Happiness comes from the word “hap”, as do the words happenstance, etc. In other words, what we call happiness is determined by what happens to us. As most of the time we cannot control what happens to us, perhaps what we really should be seeking is joy.
Joy is an inward peace and contentment. It can be ours no matter what happens to us. No one can take it away from us and yet, not all of us have found it. Have you ever wondered why rich men are so often miserable? They are never content with their riches and only strive for more.
On the other hand, many poor men are happy with what little they have. Why is this?
King Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived. In the second chapter of Ecc., he tells how he had heaped up for himself riches beyond description. After all was done, he came to the conclusion that all he had accumulated was but vanity. None of them had made him “happy”.
Jesus said in Luke 12:15 that a man’s life didn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possessed. Is it possible that man is looking for what he calls happiness In All Of The Wrong Places? God created man and only He can give happiness to us.
Ps 128:1 says
..happiness comes to the man who fears (reverences) God and walks in His ways.
Ecc.2:26 says
..God gives Joy to the man that is good in his sight. Are you good in his sight?
Do you reverence God and do you always walk in his ways? None of us can make this claim. However, the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ gives us hope. The sins we have committed can be forgiven us and we can start over again. We can become His child and know the happiness and joy that comes from God alone.
Peter told the very men that crucified the Son of God, that they must repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. He goes on to say that this promise is for them and all who are afar off (Acts 2:38-41). That means you and me!
Jesus said:
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned– Mark 16:15-16:
Paul was told:
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16:
Peter, also tells:
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.–1 Peter 3:21
It isn’t the water that saves us, it’s the obedience (our good conscience).
Paul says:
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For (because-cg) as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. –Galatians 3:26-27:
When we become His child, we can call Him, “Father”. Religious people give many different answers to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” The only answer we can depend on is the one given by the Lord and His apostles.
God’s ways are not man’s ways:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.-Isaiah 55:8
Some men worship Him in vain:
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.– Matthew 15:9
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. –Matthew 7:21
How do we know what pleases our heavenly Father in worship? How do we know how He wants us to live our lives? He tells us these things in His word (the bible). If we follow it, we will be pleasing to Him. In doing so, God will give us the “gift of Joy”. He will also give to us peace:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. He will hear our prayers and cause all things to work out for our good.–Philippians 4:7
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28
Just think, you can have all this now and Heaven in the
after-while. Won’t you share with me my “greatest joy”?
