Understanding How Every Christian Can Have The Blessed Life

James Greer: [00:00:00] Did you know that when Jesus was baptized, God the Father said, That's my beloved Son, who I am well pleased. So when He was baptized, it pleased the Father. Did you know that in Luke chapter 15, it said that there was joy in Heaven over one center, that repentance. So there was joy in Heaven when there's people that get saved. And did you know that it also said there was joy in the presence of angels over one that gets saved in repentance. So God the Father is rejoicing. There is a presence in Heaven that's rejoicing and the presence of angels that are joy. I think that's saints that have gone ahead and entered Heaven. So everybody in Heaven is rejoicing. So on earth in the church, surely we should be rejoicing. Amen? Woo! So if you want to come, come and be a part of that. Now, what we're going to talk about today is what the blessed life is and how to have it. First, I want you to know what the blessed life is. And it tells you, according to Solomon, which they say was the wisest man in the world. And Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 9:7. He said, So it is that you eat your food, enjoy it. Drink your wine and be happy. Now, some of y'all don't need to be drinking wine. Some of you are too young. Two, wait a minute. Some, if you've been an alcoholic, you don't even need to taste the wine.

James Greer: [00:01:27] Number three. Number three. Sometimes wine is a type of happiness in the Bible. It just brings joy. But did you know that wine, to have wine, it has to be crushed. Did you know that? It has to be squeezed and crushed. And sometimes it's the crushing and the squeezing that we go through life before we really know what joy is. Did you know that Jesus Christ had to be crushed and bruised and put on a cross before we had joy? But he said, hey, man, Solomon, he said, man, let's eat food, let's enjoy it. Let's drink wine and be happy. If you drink enough wine, you'll be happy. You drink too much, you get in trouble. But anyway, be happy. Because that is what God wants us to do. He said, every now and then, let's put on some nice clothes. Nothing wrong with dressing up. Amen? Make yourself look good. Eat. Drink. Dress up. Hey. Amen? Enjoy the life with the wife that you love. Nothing wrong with that. Enjoy all these useless days of this useless life that God is giving you. In other words, what He said, life is only going to last so long. It's short. Because it is all you have.

James Greer: [00:03:02] So enjoy the work. You got to work. You do here on Earth. Man, he's telling you things that you have to do and why you have to do them. Then he says, Whatever you do, whatever. Verse ten, he says this. Enjoy life. Then it says in verse ten, it says, Whatever work you do, do your best. So in other words, whatever you're going to do, whether you're going to enjoy it, whether you're working, when you work, do your what? Do your best. When you're doing your hobbies, do your best. Because you're going to the grave where there's not going to be work, not any planning, no knowledge, not even any wisdom. Life is short. Eternity is forever. Live with eternity in mind. Now Ecclesiastes gives you, in five, it says I really want you to understand what the blessed life is. What is the best thing you could do in the short life? How is life? It is short. Eternity is long. Life is short. God has given you. Where does life come from? God. The life that you have and the span of life that you have comes from God.

James Greer: [00:04:22] I think we should enjoy eating, drinking, and working hard. This is what God intends us to do. He tells us what He intends us to do. Suppose you're very rich. According to the rest of the world, you are. And you're able to enjoy everything you own. Go ahead and enjoy working hard. This is God's gift to you. For the last part, I really love. God will keep you so happy that you don't have time to worry about it each day. What a blessed life. Amen? Did you know there's something I'm gonna tell you? I'm going to tell you that several things you get as a blessed life. But there's something I want you to know that I know this is absolutely true. That I'm not only preaching this life, I get to live this life. And that's what I want you to know. I want you to know not only I preach the life, I get to live the life. But you can have the life.

James Greer: [00:05:22] And I'm going to give you number one. You can enjoy eating and drinking. Amen? You can enjoy your work. You can enjoy your hobbies. You can enjoy your home. You can enjoy your school. Every now and then, why not enjoy getting dressed up? There's nothing wrong with that. Wear your nice clothes. Go out. Have a good time. Enjoy the love of your wife. It also says to enjoy the wife that you love. I love that because there's a lot of people that are married, but they don't love their wives. Happens all the time. They said 56% of people that are married, they're not happy. But see, you ready? Practicing Christians, not just Christians. This message is for practicing Christians. Practicing Christians, they're the ones that have the blessed life. Practicing Christians get to enjoy their eating, drinking, their job, their hobby. They get to dress up. They enjoy loving their wives because they're practicing Christians. They get to enjoy the spiritual, emotional, physical of loving their wives. I enjoy because they say, Well, what is that? What it tells you, one of the things you get to practice with loving your wives is in Proverbs. This is for practicing Christians only that are married. Okay?

James Greer: [00:06:42] Practicing Christians in Proverbs 5:18, it says to be happy. Yes? Practicing Christians, you should be happy. Yes? Rejoice in the wife of your youth. Let her breasts and tender embrace satisfy you. Let her love alone fill you with delight. I like that because, listen, men, it said, let her love alone fill you with delight. Not anybody else's love. Not somebody at work, not your next door neighbor, not somebody else. Let her love alone fill you with delight. Amen? And so it says that's one of the benefits, huh? Fifth. Enjoy being so happy because you're going to the right things, doing the right and the right places that you don't have time to worry. Man, that is a blessed life. Amen? But one of the reasons that people don't have the blessed life is because they don't know their purpose in life. If you don't know your purpose and you don't practice your purpose, you don't have the blessed life. In fact, when you don't know your purpose, you don't understand pain. The only way you can really understand pain and what we call persecution, which is not really persecution, but problems, is when you really, really, really understand your purpose.

James Greer: [00:08:09] I've been trying to explain your purpose for two weeks. This week, I want to go over it again, because if you really would understand your purpose and you would practice your purpose, when pain comes, you would understand your pain. And when you understand your pain and you understand it, go see your purpose, you can go through your pain like you've never had before. So let me explain your purpose in a way maybe that you've never heard it, and maybe that in a way that when you apply it, it'll make a difference. But it's so important because when you don't understand your purpose, you say things like this is pointless. Why do I keep trying? It's just pointless. Why do I keep trying? This marriage is pointless. Why do I keep going in? This job is pointless. And some of you even get to the point that you said my life just seems like it is pointless. But it's not. If you're there, please don't say that. Please don't go there. Please see somebody. Please ask for help. God has a purpose for your life. The psalmist said in 35, Anger and being upset is for the moment. His favor is for life. Weeping endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. In other words, He's got something coming for you. He's got something better for you. Don't give up. There's a few verses that as they start explaining your purpose in life, that you can better understand the pain in your life. Number one. Number one, it says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says, When you eat and drink, we talked about one of the blessings of life is getting to eat and drink. Amen? But when you do everything you do, do it to honor God. Can I tell you something right off the bat? When you try to honor God, sometimes you'll have problems. But if you're having problems and persecution because you're honoring God, then you have the power of God to go through the problems.

James Greer: [00:10:32] But I preached on that a time or two, that one of the things you do, one of your purposes in life, is to honor God. But I didn't tell you how to honor God. So I want to talk to you a few minutes about how to honor God. Amen? Y'all are getting it. Hey. When I say honor God, I mean to show respect, to be courteous, to give the appropriate attention or even to obey. Let me give you at least four or five ways to honor God. Amen? Number one. Number one. Honor your parents. To respect them, to be courteous to them. And all the young people say, Well, we don't do that. Yeah, that's why you have - Woo, I almost said something that I should not have said in church. That would not have been good whoever said that. That would not be very respectful. That's why you have so many of the problems that you have. The devil. Are you ready? Does not want you to honor God. Because he wants you to have problems with God. Honor your father and mother. In Exodus, it tells you, it's the first commandment with a promise that you can have a good long life. Honor your father and mother, that your days might be long upon this land which the Lord your God gives you. One of the ways you honor God is honoring your mother and father.

James Greer: [00:12:14] Wouldn't it be something if Journey Church alone, that the young people that live with their parents, whatever age you are, if you're under the roof of your parents, if they're paying your bills, you're to honor your mother and father. They've earned the right. You respect them. You're courteous to them. Your butt should be out opening the door for them. You should not be trying to run over them. You honor God by respecting your parents. Second, we honor God by honoring those that are authority over us. See, we want our kids to honor us. All the parents say Amen. But we come home and talk about our boss and the police and the pastor. You can't want your kids to honor you and you not honor those that are over you. So that's what happens. The Bible says honor everyone. Love the brother and fear God. Honor the emperor, the king, those in authority over you. That's what that Word means. It's honor the government. Leviticus puts it another way. Leviticus says, you shall - Oh, I like this. Y'all ready? You shall rise before the gray headed. I think y'all should all stand.

James Greer: [00:13:56] I think from now on when I come in, y'all should stand and I should sit. And the presence - I don't like the old man. In the presence of an old man, fear God. I am the Lord. What he's trying to tell you is learn to honor those that are over you. He's trying to tell you to honor those in authority. 1 Timothy 5:17 says, the elders in the church, the pastors, the leaders in the church who lead the church should receive double honor, especially those who work hard, speaking and teaching. Well, my goodness, I got gray hair. And I speak and teach. I'm due double honor. Amen? Number one, honor your parents. Number two, you honor all those in authority. You honor, young people, you honor your school teachers, you honor your parents, you honor the police. I hate it when I learn that because I don't do that. I drive slower now. But when I drove too fast and I got stopped, I used to get mad at the police for doing what they were supposed to do. I can remember the first time God really impressed for me. I got stopped right here by church, and I wanted to get through real quick. I didn't want the church people passing. And he gave me a ticket. And I said, Thank you for serving God. I felt better, and he thought I was crazy. But if you want your kids to honor God, if you want them to honor you, you honor those over you. You honor the government, you honor the police, you honor the teachers, you honor your boss, you honor your pastor.

James Greer: [00:15:38] Third, honor your body. Honor your body. Because you were bought by God with a price. Honor, show respect to God for your body. Your body belongs to God. He created you. Be careful what you do with it. And be careful what you allow with it. Do y'all understand what it means to honor God with your body? Yes? Okay. If you don't, we can talk about it. Fourth, honor God with your service. If you serve me, at least we can serve one hour a month. Amen? I got a friend down. Everybody in the church. Amen? Can serve God one hour a month. Everybody can serve one hour a month. Amen? Fill out the card. Turn it in. Turn it in at the kiosk. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I go. Listen to this. If you serve me, my Father will honor you. Boy, that is cool. Because we've been talking about honor God, honor God, honor God, honor God, honor God, honor God. Now you serve God, God's going to honor you. God is going to give you the appropriate attention that you need. That's part of honor. When we honor God, God then honors us. And man, there's going to be certain times you need the appropriate attention from God that you need. You're going to cry out to God, and God is going to say, I hear you. What do you need?

James Greer: [00:17:33] That is good, Brother James. Fifth. Really fifth and sixth go together. Honor God with your tithes, talents, and offerings. Honor God with your tithes, talents, and offerings. Because six, what God wants is your heart. It tells us in Proverbs 3:9, honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruit of your increase. Do you know why? So that your barns will have plenty. Not God. God needs nothing that you have. You know what? Our church is in good shape. Did you know that? You need the blessing. You need to honor God with your tithe, which is the first 10th of what you make. If you're not doing that, you're not honoring God. But God says, you know what? You can't outgive me. Because you're honoring God, your barns will be full of plenty and your vats overflow with new wine. In other words, new wine. There is a type of joy. You'll be happy. But the Bible says the reason that I want you to know that, he tells us in Isaiah 29:13, listen to this. And the Lord says, Because these people, they draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips while their heart is far from it.

James Greer: [00:18:59] Y'all know what that says? I used to hear this. Put your money where your mouth is. Have you ever heard that saying? Put your money where your mouth is. People, they talk, they talk, I love God. I love God. Oh, I come to church. Praise God. I love God. They don't tithe. They don't give. They don't serve. This is not a message on tithing. You ready? This is a message on Matthew 6:21. It says this. For where your treasure is, there's your heart also. God wants your heart. Okay. We're going to have to kind of move on a little bit. I don't have much time. And y'all saying, praise God, praise God. Second, I got to get to this second. I got to get to this second. If you really want to find your purpose, first of all, you honor God, you respect Him. You give Him appropriate attention. And second, second, you don't cause problems with anyone. You don't cause problems. You don't cause problems at work, at home, and hobbies. And you just don't. But one of the main ways that people cause problems is this. This is the way you cause problems at home, at church, at schools, and your hobbies. It's slander and gossip.

James Greer: [00:20:21] Look, look. I got to get to this before I close. So let's rock and roll and put it up. It's Leviticus. It says this. Don't spread slander and gossip among your people. Don't stand idly by when your neighbor's life is threatened. I am God. In other words, in other words, don't you slander, don't you gossip, and don't you be around the people that are doing it. Oh, that is good, Brother James. Don't nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Comfort people directly so you don't have to be held guilty of the sin. Don't seek revenge or bear a grudge against your fellow Israelites or neighbors, but love your neighbors as you love yourself. I am the Lord. Listen, I love it. Said don't spread slander, don't spread gossip among the people. Don't stand there idly by when your neighbor's life. Did you understand? First of all, you don't gossip, you don't slander. But if they're gossiping and slandering, you don't be a part of it. You either leave or tell them to stop it. If you are part of it and you sitting there and listen, you're getting guilty of doing it.

James Greer: [00:21:30] But if you do it the right way, if you handle it the right way, you might help them from being judged from sin. If you say, Hey, listen, the Bible says if you have a problem with somebody, you go to that person and that person alone. Did you know in our church covenant, the Bible says if you have a problem with somebody, you go directly with them one-on-one? You just go to them and them alone. In Matthew 18:15, it says, Moreover, if your brother has sinned against you, you go tell him his fault between you and him alone. And if he hears you, you gain a brother. So let me tell you what, Journey Church, you want to stop a lot of problems at home, at church, at school, and your whole life, even in your own family? Stop your slandering and gossiping. Amen, Brother James. If you got a problem with somebody, what do you do? You go to that person. If you're in the presence of somebody gossiping, say, Hey, have you talked to them? Let's go talk to him or keep your mouth shut.

James Greer: [00:22:34] You just eliminate a lot of problems. Life and death are in the power of tongue. Slander is when you get through talking about somebody, the other person thinks less of them. Gossip is when you're not part of the problem or the solution. So do not do it anymore. Honor God. Don't cause problems. Don't be selfish. And hope that many people get saved on your job. That means have a desire with an expectation of the fulfillment of your calling. Have a desire with an expectation of the fulfillment of your calling at work, at school, at home, and your hobby that somebody would get saved because of your life. Therefore, you bleed into Matthew 6:33. It says, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And He'll take care of everything else in your life. He says, Because you're doing that, you don't have time to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself.

James Greer: [00:23:41] See, I don't know where you're at in life. I don't know what's going on in your life. I just wonder if you're living the blessed life. If you're not, why not? First of all, you might not have Jesus in your life because He said, I've come that you could have life and you could have it more abundantly. Second, as we get ready to close, is it because you're not living out your purpose in your life, in your home, in your job, in your school. See, if you don't know your purpose in life, you're not living it out. You don't understand what the problems are. You're having a problem, you're taking it personally instead of saying, Hey, I was there on purpose for purpose where I'm at. At School, at home, my job. God had me there on purpose, and I was on a mission there. And the problems came because I was trying to honor God and God now will honor me. Is it because I was causing trouble? I was either gossiping, I was listening to gossip, and I was slandering. And I either hurt somebody because I gossiped or I got hurt because I listened to it and I need to stop doing that. I don't need to be talking about anybody and I want to quit it today. It's a sin. Because you're not honoring God because you do not honoring the authorities over you. And young people, you're not honoring your parents. You're not showing them respect that they get. Parents, you're not honoring your boss, the police, your pastors, government. God's called you to do it. Young people, your honor your teacher.

James Greer: [00:25:31] Young people, young people especially, y'all got a chance to be light in a dark world when everybody else is being dark and they're being disrespectful to their teachers and being disrespectful to authorities and they're being disrespectful to the parents and you could honor them. And man, that you'll be light in darkness. But adults, so are you. There's never been a time when I heard so many people talking ugly about authorities in my entire life. And we shouldn't be doing that. Even if we don't agree with the person, we honor the position. Maybe you're not honoring God with your talents and your tithe and your time. Just self-justification why you're not doing that. And today you want to change that. And you just want to surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Because you say, Jesus, I want that blessed life. God, I want to be so happy. I'm so busy doing the right things, going in the right places, I don't even have time to worry. So would you stand with me and let me pray with you and pray for you? God, you're just an awesome God. I thank you that I'm at an awesome church. I pray that we never take it for granted, God, like next service where we get to baptize 100 plus people. That's not an accident. That's divine. Though I like to come to church and I like to have a good time.

James Greer: [00:26:57] But, God, I pray that your Holy Spirit is at work. I pray that we take at least one of the areas that we need to work on the most, and we work on that area. And we say, God, I want to have one more step closer to have the life that you have for me. These steps are pretty clear. The Holy Spirit makes it clear to you. Your heart can be hard and it can reject it. Your heart can be soft, and it can receive it. It can be fertile. And you can say, God, would you have your will and your way in my life? God, I want to confess where I'm wrong. You said that you'll forgive me. You said times of refreshing will come. Maybe you want to come and join the church. Maybe you want somebody to pray with you. Maybe you want to be the next one to follow through in baptism. But maybe, maybe every single one of you want to come and say, Man, I want the blessed life. And I want to take those steps that are necessary to have it. And, God, I want you to have your will and your way in my life. And I ask it in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.