"god Wants Me To Be Happy" Series

A. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (READ and COMMENT)

1. How many of you actually believe that the Bible is God’s Word for mankind?

COMMENT:

Apart from His Son Jesus Christ, the greatest GIFT that God could have provided for mankind is the Bible—His Living Word—because it is literally God—our CREATOR—revealing Himself and

communicating with HUMANITY.

2. Both Peter and the writer of Hebrews describe God’s Word as “LIVING and ACTIVE.”

a. God’s Word is always RELEVANT to every GENERATION, and contains direction and insight into

everything that has to do with our LIVES.

b. By following the TEACHINGS in this Book, God is preparing us for eternity with Him in Heaven.

B. The problem, however, is when we think the Bible SAYS something that it actually doesn’t say.

1. In fact there are several popular sayings that many believe are in the Bible, but aren’t.

ILLUSTRATION:

Let’s have a little quiz. I am going to read several statements—some in the Bible and some not—

and see if you can tell me which ones are actual Bible statements.

1). “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41- Jesus said to Peter, James, John)

2). “God helps those who help themselves.”

3). “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

4). “Carry each other’s burdens.” (Galatians 6:2)

5). “God will not give you more than you can handle.”

6). “Eat, drink, and be merry.” (Parable of the Rich Fool. Negative context: Luke 12:19.)

2. This brings me to a popular saying that many believe is Biblical: “God wants me to be HAPPY!”

a. I have heard this phrase used many times in my years of counseling by people trying to JUSTIFY

their SINFUL ACTIONS. However, the Bible doesn’t say that “God wants us to be HAPPY.”

b. I know that some of you are thinking: “Does that mean that God wants me to be UNHAPPY!”

COMMENT:

If I were to say that God does not want us HAPPY that would be very disturbing news, because it feels so GOOD to hear that God wants you to be HAPPY . . . God wants your LIFE to go the way you want it to go . . . God wants you to experience all the GOOD things in LIFE. After all, doesn’t the Bible say, “Rejoice always”?

3. Remember, there is a difference between JOY and HAPPINESS.

a. Our HAPPINESS is contingent upon the “HAPPENINGS” around us.

COMMENT:

As long as the CIRCUMSTANCES surrounding us are GOOD and everything is going OUR WAY, we can be THANKFUL to God for our HAPPINESS. But once that which brings us

HAPPINESS is removed, we often BLAME God because He is supposed to make me HAPPY.

b. Our JOY is not dependent upon outward CIRCUMSTANCES, but on the eternal promise that God LOVES me and will never FORSAKE me even during the most TROUBLING of times.

MESSAGE:

I. GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO PURSUE HAPPINESS, BUT TO PURSUE HIM

A. Now, I’m not saying that God is against our HAPPINESS, but that is not His ultimate GOAL for us.

1. I do believe that God DELIGHTS in our HAPPINESS—that when you and I are HAPPY, it brings

Him JOY just as any PARENT is delighted when their CHILD is HAPPY.

a. I’ve see your Facebook POSTS when your children or grandchildren do well in SCHOOL or

BAND or BASKETBALL or whatever else. When they’re HAPPY, your HAPPY.

b. Any PARENT and GRANDPARENT will tell you that they want their children and

grandchildren to do WELL—they want them to be HAPPY. But do we want that at ANY COST?

ILLUSTRATION:

If your son or grandson SCORED the WINNING GOAL in his High School Basketball Tournament to advance to the PLAYOFFS and started to CELEBRATE, you’re not going to sit quietly in the STANDS with your ARMS CROSSED. No, you’re GOING to be JUMPING UP and DOWN CHEERING for your child or grandchild because his HAPPINESS brings you HAPPINESS.

But if your son or grandson SCORES the WINNING GOAL and proceeds to CELEBRATE by EXTENDING his HANDS with an OBSCENE GESTURE directed to the OPPOSING

TEAM…suddenly his HAPPINESS is not your TOP PRIORITY, is it?

No, your PRIORITY now is not his HAPPINESS but his un-Christ-like BEHAVIOR and ATTITUDE, and what needs to be DONE about it—and it’s sure not going to make him HAPPY.

2. So, I submit to you that God’s HIGHEST PRIORITY is not for you and me to pursue HAPPINESS,

but for us to pursue HIM.

a. 1 Corinthians 10:31b- “…WHATEVER you do, do it all for the GLORY of God.”

b. Not for our GLORY . . . not for our HAPPINESS, but for the GLORY OF GOD whether it makes me HAPPY or NOT.

ILLUSTRATION:

I think sometimes we reduce God—the CREATOR and SUSTAINER of the Universe—to a celestial VENDING MACHINE.