“How To Have A Happy Year”
For New Years Day-- night Wed. Jan. 01st 2003, Communion Following Sermon
OPENING TEXT: Rev 3:8 (KJV) God says to the Church in
Philadelphia
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
INTRODUCTION:
Notice: for my sermon title, I did not say; “How To Have A Happy New
Year”
Reason (1) For some Happy New Year, means have a good day on Jan.
01st after that, you are on your own.
Reason (2) For some people the term “Happy New Year” means to
have a great month during Jan.
Today as I was writing in my journal, I took some time to recap all of the things that I considered to be MAJOR EVENTS in my life and the lives of my family during the past year. (2002).
To recap such events reminds one that you can never be sure of what a new year will offer.
But one thing you can count on: God will be faithful no matter what.
Yes there are a lot of things that can come our way during the course of a YEAR, but one can know JOY and Happiness throughout the year.
So tonight I title my sermon “How To Have A HAPPY YEAR.”
Here are some things that are certain to make your year, a happy year;
I. Give Your Life Completely To Him
[A] I like the words of the Psalmist
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Psalms 84:10-12 (KJV)10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
(1) The psalmist discovered that life was much more fulfilling
Working for the Lord and being close to Him than hanging out
with sinners and scorners.
(2) He would rather be a Door Keeper in God’s House than to have
any office or position in society.
[B] True happiness doesn’t come in titles, positions or awards.
(1) True happiness comes only in serving God.
(2) The Apostle Paul said;
1 Cor 7:17 (NIV)
17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
(3) If you have not already, take time tonight to surrender your life
to the Lord.
**Too busy to surrender to God?
**Think about the parable Jesus spoke of the man would tare
down his barns to build them larger.
Luke 12:18-21 (KJV)
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
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20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
(4) Too involved with the World to surrender to God?
Isaiah 56:11-12 (KJV)
11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
(5) If people would only accept the Bible as truth and let it change
their lives, they could discover true happiness.
[C] The plan of Salvation is so easy and so simple.
Rev 22:17 (KJV)17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
[D] Take the Bible for what it says and your search will be over;
True happiness comes from;
(1) Turning your life over to God.
(2) Fulfilling His Purpose for your life.
II. Be A Friend Of God’s And Not Just A Servant!
[A] Christians often speak about being the servants of God.
(1) So many think of servants as people who have to do the things
they do.
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(2) And that is true to some extent.
(3) But If you look at it as doing this or that because you have no
choice, you will be miserable.
(4) God was us to serve Him because we LOVE HIM!!
[B] You will do things for a friend that you would never do for just an
acquaintance.
(1) The closer you become to the Lord, the more you desire to do for
Him.
(2) I live to make Him smile.
(3) I want to be more than just His servant, I want to be His friend.
(4) Like “John the Beloved“, I want to lay my head on His chest
and hear His heart beat.
[C] What a friend we have in Jesus!
[D] Happiness comes in closeness, being close to our Savior.
(1) You can follow at a distance, or you can hear His very Heart
Beat, the choice is yours, the opportunity is yours!!
John 12:35 (KJV)
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
(2) We have a standing invitation;
James 4:8 (KJV) 8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to
you. …..”
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III. One Way To Have A Happy Year; Get Rid Of All
Bad Feelings, Bitterness etc…
[A] Bitterness and ill feelings towards others will eat you alive.
(1) You will never be completely happy until you deal with these
feelings.
(2) Make your mind up right now that you are not going to let
any of these type of feelings to dictate your life.
(3) Do whatever it takes to lay it to rest.
(4) Be willing to be the first to take the appropriate steps toward
Healing broken relationships.
(5) Don’t wait for the other person, you take responsibility.
[B] These feelings will keep you at a distance from God.
(1) His word instructs us to: Heb 12:1 (KJV)
1“…., lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
IV. Reach Out To Others
[A] Jesus set the example that we are to follow in that He was always
reaching out to others.
(1) We see Christ reaching out to people who were totally his
opposite.
(2) Jesus believed in developing relationships with people.
(3) He reached out to people on every social level.
Rich, poor
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Well, sick
Religious, infidels
Jews, other races.
[B] The Bible tells us; Prov 18:24 (KJV)
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
(2) Love begets love
(3) We are commanded to show ourselves to be friendly to all.
Being friendly means reaching out to people who make no effort
to reach out to us.
It means making an effort, every effort to develop and build
relationships with those around us.
Let them get to know you, a Christian, let them see His Light
as it shines through your life!
(4) If a man does not maintain a friendly disposition, he cannot
expect to retain his friends.
(5) Friendship is a good plant; but it requires cultivation to make
it grow.
[B] The world had a different view of this;
(1) They see that to show one’s self friendly is very expensive,
(2) They see it being friendly as being unprofitable,
(3) To the world, friendships are maintained by expensive parties,
feast, etc….
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(4) And around their tables the conversation is made up of
tale bearing, scandal, backbiting etc…
(5) These are the general topics at their functions;
(6) The world uses people for what they can get out of them.
[C] For the Christian, developing friendships is not based of what we
get out of the relationship, but rather what we can give.
(1) Jesus was never taking but always giving!!
(2) No one can or will ever understand this until after conversion.
[D] Happiness is found in reaching out to others, working for Christ,
and drawing close to Him.
Heb 10:22-23 (KJV)
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Gary L. Smith
11280 Hwy 101
Lexington Al. 35648
Smith686@msn.com
