Title: The Key To Happiness
Text: Psalm 102:25-28
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Introduction:
- God never changes! He remains the same. And with that knowledge there should come to the believer a sense of joy and contentment.
- It should bring a sense of security and peace to the believers heart.
- It also should bring a sense of joy and trust in God that the world doesn’t have.
- The fact that God doesn’t change should make us happy, why?
- Because of the security, that He brings to His people.
- I can trust in God that He will never fail me, and will always come through.
- But when we look in the world today and our nation this 4th of July holiday, there are a lot of things that people are placing there happiness and security in that change.
- What are they?
- Even Christians can get caught up trusting in these things to make them happy other then God.
- The moment we start trusting in things other then God, is the moment we become fearful and insecure.
- So what are these things?
1. People - Family, Friends, Doctors, Governments and just people in general change.
- It is so easy to focus on people to make us happy.
- The reality is people change, and putting our hopes and joys into people will only prove to be our disappointment.
- Our children come and go, doctors don’t have all the answers, Governments change, and the human spirit in our society is growing colder to the things of God day by day.
- It’s dangerous to trust in people because of the changes that can suddenly come to us.
On June 4, 1783 at the market square of a French village of Annonay, not far from Paris, a smoky bonfire on a raised platform was fed by wet straw and old wool rages. Tethered above, straining its lines, was a huge taffeta bag 33 feet in diameter. In the presence of "a respectable assembly and a great many other people," and accompanied by great cheering, the balloon was cut from its moorings and set free to rise majestically into the noon sky. Six thousand feet into the air it went -- the first public ascent of a balloon, the first step in the history of human flight. It came to earth several miles away in a field, where it was promptly attacked by pitchfork-waving peasants and torn to pieces as an instrument of evil!
- Now there is nothing wrong with being a family man, or seeing man advance, but when it takes first place in our lives, the Bible says it’s a problem
- God must be first in your personal life.
2. Society - Cars, Jets, Trains, Computers all change at an alarming rate.
When the railroads were first introduced to the U.S., some folks feared that they’d be the downfall of the nation! Here’s an excerpt from a letter to then President Jackson dated January 31, 1829:
As you may know, Mr. President, ’railroad’ carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by ’engines’ which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed. Martin Van Buren Governor of New York
- Here’s the point, society is changing all the time, and putting our faith in society only will lead to our misery.
- Society is too inconsistent. People today are consumed with buying things to make themselves happy at the expense of there health, family and friends.
- And for what?
- Because we have placed our joy and security in money, pleasure and materialism.
- Now there is nothing wrong with having things, but when it takes over first place in your life, the Bible says it’s a problem.
- God must always be first in everything.
3. Nature - Fall, Spiring, Summer, Winter
In Canada, there are only 2 seasons - six months of winter and 6 months of poor snowmobiling
- Some people are only happy when the sun is shining. And other people when the sun is not shining.
- In some cases people depend on good weather to get them through the day.
- If we are dependent on good whether to make us happy, well the bad news is we won’t be happy. Especially in Canada where the seasons are changing all the time.
Transition:
- These are just some of the things that people today put there faith into.
- This is what makes society happy, this is what makes society feel a sense of security.
- The bad news is people will never be happy or secure trusting in these things above God.
- But here’s the good news, God never changes, and because He never changes, we can rest secure knowing He will always come through for us.
- I Love what Psalm 59:16-17 say, “I will sing of your strength, for you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love”
- Think about it this morning, God never changes, never pauses to eat, rest or think about someone else. God’s strength is for all anytime of the day or night.
- Need a strong shoulder to lean, try God’s it will never fail you.
- Things will fail you that I mentioned earlier, but God’s strength and love will never fail you. Lean on Him, trust in Him and rely on Him, because He never changes.
- This morning I want to give you 3 areas where God doesn’t change.
- To help us in our time of need so we can draw strength from Him in our time of need.
- They are:
Point 1: His Word
Isa 55:10 says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
- The word has a purpose for us as people. It will not return void but will accomplish what we read or hear spoken.
- It’s important that we don’t tamper with the words of the Bible because then people will not change and the word will not accomplish what it is suppose to do and that being changing people.
Rev 22:18-19 is a serious verse of scripture for not changing the words of the Revelation Prophecy.
- So is it a big deal when we change the rest of the Word of God? Yes because people will not hear the life changing word of God if man tampers with it.
(Refer to article in Newspaper with regards to changing the word and how it will affect man in the future).
(Article was taken from the Ottawa Citizen, Thursday June 24th 2004 edition - It made the front page news)
- So what does the word accomplish in our lives?
1. It has the power to impart new life. (I Peter 1:23)
2. It also releases grace, power and revelation by which we grow in faith and commitment to Jesus. (Our text Is 55:10-11 and I Peter 2:2)
3. It equips us to fight satan, the word is our sword we fight with. (Eph 6:17)
4. It has the power to judge us. (John 12:48)
5. It has the power to sustain creation (Hebrews 1:3 and Psalm 147:15-18)
- The word is important and should not change because people want it to fit there immoral lifestyle.
- It is a great comfort to me that the word of God does not change, man may change it but God never will and we can rely on it to sustain our lives by choosing to live by it.
Point 2: His Character
John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”
Who is God and what is He like? How can I rely on God and what promises can I claim for my life?
Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from you presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”
Here are a few characteristics of God that we can hold onto in the good times and bad.
1. God is omniscient - knows everything.
2. God is omnipresent - He is everywhere at the same time. God observes all things.
3. God is omnipotent - He is all powerful and has ultimate authority over all things. (Psalm 147:13-18)
4. God is eternal - He is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:1-2)
5. God is unchangeable - there is no changing in God’s attributes, in His purpose for mankind. (Num 23:19)
6. God is perfect and holy - He is without sin and perfectly righteous (Lev 11:44-45)
7. God is triune - He is one God (Deut 6:4) who has manifested Himself in three divine persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt 28:19 and I Peter 1:2)
8. God is God - (Psalm 25:8)
9. God is love - (I John 4:8)
10. God is merciful and gracious - (Ex 34:6 and Dt 4:31)
11. God is compassionate - (II Kings 13:23) To be compassionate is too feel sorrow for someone else’s suffering, with a desire to help.
12. God is patient and slow to anger - (Ex 34:6 and Num 14:18)
13. God is truth - (Dt 32:4 and Psalm 31:5)
14. God is faithful - (Hebrews 10:23) God will do what He has revealed in His word, carrying out both promise and warnings. This should bring us joy knowing that what He says concerning believers will come true.
15. God is just - (I John 1:9) to be just means that God will uphold the moral order of the universe. Meaning there is right way and a wrong way of living, and God will uphold people who humble themselves and do what the word says to do. (Salvation and then right living.)
- We can trust in God, because He is unchanging and will always deal with us righteously.
- God cares and changes not. The bible says, “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
Point 3: His Message
Ish 14:27 says, “For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
- God has a message that cannot be changed. I like what J.I. Packer says in His book Knowing God, “What He does in time He planned from eternity. And all that He planned inn eternity He carries out in time.”
- The message is very simple: God has a plan for us, The Cross will never lose it’s power and the Blood still washes away sin.
- We must be saved to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, meaning all those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
- There is healing in name of Jesus, By His stripes I am healed.
- Be encouraged the message of God does not change and will not change.
- People need to repent and turn there lives over to the one true God.
Conclusion:
- In conclusion this morning I would like to ask this question, what changes are you facing?
- Max Lucado puts it this way:
“Cemeteries interrupt the finest of families,
Retirement finds the best employees,
Age withers the strongest bodies, with life comes change.”
- But with all the changes that life throws at us, there is one thing that will last forever, a firm foundation as you will. That being God Almighty. II Tim 2:19
- My encouragement to you is be secure in the knowledge that God holds you in the palm of His hands.
- What defines you in life should not be your job, family, people, situations, (good or bad), money, possessions etc, but rather your relationship with God and the fact that you are His.
Lets Pray!!!
