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1. The Joy of My Life is Jesus (1:31)
2. Joy (26:07)
3. O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, Lyngham and Glaeser medley (2:13)
Selected Verses:
I John 3:2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
II Corinthians 4:17. For our light affliction, which is but
for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
I Thessalonians 5:16. Rejoice evermore.
Philippians 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I
say, Rejoice. Opening:
When we get to heaven we’re going to go to meeting too.
Now, maybe this is something you don’t know. This is an advance notice to you
that people in heaven meet also—they also have meetings like we have here.
Undoubtedly they’re having meetings right now. The difference there I suppose
is this: that while we feel the presence of Jesus they see Him.
We don’t see Him yet. But the same Jesus who meets with us meets with them
there. And there’s going to be a difference. Here, we live by faith (if we
do). And there, we live by sight: “To be absent from the body is to be present
with the Lord.” We’ve got something to look forward to, thank God!
My, what a wonderful hope: that “we shall see Him as He is,”
that “we shall be forever with the Lord”! Suppose a hydrogen bomb fell right
on top of this church right now. Well, it might, you know—can’t tell. How’d
you like it? How would you like it? Well, there would be a great change.
There would. But it’s happened, you know. One time Sunday morning, one of our
sisters, while we were singing, went to heaven. I saw her putting up her arms
like this and she was gone. Well, the change must have been very wonderful, to
come out of the fogs into the clear sunlight of His presence.
We ought to remember these things. We ought to think of
them. “The hope of our salvation” is the hope of seeing Jesus face to face.
But it’s far more than that. Oh, it’s far beyond that. If that’s the only
hope we have, then we’re pretty bad off. But our hope is way beyond that:
we’re going to “be like Him.”
… Selected Quotes:
“This earthly house of this tabernacle” is made only for a
little while. That’s only a shell. It’s just an eggshell, that’s all. And
when the eaglet has come forth to reign in the sky, why, the eggshell is
forgotten. You don’t think of it anymore. It’s gone. It becomes refuse. And
so will it be with this body of ours.
…
But, oh, this morning the Lord Jesus
Christ is here with a very definite job. What is He doing? Why, “out of His
fullness have all we received, grace upon grace.” And I was so thankful for
the things that were spoken of this morning concerning joy. “The joy of Lord”
is the life of the Lord. It isn’t something you manufacture. It isn’t
because you make up your mind now you’re going to be happy. But it’s because
you draw “out of His fullness” the joy of the Lord. You say “Jesus” instead of
“self.” You say “Jesus” instead of “weakness.” Do you know why we are not
always happy? Well, you might give a thousand reasons. But the only real
reason is that we think too much of our self.
…
But when I say “Jesus, I delight
myself also in the Lord,” why, that life begins flowing. It comes to me—Jesus
comes to me. Jesus takes the place of self. Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son
of God becomes my Portion. Didn’t He say, “If ye keep my commandments, ye
shall abide in My love even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide
in His love”? And that’s what we’re here on this earth for: to “make manifest
the savor of His knowledge in every place,” to let Jesus Christ shine in a dark
place.
Today, we ought to rejoice if God allows us to be in a dark
place because we have a life that overpowers all the darkness. Hallelujah, how
very wonderful! I’ve got within me a Fountain of victory. Jesus always wins
if I let Him. And that’s what’s the matter if I think too much of myself then
I want sympathy, and then I want consideration, and then I’ll say “self!” and
I’ll have a thousand excuses for living in the flesh—and that’s corruption, and
that is damnation. My call is to let Jesus live out His own life within me.
And that’s why the Bible says, “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Thank
God! I don’t have to live my life anymore.
…
And these things are “written for our
learning.” We’ve got a lesson to learn. We’ve got a fight to fight, a victory
to win. And that victory is that “we shall be like Him.”
…
When [Nebuchadnezzar] threatened to heat that furnace seven
times more: “Now, how does God allow that? I thought we had the victory. Why,
we were anointed and prayed over and now: seven times hotter.”
…
I’ve had to learn some lessons in
trials that were very prolonged and very severe, and to find out that faith
grows in conflict. That’s where you find out that it’s “the faith of the Son
of God” that makes you laugh at all your foes, and rejoice in the midst of your
trials. Why, “the God whom we serve” has a wonderful plan, thank God! Let Him
have His way with me. I’m not going to find fault with God. I’m going to
“rejoice in the Lord.” That’s all I have to do. He does all the rest.
…
Thank God, He knows what’s wrong with
us. He knows why we are like we are. And God tells us what’s the matter. And
if we have sense enough to believe it—and we can find that out ourselves by
comparing our lives with His commands: “Am I doing what Jesus says?” Today the
subject was “rejoicing evermore.” If I’m not, then Jesus doesn’t reign. And
if He doesn’t reign, somebody else reigns. Positively, there’s another master
that binds me. Well, I ought to be scared. If I don’t obey the fundamentals
of the Bible, of the Sermon on the Mount, or another wonderful fundamental: “In
nothing be anxious…” But how many hearts are troubled all the time by anxiety!
…
I remember a time when I couldn’t be
happy in some Pentecostal meetings because some people always got in the
flesh. Well, it was none of my business at all. God allowed them to be part
there…just to show me what was in my heart, what flesh there was here.
That’s where the flesh was.
… Illustrations:
The body that is sown is likened to the bulb of a peony.
“But let it die, and oh, what beauty comes forth! ...It’s so unlike the bulb,
it’s so different that you wouldn’t believe that that beautiful flower had come
out of that bulb.” (at 2:53) The sister who said, “If I were to complain, I would be
finding fault with God.” (from 9:11) The story of the Irish immigrant who said, “This is a
wonderful country. I’ve got nothing to do but to carry bricks up to the 13th
floor, and the guy up there does all the work.” “All I have to do is to
‘delight myself also in the Lord.’ God sees to it that the work is done, thank
God!” (at 13:15) An illustration from HRW’s boss in the jewelry business:
“‘I’ve always done it that way.’ He said, ‘Well, then you’ve always done it
wrong.’ And I’m so thankful that we have a Master who does not give up until
His job is done.” (at 15:39) The example of the life of Martha Wing Robinson. “People
would come from all over the world to hear words of God out of her mouth. And
many of them were surprised at the great simplicity. They came to hear
something highfalutin, you know. And the first thing the Lord would say: ‘Are
you doing what the Bible says? Are you rejoicing evermore?’” (at 16:08) Elder Brooks’ experiences seeking the baptism of the Holy
Ghost. “Elder Brooks came there, and you know, he couldn’t get the Baptism in
the Holy Ghost. His wife received it. His wife received wonderful gifts, and
poor Elder had to sit at his wife’s feet and listen to her preach. My, that
was a bitter pill for him. Up till that time he didn’t believe in women
ministers. No siree. That’s what he was there for. But now, he saw
his need…
“What do you think an educated, civilized, sophisticated
theologian should do?... The Lord told him what to do get rid of his dumps:
‘Go to every meeting 15 minutes ahead of time, and spend the 15 minutes
shouting “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” from the heart.’
“You wouldn’t find many ministers that would do that. And
you wouldn’t find many men that would do that. If you offered them a dollar a
minute, yes, they would. They would. Ananias and Sapphira fills our
churches… You’ll see what they’ll do for… a little honor, a little place of
distinction. Some people won’t play unless they can sing solo…
“He told me for three months he did that three times a day…
He said he felt like dying sometimes. But he’d get down and he’d praise the Lord
45 minutes every day. And he said after three months he had dug a hole through
that. He had really come out on top and his enemy was gone. The Lord came to
him.” (from 18:10) Bed bugs as an illustration of sin hidden in the heart. (from 21:09) German at 6:31:
Was bin ich für ein Esel gewesen — What a blockhead I have
been! (An Esel is a donkey, but this word has not the negative connotation
here that it might in English). Audio Quality: Poor
More Information...
Project Notes:
Original tape marked (37b). 18A was slowed by resampling to
105% of its original duration, based on the frequency of the background hum,
63Hz. The preset used was nearly the same as 016b, except that band 4 of the
compressor was muted since there’s not much signal above 4kHz. One long pause
was shortened, and a number of stutters removed. After the music on track 4
was exported, additional 60Hz notch filters were enabled. The singing at 14:42
is on track 4, so be sure that track is enabled.
The title “The Joy of My Life is Jesus” is not
authoritative.
Project Files:
The original media and project files are available upon request.
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