I’ve had many verses in my life. We have a college verse here. We have a church verse, a verse I use if I sign a Bible. That’s always a privilege for our church members and outside our church. A lot of verses like that. But I’ve never had a life verse until a year ago. And my life verse I can see through over 50 years of ministry. God directed that. Even the day I graduate, the college president had a little manual typewriter. It’s typed on a 3×5 card. It’s in my diploma and it’s Acts 20, 24.

“None of these things move me. Neither can I make my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.”

You know today, Paul was talking about, “I don’t know what’s ahead of me, bonds, affliction, but these things don’t move me. I shall not be, I shall not be moved.”

Let’s not get moved so quickly in life because we’re upset with God. He doesn’t answer the prayer of that way we want. Or a loved one passes away and we don’t understand. Or there’s been a betrayal, or there’s been a divorce, or there’s been a separation, or there’s been a who knows what’s happening in your life. But don’t let anything move you away from God. That you might finish your course and here it is to do it with joy.

Joy doesn’t come from the outside. Happiness comes from the outside, the environment. Joy comes from the inside. It wells up within you when we know God and when we’re in the presence of God, you’ll find the joy of God. Great peace have they who love thy law and nothing shall offend them. In thy presence is fullness of joy. Walk with God today.

God bless each of you.


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Pastor Jack Trieber

Pastor Trieber

Pastor Trieber has served as the pastor of the North Valley Baptist Church since March of 1976. He is also the President of Golden State Baptist College.