James R. Davis

Psalm 1:1-6
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. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 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. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 Introduction:

 1. Is happiness just a word? Is it just an elusive dream? Nothing is more common or more universal than the desire to be happy. We all seek happiness.

 2. Ask people what would make them happy? If you ask children, teenagers and adults, you will see that their answers reveal man's longing for happiness.

 3. To millions of people happiness is only a word. They have heard of it, but they have never achieved it. Achievement seems impossible. Many seek it and few find it. Is happiness an impossible dream?

 4. In this time of sweeping change it is difficult to speak and act optimistically. There is an increasing tendency toward a mindset of despair.

We must be aware of the reality of happiness.

I. What Is Happiness?

A. Definitions of happiness?

1. "Something that depends not on position but on disposition?"

Jokes are made about happiness. A man never knows what real happiness is until he gets married, and then it is too late.

2. Happiness has more to do with what we are than who we are or what we have. We used to say, "a chicken in every pot" then it was a "car in every garage." Now we have two or three cars in every garage, boats sitting in the driveways. We eat food that has already been prepared for us. The lettuce is already chopped. The carrots peeled. And we have more money than people have ever had and we still are not happy.

1. Alcohol, drugs

2. Sex explosion

B. Our society has become absorbed with external things; we have forgotten that happiness comes from within. Externals do not make us happy.

C. What is happiness? Dr. Maxwell Maltz, in his book Five Minutes to Happiness, gives this answer: "Happiness is a state of mind or habit where we have pleasant thoughts the greater part of the time. It is a built in mechanism us."

1. After I first read this paragraph, I reflected that many people seem to have everything to make them happy, but are not happy; and that others have few of the "ingredients" of happiness, but somehow are happy?

2. We can make a habit of worrying or being happy. We also have a built-in mechanism, worry and happiness. These are not two separate entities like ears on the face, but they are interlocking process that work daily in our lives, expressing our emotions, and when we begin to understand who we are, we alone can decide which mechanism we want to use for our purposes, because we control them.

3. Happiness and Trouble stand at everyone's gate. It is your choice, which you will invite in.
I am convinced that everyone can be happy if he/she makes up his mind to be happy. More especially, I am convinced that a person who knows the teachings of Christ can understand how to have a happy meaningful life.

4. The greatest love story ever told is just one short sentence long, but it insures man's hope and happiness:

John 3:16

The love of God reaches out to all mankind and promises far-reaching and unending joy.

C. It is pathetic that so many people live and die without knowing the true happiness God intended for his creatures to enjoy. God intended for man to be happy in this life and enjoy even a greater happiness in the life to come.

E. It would be hard for me to believe that Jesus walked around with a smirk on his face. There was nothing sad or morbid about him.

1. Children gravitated toward Jesus and children do not gravitate toward long faced, depressed people. You can shove them off on them if they are relatives. But they don't gravitate toward them of their own free will. There has never been anyone more serious in the entire world than our Lord. Yet there was nothing sad, or morbid about him.

2. They accused our Lord of associating with sinners; sinners were comfortable in his presence. Accused of being a winebibber, glutton, and friend of sinners. Have you ever noticed that sinners tell you that they are worse than what they are? Saints tell you that they are better than what they are.

3. The Pharisees and Sadducees were so heavenly that they were of no earthly good.

4. I'd like to think that the Lord wore a smile rather than a halo. This was part of his magnetism. Halos only have to slip eleven inches and they become a noose.

D. We seem to think that some people are happy because they are sitting on top of the world.

Admiral Byrd returned from his polar expedition. He was asked, "What impressed you most?" He said, "I discovered that no one is sitting on top of the world."

II. How Is Happiness Obtained?

A. Happiness takes place inside a man; it grows inside a person.

1. If you are going to be happy in life, its gotta be right where you are, doing what you are doing, living with the people with whom you are living, working with the people with whom you are working, there is no other way.

2. Happiness is liking what you do; not doing what you like.

3. We get the silly notion that we could be happy living somewhere else, working for someone else, being someone else. If we could only change places we would be the happiest people alive. If you are going from point A to point B, and are going to take the same person with you all you will do is give your troubles a ride from one place to another. It is not a change of circumstance we need but rather a change of attitude.

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS

4. What would it take to make you happy? Inheriting a fortune? Winning $14 million in the lottery and being able to purchase anything you want?

a. A psychologist named Denier did a study on the effect that a major life change would have on a person's happiness. Half the people tested were big lottery winners. The other half suffered severe injuries in bad car accidents. To his amazement, Denier discovered that a few weeks after these drastic life changes both groups were about equally happy and satisfied with their lives. Denier concluded that we "evaluate our lives on the basis of other people in similar circumstances" and feel about the same degree of fulfillment.

b. Christians, however, have another explanation. If we accept ourselves the way God made us, if we are grateful for whatever He has given us, and if we trust in His unending goodness, we can experience a joy that does not depend on changing circumstances.

c. How foolish to keep wishing for a stroke of financial good luck to bring us happiness! Or to live in mortal fear that a calamity will take all our happiness away. Happiness does not come from happenings. It comes from accepting what God gives us and being content with it. Happiness is not a matter of position but of disposition.

B. Life is like a boomerang; it gives back to each of us just exactly what we project.

Want friends gotta be one.

Want love gotta give love.

Point one finger at someone, you have 3 pointing back at you.

Withdraw from people they will withdraw from you.

Australian bush boy received a new silver plated boomerang as a gift, but he couldn't get rid of the old one.

Life will keep giving back what we project.

The word "evil" is the word "live" spelled backwards. Living life against the grain, making things better without changing the heart will not provide us with any lasting happiness.

We believe that there are five secrets to success money, money, money, money, money.

Money cannot buy happiness, but it can sure make us comfortable in our misery.

D. Permanent happiness and prosperity is only to found in Christ. The way to peace and happiness is to place our lives trustingly in the hands of God.

Psalm 23

1. Wicked have no peace.

Isaiah 57:20-21 "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."

2. Jesus said.

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

Pure in heart, free form evil desires and motives.

David described a happy man.

Psalm 1:1-6

3. Happiness is being at peace with one's self and with God. Happiness without inner peace is impossible.

Ephesians 2:14-18 "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

III. Godliness Is Profitable Unto All Things.

1 Timothy 4:8 "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

A.Bodily exercise profits little in light of eternity.

B. "Godliness is profitable unto all things . . . "

1. Promise of the present life.

Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

a. Promises us those things needful to the body.

Matthew 6:23-33

b. Promises us comfort.

Psalms 46:1-3 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah."

Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

c. Support in Old age

Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

d. God promises support all through life.

Psalms 37:25 "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

e. Promises us life in the future.

Matthew 19:27-29 "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

2. Godliness gives us hope in the life to come that is the hope of heaven.

Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Revelation 21:7 "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Conclusion:

Christ offers us the key to living by setting each of us an example to follow.

Happiness comes, not from what one has, but what one becomes.