OUTLINE:

Rejoice Always (ala 1Th 5:16)
Like every other blessing designed by God, joy has been counterfeited. When a blessing is counterfeited, the true substance of it will never be received, by grace through faith. This leaves a person searching forever.

Counterfeits
Don't be fooled by the next latest and greatest solution... they will continually be there to tempt mankind away from God.

Mt 6:23
“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” - Jesus

The Little Things
Before it’s too late, let us appreciate all the so-called “little things” in life. May we suppose, even, that the “little things” are actually the big ones?

Jn 1:16-17
For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

“grace upon grace”
Refers to the fact that God showers His children with grace (love). Christ, His Son, has made this possible. In light of this, Christ rightly becomes our central source of gratitude and focus. (Eph 1:2-8)

Rom 8:38-39 [The Message}
I'm absolutely convinced that nothing — nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable — absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Perspective
Don’t forget about the best parts of your life because of familiarity. Appreciating God’s grace is to YOUR benefit.

Perspective
The good thing is that Satan's system always ends in want, and it's very failure brings some people searching for the Lord and His simple truths.

Stop Looking!
There’s no secret rock to look under - God’s grace is where its always been, right under your nose!

Php 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Perspective
We humans seem to get along best when we have something good to focus on (that isn’t ourselves). (ala Php 4:8)

Php 3:1a [Amplified Classic]
For the rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him.

Ro 12:9-11 [Amplified Classic]
[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good. Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another. Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.

1 Co 13:5 [Amplified Classic]
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

1 Co 13:7 [Amplified Classic]
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

Any Questions???
Php 3:1; Ro 12:9-21; 1Co 13:4-7; Gal 5:22-23; Jas 3:13-18; 2Pe 1:5-7…’nough said on gratitude (the antithesis of familiarity).

“Lord, to whom shall we go?”
Peter's words epitomize the one thing that separated the Apostles from the rest of Jesus' "disciples" (some of which weren't yet saved - ala Jn 6:64; 1Jn 2:19) - HUMILITY! Submission/surrender are fruit of humility, the essence of God's grace in salvation.