Text: Various.
Delivered on: November 16, 2008. Streetsboro.
Introduction.
Happy – feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.
What does it take to make you happy?
How would you define happiness?
A life of wealth and pleasure?
A life of constant fun?
A life free of anxiety and worry.
Have you ever heard someone say, “But God wants me to be happy, doesn’t He?”
People usually make this statement when they are trying to justify some sin.
Here is a man who is drunk more than he is sober. He has lost several jobs, destroyed his family, has no credibility with anybody but the bartender. And as he sinks lower and lower, we hear him say, “But God wants me to be happy.”
Here is a man who shuns his responsibility as a father and a husband and runs off with another woman. When he is approached by someone who cares, he responds, “But God wants me to be happy.”
Here is a young person who was brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Yet as he gets older he gives into temptation and falls prey to sexual immorality. When his parents or Christian friends try to correct him, he says, “But God wants me to be happy.”
Here is a person who wants to feel good during worship. So he adds to the simple, New Testament plan for worship. When confronted, he says, “But God wants me to be happy.”
Let us consider a few things.
BODY.
DOES GOD REALLY WANT ME TO BE HAPPY?
Simply put – Yes, God wants us to be happy.
God wants us to enjoy the labor of our hands.
Ecclesiastes 2:24. Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:22. So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Ecclesiastes 5:18-19. Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
He wants us to rejoice and be at peace. Philippians 4:4-7. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. Galatians 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
God wants us to be happy.
God wants us to enjoy the labor of our hands which we are to recognize as a gift from Him.
He wants us to rejoice and be anxious for nothing.
He wants us to lead lives of joy.
Not only are these things available to us; God expects us to have them.
However, it is important for us to understand that our happiness is only a by-product of living a holy life.
GOD’S PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT YOU BE HOLY.
Holy – To be set apart for a divine purpose. Something that has been purified and cleansed for service to God.
God wants us to be holy people.
2 Corinthians 7:1. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Ephesians 1:3-4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
Hebrews 12:9-10. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
1 Peter 1:15-16. But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 2:9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
2 Peter 3:11. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.
In order to be holy, we must…
Avoid sin. Romans 6:1-2. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Avoid false doctrine. Romans 16:17-18. Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
Never cause another person to stumble. 1 Corinthians 8:12-13. But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Ephesians 5:11. And
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.Deny ourselves. Luke 9:23. Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
REAL HAPPINESS IS A PRODUCT OF HOLINESS.
Living in a right relationship with God is what brings real happiness.
1 Peter 3:8-12. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For “ He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
Obviously, this does not mean that the Christian is going to lead a life of never-ending bliss.
God chastens us. Hebrews 12:11. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
He allows us to be tried. James 1:2-3. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
2 Timothy 3:12. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
What it means is that Christians can have happiness in spite of the bad things that happen to us.
This world is not my home!!!
2 Corinthians 4:16-5:2. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.
As Christians, our hope is heaven. Revelation 21:4. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
CONCLUSION.
God wants us to be happy people.
But He takes a longer view than we often do.
We often look for the temporary pleasures that this world has to offer.
God has, not only our happiness in this life, but also that eternal bliss in mind for us.
The only way to have access to that true and lasting happiness is through holiness.
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