Dennis R. Wiles First Baptist Arlington June 7, 2026 2026: Flourishing Together: Transformed on The Jesus Way Gospel Guide: John Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:1-2 SUMMER 2026: Making a Difference May 31, 2026 – August 1, 2026 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. -Jesus (John 15:8) Joy: Nehemiah Nehemiah 8:1-12 CHARISMATIC Designating an animal or species that is particularly appealing or compelling to humans, typically because of its appearance or symbolic significance, and which is therefore used to gain support for conservation causes. BOODLE-FIGHT Philippine English. A communal meal at which different kinds of food are laid out, now typically on banana leaves, and eaten with the hands. Theme for 2026: Flourishing Together: Transformed on The Jesus Way Theme for Summer 2026: Making a Difference DIFFERENCE MAKERS: In order for us to “make a difference” in our world, we have to become difference makers! INTENTIONAL DISCIPLES: Difference Makers are intentional disciples who follow Jesus in every area of their lives. Disciples who are being shaped by the Spirit – in whom the character of Christ is being formed – through whom fruit is being borne – these are the people God uses to make a difference in the world. CONTEXT: Nehemiah and Ezra led Israel in a great revival service recorded in Nehemiah 8. At first, the Jewish people were convicted as they heard God’s Word read and explained --- they began to weep. Ezra and Nehemiah led them to time of celebration, worship, remembrance, and . . . JOY! FLOURISHING DOMAIN: HAPPINESS AND LIFE SATISFACTION Overall, how satisfied are you with life as a whole these days? In general, how happy or unhappy do you usually feel? SEMANTIC DOMAIN: JOY: The cluster of Biblical words for joy includes: happiness, gladness, pleasure, celebration, cheer, delight, jubilation, laughter, exultation, blessing ---- these words appear in about 2000 passages in the Scripture! QUESTION: Where do you find your joy? CHALLENGE: Satan desires to rob you of your joy! CHOICE: Joy is a choice! You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy. -Jane Marczewski There is nothing dreary and doubtful about life. It is meant to be continually joyful . . . We are called toa settled happiness in the Lord whose joy is our strength. -Amy Carmichael “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! -Philippians 4:4 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy . . .” -1 Peter 1:8 “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” -Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah (Daniel 3:17-18) “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” -Habakkuk 3:17-18 GIFT: The joy of the Lord is a gift from His Spirit! I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. -Jesus (John 15:11) STRENGTH: The Joy of the Lord is our strength! Good things as well as bad, you know, are caught by a kind of infection. If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them. They are not a sort of prizes which God could, if He chose, just hand out to anyone. They are a great fountain of energy and beauty spurting up at the very centre of reality. If you are close to it, the spray will wet you: if you are not, you will remain dry. -C. S. Lewis
