I would ask you to open your Bibles, please, at least to begin with this morning to Philippians chapter 3. Philippians in the third chapter. You would ask people, this guy in the street, do you want to be happy? Do you want to have joy? Always. Just always joyful. Would you like that? Always. No matter what comes down the pike. What kind of response would you expect? No, not me. I want to be unhappy. I want to be miserable. I want to be dour and sour. No. Well, that's probably not what you would receive by way of a response. Most people would say that this would be good. This is very desirable. And I'd say, well, it's joyful no matter what happens in this life. Okay, but now if you were to ask Would you like to consider what the Bible has to say about this, about this steady, permanent joy? What kind of response do you think you'd receive? Well, no doubt far fewer would want this to look at scripture than those who say that they wanted always to be happy or joyful. But it ought not so to be. Because in actual fact, the Bible has a great deal to say on this subject, both Old Testament and New Testament. And more than that, God himself has made a way for human beings, sinful human beings, to always be joyful, no matter what happens in this life. In fact, the Bible makes it very clear that actually through Christianity, it's a religion, of joy. It's also true to say it's a religion of love and a religion of peace, but joy is given great emphasis. This is to mark all of those who are saved by Christ, even as an expression of true piety, as an outworking of their salvation. We saw a couple weeks back Now, it's the second one listed as a fruit of the Spirit, what is produced in the lives of Christ's people by the Holy Spirit. And therefore, it is repeatedly commended that we should have joy and express that joy. Notice, please, Philippians chapter 3 and the first verse. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For to me, to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Now, those opening words kind of stand alone, because it goes on to give a warning here. But here it is. Rejoice in the Lord. Any obscurity about that statement? Any lack of clarity? No, no. But notice, turn over to the next chapter, verse 4, Philippians 4, Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, So three times we have this command, you do this, to have and express this great joy always. And these are not the only cases we have of that, 1 Thessalonians 5, Psalm 32, 1 and elsewhere, many other places. Now let's be clear, when he's talking about to have this joy, rejoicing, You're not talking about going around with a 32-tooth grin, right? You're not talking about somebody who's got this kind of giddiness about them and so forth. No, we're talking about something that is solid, that is deep, indeed that is a lasting joy, steady and stable even in the storms of life. And these many commands to rejoice given to the Lord's people, these commands, they're not unreasonable. You know, it's not like telling a dog to meow, right? You've got this dog here and you're going to say, OK, now don't bark. I want you to meow. How do you think that would be a little bit unreasonable, wouldn't it, kids? Right? You're asking a dog to meow instead of bark. I mean, come on. He can't do that. That's not reasonable. OK, but these commands in Scripture to the Lord's people Rejoice evermore, rejoice always. It's not like telling a dog to meow. They're very reasonable commands, because the fact is, Christians, Christ's people, they always have reason, good reason. rejoice and more by Christ's enabling because of his salvation his people always can rejoice no matter what comes down the pipe ah but wait a minute now not everything we face in life evokes a joyful response well that's true that's true but we can still rejoice ah but again wait a minute not every Christian does always rejoice well again that's also true but we should And we can. Now, a couple of weeks back, we began to look at this subject and I said then that we would come back to it, especially to consider how we might have and exhibit more of this Christian virtue. Now you recall, what is the source or the reason for this joy? What it is? We've read it twice already. And when we're told in Philippians 3, Philippians 4, it's rejoice. in the Lord. Not rejoice because you happen to feel good today. And not rejoice because the sun's shining and even though it's a little bit cold, it's a nice day. No. Rejoice in the Lord, in the Lord Jesus Christ himself, in and through that living relationship or union with Christ. We're told very clearly in scripture that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, those who are at odds with God, hostile against God, and God's wrath was against them. But Christ suffered on that cross, the just one, in place of the unjust. 1 Peter 3.18 tells us, to bring us to God. The word that the Bible uses regularly is to reconcile us to God. You know what reconcile means? You've got two parties at odds, and reconcile means they're no longer at odds. You've removed that, which calls them to be hostile toward one another. Well, this is what Christ does when He saves sinners. He not only removes the hostility of their own heart, man in his native state, he's against God, shaking his fist as it were in the face of God, but that's not the real issue. The big issue, rather, the big issue is God's wrath. God is angry with the wicked every day. Man's sin deserves punishment, and has alienated man from God. Ah, but Christ suffered and bore the penalty for that sin, the just one, in place of the unjust, in order for sinners to be made right with God, for that justice to be satisfied and peace to be established. This is what Paul is telling us in 2 Corinthians 5.19. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not charging them with their sins. Well, wait a minute! How can He not charge them with their sins? He goes on to say in verse 21, because He charged Christ with those sins, and Christ bore those sins, the penalty of those sins was regarded and treated as sin itself. Well, that's the idea. Reconciled. Notice, please, Romans chapter 5 and verse 10. Writing again, to those trusting in Christ, saved by the Lord Jesus, Paul says, Romans 5.10, for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, we were made at peace with God, God's wrath was satisfied through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we should be saved by His life. Here we are, we're reconciled, and what's the result? Not only will we be forever saved, but notice the very next verse, and not only that, But we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now receive the reconciliation. Here's the point. How is it that we have joy, that we can rejoice? Those saved by Christ have been reconciled to God in this word, therefore we rejoice. It's not the same word used in Philippians 3 and 4. It's a stronger word. It means we exalt, we glory, we boast in God. We're right with God. We're adopted as children. We're loved by Him. John tells us much the same. We've come to know God through the work of Jesus Christ. That's why we exult, that's why we rejoice, that's why this steady joy. Notice 1 John 1, same thing. We saw this the other week. John's actually saying, here's the message. In fact, here's the person that we declare to you. Verse 3 of 1 John 1, that which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And notice now, these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Here's the gospel, Christ coming to save sinners. We tell you this, that you might know God, that you might have fellowship with God, and that in this, you might have that joy that is full. Well, here's the point then. Since that joy is derived from or consists in knowing God, being right with God, that's how it is that we can rejoice always. Because the source and the reasons for our joy, these do not change. These are always the same. God Himself, He's always the same. Our acceptance with God through Jesus Christ and His saving work, that's unchangeable. We stand immutably fixed in God's favor, Paul tells us in Romans 5 too. That's why we can rejoice always. But though that's all unchangeable, Let's be honest, we're not unchangeable. Our lot, our circumstances, they can change. And we can be very emotional, unstable, quite fickle. And we do face those things which are difficult. In fact, Peter can say it even on an assumption in 1 Peter 1.6, you are grieved by these various trials. You're grieved. You are. He assumes it. That's your lot. But even so, we're commanded to rejoice always, even when grieved, even when having it difficult. And as I've already said, it is always a reasonable duty that you, Christian, should always have this blessed joy. You find that easy? Well, it's not always easy when things are going well. How much more is it not always easy when we're experiencing trials? So that being so, the question is this. How are we to know this blessed Christian virtue of joy more constantly? How are we to have greater measures of this experientially? I just plan on covering one point in this message. Since it is a joy in knowing God, a joy in living in a blessed relationship with Him, then, brethren, to have more of this joy, to know it more constantly and even in greater measure experientially, then consciously, day by day, enjoy Him. You got that? Simple enough, right? We know that. Enjoy Him. Really know Him in your daily routine, your day-by-day experience in such a way as to find our great and chief joy in Him. Life with Him. Hoping you still have your bottles open to 1 John. Notice here in verses 3 and 4. We're telling you this so that your joy may be full, we've written this to you, but notice we're telling you this glorious gospel that you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. What does the word fellowship mean? What does that mean? Well, the idea of the word is sharing in, or participation with. I mean, even here, when he says that you may have fellowship with us, that you folk might have fellowship, interaction, sharing with us, these apostles and other Christians. Altogether, our time together, we're sharing in, we're participating in Christ himself. Well, brethren, that's the same word he's using so that you might have fellowship with the Father and with the Son. That's not just something theoretical here. We're talking about a life together. We're talking about knowing God, a life with Him, a mindfulness of God, real dealings, blessed interaction with God Himself. That's what the idea of fellowship with God is. Sharing in that life with God. John chapter 15 the Lord Jesus he's saying I've spoken these things these things to you that you may have my joy in you and that your joy may be full look at what things is he talking about well he says well you abide not only in me but you abide in my love What does it mean to abide in His love? Well, the word abide simply means to continue, to remain. But He's not just talking about persevering. He's talking about that conscious delight, recognizing the love of God toward me in Christ, consciously living with a mindfulness of that, a conscious mindfulness of Christ Himself. Or earlier, we read Romans chapter 15, sorry, Romans chapter 5 and verse 11. It says, we exalt, we boast, we glory in God. Why is that? Well, because of this experiential relationship. Paul began that chapter by saying, you're now justified by faith. We now have peace being justified by faith in Jesus Christ. That's an experiential peace. We have peace with God, but it works out experientially. And he goes on to talk about how we are immutably fixed in God's favor, all because of Jesus Christ. In that very chapter, he talks about the love of God being shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, that sense of God's love and favor, and of real dealings with God Himself, and interaction, knowing God is our blessed reality. And so that connection, he says, and we exalt, we rejoice in Him. We know Him. We really know Him. And we know His love, something of His love, not just in theory, but even experientially, made real to us by the workings of the Holy Spirit within. And therefore we exalt, we boast, we glory in Him. You go even to the Old Testament, you find in Psalm 73, here, here's my portion forever. You know, people, they've got the things they boasted, they've got their inheritance, the things they really put their stock in. Here's what makes me happy. Here's what I look to for joy. Well, Psalm 73, you've got the psalmist there, Asa. He's looking at the wicked and all the things they boast and they glory in. Look what we've done and we're getting away with whatever we want to do. No, here's my portion. Here's my inheritance. It's knowing Him, that He is my God, and that I belong to Him, and that I know Him. Remember, this is what Jesus said, this is eternal life, let me know you. Brethren, that's what the Christian life is, isn't it? Knowing God. Even in the Old Testament, Psalm 43 verse 4. The psalmist talks about going to God, he says, my exceeding joy. Here's my chief joy. Here's my greatest joy. It's in knowing Him. The psalmist wrote those words when he was experiencing hard times. Enemies about him, people mocking him perhaps, all kinds of difficulties. And yet, even though he admits his soul was cast down by these things, he still says, but here's my exceeding joy. It's God. It's a knowing Him. Let the earth cave in around us. It's a knowing Him. Please come to Psalm 37. Psalm 37. It's actually words to us, written in the face of when you see evildoers getting away with their sin. Maybe you're the victim of what they're doing. What to do? Well, don't fret. Don't envy them. You continue to do what is right, to do good. And in that connection, he says, notice verse four, delight yourself also in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart. The command here, delight yourself in him. What a wickedness going on all around you. You're the victim of it. Don't fret. Don't be distracted. You continue to do what's right. And in the meantime, Delight yourself. Seek and find your real joy in the Lord Himself. In knowing Him. In a life spent with Him. Walking before Him. Do you get the idea here? This is where your real joy is going. Delighting in Him. Another Old Testament text. Come to Proverbs chapter 23. Proverbs chapter 23. Now, you might not immediately think, oh, this has anything to do with the joy of knowing God. But notice verse 17. Proverbs 23, do not let your heart envy sinners. You see, they seem to be getting on so well. They seem to be so happy. Look at them. They seem to be getting what they want. Well, I wish I had that. No, no, he says. No, no, no. But in the fear of the Lord, continue all day long. What's the fear of the Lord? Well, it's not a trembling, quaking, oh no, oh no, what's going to happen to me? It's the idea of a high and right regard for God, a knowledge of God, really knowing God. Earlier in Proverbs 9, verse 10, the fear of the Lord is equated with the knowledge of the Most High. I really know Him. Not just truth about Him, but I really know Him and have this high and right regard. And what Saul is there telling us in Proverbs 23, you see the wicked, you see what they're rejoicing in or what they look to for their pleasure. Don't envy them. Don't be like them. Rather, here, here's your joy. It's walking in the fear of the Lord always, continuing on with a high and right regard, with a consciousness of this great and glorious God, and that I am His and He is mine, that He is for me, that I've been reconciled to God through His mercy, in His provision, His salvation. And he says all the day, always, consistently mindful of His greatness and His grace, of who He is, and that we're actually before Him. were under his eye. There was a book put together from words from a 17th century French Roman Catholic and the title of the book is good. I will not recommend, cannot recommend the book itself, but the title actually does catch a biblical truth. The title of this book is The Practice of the Presence of God. Now please let me qualify. I'm not saying go get that book. I'm not saying it's a good book. I wouldn't recommend that book at all. There are many other good things to read. But the title has caught very much a biblical principle. The Christian life, that joy that we're talking about, is from the practice of the presence of God. Recognizing His presence in practice, consistently so. Recognizing and living in light of that glorious promise from the Old Testament, but it's quoted in Hebrews 13.5, a bunch of negatives put together, I will never, no never, no never, no never leave nor forsake you. You've got five negatives there, God saying, I'm not going to leave you nor forsake you. i.e., I will be with you, and that not simply because He is the omnipresent God, though He is that, but it's the idea of special regard and special relationship with His people. Or we saw it some time back in Micah chapter 6 and verse 8, or what is God required? Well, this, that you walk humbly with your God. Brethren, that's even in the Old Testament. Or come to Psalm 34. Psalm 34. Verse 15, the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. and his ears are open to their cry." Now, it's very right to say the eyes of the Lord are on the unrighteous. He sees everything the wicked do. They're not getting away with things. No, He sees what they do and how they live, how they think. He sees that. But we're talking about the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. We're talking about God beholding His people with a special care, out of His love for them, His eyes on them, watching, protecting, and therefore His ear is always open to their cry. That's true, whether I feel it or not, whether I acknowledge it or not, as one of His people. But surely the point is for us to recognize it. That we're in His presence. That such is His love, such is His concern for me as His child in Jesus Christ. His eyes are always on me. But His ears are also ready to hear from me. The presence of God. Practicing the presence, that is to say, consciously recognizing He's here. It should aid us in holiness of life, right? His eyes are on me. But it should also aid us by way of this fellowship, a life spent with God, knowing Him as our reality. His eyes are on me. He's here. He sees, He knows. He's listening. Let me give you a New Testament text underscoring this. Please come to that which was our call to worship earlier, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. We've got a trilogy of Christian duties that are here brought forth as that which is always to characterize us, what we are always to be doing. For instance, verse 17. without ceasing. Now, without ceasing doesn't mean that's all you do, you just pray 24-7, you don't sleep, you don't eat, you don't drink, you don't have any of that, you just pray. That's not the point of that word. Paul used that wording earlier where he says, I remember you, I remember God's grace at work in you without ceasing. Well, it doesn't mean that's all I remember, and I've forgotten everything else, but no, but he means very regularly, I'm remembering God's work of grace in you. Okay, well, that's why I'm saying praying very regularly. That's commanded. Praying and keeping it up. Don't slack off. And the point is, it's not just at certain times. Oh, you know, I've got my, I had my devotions this morning. I had my prayer time and here I am. And then the rest of the day I kind of forget all about it. No, the idea of even throughout the day, very consistently praying. Well, brother, what does that bespeak? Doesn't that presuppose, assume, a mindfulness of God? That throughout the day, in the midst of your routine, driving down the road, and this guy almost pulls out in front of you, and you, Lord, please help me to control my temper, not to be angry, and control my tongue, et cetera, right? The idea of, just throughout the day, mindful of God and praying, Lord, please give me grace. That's what he's talking about here. But again, it's the idea of living, can I say it, that warning, without wanting to recommend that book, the practice of the presence of God. He's talking about being mindful that his eye is upon me and his ear is open to my crying. And that it's a life spent with God. God is my reality, fellowship with God. Then he follows, notice verse 18. And everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. The idea again of consistently. We're always being shown mercies from God, right? Well, for us as the Lord's people, we recognize this. And then not just having a grateful heart, but consistently throughout the day, Lord, I thank you that that person pulled out in front of you, it didn't cause an accident. thanking Him throughout the day for the many mercies and the happy providences and certainly for Jesus Christ our Savior and our great salvation in Him. Well again, doesn't that presuppose that we're living with a mindfulness of God, that God's our reality, that we recognize it's a life spent with Him. You follow me? Right? You get the point. Well, the first of the duties commanded is that which I referred to already from Philippians 4, but we find it here, Philippians 3, but we find it here. Notice verse 16. In this connection, part of the trilogy, rejoice, Always. And brethren, it is that great joy from that conscious delight in God. Knowing Him, knowing His eyes upon us, His ear is open always toward us. Such is His love for us, such is the blessedness that is ours being reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ our Savior. We've got this constant, this consistent joy. Get the point. A life spent with God. constant closeness if you please, a blessed relationship, real dealings with God, fellowship with God, call it what you will, knowing God as our reality. And brother, this isn't something otherworldly. You know, you move off to the monastery there, and this guy, he's cloistered off somewhere, and he's not in touch with the rest of humanity, and therefore he just sits around and prays and gives thanks and smiles a whole bunch. No, no, that's not what we're talking about. Look at the lives of these people, what they were to do in chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians. Paul gives them this command. that you also aspire, verse 11, to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you that you may walk properly toward those who are outside and that you may lack nothing. Here's the guy going to work every day. Here's the guy who's interacting with those who are, quote, outside, the unsaved. Here's a man who, in his workaday world, nonetheless, rejoicing always, having real dealings, addressing God, overflowing with gratitude to God in everything. God is His blessed reality, His portion, and His delight. Now, in that these are set forth as commands, it's our duty. A delightful duty, but duty. But in that we're given commands here, rejoice, pray without ceasing, always giving thanks, that shows that this is not automatic. Well, you just kind of breathe and you don't, you know, I've not had to command you to blink your eyes once since I started preaching, right? Well, that just is automatic. You just do that. You know, I'm not having to say to you, breathe now, okay, take a breath, come on here. No, you do that quite automatically. I've not had to command your heart. Now, you keep pumping there. It can stop, but typically day by day, it's automatic. And then it's commanded. Rejoice always in that, especially in connection with His blessed dealings with God, knowing God is your reality. Brother, it's not automatic. You find it so, you just automatically throughout the day pray? Automatically throughout the day overflowing with Thanksgiving? Automatically throughout the day just having great joy? No, it comes from a deliberate mindfulness of and walk with God. But here is our great joy. Here's our communion with God. But to have it, well, it's to be very deliberate, consciously enjoying Him, His presence with us, mindful of our relationship, our privilege, of that kind of happy interaction with God on purpose. Please come to Psalm 16. Psalm 16, though it's a messianic psalm that points to Jesus Christ, yet it was the psalm of David, And it closes with our blessedness at last and forever. All because of Christ. Psalm 16, notice verse 11. Speaking to God, You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Now this is the portion of Christ's people. throughout eternity in God's presence, right? We can understand that. His servants will see his face, we're told in Revelation 22. Perhaps it won't require conscious effort to be joyful then, you know, automatic indeed. But in the meantime, we must be commanded to rejoice always. It must be on purpose, very intentional. And the psalmist knew this, though he knew that in God's presence there's this great joy, fullness of joy hereafter, but so too now. And notice verse 8. I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Here's the point. Here's my God, very deliberately recognizing this is God. My God. He's before me. I'm in His presence. I've set the Lord before me very deliberately, consciously recognizing Him and my blessedness in Him, my relationship, my fellowship with Him. Verse 5, He's my portion and my cup right now. Yes, forevermore we're going to be His presence, but look, right now we're right with God, we're perfectly righteous, justified in Christ, and He sees God in His grace and His goodness and His glory. Deliberately set, as it were, God before him in his mind's eye, the eye of faith, seeing him. Now look, David didn't find this necessarily easy. Come on. He had much to distract him. Responsibilities first as a shepherd, then as a military leader, and then as a king. And so many enemies constantly after him. He knew hard times. He knew what it was to sin. He didn't shirk responsibilities. He couldn't ignore his enemies. But here's what he could do and did do. I've set the Lord, but I've deliberately recognized Him. His heart toward me, His eye upon me, His ear always open to me. I'm in His presence. I'm His and He is mine. And I do this on purpose. Deliberate recall and recognizing truth. about God. Mind you, in Psalm 43, which may or may not be a psalm of David, but we find the psalmist there, 42, 43, take himself in hand. Soul, why are you cast down? You're going to be helped by his countenance. You don't have that joy in him. Why are you cast down? Take himself in hand. I'll go to God, my exceeding joy, recognizing what is true. So, the question is, how am I to know this joy always? Well, as I've already said, since it's in knowing God, that's where the Christian's joy is, delighting God, then, brethren, consciously enjoy Him. Live with Him. Live out that blessed relationship. Now, this we ought to do in all of life. Pray without ceasing, in everything, giving thanks. But can I say that we should, especially in our deliberate times, set times, if you please, of drawing near to God, We should use those times to cultivate that communion with Him, the real life with Him. For instance, set times of prayer. I hope that you do have something of a set time of prayer. The Lord Jesus in Matthew 6.6 talks about that, about going to your closet or your room and closing your door. Whether you're going to a closet or a room isn't the issue. Whether you close the door, that's not the issue. But what our Lord is saying is deliberate time alone with God. Are you doing that? Well brethren, when we do come to such times, it's not just a matter of let's mouth a few words. Deliberately remind yourself of what you're about. That text we read earlier, Psalm 34, 15. His eye is upon, I'm in the secret place, but Jesus said there in Matthew 6, He sees in the secret place. And His eye is upon me. And His ear is open toward me. Now, come before God. Do you know what it is in your own prayer life? Times of being alone with God, and it's just kind of, you feel like you're talking to the back of the chair if you're kneeling in a chair, or you're talking to the wall. You know what that is? No, brother. Deliberately remind yourself what you're about. Find before the true and living God that He's looking and listening. Time for dealings with Him. Or even when you come to the Scriptures, reading His Word. Do you do it as in His presence? You're not just coming before pages of the Bible. You're actually coming before the true and living God, your Father in Heaven. The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 12, 5, He speaks to you as to sons in His Word. He's not you as a child. Would you come with a mindfulness of that? His eye on me, His ear open toward me, and He's promised never ever to leave me nor forsake me. And so you come. presence, giving attention to His Word. And before you, Lord, and this is you speaking to me as your child. Not just a matter of I need to get through so many pages to get through the whole Bible in a year. Really coming to meet with God in His Word. Fellowship with God. Do you do that? Mind you, even in our meditation upon God's Word, and that's an area where we can easily fall short. and yet the Bible itself speaks of it. You got the Psalm, Psalm 19, David saying, let the meditation, not just the words of my mouth, let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God. What's going on in my head? What I'm thinking about? That would be well-pleasing to you in your sight. He knows, he sees, and he's not indifferent. So too, Psalm 104, verse 34, may my meditation be sweet to him. There in that context, he's talking about the worship of God, meditating on God as He's revealed in creation, as He's revealed in His providence. He sees God. Lord, that which I'm contemplating about you, that that in itself, you see it, you recognize it, let it be sweet to you. And he says, and I will be glad in the Lord. That joy of fellowship with God, even as we're contemplating truths about Him. Do you know anything of that? Knowing God is your reality, contemplating what is true of it. And so too, when we come together in public worship. A small handful of people relatively meeting in a rented building. Come on, you don't even have a steeple. What is wrong with you? Well, steeples don't make churches and church buildings don't make churches. Christ's people, they're the church. And we see in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 16, also 2 Corinthians 6, the local congregation is called the Temple of God, where God dwells by His Spirit and walks and works among His people. Brethren, when we come to church, it's not just, well, it's the right thing to do. It's Sunday morning, nothing else happening. No, we come to meet with God. And the Lord Jesus said, two or three gathered in my name, that is, as a church, I'm there in your midst. Well, do we come consciously? We're before Him. We're in His very presence to have dealings with Him. And therefore, when we're led in prayer, it's very right that we should have our hearts engaged. When we're engaged in singing, it's very right that it's not just mouthing words, but the heart having dealings with God. The reading of the Scripture, the hearing of the Word preached. Ecclesiastes 5, even in the Old Covenant, they were told, draw near to hear. And then our response before Him afterwards, praying these things in. Here's the point, brethren. We come to have fellowship with God corporately as we gather, as His new covenant temple. Well, are you mindful of that? Doing so in such a way, it helps us day by day to know God as our reality. For that matter, our whole use of the Lord's Day. The whole of the day, it's the Lord's day, not Lord's hour or two. You recall from Isaiah 58, here, you call the Sabbath the delight, you delight in his day, and he says, and then you will delight yourself in the Lord. Well, even the hours between the worship services, brother, we're not engaged in public worship still, using the day, cultivating communion with God, so as to be helped day by day the rest of the week. That mindfulness of him, that delight in him. Are you doing that? Are you seeking to do that? We're told to rejoice always. We're told to rejoice always. Brother, it's not just be happy because you feel good. It's a joy from fellowship with God, knowing God, walking with God is your reality. Well, to cultivate that communion, use the means of grace. Really meet with God. And let God be pleased in to give us that blessedness, that joy in knowing and walking with Him. Now, time will not allow giving the attention to the matter of holiness of life that it deserves in this connection. Where to have fellowship with God is going to have to be reflected, it's going to have to be in the context of a godly life. Please come to 1 John again, 1 John chapter 1. I can't give it now the attention that it deserves, but I hope at least to make some attempt at reminding you of it. We're told in 1 John 1 and verse 6, if we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. I know God. I don't want us to be happy in God, to delight in God. Yeah, I know God. And yet we walk in darkness. What's that all about? Well, it means walking in sin. Unconfessed, undealt with sin. Going my own way. Verse 5 talks about this message which we have heard from Him and declared to you that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, no sin in Him. But yet I'm going on in ways that are darkness. If I say I fellowship, I'm lying. But notice verse seven, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from all sin. It's not talking about justification. A true Christian is justified, declared and treated forever righteous in Christ, the moment he trusts in Christ, Christ alone. But we are talking about sin by way of that blot, by way of interrupting our fellowship, our delight in God, our fellowship, our walk with Him. And saying, look, if we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood cleanses that. Now, what does it mean to walk in the light? If you were to ask, well, tell me, what's walking the light, what's that all about? What would you say? Well, I hope you wouldn't say immediately, I mean, sinless. Because that's not what it means. It does mean doing right. It does mean endeavoring to do that which is right in God's sight. No darkness in Him. He's only light. Endeavoring to live a holy life, consistent with Him, to be holy as He is holy, et cetera. Yeah. But notice, it says if we walk in the light as He is in the light, The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. There's still sin from which we need to be cleansed, even though we're walking in the light. Well, you know the reality of it. When we do good, evil's present with us. It does mean endeavoring to obey, endeavoring to please Him, living a holy life, pursuing holiness. Yes, yes, it means that. It also means, in light of our failures, in light of our sin, to walk in the light means we deal honestly with our sin. There's a transparency before God. In contrast, to use the words of Proverbs 28, 13, of covering our sin, glossing over, it's not that big of a deal, not me, I'm not... Or maybe playing the hypocrite, carrying on with a controversy with God while all along keeping up a religious facade. No, no, no. recognizing sin for what it is. And so it goes on to say, verse 9, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Even those sins we fail to recognize, they're cleansed. The point is, instead of explaining away sin, Instead of covering it, excusing it, no, we recognize it. Here's what it is. We confess it, and we forsake it. It's all part of keeping a conscience without offense toward God and men. We endeavor to do right, and where we fail, we deal honestly with God, looking only to Christ and His shed blood, His perfect righteousness, and our acceptance, and even our fellowship. We have fellowship, one with another, with God Himself. The Lord Jesus, when He talked about, you abide in my love, Your joy made full, my joy in you. John 15 says, if you keep my commitments, then you abide in my law. That is to say, it's going to be consistently walking in love for him and obeying him. It's vital to fellowship with him. If you've been with David, I've made reference to him already. Remember how David fell into such gross wickedness? Not only falling into adultery, but then also murder. Covered his sin for some time. Well, the Lord was merciful. Restored David, forgave him. David's prayer in Psalm 51, among other things, he said, restore to me the joy of your salvation. Very telling. When David was carrying on with a controversy with God, when he was going on with that sin, not dealing with it, covering it over, not confessing and forsaking it, but hoping nobody finds out about it. By David's own prayer, he shows he had no joy in his salvation then. There was not that joy of walking with God and delighting in God, not that which you had once known. And therefore now in repentance you say, Lord, please restore to me that joy of your salvation, of knowing and delighting in God. Are you taking care to walk in the light? It won't do to talk about, well, I want fellowship with God. I want this constant joy while you're walking in darkness. I'm going to live for me. I don't care. I'll call it something other than sin. Are you experiencing that joy in God? That joy of your salvation? If not, dear brother, dear sister, talk to you as a Christian now. You know what you need to do. Deal honest with God about that sin. Whatever that sin is, you know it. Deal honestly. Walk in the light. Go to Him, confess that sin, forsake that sin, cry out for grace, Lord, cleanse me, and grace to live a holy life before Him. If we cover our sins, well, we'll not prosper, we're told in Proverbs 28. For you, who confesses and forsakes, has mercy. Well, again, I can't give emphasis to holiness of life in connection with fellowship with God that it warrants, but I trust that catches the point. Another matter I just mentioned in passing. Would you have this communion with God? This great joy of walking with God? Brethren, take care to keep up that hunger for Him. Do you really hunger for Him? Do you thirst for Him? Do you long for fellowship with Him? So, when you read texts like Psalm 27.4, here David is in the midst of life-threatening circumstances. Enemies about him. He does desire to be delivered, but here's his chief desire. One thing have I desired and that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to inquire in his temple, to behold his beauty. The idea of to know God and to delight in God. Psalm 27 and 4, we see Psalm 42, verses 1 and 2, like that deer that's so thirsting for the water brooks, it's being chased, it's parched. So my soul thirsts for you, the living God. Or Psalm 63, similar words. My God, you're my God. Early or earnestly will I seek you. My soul longs for you, my flesh longs for you, my soul thirsts for you, I think it is. Wanting to come before God and for dealings with God. It's not just David. Isaiah, chapter 26, verse 9, much the same about longing for God. Or, hey, come to the New Testament. Hey, here we have it, the Apostle Paul. That I may know Him, he says in Philippians. You do know Him, I guess, but it's to know Him yet more and more. Can you identify with these statements? You really long for fellowship with Him. To know God is your blessed reality and that great joy in knowing Him. Well, do you long for Him? Brethren, beware of coldness of heart. Beware of spiritual declension, a drawing back from God. Beware of distractions from the world, even things legitimate like your responsibilities, a busy schedule, providential blessings or trials. If we're not longing for Him, If you see a decline in your longing for God, see it as a serious problem. If it's a declension, if it's a cooling off from Him, recognize it's cooling off in your love for Him. Recognize it's akin to that which Jesus rebuked in Revelation 2.4, you've left your first love. And therefore do as Jesus said in the next verse, Revelation 2.5, see from whence you've fallen and repent and do the first works. Go back now and have that longing, that hungering, that great love for Him, your first love. See your privilege in Christ, see His glory and His greatness, how desirable He is. And love Him. And where there's that love, there will be that longing. Those of us who've been married perhaps for donkey's years or somewhat short of that, however long that is, you know, we might forget, apart from some illness hitting or some crisis going on in the household, we might forget that there was a day that that woman to whom you're married, that man to whom you're married, you longed to be with him. You longed to be with her. to be joined together in that marriage relationship. I hope you still have that longing. It might be expressed, it might not be felt so much now after all these years of having been together, but I hope you still have that longing. Because if you don't, your marriage has got some serious issues going on here. But the point is, Beth, that's the expression of love. You did then. Well, I hope you still long for Him. Long for Him. Well, so too in the Christian walk. Maybe as we go on in the Christian walk. We've been with the Lord. We've enjoyed blessings. And that longing for Him, we don't consciously recognize that. Well, how is it with you? Beware. You see a declension in that? That's a serious issue. Cry out, Lord, help me and give me grace. The Bible speaks of our knowing God. That is the reason, the source of this great joy. Right? We got that. But let's remember, like any relationship, it's a two-way relationship. Because the same Bible that tells us about our knowing God, it also speaks of our knowing Him. I'm sorry, of His knowing us. 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 3. If anyone loves God, he's known by God. God knows him. Or I think of Paul's words in Galatians chapter 4 verse 9. He's talking about these people who had been converted. He says, and when you came to know God, well, no, rather, to be known by God. Well, God knows everybody, yes, yes, but in that special regard, in that special relationship. And it speaks of God's heart towards you. We're talking about your desire for God and what that should be. Don't forget His desire, dear Christian, don't forget His desire for you, for fellowship with you. He sent His only begotten Son into this world to suffer and die and pay the penalty for our sins. out of desire for us. Christ will present us to himself at last, as his blessed and glorious bride, to have us with him forever. And even now, he's redeemed us, as we're told, Titus chapter 2, verse 14, to be his own special people. Don't forget his desire for fellowship. See the great extent to which he has gone. Rather, recognize God's heart towards you. We love Him because He first loved us? Well then recognize He first loved us! And He still loves us! And out of love He bought us and sought us and made us His own, bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ, the working of the Holy Spirit, into this blessed relationship, this fellowship with Himself. Well see His heart. See the cross. See what it says of God's desire. See and love Him. who so loves us and first loved us. Might God grant that we will know more of that longing for Him and that blessed fellowship with Him, which is the source and the reason for this rejoicing always. Come what may. How are you doing? You know anything of this? Might God grant, brethren, we'll have dealings with God Himself and day by day walk in that blessed fellowship with Him. We can because of Christ. Now, as to the unsaved, I've mentioned earlier, if you were to ask people, you want this joy that never stops, always reason, regardless of what you face, there's always that rejoicing. And put like that, people say, well, yeah, that sounds like a good idea. But when you say it's to be had in Jesus Christ, in knowing Him personally, in being saved from your sins, from turning from sin to Him in faith, looking only to Christ. Lord Jesus, save me. Do you still want that job? Then you see they're not that interested. Rather, they're more like what the Bible says in Job 21, depart from me, I don't desire knowledge of your ways. I don't want to know you. I want to do my own thing. Knowing God, that's going to cramp my lifestyle here. It's expression of what Romans 8 refers to as a carnal mind, a fleshly mind that's hostile against God. Because you see, the unsaved, typical world, they want joy, all right, but they want it on their terms, not God's terms. Certainly not joy in knowing Him. And how does that work out? How does that work out? Well, it doesn't. Yeah, look at the world. Come on, just look at the tip of the world. You might find something that's got a little bit of glee now and again, but come on, look at it. It's a very sad place in many ways. Tragic. Because the way of the transgressor is hard. And that's just talking about life in this world. What about in the hereafter? In a very real sense, eternal punishment for sin, hell, it's but the logical progression of what the non-Christian wants. No, they don't want the punishment. I got that. But as Job 21, I've referred to it, depart from us. We don't desire knowledge for your waste. We don't want you. And they live their life saying, I don't want God. Even though God has freely given this means of salvation, freely sent His only begotten Son in this world to save sinners. No, I don't want that. I don't want Him. And we're told at last that the Lord Jesus comes in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God, who do not obey the gospel, and these will be punished with everlasting destruction from, it's the idea of away from, the presence of the Lord. You don't want Him? Then forever you'll not have Him. And Jesus will say, depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his enemies. In a very real sense, it's a logical progression of their own choice. I don't want God? Then you won't have Him. But here's good news. The day of mercy is still here and God holds out mercy. Reconciliation. Sinners can be made right with God. All their sins forgiven. A new heart. Knowing God here and hereafter. Joy in knowing Him. He was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. punishing Christ in the place of sinners, the perfect sinless substitute who bore that punishment. And this same God commands sinners to repent and believe. That's what Jesus said in Mark 115, repent and believe the good news. God commands all men everywhere to repent, turn from sin to God through Jesus Christ. Believe on Him and you will be saved. Well, what about you? Earlier we read that parable In our scripture reading in Matthew 13, parable of the seed, some stony ground, it receives it with joy, then falls away. Some thorny ground, it receives it, but the cares of this world kind of choke it out. Well, there's that hardened ground, the wayside, it rejects it outright. But there's only one soil there that speaks of a heart that really receives God's word, the gospel. It bears fruit. The life has changed. What about you? What will you now do? Take heed how you hear. Believe on the Lord Jesus. You will be saved. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we bless you and praise you for your great grace and mercy. Lord, that you would desire, that you would desire sinners, that you would desire them to be rescued from their sin and from eternal damnation. that you would desire them for yourself, even that they should enjoy your presence forever, and that you should provide such a salvation through Christ, Lord, that even now sin's forgiven brought to know you and can have that blessed fellowship with you. We thank you for this reason, this source of joy, and we ask then that you would help us to live with it. a conscious enjoyment of you, that we, day by day, would have real communion in our praying without ceasing, in our giving thanks at everything, in our rejoicing always. It should be the fruit of that blessed relationship and the outworking of that salvation as a mark of true piety. Lord, please grant that we would live consistent with your word and what we know of you and our blessedness in Christ, whose name we pray. Amen.