Principles for Happiness

Pastor Bill Woody

Bill Woody

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How to be Happy according to Jesus

Text:

Ecclesiastes 5:13–6:9 (KJV 1900)

13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

6 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 5:13–6:12 (KJV 1900)

13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

* What good is it to have all the materials things of this world, but not be able to enjoy life?

14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

* Laboring for the wind- trying to catch happiness by gaining material things is like trying to catch the wind in your hand. Happiness is elusive. Happiness can not be attained or enjoyed by material things, Happiness is internal not external. Happiness is a matter of the heart and soul. It is spiritual in nature. Happiness closely related to attitude.

* The persuit of happiness is like a dog chasing it's tail. There's a whole lot of spinning around going on, but nothing is really happening. In the persuit of happiness we tend do spinning around of our wheels, but we don't seem to be getting anywhere.

* This is what the writer of Ecc. is talking about, when he talks about vexation of spirit. We can become so consumed with the persuit of happiness, that we destroy our ability to be happy.

James J. Lachard (Jim Brown) > Quotes >

“Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.

Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

* Jesus said Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” One of the most astounding truths about our generation is the belief that happiness and freedom from pain are our inalienable rights as American Christians. We believe that a man who manages his life well has the right to live above pain and enjoy happiness. And yet, deep down inside, we know that only children believe that pain always goes away. Pain is a part of life, and there is no guarantee of happiness.

Dr. Joseph Fabry has said that the focus of a man’s life is the pursuit of meaning, not the pursuit of happiness.

If we expect everything in life to be pleasurable, we invite frustration. In recent years we have seen some preachers offer a “positive mental attitude” philosophy of life, negating the example in Scripture that hurt must sometimes happen. There has never been an attempt on the part of the biblical authors to give us a Pollyanna view of life. “Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile” isn’t found in the Old Testament. Instead, the Bible offers a realistic appraisal of life in the human realm. Abraham cried when his wife Sarah died. David mourned over the loss of his son Absalom. Jeremiah, the “weeping prophet,” preached his message of judgment with tears. A woman came to Jesus and washed His feet with her tears. The Lord Himself wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. He anguished in the Garden of Gethsemane, watched Peter weep bitterly over his denial of Him, and comforted the weeping Mary Magdalene outside the tomb on resurrection morning. Where did we ever get the idea that there is something foreign about tears in life? Why do we think that tears are a sign of weakness or that they demonstrate a lack of faith in God? That’s not the message of the Word of God.

Imagine a man who never mourns. He lives by himself, having lost touch with his family and friends. He never visits anyone, nor is he visited. He is perfectly insulated against sorrow … but he is not happy

Not only does insulating our selves agains pain and sorrow not make us happy, but trying to insulate yourself against want or need doesn't bring happiness either.

* It is normal to enjoy the the things in life that come by honest work.

* It is not normal to be so consumed by sucsess and gain that you can not enjoy life.

* It would have been beter not to have been born, that to live a life wasted on the wrong things.

3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

* If our desires for material things, and our ambition to be sucessful, are not kept under control, desires and ambition will vex our lives.

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool?

* What good is it to have all the materials things of this world, but not be able to enjoy life?

what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Introduction:

So if insulating ourselves from suffering, and poverty can not produce happiness in the hearts of men, then what does?

Jesus had much to say about how to be happy and how to gruad our happiness. I this series of sermons that I am introducing this morning, we will address some of the principles that can be taken from the teaching of Jesus that directly affect our happiness. Some of the principles that we will deal with in this series are:

Jesus preached a sermon in which the theme was all about how to be happy. We call this the sermon on the mount.

* Nine different times in this sermon, Jesus uses the word blessed, which roughly translates to “happy.” The core values Jesus offers in the Beatitudes describe life that is really worth living- a happy life.

According to Jesus, the world would have you to go about persuing happiness in all the wrong ways.

According to Jesus, in order to find true happiness, you will need to walk out of step with the normal world.

* In our culture, we have a tendency to think that when we finally have enough money to do anything we want, we’ll be happy. But that’s not where happiness is found. J.B. Phillips has said that our modern world has created its own beatitudes:

Happy are the pushers, for they get on in the world.

Happy are the hard-boiled, for they never let life hurt them.

Happy are they who complain, for they get their own way in the end.

Happy are the slave-drivers, for they get results.

Happy are the knowledgeable, for they know their way around.

Happy are the troublemakers, for they make people take notice of them.

* Happiness is an American right. It’s in our Declaration of Independence, right alongside life and liberty. I know people living within that truth of the Declaration of Independence, their whole life wrapped up in the pursuit of happiness. Sometimes it can be confusing to watch them.

* One man buys a dozen homes in hopes of making himself happy; another goes into the wilderness to live like a hermit. One woman becomes a nun in hopes of finding happiness, another a harlot. One young man thinks happiness is found in body building, while another tries to find it by destroying his body with drugs. One couple thinks happiness is found in children, while another couple is convinced children get in the way of happiness.

* Our world and its system claim that, to be happy, you need to be successful. It says that money and possessions will make you happy, that great accomplishments and fame will give you inner joy and satisfaction, and pleasure will make life worth living. Our culture values pride, power, and possessions. If you do something great, make sure everybody knows about it. Cover up mistakes and pain, the world says, because they’ll make you appear weak. Drive yourself to succeed, climb the corporate ladder, and live the American Dream—those are the things that will bring joy to your life. Satisfy your longings and desires, for physical pleasure is what we are all striving for. Happiness can be found in unrestrained sensual freedom. And if anybody tries to stop you, push them out of the way.

*In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered a plan for happiness that was entirely at odds with the world’s perspective.

* The Beatitudes are some of the most remarkable pronouncements Christ ever made, and they provide a plan for finding real happiness in an unhappy world. Everyone seems to be seeking happiness, but few seem to find it. In a world that never seems to deliver happiness to those looking for it, Jesus offers a path to true joy and happiness.

Happy are the humble.

The world tells us not to be humble. We need to be self-assertive, make sure everybody knows how good we are, and tell our story. The world suggests we even brag a little, so that we’ll get noticed. But Jesus says that it will be the humble who inherit the kingdom of heaven. God will resist the proud and exalt the humble. He will draw near to those who have a recognition that they are incomplete apart from God.

Happy are the hurting.

The world says to avoid pain at all costs. Whatever we have to do to get rid of mourning, we should do it. Cover it up, ignore it, mask it, or pretend it’s not there, because we want to stay away from pain. But Jesus says that the most profound experiences we ever have will come from pain. The greatest truths will be learned through suffering. Some of our most joyous moments will be when everything on the outside is dictating anguish in our lives. Happy are those who hurt, for they shall be comforted.

Happy are the harnessed.

The world says that we can have it all. If we’ve got power, we ought to use it. Take every resource to the limit and grab for all the gusto we can. But Jesus says that real happiness is when your power is controlled by the Spirit of God. Joy comes in knowing we have power, but it is under control. We don’t have to demonstrate power continually, regardless of the world’s expectations.

Happy are the hungry.

The world says that we don’t want to be hungry; we want to be satisfied. We don’t want to have anything lacking in our lives, since that’s a sign of not being successful, so we need to get everything we can. We should gorge ourselves on things. We should drive ourselves to be successful in today’s world. But Jesus says that true joy can never be found in material things. Happiness comes from having an inner desire to know God and to want to partake of His nature. Those people who fill themselves up on the Lord, rather than the world, will find real happiness.

Happy are the helpers.

The world says that happiness is being served by others. The world is a triangle, and when we get to the top everyone below us will serve us. So we should do everything in our power to get above others. But Jesus says that He came into this world not to be served but to serve. He came to give His life away. Happiness is found in serving others, not in being served. If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all. Happy are those who are merciful to others, for they shall be ministered to.

Happy are the holy.

The world says that joy is found in unrestrained freedom. Sex, drugs, and any pleasurable experience are lifted up as the ultimate goal and glorified as hallmarks of “freedom.” Perversions are marched down Main Street in the name of free speech. This is supposed to give us a sense that we control our own destiny, that we can make our existence happy through the indulgence of sinful delights. But Jesus says that holy people are the ones who are truly happy. I’ve been a pastor for more than thirty years, and I’ve yet to meet a happy adulterer. We don’t find joy through unrestrained passion. Happiness comes from having a clean heart and knowing that we are walking close to the Almighty.

Happy are the healers.

The world says that we are in competition with our fellow workers and should build competitions, use politics, beat people, knock each other out and climb over the carnage to get to the top. But Jesus says that the happy people are the peacemakers, those who can heal situations rather than exacerbate them. Find people who are hurting and heal them. If you’ve got a problem with a colleague, mend it. Rather than dividing people, unite them. Happiness is found not in creating war but in establishing peace.

Happy are the harassed.

The world wants us to conform to its image. It wants us to live by its standards. It is at war with God, and expects us to be, too. If we decide to stand with God, they’ll attack us. They’ll say bad things about us, harass us, and try to ruin our reputations. But Jesus says we ought to be happy when persecution comes, for it is a sign that we belong to God. We can be happy in the face of harassment, for we know that our lives must be making an impact or the devil wouldn’t bother with us.

As I look over Christ’s design for happiness,

I’m struck by the fact that it isn’t the list I would have created. This wouldn’t be the formula for happiness that I would have suggested. But these are exactly the things that will bring happiness. The world is in direct opposition to God, so God’s formula for success is directly opposite to the world’s. We can have the blessing and benediction of God if we’ll follow these principles.

Conclusion:

* I read a book recently theorizing that the two greatest revolutions in this century were the communist revolution, now dead, and the Freudian revolution, now stronger than ever. Every year more than 4 billion dollars go into counseling in this country, as Americans seek to solve the riddle of their unhappiness. Psychology is no longer the province of some arcane theorizing by European intellectuals or a luxury available only to those who have enough money to buy professional consolation for their troubled egos. Nowadays everybody is either in recovery or in denial. We’re all rehabilitating our psyches, getting in touch with our inner child, and joining support groups to talk about our depressions, anxieties, compulsions, neuroses, and search for self-esteem.

The fact is, what we’re trying to do in this country is to find happiness. The things we thought would make us happy haven’t worked, so people are heading by the thousands to counselors to find out why. It is estimated that 80 million Americans will see a counselor next year, and thousands of people will start new careers as counselors. The search for happiness has caused a boom in the counseling industry.

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James J. Lachard (Jim Brown) > Quotes > Quotable Quote

“Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.

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How to Be Happy

According to Jesus

The Beatitudes—Matthew 5:1–12

INTRODUCTION

Bill Borden was born into a wealthy, aristocratic family in the Northeast. His family owned several industrial concerns, and it was always assumed that one day Bill would take over the family empire from his father. But while he was studying at Yale, the Lord got hold of Bill’s life. He started reading his Bible in a fresh way, and thought about Christ’s call for Christians to spread the Good News to all people. He went one semester and announced that he was going to be a missionary to China.

Bill’s parents couldn’t believe what they were hearing. They had all the money, power, and prestige most people only dream about, and their son wanted to give up all those advantages to live in a shack in China! His father told him that he was to stay and run the businesses. If he left for China, he would be disinherited. All the money and prestige would be taken away from him. But Bill Borden left for China anyway. Just a few months after he arrived, he took sick and died. As they were cleaning out his room, his friends found a note on his desk. The note read simply, ‘No retreat. No return. No regrets.’

Bill Borden knew something that most people in our world don’t discover until it’s too late: the world’s values won’t make you happy. Our world and its system claim that, to be happy, you need to be successful. It says that money and possessions will make you happy, that great accomplishments and fame will give you inner joy and satisfaction, and pleasure will make life worth living. Our culture values pride, power, and possessions. If you do something great, make sure everybody knows about it. Cover up mistakes and pain, the world says, because they’ll make you appear weak. Drive yourself to succeed, climb the corporate ladder, and live the American Dream—those are the things that will bring joy to your life. Satisfy your longings and desires, for physical pleasure is what we are all striving for. Happiness can be found in unrestrained sensual freedom. And if anybody tries to stop you, push them out of the way. But Bill Borden rejected that philosophy. He had discovered that all the money, fame, and power in this world will never satisfy; that Satan has deceived mankind into thinking happiness can be bought. Borden knew that happiness isn’t found in getting, but in giving.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered a plan for happiness that was entirely at odds with the world’s perspective. Rather than focusing on pride, the Lord recommended being humble. Rather than pushing for pleasure or possessions, Christ said true joy is found in those who help others, seek God, and feel sorrow for their sin. Instead of pushing others out of the way, Jesus tells us to minister to them. His prescription for happiness is exactly the opposite of the world’s.

The Beatitudes are some of the most remarkable pronouncements Christ ever made, and they provide a plan for finding real happiness in an unhappy world. Everyone seems to be seeking happiness, but few seem to find it. In a world that never seems to deliver happiness to those looking for it, Jesus offers a path to true joy. So come and examine His pronouncements—find out how you can experience deep joy in the Lord.

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Study Notes:

I. The Pursuit of True Happiness Is Part of God’s Purpose for You and Me

II. The Pursuit of True Happiness Is a Journey Inward

III. The Pursuit of True Happiness Is not a Goal but a By-Product

IV. The Pursuit of True Happiness Will Lead You Ultimately to Jesus Christ

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They are the ones who truly seek God with all their heart, mind, soul, and body, and are fully prepared to give it all up. They are the ones who live uncompromising lives, who don’t feel the grip of money, the pressure of society,

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Pleasure is an anesthesia for deadening the pain of their empty lives.

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Nine different times Jesus uses the word blessed, which roughly translates to “happy.” The core values Jesus offers in the Beatitudes describe life that is really worth living

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Have you ever noticed how many unhappy people there are in this world? With all the comforts and gadgets of our modern world, we don’t seem to have found the key to happiness. Even among Christians, with all the God-given gifts at their disposal, there seems to be a lack of happiness. Peggy Noonan, speechwriter for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, wrote about our national lack of happiness in her book, What I Saw at the Revolution. She mentioned that it is embarrassing to live in the most comfortable time in the history of man and still not be happy.y

But somewhere in the sixties or seventies we started living with the expectation of happiness.People started moving, changing jobs or changing partners in a quest for happiness. As Noonan describes it, “We … lost the old knowledge that happiness is overrated.”

You see, our forebears understood that this is a short, brutal existence we live here on earth, to be followed by an eternity with the Lord. But our generation has decided that this time on earth is the only existence we’ll have, the only chance at happiness. So if we search and don’t find happiness, we are left only with despair. Many people have pitted their hopes on what this world can provide, and when things start to go bad they have nothing left to bring them joy and peace.

Jesus, in His greatest sermon, spoke to people brutalized and conquered by the Roman armies. They were subdued, poor, and without hope or expectation, yet the Lord said to them, “Happy are the poor in spirit.” How could their miserable lives be described as happy?y

Everyone is seeking happiness, but most people never find it. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains to us what true happiness is and how we can find it.

True joy is a by-product, not a goal.

People who start out with the purpose of trying to become happy very seldom arrive at that place. Happiness sought for its own sake is usually self-defeating. The world is on a lark trying to find new ways to be happy, but all people are really doing is trying to mask the pain temporarily.

An Englishman once said, “The trouble with you Americans is that you have to be so confoundly happy. You have dedicated yourselves to the pursuit of happiness. And you boast about it as an inalienable right, as though happiness were the supreme and absolute goal of all existence. Surely there are more important things in life than just to be happy.”

Dr. Joseph Fabry has said that the focus of a man’s life is the pursuit of meaning, not the pursuit of happiness. If we expect everything in life to be pleasurable, we invite frustration.

the Bible offers a realistic appraisal of life in the human realm. Abraham cried when his wife Sarah died. David mourned over the loss of his son Absalom. Jeremiah, the “weeping prophet,” preached his message of judgment with tears. A woman came to Jesus and washed His feet with her tears. The Lord Himself wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. He anguished in the Garden of Gethsemane, watched Peter weep bitterly over his denial of Him, and comforted the weeping Mary Magdalene outside the tomb on resurrection morning.

Happiness is an American right. It’s in our Declaration of Independence, right alongside life and liberty. I know people living within that truth of the Declaration of Independence, their whole life wrapped up in the pursuit of happiness. Sometimes it can be confusing to watch them. One man buys a dozen homes in hopes of making himself happy; another goes into the wilderness to live like a hermit. One woman becomes a nun in hopes of finding happiness, another a harlot. One young man thinks happiness is found in body building, while another tries to find it by destroying his body with drugs. One couple thinks happiness is found in children, while another couple is convinced children get in the way of happiness.

Malcolm Muggeridge once called the pursuit of happiness the most disastrous purpose set before mankind, something slipped into the Declaration after “life and liberty” at the last moment, almost by accident. “Happiness is like a young deer,” Muggeridge said, “fleet and beautiful. Hunt him, and he becomes a poor frantic quarry; after the kill, just a piece of stinking flesh.” In his Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis had the arch-devil, Screwtape, advise his apprentice demons on the lure of happiness. He called it “an ever-increasing craving for an ever-diminishing pleasure.” That’s exactly how the pursuit of happiness works in this world.

the world’s values won’t make you happy. Our world and its system claim that, to be happy, you need to be successful. It says that money and possessions will make you happy, that great accomplishments and fame will give you inner joy and satisfaction, and pleasure will make life worth living. Our culture values pride, power, and possessions. If you do something great, make sure everybody knows about it. Cover up mistakes and pain, the world says, because they’ll make you appear weak. Drive yourself to succeed, climb the corporate ladder, and live the American Dream—those are the things that will bring joy to your life. Satisfy your longings and desires, for physical pleasure is what we are all striving for. Happiness can be found in unrestrained sensual freedom. And if anybody tries to stop you, push them out of the way. But Bill Borden rejected that philosophy. He had discovered that all the money, fame, and power in this world will never satisfy; that Satan has deceived mankind into thinking happiness can be bought. Borden knew that happiness isn’t found in getting, but in giving.

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When the business in which you have invested your life savings fails, you can still find joy. When the child in whom you have invested your life turns south instead of north, there will still be gladness. When people begin to reject you and turn against you, you can still find happiness in Him.

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James 1:25 (KJV)

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

There is a close parallel to Psalm 1:1-3 here:

Psalm 1:1-3 (KJV)

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodlya, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not witherb; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The following is a letter to my children concerning this principle set forth in the above verses:

To my children Tesia, Tim, and Thomas,

I want to take the time to reveal to you “the secret of life.” Do you want to be blessed by God in everything you do? Do you want your live to count for something good? Do you really want to live your life just spinning your wheels, but never going anywhere? Do you feel your life is empty and has no meaning?

Here is the answer, the secret to life. If you follow this principle that God has set forth, He has promised to bless your life. Do you want to blessed? This is the promise from God to you:

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James 1:25 (KJV)

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

There is a close parallel to Psalm 1:1-3 here:

Psalm 1:1-3 (KJV)

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

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This is not just occasionally reading the Bible. This means that every day you dig in hard and study the Bible asking God to help you understand what it says.

There is no acceptable excuse for not doing this. ANYONE can understand what God wants them to know from the Bible. If God was not willing to cause you to understand His word, He would have never told you to make it the most important thing in your life.

We waist most of our lives just wandering around, not knowing what life is all about, while all the while God is trying to get us to understand what he wants us to know. We try everything but the right thing- “Understanding his Word.”

Why not stop wasting your life, and start living it the way God intends you to? It would save you a lot of heartache and wasted life. You should be sharing this secret with your children also. It’s your responsibility to teach them this principle as well so they can live a blessed life too.

By the way, do you have a better idea? I didn’t think so.

Love,

DAD

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Give God a chance to give you what you need.

The blessing of the Lord does not bring sorrow with it.

Example: Old boat canoe

The borrower is servant to the lender.

Principles of happiness:

I. Love the life that you have now. Don’t spend all your time in the past, don’t spend all your time in the future.

Say not the former days were better.

Don’t plan too far ahead- “go to ye that say”

II. Live according to your means. “Building a tower”

Those who are truly happy will fit the criteria of what Christ says in Matthew chapter five. A quick scan of chapter 5, verses 1–2 reveals thoughts that run contrary to our current ideas about happiness. There isn’t one single reference by the Lord as to health, work, income, financial security, homes, love, or friends. Christ knew that while these things often accompany happiness, they do not ever produce it. His list completely reverses the standards of the world.

1 Praise ye the Lord.

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord,

That delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth:

The generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house:

And his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:

He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth:

He will guide his affairs with discretion.

III. Don’t be controlled by anything or anyone.

”Owe no man anything” are you a free man- use it. Servants of sin. Serve two masters.

Don’t be vexed by anything.

Don’t be given to anger.

Exercise self-control and self discipline.

IV. Count every day as precious.

Teach us to number our days.

V. Always put God first.

In all thy ways acknolwdge Him.

Put ye first the kingdom of God.

Psalm 84:title–5 (KJV 1900)

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord:

My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house,

And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,

Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:

They will be still praising thee. Selah.

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee;

In whose heart are the ways of them.

Psalm 112 (KJV 1900)

Psalm 112

1 Praise ye the Lord.

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord,

That delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth:

The generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house:

And his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:

He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth:

He will guide his affairs with discretion.

6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever:

The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:

His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,

Until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor;

His righteousness endureth for ever;

His horn shall be exalted with honour.

10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved;

He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away:

The desire of the wicked shall perish.

VI. Live and let live. Don’t about what others are doing.

Do not compare yourself to others.

Don’t waste your time condemning others.

Forgive others:

Forgive yourself, allow yourself to be forgivin and be happy about it.

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,” we read in Psalm 32:1. We are to be blissful and ecstatic over the fact that the Lord has taken away our sins. That’s the same expression Christ used when He began talking about the Christian life. Blissful, happy, joyous—these are the words that describe the Christian walk.

Psalm 32:title–2 (KJV 1900)

A Psalm of David, Maschil.

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no guile.

The Pursuit of True Happiness is Part of God’s Purpose for You and Me

C.S. Lewis enjoyed telling the story of the child who was asked what he thought God was like. As far as the child could make out, God was always snooping around to see if anyone was enjoying himself, so that He could put a stop to it! Have you ever known anyone like that? There are Christians who act that way—“If you’re not sad, you can’t be holy.” But that’s dead wrong. Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came “that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” God’s purpose is not to create a joyless existence. Jesus spoke those words to make it clear to us that God wants us to be blessed. It’s part of His purpose.

Anyone who sees Jesus in any other light is missing the point of His life. When you read about the winsomeness of Jesus and the way He came eating and drinking, you’ll see that the Lord enjoyed life. He enjoyed the banquets and the gathering of friends in homes. He mingled with publicans and sinners and was the kind of man who attracted little children to Himself. He had a sense of humor, too, though many people miss it when they read Scripture. He pictured a man with a plank hanging out of his eye, squinting as he removed a speck of sawdust from the eye of a brother. Those who heard that illustration must have giggled with delight at the verbal picture.

The people who try to paint a picture of Jesus as someone sad or morbid have missed the complete picture. He delighted in things, and He wanted us to be happy. He gave us the beatitudes so we would know how to do it. We all have been touched by legalism, but the people of God should be filled with a radiant joy so contagious it cannot be held in. That is the heart of the Lord for you and me.

Psalm 1:1–6 (KJV 1900)

1 Blessed is the man

That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor standeth in the way of sinners,

Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord;

And in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,

That bringeth forth his fruit in his season;

His leaf also shall not wither;

And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so:

But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous:

But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

VII. Don’t build your life around something that is unstable.

We do not control our own destiny. If we build our dreams on the material world, at any moment they can be dashed.

In Luke 12:16–21, the Lord Jesus told the story of a man with mistaken ideas of poverty and riches. In a self-centered soliloquy, the man says, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” Then God said, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you.” Thinking his earthly riches made him righteous, the man was lost due to his own ignorance. “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God,” added Jesus.

VIII. Don’t worry about what you can’t fix.

I. To find happiness you must look on the inside, not on the outside.

In our culture, we have a tendency to think that when we finally have enough money to do anything we want, we’ll be happy. But that’s not where happiness is found. J.B. Phillips has said that our modern world has created its own beatitudes:

Happy are the pushers, for they get on in the world.

Happy are the hard-boiled, for they never let life hurt them.

Happy are they who complain, for they get their own way in the end.

Happy are the slave-drivers, for they get results.

Happy are the knowledgeable, for they know their way around.

Happy are the troublemakers, for they make people take notice of them.If we lay up treasure in the outward kingdom, and never give attention to the inward kingdom, we’ll never find happiness. Happiness is not an outward thing, but an inward thing. That’s why Jesus said it’s so hard for a rich man to get into heaven. He can’t push away the things he owns and learn to depend upon the Lord.

The church at Laodicea was like that. Revelation chapter three tells us that the believers thought they were wealthy and in need of nothing, but God saw that they were actually poor, miserable, wretched, blind, and naked. The tragedy isn’t that a person will be without what he needs. The tragedy is that a person will never recognize what he truly needs. No man can buy inner happiness. God alone grants happiness to those who seek Him. A person who doesn’t understand that is to be pitied.

Don’t search for happiness in the outward kingdom; you won’t find it. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The person who is poor in spirit will experience a joy found only in heaven. He will understand what true happiness is—an inward happiness that God gives to those who call on Him.

Dr. Joseph Fabry has said that the focus of a man’s life is the pursuit of meaning, not the pursuit of happiness. If we expect everything in life to be pleasurable, we invite frustration.

Psalm 34:17–18 (KJV 1900)

17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth,

And delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;

And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalm 51:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:

Thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Isaiah 66:1–2 (KJV 1900)

Thus saith the Lord,

The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool:

Where is the house that ye build unto me?

And where is the place of my rest?

2 For all those things hath mine hand made,

And all those things have been, saith the Lord:

But to this man will I look,

Even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit,

And trembleth at my word.

Proverbs 11:1–2 (KJV 1900)

A false balance is abomination to the Lord:

But a just weight is his delight.

2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame:

But with the lowly is wisdom.

Proverbs 16:17–19 (KJV 1900)

17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil:

He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

18 Pride goeth before destruction,

And an haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly,

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 29:22–23 (KJV 1900)

22 An angry man stirreth up strife,

And a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

23 A man’s pride shall bring him low:

But honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Psalm 138:5–6 (KJV 1900)

5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord:

For great is the glory of the Lord.

6 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly:

But the proud he knoweth afar off.

Matthew 23:8–12 (KJV 1900)

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Luke 18:9–14 (KJV 1900)

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

II. If you want to find true happiness, you must get out of step with the world.

Happiness is an inward thing, not an outward thing. Blessed are the poor in spirit. I wrestle with that concept, since our culture tries to equate happiness with material wealth, but there are at least five things that are outward signs of the inward heart.

III. If you want to find true happiness, you must first realize that the source of your unhappiness and emptiness comes form bing apart form God.

IV. True happiness is found in seeking not our own happiness, but the happiness of others.

Those Who Are Poor in Spirit Will Reach Out to Others with a Spirit of Love and Cooperation

The world tells us to develop a thick skin. “Don’t let others get close to you, because if they’re close, they can hurt you. Keep people away; emotion is a weakness.” That’s the spirit of this world. But if you read the New Testament, you’ll find the spirit of the Lord says the exact opposite. Jesus wept at the tomb of His friend Lazarus. He took compassion on the lost crowds. He invested in close friendships with the disciples.

The kingdom of God is completely different from the kingdom of this world. A self-centered person won’t notice anyone else; his concern is only for himself. He cannot be sensitive to those around him, for fear their pain may ruin his happiness. But a person who is poor in spirit will look to minister. He will seek out those who are hurting, so that he can heal the lives of others. A person filled up with himself is unable to reach out to others, for he loves only himself. A person who is poor in spirit will reach out to others in love.

Everybody wanted to lift Jesus up as king, but He simply said, “I did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister.” A person who truly wants to be happy will find great joy in serving others. Phillip Yancey, a journalist who has had many opportunities to interview sports and entertainment stars, found that those with the highest profiles never seemed to be happy. They were nearly always unfulfilled, self-doubting, and unhappy. But those who had chosen to give their lives to service had a depth and richness that Yancey envied. The doctors working with outcasts, the missionaries translating the Bible into new languages, and the relief workers who had left high-paying jobs for obscurity and service were the ones who had found fulfillment and satisfaction in their lives. Some would argue that they were “wasting” their talents, but these people had discovered that true happiness is found not in getting what you want, but in giving to others what they need.

V. To be truly happy, we need to have an inward of grattitude.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he scolded them for being so proud of their spiritual gifts. They went around full of pride, talking about all the good qualities they had, but Paul’s question was simple: “Who gave you those gifts?” God did. Why walk around acting proud, as though your spiritual gifts were somehow earned, when they were simply given by the grace of God? The poor-in-spirit person is humble, thanking God for all things because he recognizes that gifts are given by God out of grace and mercy, not because they are earned. Show me a man who is ungrateful, and I’ll show you a man who isn’t poor in spirit. Show me a woman who is unthankful, and I’ll show you a woman who doesn’t understand the first Beatitude.

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Illustrations:

The Businessman and the Fisherman

A businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while.

The businessman then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life, señor.”

The businessman scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But señor, how long will this all take?” To which the businessman replied, “15-20 years.” “But what then, señor?” The businessman laughed and said, “That’s the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.” “Millions, señor? Then what?” The businessman said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “Isn’t that what I’m doing right now?”

-Author Unknown

Happiness Rule of Thirds: Past, Present, Future

Posted: April 23rd, 2012 | Author: tim.soo | Filed under: Advice, All, Meddik, Startups, Thoughts | 0 Comments

Those who know me have heard me recite the happiness rule of thirds:

Dedicate 1/3 of your time to respecting the past

Dedicate 1/3 of your time to planning for the future

Dedicate 1/3 of your time to living in the present

If you’re anything like me, then you probably spend most of your time on that second one: planning for the future. “I have to put in X hours this week.” “But I’m doing this so that I’ll be rich and happy later.” If there’s anything I’ve learned in my brief 23 years, it’s this. The brevity of life is a harsh, cold reality. We are in no way guaranteed tomorrow. And even if we were, you might find yourself constantly planning for the future that never arrives.

The fact is, many of us are ambition people. We have dreams and lofty aspirations. The problem is that as we mature and achieve stepping stones along the way, our ambitions grow accordingly — to the point where 99% of us will never reach our “dream goal”, only because that goal stays the same distance away no matter how successful we are.

There’s a joke about a man who spends his life bumming it on the beach. When criticized by a successful businessman for wasting his life, the beach bum asks him why he works so hard. “To become successful!” Why? “To become rich!” Why? “… To be able to spend days lying on the beach…”

Now I don’t promote either extreme, but they both had a point. Hence — the rule of thirds.

The past: Allocate one-third of your time and focus catching up with friends, spending time with family (recall, without your elders, you wouldn’t be here), and reflecting on your past accomplishments and how you’ve changed. The future: Allocate one-third of your time and focus planning for the future: your job, your career, your future family — this one many of us are good at. Plan out the steps you need to take to make that next leap. The present: Allocate one-third of your time and focus (and this one is toughest for the ambitious folk) enjoying the journey. Go climb a mountain, bungee jump, sing, dance, cook — everything you consider living.