KEY PRINCIPLES FROM THIS MESSAGE:

Especially for believers in the Lord Jesus, there's good reason we should always be thankful, for something!!

It is wise for us to stay positive, always, even in the face of adversity, because we know the King of kings and Lord of lords! It's that simple!

As a believer, with an eternal destiny with Christ, we can always look at the positives. It is the righteous thing for us to do. Our God deserves that kind of honor and respect!

Give thanks in ALL circumstances; CHOOSE to always be thankful... because we can ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING to be thankful for.

“Pleasure Without Joy Is a Ruse” – blog 11/22/24
Satisfying fleshly desires will never be the source of joy; rather, it is, at best, a temporary “drug” to help you through the day. To give into the human heart’s base desires is to give into something that is truly sick and incapable of guiding you to everlasting joy.

We must humbly turn to GOD'S wisdom, not human, fleshly, subjective thinking.

“Pleasure Without Joy Is a Ruse” – blog 11/22/24
Obedience, not pleasure, precedes joy. Pleasure is God’s priority, not ours (Philippians 2:13). It’s also His to give, not ours to take from the world…
If you seek joy, then focus on obedience. This is what pleases God and in this you may rejoice. Pleasure without abiding joy is not from God.

“submit”– from hupotasso– means to subject, to subordinate, to submit, to be under obedience

If we're humble, we'll seek TRUE LIFE from God our Creator, not earthly, natural life that comes from the flesh.

Salvation is a function of obedience, at all phases of sanctification. Obedience is a function of humility. Humility is a function of Truth (e.g., you must know the Truth to submit to it and therefore be sanctified by it).