(Continued) 1.8. Day 1 to 8 - My Mission – Show Hospitality / Study / Live with Joy – Keys to Making Disciples – Summary

 

“It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful” – Anonymous

Hans would you say you want to be joyful?

Brad Turnbull said – “You are as happy as you choose to be”

So the question is what make us unhappy Hans?

– If we deal with the unhappiness we will by default be happy, don’t you think?

  • Makes sense to me Francois.

Hans some other questions we are looking at:

– What gives you joy in your heart?

And

– Is what gives you joy lasting or fleeting?

  • Francois some people might say posessions give you joy, but why is most film stars are not happy?
  • Money people say will make you happy, but if you look at lottery winners after 5 years they are worse off than before they won the money.
  • Travel some people say is the pinnacle of joy, but if you cannot share it with someone you are lonely.
  • You might say marriage bring you joy, but 2 out of 3 of them fails?

– So if joy comes from being grateful, we need to focus on how we can be grateful Hans don’t you think?

  • Sounds awesome Francois, let’s do it!

The dictionary says that gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.

Let’s see how Jesus lived a grateful life:

’19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”’ – Matthew 11:19 | NIV

– Hans what must you be known for?

  • Being a friend to people in the world who does not know Jesus yet or are struggling with their relationship with God Francois.
  • Also eating and drinking with them.

“15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”. – 2 Timothy 2:15 | NIV

– What type of worker do you need to be Hans?

  • Do my utmost best.
  • My work for God needs to be at such a level that I will be approved by God.
  • Francois if I am ashamed then there is something wrong.
  • I need to handle the word of God correctly.

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4 | NIV

– What should my mental state of mind be mostly Hans?

  • Francois it does not say rejoice in my situation or anything else except in the Lord.
  • I think most of the times by default we look to rejoice in worldly circumstances.

Hans that was great studying with you again. Would you mind closing us out with a prayer?

  • Yes thank you Francois, sure I will close us out with a prayer. Dear Lord. Thank you that we could learn about gratitude today and how to live it out in my life. I appreciate that you call me to build friendships with my friends in the world so hopefully they can also become disciples. I pray that my bible study will lead to me being a approved worker in your kingdom. Thank you Lord that my joy is not dependent on circumstances but that it is based in You. Amen

Tomorrow we will be looking at: An approved worker – Authority

References:

Leave a Reply