternity and contemplate whether there is an infinitely greater joy to come, what that joy is, and what difference it makes to us here and now.