May 26, 2002Pm   “Joy and Happiness, Can it be for real?”    Phil. 4:4-13

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

A prescription for Joy and Happiness from the world. 

 

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Does God you want you to be happy in your Christian life?  Is it possible?  Let's see:  What does the apostle Paul say about the way to Happiness and Joy?

 

Phil 4:4 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

 

How can we rejoice in the Lord?  And Always rejoice? 

 

1.  Be gentle knowing that our power is of the Lord who is sovereign.  He is the wind beneath our wings and sails.  He is in control.  Whatever happens must first pass through Him.  Have that quiet confidence from knowing that our God reigns. 

 

2.  Be in prayer and in petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. Have an inner connection with the Lord.  This is the source of the water of peace that stills the hearts of the people who live in the river of the love of God.   We are the river people who live in the river life.  The river is the water that flows from the throne of God.  That is the water of peace that calms our hearts.  Drink from the river of life.  Go to Him in prayer and drink of his peace that calms your troubled heart. 

 

3.  Be in God’s presence and enjoy God’s Peace.  Go with Him.  Peace is not the absence of turmoil, but the presence of the Lord’s Spirit.  Do not quench the Spirit of God that lives within you as the people of the Lord.  Listen and obey what the Lord's desires are for you.  He longs to take you with Him through out your life, but we can choice to go or not.  We put out the fire of the presence of the Lord in our lives when we say no to Him.  Don't loose what you could have in Him.

 

4.  Be in thought about the Lord.   Whatsoever things are pure and lovely?  The eyes are the access to the mind and the mind is the door to the soul.  Be particular about what you watch and think about it.  When the evil thoughts try to build a nest in your mind we should run them off and think of the things that would lift us up.  The bees may try to build nests in the eaves of your house, but you don't have to invite them to stay. 

 

5.  Be practical in the being who God wants you to be. Put these things into practice.  Don't just think about these things, but put them to use.  To not put these things to use is to throw away the map and try to find your way without any help.  You are going to go the wrong way and miss out on what you could have had. 

 

6.  Be Content in whatever circumstances knowing that this is the will of the Lord for you.  If you did get what you think you want will you be happy then?

Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God. J. Oswald Sanders

Peace is that quiet assurance that everything is going be all right. By me.

Monk who was only allowed to say two words per yr. 1st yr. "food bad", 2dn yr:" work hard, 3rd yr. "I quit." His superior replied, "All you do is complain, complain, complain."

 

7.  Be Dependent on God’s Strength.  I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

"I remember hearing of a young man who went to a minister of Christ in great distress about his spiritual state. He said to the minister, "Sir, can you tell me what I must do to find peace?" The minister replied, "Young man, you are too late." "Oh!" said the young man, "you don't mean to say I am too late to be saved?" "Oh, no," was the reply, "but you are too late to do anything. Jesus did every thing that needed to be done twenty centuries ago." --The Wonderful Word

 

"Whenever I am troubled and lost in deep despair, I bundle all my troubles up and go to God in prayer, I tell Him I am heartsick and lost and lonely too, That I am deeply burdened and don't know what to do. But I know He stilled the tempest and calmed the angry sea, And I humbly ask if in His love He'll do the same for me. Then I just keep quiet and think on thoughts of peace, And as I abide in stillness my restless murmurings cease." By Helen Steiner Rice

 

The foundation for happiness is a proper relationship with the Lord.  But to fully experience that happiness, we must build on that foundation in practical ways.  I found this list of "Ten Rules for Happier Living" in an issue of Pulpit Helps.

   1. Give something away (no strings attached).   2. Do a kindness (and forget it).

   3. Spend time with the aged (experience is priceless).   4. Look intently into the face of a baby (and marvel).    5. Laugh often (it is life's lubricant).    6. Give thanks (a thousand times a day is not enough).    7. Pray (or you will lose the way).    8. Work (with vim and vigor).    9. Plan as though you will live forever (you will).  10. Live as though you will die tomorrow (because you will die on some tomorrow).

   Those are excellent ideas for happier living.  Try them.  They work!