The Foundation of Happiness

The Foundation of Happiness

 

Read:  2 Timothy 2:15-25

All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of His creation, the foundation of all happiness …] and the whole [duty] for every man.  - 2 Timothy 2:15

 

Audio:  2 Timothy 2

 

Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1

 

The writer of Ecclesiastes was a man who literally tried everything to be happy. He had much wealth, great power, and many wives. He restrained himself from no earthly pleasure. Anything his eyes desired, he took. He ate, drank, and made merry.

 

He had tremendous knowledge, wisdom, and respect, yet he hated life. Everything began to appear useless to him. He tried to figure out what life was all about and became more and more confused. Finally, he realized what his problem had been all along. He had not been obeying God's commandments.

 

He was unhappy because of it and made the statement that the foundation of all happiness is obedience. There are many, many sad, grieved individuals walking around blaming their unhappy lives on people and circumstances, failing to realize that the reason for their dissatisfaction is their disobedience toward God.

 

I believe you want to be happy. The key to happiness is obeying God. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says that obedience is "the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances."That means that anything out of order or harmony got that way through disobedience and only obedience can bring it back into harmony. Every time we obey God, something in our lives improves.

 

God's word for you today: Logos + rhema = wisdom

 

 

 

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
– Proverbs 22:6

Sent from Daily Bible Inspirations

---- Answer the Door

----  Answer the Door

 

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE   "...Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning."

(Psalm 30:5, NLT)

 

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

 

Scripture says that joy comes in the morning. When you wake up each morning, God sends you a special delivery of joy. It comes knocking at your door. When you get up in faith and make the declaration that "this is going to be a good day," do you know what you just did? You just answered the door. You just received the gift of joy that God sent to you. The problem is that some people never answer the door. Joy has been knocking for months and months, years and years saying, "Come on! Let me in! You can be happy! You can cheer up! You can enjoy your life!"

Why don't you make up your mind to answer the door for joy! Decide to wake up every morning and say, "Father, thank You for another beautiful day. I'm going to be happy. I'm going to enjoy this day. I'm going to brighten somebody else's life. I am choosing to answer the door and receive Your gift of joy, today!"

 

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

 

Father, thank You for joy. Thank You for peace. Thank You for walking me through the difficult times. I choose to answer the door for joy every single morning so that I can walk in the strength You have given to me in Jesus' name. Amen.    ------ And AMEN and AMEN

 

 

 

 

I choose to close the door on fear ...

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

 

Did you know that fear works just like faith but in the opposite direction? Faith opens the door for God to work in our lives; fear opens the door for the enemy to work in our lives.

The Bible says that fear has torment. Fear has no mercy. If you act on fear instead of acting on faith, it will keep you depressed, miserable and lonely. So many people today are missing out on God's joy, peace and victory because they keep giving in to fear. They feed fear by what they watch on TV or at the movies. They worry and dwell on all the bad things. Don't let that be you! Romans tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The more you fill your heart and mind with God's Word, the stronger you will be so you can stand against the powers of darkness. Remember, the power that is in you is greater than the power of fear. When thoughts come that say, "You're not able," choose faith by saying, "I can do all things through Christ!" Choose faith today so you can overcome fear and live in the freedom and victory God has in store for you!

 

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

 

Father, I receive Your Word today which is life, health and strength to me. I choose to close the door on fear by guarding what I say, what I listen to and what I dwell on. Fill me with Your love and faith as I meditate on Your Word in Jesus' name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Try Some Shrug Therapy

 

                                                                                Try Some Shrug Therapy

 

Do not be quick in spirit to be angry or vexed for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom of fools.   Ecclesiastes 7:9

 

There are some things you can control in life---who your friends are, what you eat, and when you go to bed.  For example, there are other things you can't control, such as what other people say or the flat tire you got last night.  The way you respond to things you can't control helps determine your stress level and your quality of life and health.  I have two suggestions about dealing with things you can't control.  First, if you can't control them, don't take responsibility for them.  And second, I  like to say, "Do your best, and let God do the rest!"

 

People who regularly get upset over small things suffer in many ways.  People who shrug them off do much better.  Shrugging off certain things doesn't mean you are indifferent; it simply means you've accepted the fact that you can't do anything to change them at that time.  The flat tire has happened.  Calling someone to come fix it makes sense, throwing a tantrum and kicking the tire does not.  We need to deal appropriately with each stressor as it arises so that we don't end up exploding in frustration over the unavoidable bumps on the road of life.

 

God works in mysterious ways.  You never know when He may use some inconvenience or frustration for your good.  He is in control, and if you trust Him to work things out, you'll be able to ride the ups and downs of life with peace, joy and strength.

 

LOVE YOURSELF TODAY: Refuse to live in frustration.  Take life one day at a time, and when things happen that you don't like, say, "It is what it is and God is still in control."

 

Have a blessed week and smile:)

 

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. – Luke 10:33

 

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. – Luke 10:33

 

Audio:  Luke 10

 

Bible In One Year:  Isaiah 47-49; 1 Thessalonians 4

 

I Declare that I will live as a healer. I am sensitive to the needs of those around me. I will lift the fallen, restore the broken, and encourage the discouraged. I am full of compassion and kindness. I won't just look for a miracle; I will become someone's miracle by showing God's love and mercy everywhere I go. This is my declaration.

 

You're never more like God than when you help hurting people. One of our assignments in life is to help wipe away the tears. Are you sensitive to the needs of those around you?  Your friends?  Your neighbors?  Your coworkers? 

 

Many times behind the pretty smile, behind the Sunday praise, there is a person who's hurting. She's alone. His life is in turmoil. When someone is struggling, reach out. Be a healer. Be a restorer.

 

Take time to wipe away the tears.  Your job is not to judge. Your job is not to figure out if someone deserves something, or to decide who is right or who is wrong. Your job is to lift the fallen, to restore the broken, and to heal the hurting.

 

Too often we become focused on our own goals, our own dreams, and how we can get our miracle. But I've learned something that is more important: I can become some­one's miracle. There is healing in your hands. There's healing in your voice. You are a container filled with God. Right now you are full of encouragement, full of mercy, full of restoration, full of healing. Everywhere you go you should dispense the goodness of God.

 

If you get around me you'd better get ready. You will be encouraged. You may have made mistakes but I will tell you: God's mercy is bigger than any mistake you've made. You may have wasted years of your life making poor choices, but I will tell you God still has a way to carry you to your final destination.

 

You may have had an addiction since you were a teenager. But I will let you know that the power of the Most High God can break any addiction and set you free. That's what it means to dispense good. You lift the fallen. You encourage the discouraged. You take time to wipe away the tears.

 

Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan who was riding his donkey and he saw a man on the side of the road beaten and left for dead. He put him on his donkey and took him to a place where he could recover. I love the fact that the Good Samaritan walked so the injured man could ride. Sometimes you may have to trade places with someone who is hurting. You must be willing to be inconvenienced.

 

You may have to miss dinner in order to wipe away a tear. You may have to skip working out one night in order to encourage a struggling couple. You may have to drive across town and pick up a coworker who is addicted and take him to church with you on Sunday. If you want to live as a healer, you must be willing to change places with those who are hurting.

 

 

God's Love Will Change You…..

                                                                                God's Love Will Change You…..

In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.  1JOHN 4:10

 

Meditate on God's love for you.  That's what is going to change you.  If you don't like something about yourself, "knowing that you know" that God loves you is going to change it.

 

God wants you to spend time with Him in fellowship and worship on a daily basis.  That's what will change you.  It is the private time you spend with Him, just loving Him and letting Him love you, that is going to cause you to grow up and be strong in your spirit.

 

The devil will give you one excuse after another for not spending time with God.  Get serious with God and cry out to Him.  The word of God and fellowship with Him will change you.  Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all thing through Christ which strengthens me." In other words, there is nothing in all creation you can't do through the power of Jesus Christ.

 

Use the problems that come against you as opportunities to grow.  Find out what God will do because He loves you!  If you will lean on God and let God love you and you love Him, you can forget all the trying to operate in faith and enter into rest.

 

Love Yourself Today: After all, God loved you first!

 

Have a great weekend and be safe:)

 

 

Hosea 6:3

Let us acknowledge the LORD. Let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, The LORD will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth."
– Hosea 6:3

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Arlene Wilson

Field Director for Mission Delivery

Key Markets East

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Proverbs 3:27-29

Don't withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. Don't say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you. Don't devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
– Proverbs 3:27-29

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