The Bible Doesn’t Say That Part 1

“The Bible Doesn’t Say That”

That God Want’s Us To Have A Miserable Life

09/08/24

In this month and series I want us to look at a couple things that we hear from people and even religious people, but I have found that:

“The Bible Doesn’t Say That”.

What I have found is that these things, these thoughts, can defeat our faith when we’re trying to believe God.

It can put doubt and unbelief in us, at the time we need faith and endurance.

The first one that I want us to look at, is that God wants us to have a miserable life and that all His blessings are for us, but it’s when we get to heaven.

Even the song’s go like this:

When we all get too heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be.

Yes, I believe that with all of my heart, that why I say often, “LOOKING UP”

Heaven and the new Earth is going to be Amazing, BUT!!!

What about the nasty here and now.

I don’t believe that our lives need to be a miserable existence and that all the good things are for the devils kids.

So many Christian’s believe that we live for only one reason and that is to get to heaven, Jesus want’s us to be whole, He died not so that we can go to heaven someday, but He died so that we can have a life that’s worth living while we’re on our way to heaven someday.

So let begin, does God really want us to just have a miserable life, a sorry life, a hard life.

Let’s begin with a very familiar verse.

John 10:10 (NKJV)10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10 (AMP) 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

John 10:10 (Voice) The thief approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance.

Rick Renner a greek scholar bring’s that a detailed Greek Interpretive translation of the 2nd part of John 10:10

“. . .But I came that they might have, keep, and constantly retain a vitality, gusto, vigor, and zest for living that springs up from deep down inside. I came that they might embrace this unrivaled, unequaled, matchless, incomparable, richly loaded, and overflowing life to the ultimate maximum!”

I believe that God wants us to have a good life. A life that is satisfied and to the full.

Psalm 91:16 (NKJV) 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

I was shocked when a Christian author wrote a book entitled “Your Best Life Now” and he was attacked because he wrote a book about having a good life.

Now a good life doesn’t come easy. In this life your going to have to fight the good fight of faith for this kind of life, because the devil want to steal as much as he can from us.

STEAL, KILL and DESTROY.

So let’s look into the word and see what it say’s and not what people say. Some say the way for a christian is to be hard, but again that’s not what the Bible says.

Proverbs 13:15 (KJV)15 Good understanding giveth favour: But the way of transgressors is hard.

Here’s what my Bible state’s

Psalm 1:1 (AMP) 1 BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

Psalm 16:11 (NIV) 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Max Lucado, in his book called, How Happiness Happens states.

Jesus was accused of much, but he was never ever described as a grump, or self-centered jerk. He fished with fishermen and ate lunch with the little guy and spoke words of resounding affirmation. He went to so many parties that he was criticized for hanging out with rowdy people and questionable crowds. His purpose statement read “I came to give life with joy and abundance” (John 10:10 THE VOICE).

When the angels announced the arrival of the Messiah, they proclaimed “good news of a great joy” (Luke 2:10 RSV).

Scripture has more than twenty-seven hundred passages that contain words like joy, happiness, gladness, merriment, pleasure, celebration, cheer, laughter, delight, jubilation, feasting, blessing, and exultation.

Our joy level matters to God. This is not superficial happy talk. Jesus spoke candidly about sin, death, and the needs of the human heart. Yet he did so with hope. He brought joy to the people of the first-century. And he wants to bring joy to the people of this generation, and he has enlisted some special agents of happiness to do the job. You and me.

Church family, we Christian’s are suppose to be the most joyful people, and yet we carry more weight’s than people in the world.

The name Charismatic means full of joy.

Psalm 126:3 (NKJV) 3 The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.

Jesus didn’t come to make our lives miserable, but to fill our lives with Joy and Peace.

John 14:27 (NKJV) 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27 (AMP) 27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

Another Author wrote:

This word peace here in the Greek is: Eirene. But since Jesus spoke Aramaic-Hebrew, He would have used the word "Shalom"—"Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you."

In the Hebrew "shalom" is a very rich and loaded word. There is no English word that can accurately encapsulate the fullness, richness, and power contained in the word "shalom."

Hence, English Bible translators were only able to translate it as "peace." But while the word "shalom" includes peace, it means so much more.

Let's look at the Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon to get a better idea of what Jesus meant when He said, "Shalom I leave with you."

The Hebrew Lexicon describes "shalom" as completeness, safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment, peace used of human relationships, and peace with God especially in our covenant relationship.

Wow, what a powerful word!

This is the shalom that Jesus has bequeathed to us.

His completeness, His safety, His soundness, His welfare, His health, His prosperity, His peace, His quietness, His tranquility, His contentment, His peace in human relationships, as well as His peace with God through the covenant made at the cross.

All these, are part of our inheritance in Christ today!

Let’s picture the fullness of what it means to experience Jesus' shalom in your life? Can you picture being free from regrets, anxieties, and worries? How healthy, vibrant, energetic, and strong we would be!

Let’s Thank Him today for this blessing and start enjoying Jesus' shalom in every area of your life.

Matthew 11:28–30 (NKJV) 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Here’s some scripture’s on the life God wants us as christian’s to have.

Ecclesiastes 3:11–13 (NLT) 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.

13And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Ecclesiastes 5:18–20 (NLT)18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.

20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.

Even Jesus took His team aside and had to make them rest.

Mark 6:31–32 (NIV) 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

He doesn’t want us full of anxiety, worry but to seek Him and let Him be and Abba to us.

Psalm 127:2 (NKJV) 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

As we wrap up, let’s remember that God isn’t a hard task master but a loving Father, who yes wants us to do good deed’s but also to enjoy life.

Think about how many feast days he gave to the children of Israel. I did a quick count and it’s at least 80 day’s a year, plus every 7 years to let land rest, and 1 year off for getting married, etc, etc.

As we close, He came for what reason: John 10:10 (AMP) 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).