The above horses on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, look contented and happy. It made me feel good and downright happy to photograph them the day I was there.
Some have said that happiness is temporary and fleeting while true joy is from the Lord and is forever. The truth is, both joy and happiness are very similar in meaning and the Bible gives no such distinction between the two words, as well as the similar word rejoice. It depends on which translation you have, but the Bible uses the words happy and happiness about 30 times; but joy and rejoice are found in God's word over 300 times.
As I was thinking about writing on happiness for this weekend, that old song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" popped into my mind and I can't seem to shake it. You can find the full version of the song on You Tube, but here is a fun version which is a short one minute cartoon-type clip of it:
"If you hope for happiness in the world, hope for it from God, and not from the world." - David Brainerd
"Success is getting what you want. Happiness wants what you get." - Woodrow Kroll
"Happy the soul that has been awed by a view of God's majesty." - A. W. Pink
We all know that true happiness does not come from worldly pleasures and selfish ambition and selfish lifestyles that are also full of the ungodly world's poisons. Those things do not fill the void in our hearts that only the good Lord Himself can fill, Who can thereby give you true joy and a purpose for living. And, I might add, a wonderful hope for an eternity in bliss and joyfulness.
Having such a hope for an eternity with the Lord is plenty of reason to be happy right now in this imperfect world we live in. When you are a born again believer, you are sealed and filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), which enables you to obey and follow Jesus and to build a strong relationship with God. You will be happy when you read and study His Holy Word and when you spend much time in prayer, building a strong relationship with the heavenly Father through Jesus Christ His Son. You will, in time, grow to spiritual maturity and be even more effective in your walk with Him and in service to others; in particular, to obey the Great Commission found at Matthew 28:19, 20. All of that will make you happy because you know you will be pleasing God. It will put a song in your heart, and make your worship more intense and more personal; more devoted and more reverent.
"I sing because I'm happy" is a repeated phrase in the hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow" which follows:
In the above song, the lyrics also say that because God takes note of the sparrow, we know He watches over His children as well. That is enough to make anyone happy and grateful, to know the Lord is watching over us and taking care of us and guiding and teaching and protecting us.
"I believe that the happiest of all Christians and the truest of Christians are those who never dare to doubt God, but take His Word simply as it stands, and believe it, and ask no questions, just feeling assured that if God has said it, it will be so." - Charles Spurgeon
Happiness can be found in admiring the Creator's handiwork on this beautiful earth; it can also be found in simple pleasures and in the love of family and friends. But true happiness comes from the Holy Spirit of God, which enables you to obey and serve the Lord with joy and with much gratefulness.
Our salvation itself is a source of joy !
Our salvation itself is a source of joy !
"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." - Psalm 16:11
"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." - Romans 15:13
"And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost." - 1 Thessalonians 1:6
The Scripture above reminds us that we may have afflictions and hardships, but we can still hold on to our joy with the help of the Holy Spirit. We realize that trials and sickness and the like are but temporary, and soon we will be with the Lord forever and He will wipe away all of our tears and there will be no more crying or death or sorrow. (Revelation 21:4).
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
Joy is a gift from God.
So be happy !!
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
Joy is a gift from God.
So be happy !!
God's people will be happy forever !
If you are not a believer, not born again, not sealed with the Holy Spirit, then you cannot experience true happiness and the joy of serving the Lord. You will not know His love and forgiveness and His guidance and the hope He gives to all who turn to Him in repentance.
Stop and think ! By not turning to the Lord you are making a choice.....a choice to spend eternity in the wrong place - hell.
If you are not a believer, not born again, not sealed with the Holy Spirit, then you cannot experience true happiness and the joy of serving the Lord. You will not know His love and forgiveness and His guidance and the hope He gives to all who turn to Him in repentance.
Stop and think ! By not turning to the Lord you are making a choice.....a choice to spend eternity in the wrong place - hell.
Time is short!
Jesus will return soon to take all true believers to be with Him forever ! Wouldn't you rather be in heaven where there is no more pain, no more violence, no more evil, no more deceivers?
All you need to do is pray and ask for forgiveness, believe in Jesus as the Savior, believe in His resurrection, and believe that His shed blood on the cross can wash your sins away and wipe the slate clean......you are forgiven if you turn to Him in true repentance and belief.
Jesus loves you and will welcome you with understanding and pardon.
He is waiting to hear from you.
Don't delay!
Romans 10: 9.10, 13 tells us: (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
I pray that you have a happy weekend.... and a happy Christ centered life.
He is waiting to hear from you.
Don't delay!
Romans 10: 9.10, 13 tells us: (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
I pray that you have a happy weekend.... and a happy Christ centered life.
