April 28th, 2024 | CRBC Sunday Service | By Castleberry Road Baptist Church | On the second thy way to the land and a relax lead us in prayer before we go in me. Turns one hundred and thirty one hundred and thirty Thank you, Chris. Three hundred and eighteen Three hundred and eighteen. Then I ask everybody to sing please. And seventeen. I'm sorry. Okay. Back up the page. Three hundred and 17 turn around the nose near and far. Shake hands. Give a hug. Wave. Just say good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Thank you, William for the good singing, Chris. Thank you. Uh Cathy, thank you for coming and and filling in for us today. Uh good to see you all over here. We got a good crowd and visitors, thank you for coming. We want you to feel right at home and enjoy what the lord has in store for you today and I hope you have a good time. I feel like we need to be happy in the lord today. I I I just feel that we need to feel the joy of Jesus because he is alive and and and he's the one that that gives us what everything we stand in need of. Uh so, let's get a fresh report on yaya. And stuff but and she'll go to the doctor on Wednesday morning. Wednesday. And then we still have a person from her doctor They still haven't heard anything, hoping to hear something tomorrow. She goes back for post-op on Wednesday. So, at least maybe they'll know something by then. Um she is kind of still a little slower getting around and and all but doing doing well and Anna, we we thank you so much for giving us that report. Uh anybody else that's got any prayer requests or or wants to how about a report on Lily? That's what y'all y'all got to go to William. Let him show you her picture when she was born. And her picture last Sunday. Cuz he went in sincere last Sunday. Of course he went this Wednesday too. But but he went last Sunday and he got older. But tell us a little bit about Lily. It's it's been a great week. Amen. Amen. What about that? Thank you so much for your prayer. Thank you, granddad. Y'all have done a good job. The prayers of the people have been heard and we see that all the time and still don't have time don't believe it that prayer works. We need to start believing. That prayer actually works. The the hands of the doctors that god gives the knowledge to to do this stuff and it's amazing how they can work with such a little bitty child and and do the surgeries that they do and it's just it's just wonderful. Uh miss Beth, it's good to have you back with us today. Uh we appreciate you very much and we thank you for being here. Y'all remember and Clayton, they're they're both sick, not with COVID or anything like that. It's just they've had colds and they've had some ear problems and this that and the other but that's the reason they're they're not here. A lot of people wonders why folks ain't here when they're not here. Lee and Debbie, they are going up to North Carolina to a baptizing up there. That's why they're not here. Uh it's good to have my son-in-law, my favorite son-in-law here today and and and my two favorite grandkids. Uh it's good to have them here. Uh their mom's on a little trip so they decided to come see how old Paw's doing. So, I'm glad they did. I'm always excited when they come and and I just love em to death and they're growing up. I just, it's just amazing. How they are growing and but I love em all and thank you all for being here this morning. Other prayer requests or reports that we need to make. Terry. Doing good. Doing good. Okay. That's great. The the the trade out, what do you call it? Transplant. Transplant. The transplant, both people are doing good, okay? Trade out. I didn't know you know me. I just come up with whatever. Uh but they're doing good and prayer works. See, I'm telling you, prayer works. Oh, Terry, he was, he was doomed. Uh, with having to take dialysis and all that mess and, and he'll get to live a good normal life. And, and, and, and, and the, the, the, the giver, we'll be okay with just one kidney Uh I know a lot of people have just got one kidney. Sometimes I wish I just had one, you know? I mean, really. Uh I'm the older I get the rougher it is but anyway, it it's just wonderful about the prayers that we've prayed for people and we see answers and and we need to rejoice over that. We need to be proud unhappy over the answered prayers. Anything else? If not, we'll let William take up our morning offering and kids will be first, I'm sure. Yes. Children's offering and when y'all come up, stay up here. We're going to have you sing Alright Hey, before they start, I just wanted to say something. Can you hear him Well, he learned something today that we talked about and and we've all heard before, we've all heard. But we broke everything sinneth by sins about what each thing means and so, when these guys get through, you understand wish that you would talk to them every Sunday about what they've learned about the things that and I'm going to read something to you and see if you might have heard about this talk to these guys about it because they can experience or I'm sorry, they can tell you what it means Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. The kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Give us and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass but deliver us from evil. The most important part has the most is, for thine is the kingdom, and of forever and ever Amen. Yeah. Amen. So now, I want you to hear this guys and don't forget and find out what they Smile. This time, we're going to ask everyone You may be seated We got a makeshift quartet here. We'll try to sing one for you. I'm living in Canaan now. Christ came to save in pain gladness to only satisfied Second verse down in darkness within the crush hard to win my soul is satisfied angry Satan may have you wounded precious savior round you'll living on any side he jumped behind crossover Jordan my soul is satisfied no more with Jesus have been catered I'm out of breath now, William. You done that on purpose. I know. Got a little thought I want to share with you. Uh this morning, I hope that I can bring it to you as god gave it to me. Uh I tried to take a few notes because I can't remember. If I'm studying first of the week, by the end of the week, I don't forgot what I study. You know, I'm getting older and and I guess that's got a lot to do with it. I don't know but I tried to take a a note or two just just to just to where I could remember it. But I want to talk to you about something and that we've already mentioned today and and that's being happy. Being happy. That that's something that you can't buy, you cannot buy happiness. Some people think you can. Sometimes, I think I can. I think, man, if I could buy me a boat, if I could buy me a a four wheeler, if I could buy this, I could, I'd be happy. Happy, happy. That sound like Phil Robinson, don't we? Duck Dynasty. Happy, happy, happy. He was always happy. And there was something to that that really impressed me about being happy and I begin to look into the scriptures and and and god begin to open my eyes on how important that it is that his children be happy. It's important. I'm going to read ten verses. And and that's all I'm going to read and I want you to listen. The sixth chapter book of second Corinthians the sixth chapter starting with the first verse, second Corinthians. We then as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of god in vain. In other words, we don't receive the grace of god that to to to do no good He don't give us grace just to do no good. He gives us grace to do good. For he said, I have heard thee in a time accepted. And in the day of salvation, have I secured thee, behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Today is the day of salvation. You wonder when the day is today. Giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of god and much patience in afflictions. Listen to all this now. In patient and much patient In afflictions. In necessities. In distress. In stripes. In imprisonment in two mutes, terror, turmoils is what I say, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the holy ghost, by love unfeigned which means genuine love By the word of truth, by the power of god, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, thy evil report, and good report. As deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known As dying and behold, we live. As chastened and and not killed. As sorrowful yet all way rejoicing As poor, making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things. And I I I think that's all god wanted me to read. And what I want to talk to you about today is is is a very simple simple thing. And it is God's rules for happiness. God's rules for happiness. In this hectic world that we live in, all we hear about is is suicides and and people being depression and divorce and bitterness, hatred, happiness, joy. Uh I wrote some of these things down where I can remember em. Joy, contentment, and or or joy and contentment are precious commodities. For sure. They're constantly being sought after. So, they're very precious joy, and love is is is a very precious thing and contentment, being content You don't see that much anymore. Folks, it's here. You can have joy and be content in the fact that hey, when I was eleven-year-old boy, the lord saved my soul and and he gave me a contentment. That day, if I could be every day like I was that day what a wonderful world this would be. If I could only see the world through the eyes of a child, what a wonderful world this would be but we, look at it and we get all stove up, and we get all worried and tore down, and, and, and, and we think, you know, and, and, and if you look around, you you your environment, the majority of the people, have never found true and lasting happiness. Look around you. There's a lot of people. It's never found the true happiness that only god can provide for each and every one of us. Sometimes the the result is it's about the state of happiness is denying that such even exist That happiness even exist. You can't be happy in such an evil world. There's no happiness in this world that we live in. Because it's so evil and and so downtrodden and and you know you just you just want to blame it on the world. Is there such a thing as true happiness? I want to ask all of you that question today. Is there such a thing as true happiness? And I want to make sure you know the answer Yes. Yes, there's such a thing as true happiness Happiness is a reality. And it can be yours. It can be yours. Uh I'm promising. Not only can Christians be happy but god expects and commands that his people be happy. Now, I wrote some scriptures down here and this is what I want to share with you and I want you to listen to it. God expects and commands that his people be happy. In Romans fourteen seventeen, it says, for the kingdom of god is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy ghost. It comes from the Holy Ghost We enjoy church service through the Holy Spirit of God. Did y'all enjoy them kids singing the the the model prayer that Jesus. I tell you I enjoyed that so much. They did a great job and thank y'all for teaching that. Thank you for teaching that because it's it's it's it's part it's a part of happiness and through the Holy Ghost is is or the Holy Spirit some people don't like you to call him the Holy Ghost but but he is. He's the Holy Spirit. But through him, we can be happy. They can be, they can be happiness. In the middle of the hardest storms there is. I sang up at Concord Friday and and had a wonderful time and and I had I had this question asked to me more than once. Probably 10 times. Danny, I think of you and Vicky a lot. And I just can't believe what all y'all been through in your life. How you've handled everything and and knowing that Vicky can't even hardly get out of bed right now. I just don't understand it. I said, let me tell, let me tell you something. Let me tell you a secret. I said, it's by his grace through the faith that we have in Christ Jesus that gets us by every day. We laugh sometimes we cry but I'm going to tell you what, I can't be no happier than I am. I wish the goodness it was a different circumstances. I can't do nothing about the circumstances. If I could, I would but I'm happy through the Holy of god right where I'm at right now. I've got to spend so far and I'm looking to spend a few more years for 47 years with my dear wife. And yes, we've been through a lot. There's a lot of problems and troubles and not fuzzing and fighting. We've been through sicknesses and and and of trouble but but you know what that causes? It teaches us patience but the happiness is still there. The happiness is still there because because of the holy spirit. Philippians four four, rejoice in the lord always and again, I say rejoice. You've heard that so many times. Rejoice in the lord always and again, I say rejoice. We we need to rejoice. Uh first Thessalon fifth chapter sixteenth verse says, rejoice ever evermore. Rejoice evermore I've had people to say, well, Dan, it's it's hard to rejoice. Yeah, it's hard. It's hard but if you can get hooked up with the Holy Spirit of god, He will make it a lot easier. First Peter chapter four verse thirteen but rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings. That when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also, with exceeding joy. When his glory is revealed, that you may be glad and and be able to rejoice and and know without a doubt that he is king of kings and lord of lords. Paul rejoice and and was full of happiness even in less than pleasant circumstances. In second Corinthians chapter six verse ten, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing as poor yet always many rich. As having not nothing and yet possessing all. I don't have much here. Hey, but look what's waiting for me. I'm telling y'all folks, we got to realize that we got far greater than what we've got here. We are, we are a blessed nation here. We are a rich nation. We are a totally blessed nation and we've been blessed in so many ways but I'm going to tell y'all something. We got something far greater waiting on us on the other side. The other side. Be happy. Be happy. Be happy. Second Corinthians seventh chapter Fourth verse says this, great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my glory of you. I am filled with comfort. I am exceeding joyful in all of our tribulations In all of our tribulations, I'm exceedingly joyful. How? The Holy Spirit, folks, we're leaving him completely out of the equation and and we're not using the Holy Spirit as as he wants us to. His rule of happiness, I feel like, is to get acquainted more with the Holy Spirit of god. Be able to talk to god just like you talk to me or or you talk to your father, your mother, or your sister, your brother. Just talk to him and and keep that communication going. Don't just have certain times and you pray or you talk to god. Always keep that communication going. Second Corinthians twelve chapter tenth verse says this, therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities. Paul, he he was he was amazing. He he was a sinner saved by grace like me but he was amazing. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, far sake If he's doing it for Christ's sake, he takes pleasure in all this rough stuff. All this stuff that we're seeing happen that that we're going through, it it's just it's just a fulfillment of the the god's word. But don't fret. Be happy. God wants his people to be happy. and joy for he said for when I am weak then I am strong Now, that sounds a little odd in his weakest times was when he was the strongest In his weak when in Paul's weakest time, that was when he was the strongest and and and that's the way I try to look at it. In my weakest times, I try my best to rejoice in my infirmities. In the name of Jesus Christ, and that's the only way that you can find happiness I thank everyone of us can agree based on the scriptures I just read to you. That god expects his children to be happy. I think you can agree on the scriptures that from the word of god that god wants his people to be happy. Uh his children. But the main question of the whole thing that today is one word, How? How? How can you be happy with all this mess going on? All this I've got to worry about. I cannot be happy. I've got to worry about all this. You know what? Worrying does. It makes you look like me. Wore out and older than you really are. That's what worrying does to you. It wears you out. And it don't do a bit of good. It don't do a bit of good. But I I think we can all agree. We're asking the question, how happiness is not something that you can stumble up on It's not an accident and as I've already said, happiness can't be bought, sold, or traded, regardless of the many sales pitches that we hear in our lives, it cannot be bought. And I try to express that a lot. Happiness is not a commodity afforded only by the rich are the fluent people of the world. It is not a commodity. Happiness is free. And you know why it's free and you know what made it free? That cross when Jesus hung on that cross and died for you and me. That's what made happiness. Free. Happiness is us. I guess you'd call it a state of mind That's in every one of our grasp. You want a happy life? It's in your grasp right now. It's your choice You want a happy marriage? It's in your grasp. It's your choice. Choose god and fill the happiness surround you. Everywhere you go. And know without a doubt. That he is with you there's a whole bunch of books that's been written and I've read some of em about happiness and and you know, seem like they all claim to contain some kind of formula for happiness. And for contentment Seemed like they all contain a formula that you can go by. But the very best advice that I've ever found in my entire life, life on this subject was written years ago and is found right here in my hand and it's called the word of god. Got the best formula for happiness than any book that's ever been written. I promise. I promise. Got the best formula. And and it don't matter rich, poor, live alone, live whatever. You can have happiness through the grace of god. And it's found in his word. Count your blessings not your troubles I'm just about done. Listen, count your blessings. not your troubles That's one good way and that's one of his rules for happiness Don't dwell on the troubles. Count your blessings. Live life One day at a time That's hard to do. I thought coming down here about tomorrow, Hawk Hadea to come to church. I was thinking about tomorrow. What all I had to get done? Good grief. That's pitiful. Live a day at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow. Because he holds tomorrow So, just be happy today that you got what you got. Be happy today that he did what he did for you and for me. Learn to be a giver and not a getter. That's hard sometimes I'm talking his rules for happiness. Learn to be a giver not a getter. I got a couple of more I want to I jotted down Pray every day and I've got scriptures written down. That's reading. I got em on pages here. Pray every day. Number six, let nothing bother you That's hard to do. I get bothered by a lot of things that goes on in this life but don't let nothing bother you. Number seven, Phil, fill your life with good. Stay away from the bad. Stay away from the evil. Fill your life with good. Number eight, learn to laugh and learn to cry This is god's rules to happiness and like I say, I got scripture if you want it. I can give it to you. Number nine, Learn to practice the happiness habit of being happy. Learn to practice the the habit of happiness. I would dare to say that everybody here likes being happy, don't you? Some of you do. Some of you like being a stove up all the time. And that's pitiful to say but it's a truth It's the truth. God's rules to happiness. And it all comes through the Holy Spirit of God. Through his grace, through our faith in him, and his grace toward all of us. Glory, hallelujah. Praise the lamb of god today. Don't worry, Be happy. I thought I'd make a good song, would it? Don't worry. Be happy. Somebody asked me the other day, said, how do you like being down at Casselberry Road Church? They're just waiting on me to dog y'all. You know. Acid. I'll just be honest with you. They said, what? I said, they're waiting on hearing, hearing the stuff, you know. They want to hear me. Like I say, they wanted to hear me dog the church. They couldn't wait but I messed them up asset. I'm in love I'm in love I said, I ain't never been so happy in my life. I need a little Don't start that little church stuff. I hate people that talk about little churches, little church. We may be little in structure and people but we're still a mega church because we serve a mega god. Amen. Don't get me started. I'm going to show up. I'm I'm done went past Straight up and down. William sang I'll be telling somebody I'm not at Casper Road anymore. Y'all run me off. I don't hush but but I love this place And I love the people. And and I appreciate every trouble. Every trial every temptation, everything that that comes my way. I'm thankful for it. I'm happy. I'm just happy. I'm sorry if I'd upset some of you. But the preacher's happy but I ain't. I'm happy. I thank god that I'm here. And I have this opportunity to come by this way and and just be here as long as he'll wants me to and and hopefully I can still be going when I leave this play. As we stand and sing this altar is open, would you come? 5seven. Be happy. Be happy. How sweet unbound savior my fear that grace of the hour Now, Wesley the third verse. All that spare and me only happy because here it is when god's praise that when we first Anything. Praise god praise god and be happy. God. Praise god. Praise god. Praise god. Praise god. Praise Are you happy today? Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank y'all. God bless you. I love everyone of you. Anybody got a word or anything before announcement or anything before we go. June the 15th Okay, June the 15th will be the cookout. So, it'll come out in the bulletin next Sunday. So, I love y'all and thank you so much for being here. Visitors, thank you all for coming. We love our visitors. Uh there's right at 50 folks here today and I know what you say. Well, it don't look like it. Well, there he is. Count em yourself because I did. There's there's might be a little over PT. I think I've skipped some. I always forget me and William and the piano player. And but anyway, thank god for all that's here. Uh glory be to god for that. Let's all lift our hands toward heaven and say thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. God bless you. Shake hands