I could lose some weight; I had a nicer home; people stopped judging me; if I could stay
home with the kids; if I had a job that got me out of the house; if I had more money; if I
didn't have these health problems...! There seems to be always something that stands in the
way of our happiness, or at least that is what we tell ourselves, and anyone else who cares
to listen to our woeful tale. The truth is that none of these things on our "happiness wish list"
can bring us true happiness. If we had a better home, then we'd want better furnishings, if
we had more money...we'd want more money. None of these things that we think can make
us happy, will.
Psalms 144:15b "Yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."
Psalms 146:5 "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is
in the LORD his God."
True, lasting, real happiness can only come through the Lord God. If we pin our
happiness in "things," we will face many disappointments, because "things" fade away
with time, they don't last. God is the source of true everlasting happiness. I'm not
talking about a giddy foolish "feeling," I'm referring to a deep satisfying happiness, or
joy, that has its roots in the goodness of God.
What is there about God that can bring happiness to us? Well, the list is lengthy, so
I'm just going to highlight a few that come to my mind.
1. Psalms 145:18 & 19 "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all
that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He
also will hear their cry, and will save them."
These two verses are chalked full of wonderful promises that should fill the heart of
the child of God with happiness. First, the Lord is nigh to all that call upon Him in
truth. The Lord God is waiting for us to come to Him, it delights Him to have us ask
of Him things according to His will. If says that He will fulfil the desire of them that
fear Him. If we are coming to God in truth and we reverently fear Him, our desires
will line up with His will, and He promises to hear and answer! He will hear our
cries and save us! Wow, if this doesn't cause Godly happiness to bubble up from deep
inside you, I don't know what will. The holy, Almighty, God of all creation is nigh
unto us.
2. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 "Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always
by all means. The Lord be with you all."
There is a childrens chorus that has been going through my mind all week, "I've Got
The Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down In My Heart." The third verse says, "I've got the peace
that passeth understanding, down in my heart." The real peace of God IS beyond
human comprehension. I've experienced it. Being in the middle of a personal disaster,
the peace of God ruled my heart to the point that I could have a peaceful sleep in the
middle of heartbreak. The peace of God IS real.
I think it is also a choice that we have, we can let the peace of God take over, or we
can continue in our own whirlpool of disaster. Colossians 3:15 says, "And let the
peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body; and
be ye thankful." Did you catch the first two words, "And LET." It's our choice. God
is not going to force His blessing of peace upon us. We have to "let" His peace into
our hearts...and be thankful! What a tremendous blessing, to have the of peace God...
does that make you happy?
3. Romans 4:7 "Blessed (happy) are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose
sins are covered."
Are you happy in your salvation today! If you're not, I'd suggest you find out if you
are truly born again! The child of God is blessed, happy, because their iniquities
are forgiven and their sins covered! We are on our way to heaven because of the
precious shed blood of the Lamb of God. We have been set free from the chains of
sin and have been given new life in Christ. Psalms 103:12 says, "As far as the east
is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." Also in
Micah 7:19b "And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." And
Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own
sake, and will not remember thy sins."
What wonderful promises from our Heavenly Father. He removes our transgressions,
casts them into the depths of the sea, blots them out and remembers them no more!
Romans 6:18 "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness."
Servants of righteousness...there is no better position to have. Are you happy being a
servant of righteousness? The alternative is being a servant of Satan's, with eternal
damnation as your reward for service.
4. Jeremiah 3:22a "Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your back-
slidings."
We are never too far gone. Sometimes one might reason that they've turned their back
on God and strayed too far away. What they don't realize is that the God of love, mercy
and grace is waiting for His wayward children to come home again. Remember the story
of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15? The son took all his inheritance and left home.
He wasted everything in riotous living. After losing his wealth and friends (that seems to
go hand in hand), and finding himself feeding swine, he finally realized that he wanted to
go home. Verse 18 & 19 says,
"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son:
make me as one of thy hired hands."
The first thing was that he recognized is that he had sin and wanted to ask his father's
forgiveness. He wasn't expecting any special treatment, he just wanted to be back
home. It says in verse 20 that he started home. When he was still a great ways off
his father saw him. I believe that this loving father was watching for his son to come
back home. Verses 22 - 24 show that joy that this father had in receiving his wayward
son home again.
"But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him;
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf
and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive
again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."
God is waiting for his wayward sons and daughters to tire of the pleasures of this
world and to return home. He is watching and waiting for that happy day. How happy
this should make us that we have a heavenly Father that will forgive our backsliding
and welcome us home, back into His presence and fellowship once again.
Are you happy today? Is your happiness based on the promises of the Word of God,
or are you looking for your happiness in this world? One produces true lasting
happiness, the other is a fake happiness wrapped up in the deceitfulness of this world.
Make sure you have the real deal!
Happiness is to know the Savior,
Living a life within His favor,
Having a change in my behavior,
Happiness is the Lord.
Happiness is a new creation,
"Jesus and me" in close relation,
Having a part in His salvation,
Happiness is the Lord.
Real joy is mine,
No matter is teardrops start;
I've found the secret,
It's Jesus in my heart!
Happiness is to be forgiven,
Living a life that's worth the living,
Taking a trip that leads to Heaven,
Happiness is the Lord.
Ira. F. Stanphill
No comments:
Post a Comment