Welcome back.
We're discussing sadness.
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And today we talked
about the first three keys,
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the first three steps to
experiencing peace and joy
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again in your life.
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Jay Hudson Taylor,
he's the founder of the
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China Inland Mission.
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Perhaps you've heard of him.
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He served 51 years of
his life as a missionary
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to the Chinese
people; lived in China.
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Because of the China
Inland Mission there was
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over 800 missionaries that
went forth to China to witness
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to the people there, and
to teach them about Jesus.
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They started 125 schools,
and there were 18,000 people
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that came to know
Jesus as a result.
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Now you may think in
someone like Jay Hudson Taylor,
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in his life, Wow,
he had an easy life.
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Wow, he did an
incredible work for God.
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But he had some times of
intense pain, of intense loss.
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The same type of loss that we've
been talking about here today.
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His son, who was five years
old died, and just a few months
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later his wife gave birth to
a new baby, and the infant died.
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And then just a
couple days after that
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his precious wife Mary died.
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Now I don't know about you,
but if I experienced the loss
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of three very close
family members to me,
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in just the space of a couple
of months, I have no idea,
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I'm just being honest with you,
I have no idea what I would do.
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But he wrote in his journal,
I'm so thankful that I get to
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serve Jesus one more day.
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To him having Jesus in his life,
having the peace and the joy
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that Jesus could bring
made the difference for him.
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And he wrote, you
notice? he practiced praise.
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Even though it hurt like crazy,
he chose to practice praise.
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My challenge to you this
week for our application,
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for your assignment
for this week, is to begin
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a gratitude journal.
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You can pick a journal
like the one I got here.
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You can pick up
any journal you want.
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You can have paper.
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It doesn't matter.
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Stick it by your bed, and every
night add at least one more
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thing that you're thankful for.
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I began a list
here in my journal.
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Maybe yours would
look something like this.
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God I think You for
Your unconditional love,
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Your forgiveness, my husband,
family, the gift of salvation,
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friends, and ministry.
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I could add to this
list, and I could put health.
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Now maybe some of these things
you don't have in your life,
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so you say, Well, I
couldn't list those.
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That's okay. Put down
whatever you can in your list.
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And every day add to that list.
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Add to your gratitude journal.
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Are you alive? Give thanks!
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Did you eat breakfast
this morning? Give thanks.
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Do you have a job? Give thanks.
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Many people are out of work.
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Can you drive? or can your walk?
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Either say, give thanks.
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Many people can't afford a
car, and some people can't walk.
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They don't have
the use of their legs.
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Can you feel? even though
it might hurt? Give thanks.
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Do you have a
Bible? Give thanks.
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Can you read it? Give thanks.
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Many people can't read.
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Do you have at least one
friend? one person in your life
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who loves you? Give thanks.
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And most importantly of all, do
you have Jesus as your friend?
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Give thanks. Now you might say,
I don't have Jesus as my friend,
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but He wants to be your friend.
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I know He does. Let Him in.
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Give Him a chance.
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Next program we're going to
discuss the rest of the keys
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to experiencing
freedom from sadness.
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In closing is our
Scripture: Romans 15:13.
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Now may the God of hope fill
you with all joy and peace in
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believing, that you may abound
in power by the Holy Spirit.
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