Hey, Happy New Year to all of our campuses and man. It's so good to begin brand new. Can I just say the last three years have been insane you agree with me. I mean, it has been incredible the pandemic that I to my knowledge shut down the world. For several months and if that's ever happened before you drive up to red light, you see someone with a mask on in their car by themselves and it was just a crazy time and I remember my kids got one of the last flights out from Africa and I met them in Birmingham.

They found a flight to get to the States into Birmingham. And when I drove up into the parking garage, there were no cars. I'd never seen that before. It's like the zombie apocalypse and and so I went inside there was no security guard. I went up to the to the where the baggage come claim is and there was nobody there.

There was nobody at the desk. There was nobody with a baggage claim. There was nobody waiting on the other people that were coming. And I remember thinking our world has changed forever. And it's been insane.

We're still feeling and then you add to that the political chaos that we're seeing play out in front of us. You say well my side no both sides. Correct, right? And we're seeing things happen that we've never seen before and it sucked the joy. It's sucking the joy out of our hearts and the peace from our minds.

And one of the things we're going to do in 21 days of prayer is we're going to reset we're going to reset our hearts. And we're not going to like buy into everything the world says you have to have to be happy because they can't produce what you really need. What you really need is joy. Let me Give an example how many of you have the Sleep Number bed which you raise your hand you have to sleep in our bed is you like it so good. Okay anybody else?

Yeah, you're slitting more big got your number like he can be like that, you know go like that they say if you've got to Sleep Number bed. It will solve all of your problems. Like you'll get a good night's sleep such that nothing in the world will matter you will be so deeply happy that if you get to Sleep Number bed if you get your number, everything's gonna work out for you. And if you need more than that, you can always get my pillow and I look it took me forever to get these things in and and I saw this I saw this on TV and the guy was holding it like this. He was caressing like a baby phone.

He said if you'll get my pillow he said it will change your life. He said you will be so happy if you get to sleep number bit and the my pillow you'll never have another problem in your life. And so I got to my pillow and I've had it and I've been kind of like he does squish you a little bit. He may one of my pillow matter if he says do not tear this off and penalty law. I always hate those things.

Does anybody want my pillow this morning to change your life? Anybody? You want a honey here go. There you go. And you keep that.

Okay, that sure is because it's going to change your life. I've got another thing that I found that's gonna just change you forever. I've got five grandkids. And so I went to McDonald's and I said, I want to buy happiness and that's what we have it. Do you want to Hamburger chicken nuggets?

I said, I don't care. I'll take both. Okay, so we get in the we get back in the deal like we're a little playground is and so I bring them over and they begin to open this up within 60 seconds. They're already mad. This is not what I ordered.

This is not the thing that I need. I cannot believe there's pickles on my hamburger. Why is there onions on my hamburger and all of a sudden this goes from a smiley face to a frown? Because I am finding that happiness is based on the emotions from An Occurrence that comes into your life a current outcome. When you say if I have this then I will have happiness and it will last and it won't last.

I mean what we need is not happiness. What we need is what the Bible talks about and that is joy. It is deep deep deep deep pleasure that you have from knowing that God is with you. I'll give you one a little stration and we'll get into it. Anybody here have an iPhone 14.

Is anybody have an iPhone 14? You're probably on it, right can I bark if you just a second because you have it out. Okay. Yeah, can I borrow it? I'll give it right back to you because I know those things are expensive is this and iPhone 14 a pro or Max?

Both, okay, it's all of it. Okay, and she's got unlocked most of you. She has her notes on hers some of your scrolling and you're looking at Facebook. You're looking at Instagram Snapchat like you're taking notes. She's actually listening to the message.

Well, here's the thing about the iPhone Pro. 14 or iPhone 14 or iPhone Pro Max She has them all and that's awesome. And here's the thing. Now. This will take videos where they're production quality videos.

This phone will tell you how far you've walked during a day and about your sleep with your Sleep Number bed, and you're my pillow. And you will find everything you need on here to make you happy until the phone rings and it's someone calling from the doctor's office. Hello. Oh really report said that. Upon didn't help you much.

Oh you get another College from the from the popo and there's oh there's been an accident. Oh you get another call from your ex? Okay. This is always a good one. This'll destroy your happiness.

Oh, I'm not dropping them off at that time. No, you can forget that. I'm gonna do I'll drop off when I get ready. IPhone 14 Max Pro What's your problem? They call from school.

You need to come pick up little Johnny what happened to the happiness? You can have your phone back on to be real General with this because I understand we have one in our home. We bow to it like twice a week just to I'd bow to you. I found you're my Mighty Isis this morning when I left. I knew I was there was something in my subconscious that was saying you've left something important.

You've left something important. I said, no. I have my Bible and I kept looking around. You know what it was my phone. The phone is so important to me that it's in my subconscious.

I may forget my Bible, but I have my phone because on the phone I can get to the Bible. Okay, everything I need is on the iPhone. And what we buy into as happiness is letting us down. What we need is joy. Joy is the root that bears the fruit of gratitude.

Joy is God's grace in any circumstance that you face. Oh, that's good. I mean when you've got joy when you know God is with you. No matter what happens in your life. You are ready.

When you practice looking at all that God has blessed you with. When you practice looking at the 80% that you have. Rather than the 20% You don't have it changes you. In your marriage, if you'll focus on the 80% that your spouse brings to the table and stop looking at the 20% That's that forbidden fruit meant it won't destroy you. When Eve looked at the fruit, she had everything.

She had a hundred percent. She looked at the fruit and she's been eating us out of house and home ever since. So, how do we find joy? I'm glad you asked. Philippians chapter 3 beginning with verse 17 and I don't know if you know much about the Bible but there are several letters in the New Testament and many of them were written by Paul and and Paul actually wrote for the letters from prison.

And the letter to the Philippians of the city of Philippi, which I've been near there didn't have time to go there actually saw the signpost and we need to go to Philippi. It's too far. We wanted to go to the you know to the ocean and so we missed it. But Paul is writing from a jail in Rome. And and his theme in Philippians 16 times.

He says joy. You can have joy. He says you can have joy upon Joy. He says I have learned to be content in every circumstance. Whether I'm welfare or hungry whether I'm rich or whether I'm poor.

Where them healthier than whether I'm sick because I have the joy of the Lord in my life. So I want to read this and I'm gonna pack some things because I want this year now for me that you pick your own word, okay? But for me this year, I want my word to be gratitude. I want to be grateful for all that I have. I don't want to spend my time looking at what other people have that I might want because those things will not make me happy.

The more things I get it doesn't listen. They're all created things. They have an expiration date. What I need is the joy of the Lord to be my strength. Philippians chapter 3 verse 17 He says join together in following my example brothers and sisters.

He's just as you have us as a model keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For as I have often told you before and I'll tell you again with tears. Many live as enemies of the Cross of Christ. Their Destiny is destruction. Their God is their belly and their glory is in their shame.

Their mind is said on Earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a savior from there the Lord Jesus Christ. Who by that power enables him to bring everything under his control? He will transform our lowly bodies so that we will be like his glorious body. He says man, you've got so much.

He says I want you to follow my example. Now how many of you would say that about your life? He said I want people to follow my example. He said well, I'm not Paul. No, you're not Jesus, but you can be Paul.

Paul had people killed Paul was the guy that was so religious. He was doing those religious mean people that could have you knocked off. But he came to know Jesus and the spirit of God filled him and he began to follow Jesus. He says you follow me. Listen people are following you.

Parents your kids are following you. Friends, I'm gonna tell you your friends are following you. Coaches your players are following you. And you're building a culture. And think about think about the people that who are you following?

Like if I took your phone and I looked at all the people you're following the people that when you when nobody's looking you're like researching them. The things that you're looking at and you get the algorithms it kind of keep that going. Who are you following? Because you are the sum total of the five people that you're following that you're around all the time. Well that's in your home or in your family and your workplace or where you work out or where you play tennis or where you play golf.

You're if I could see your five best friends, I could say that's who you are. That's how you think. That is what is important to you. And with your kids you are you're developing a culture in your home. You're showing them.

This is what is important to us. This is where we spend our money. This is where we spend our time. You can't say as a parent. Listen, I know this I'm a grandparent.

I'm getting two or three times over I made so many mistakes. And I can't say do as I say rather than as I do because my grandkids call me on it. They bust me. It is so unfair. Don't they know I'm a pastor people are following you students.

Can I say this about you? It's so important that you lead and Lead well. There's so many ways Adventure that you could serve campfire this morning. We've got students over there that are leading that And when these kids look up and they see somebody that they can look up to Leading they go. Hey, I can do that.

I want to be like that. So let me ask you when I say the word. Joyful. In your group who comes to mind. Joyful, they're joyful.

They're grateful. They're thankful. When I say critical, oh that was easier in it. Pulling your life. Who's in your life?

Around and that you're around all the time if they're always negative and they're always Gospel and they're always pulling people down it affects you. He leads you into comparisons. And comparison kills Joy. He kills it. When you're looking at other people and you're thinking if I just had that car?

Oh God, I've always wanted that Lexus. That's the one I want more than anything. I just had that house. I mean look at that house. Look at that yard.

Look at their dog. I mean their dog is even dressed up. I mean, this is unbelievable. If I just say if I had that husband look at him. I mean he is serving he's doing stuff.

Look at that trip throne. Okay, they're in Paris. I go to Purvis. I mean this is not fair. I mean my goodness, this is unbelievable.

Here's the thing. Sometimes when you see really green grass. It is over a broken septic tank. It is amazing how all that stuff makes things green? And sometimes what we need more than anything else is to take the grass we have and water it.

Thankful for it. I remember I was in Walmart I go there a lot just to get sermon illustrations and there's either monkey in there or you know a cat or a bird flying around. Can I but whose phone is that? Can I talk to them? Is that okay?

No, so it's I was in there one night and I was I was checking out the the line there and behind me was an old guy man. He had a he had a shirt on these belly was hanging out from under his shirt and and he had a six pack a beer and and and I was tired and broke down listening to everybody's problems and I was sitting there looking he had a girl bombs. She had one tooth. And and I'm not against that I'm just saying she had one tooth. They were the happiest people I've ever seen.

And I'm thinking this is unbelievable. You can have your life. That's so bad and it be so good. Yeah, it makes you cry. So here's the second thing delay immediate gratification.

If you want to have deep Joy. Delay acting on the thing that you want so badly right now. Paul says this is what's happening to people. He says they're God has become their appetites. He says well when they when they just kind of act on whatever they want.

I gotta have that now gotta have that now gotta have that now gotta have this now got to be there now gotta eat this now got to take that now got to be over there now. He says it leads to destruction. Unleash ing all of your desires right when you won't want them met will destroy you. That's not joy. That is happiness.

And it's like it's like a circle. It keeps you. It's like it keeps you in prison. And Jesus, he was the best at this, of course. When he was tempted for 40 days in the desert, no water no food.

I don't know how he did it. He said well, he's God. He was also human. And he comes back in the devil says hey, aren't you hungry Comfort appetite make these stones to be bred. I'll just say well what you know Parmesan bread a French bread.

Toast I've been hungry. I don't know about you. I've been hungry. He says no, no man. Does Amanda doesn't live by food alone.

But by the word of God He says okay. Okay, you want some control you want to control the world bow down to me and I'll give you the whole world. I mean just for we just one knee just by one knee. I'll give you the whole world. Is no you'll only Worship the Lord thy God.

And only him will you serve? How about approval? He says look throw yourself off the temple and hover around and kind of go, you know, like one of the The Avengers and kind of just stand there because everybody in the world will love you. He says get away from me. Don't tempt the Lord thy God.

Laid gratification you would not be saved. For the joy set before him on the cross. He stayed there. For the joy the Cairo He stayed on the cross. He suffered on the cross.

He endured the cross. He despised the shame. So that you and I could have his Joy. Listen Joy is so powerful. And you have joy when you know, you're fulfilling God's plan for you.

So let me ask you as we walk into 2023. What is God's plan for you? Like what does he want to do in your life? What you want to do in your marriage what you want to do in your family what you want to do at your office? How do we break the hold of this immediate gratification on our life?

There's a Canadian. His name is Bruce Alexander. He was a social scientist and he used rats to kind of look at delayed gratification. And you know, sometimes rats in humans are the same thing. And and so he had these eight rats and he's four different cages and he had two little water bottles one was water and one was water laced with cocaine.

So it didn't take long for the rats to figure out. Hey this water over here it got something going on. And here they will here they were here just delayed gratification that good gratification. It's gratification intergratification. It's gratification Instagram vacation to kill them.

Then he came back and he built a rat Park. He built a rat Park and put two containers in there the same thing water and water laced with cocaine, but he had all these rats and all these things to do and he found that before long the rats would wean themself off the the cocaine delays water and that everything kind of moved forward. He said hey I isolation. A lack of community and instant gratification will kill you. He said that well that's rats.

That's not humans. Did you know what I found out this week? And this is crazy. This is my iPhone. I know you're not going to be impressed.

But this is my phone. Hours, we spend a day with our phone. At least three You know if you're under 50. You spend three or four hours on either your phone or your iPad? Do you know how many times we touch our phone?

2600 times dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine dopamine. It's like sitting in front of a slot machine for three hours. It's like a hit of cocaine. The fact is is we're going into 21 days of prayer, you know, the thing I'm gonna lay down and I have I have fasted 21 days. I would rather fast for 21 days to set this thing down because at night I don't know but I'll be watching a show that I really like and I'm doing the death scroll.

I'm watching TV with one eye and I'm watching all this junk with the other guy. I'm thinking I don't even know these people. I don't even like these people. What am I doing? Well, I had I just have to have this my drug of choice here I go here I go here I go here I go.

And it's destroying us. It's destroying the Wonder in our lives. It is destroying our relationships. And it's time to put that down. And to pick up Joy.

Here's the last one. She's the future over the present. Paul says the present sufferings are not to be compared with the glory that is in store for us. He said right now you're going through tough times. It's not gonna last.

He says God's got you you can have joy. He's in total control. He's got everything under his power. He said but but right now it's bad right now. It's so bad.

I got to do this. I know it's wrong, but I got to do this, you know to make things work. No, no. No, you stay right here. You see God, what do you want me to do with my life?

I'm not gonna give in to immediate gratification. I'm not gonna give in to Desiring something that will not last. Listen when wearing grease is the most amazing thing. We would walk through this city of old Athens and we would look around and they were still uncovering palaces and cities that were a hundred feet under the ground. Everything you love on this Earth will be dead in 50 years.

He says keep your eyes on heaven. He says don't let this world shake you up and conform you into its image. The greatest thing you can do. This is why when we roll into 2023 and we are for you like the Fitbit for your soul with this journal with the seven principles. Where we are for you house church where you cannot just know more about God and not do it where you can be known.

You can't grow where you're not known? The enemy wants to say he wants to separate you and isolate you like those rats in that little cage. But when you get out and you're known and you do the one thing you don't want to do You're vulnerable. Changes you listen to the opposite. Of addiction isn't sobriety.

Is community are you realize you have got to be in a place where you can know other people and be known so that you could experience and grow in the joy of the Lord. And for 21 days That's what we're going to do. I want you to see something kind of grab my attention. I thought was a perfect time for us to show this because we're kicking off prayer and how powerful prayer is. And you probably know this past Monday night unless you've been under a rock Demar Hamlin was he played he is a playing for the Buffalo Bills and he he made a tackle.

You probably saw this a hundred times and when he made the tackle just so happen. It hit him just at the right second at the right time in the wrong way. Any he died of a heart attack? And and for just a moment man the world, you know what they started doing. They didn't go back and buy another beer.

Hey you another beer. I think they'll start back in a minute. You know what they did. Drop down to their knees When ESPN starts praying you better look up. Disney Mickey Mouse I want you to see this.

From NFL live. I want you to see what happens when people need Joy Cairo. When things are falling apart in their life, I want you to see this. Everything you know, and I think it's the absolute tragedy last night. Thank you.

So some of the beauty of football as well that it's brought us all here together. You know like this is a little bit different. I heard I've heard it all day like thoughts and prayers and you just heard sheriff and Jonathan Allen say like all we can do is pray for him and I've heard the Buffalo Bills organization say that we believe in prayer and maybe this is not the right thing to do. But I want it's just I'm a heart that I want to pray it is the more Hamlin right now. I'm gonna do it out loud.

I'm gonna close my eyes. I'm gonna bow my head and I'm just gonna pray for him. God we come to you in these moments that we don't understand that are hard. Because we believe that your God and coming to and praying to you. Has impact we're sad.

We're angry. And we want answers but some things are unanswerable. We just want to pray. Truly come to you. And pray for strength for Demar for healing for Demar for comfort for Demar to be with his family to give them.

Peace. If we didn't believe that prayer didn't work, we wouldn't ask this of you God. I believe in prayer we believe in prayer. And we lift up Demar Hamlin's name in your name. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Amen. It's beautiful respectfully. Amen.

Amen, right. There used his platform to be a pastor. Okay this year there's going to come a time. When when I watched him I saw in him what he was thinking. I'm gonna do this.

This might cost me my job. We may go this may go dark right now, but I'm going to do something. I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna about I'm gonna close my eyes. And I'm gonna bow my head. I'm gonna pray to God.

Yeah. Someone tell you when you get that collar and the iPhone 14 pro Max. There's joy. In the suffering when you know, Jesus is with you. I'm gonna tell you I've been there.

Nothing I've ever done in my life. Don't play stuff ever been. Can't believe I'm getting emotional about this. It's done for me. What Jesus has done for me?

He told me this year Jeff. You need more Jesus unless you hey. This is our year. This is our year to find joy. With more of Jesus and less of us It's for things I want you to do and you can write these down.

I think they'll come up on the screen as one is if if you're listening to me wherever you are whenever you are. And you don't know Jesus. You know, I think the reason everybody is like started praying in that moment put their beers down. I'm I guess you drinking beer. I'm just saying they put it all down.

And because they realize in that moment. In that moment when your heart stops beating all you have is Jesus. So you've ever had? I can't tell you how frustrating it is as a pastor. I want to just pitch you Jesus.

You just said I want I want that. Oh God Starbucks. I've been witness to for two years. Haven't seen his truck lately probably dead. It's like bro.

I got something. For you, that's better. Than Starbucks believe it or not. You offer people living water and they'd rather have water. As Jesus there is nothing like Jesus it's all we have to offer you.

It's all you need. This year would you wake up every morning? We have a little guide for you to help you and just start the day out by saying hey. I'm thankful for these two things find two things. You're thankful for write them down do like a gratitude Journal.

And just pray and thank God for it. This this year going to the next 21 days. Find one person every day. It doesn't matter who it is. It can be a stranger.

See them doing something good. Thank them. Gratitude is not a feeling. It's an action. Where you set him?

Thank you, honey. Thank you for making that. Honey, thank you for all that you do to provide for us. Mom thank you for making that meal. You know occasionally moms like to hear that and and this year you go into the next 21 days.

It might freak your parents out. If you thank them because it's never come out of your mouth. In the last one for me, you do what you want to I'm putting myself on down and you got to pray for me. I mean I start twitching. I mean, it's like detox.

And I use it. Like I'm just trying to help people if I don't know what my people going through. Like, how can I and nobody's lie to you as much as you lied to you. Three hours a day. 21 days of prayer.

Would you bow with me please? And let's pray before we sing and we're gonna sing a song that is really not just singing about God. It's singing to God. It's a time to engage. And to ask him to come into your life and to show you what he's done for you.

For you God I thank you today. That you have given me a task. That is impossible. And that means only you can do it. Got on a rainy Sunday morning.

This message is going to transform families generations. And I thank you God that doesn't rest in my ability to present. It rests in the power of your word in the presence of your Holy Spirit. So God, we pray right now. That God you would speak to us that you would rain down on us this General rain to fall on us to change us over the next 21 days that it would stick.

And that we would have joy. Not just happiness and I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Let's Stand Together.