I WOULD BE HAPPY IF ---- ?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
A marriage can be made in heaven, but we must learn to maintain it here on earth.
Can marriage become a duel instead of a duet?
I. CAN HAPPINESS AND JOY BE A CHOICE?
A. Let us ask some questions and you ponder the answers in your heart.
B. A great teacher before the birth of Jesus Christ was named Socrates.
Socrates often taught his lessons by asking questions.
The Bible is full of great questions.
Cain ask ED: AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?
JESUS OFTEN TAUGHT BY ASKING QUESTIONS.
Jesus asked: WHO IS YOUR THE NEIGHBOR?
C. ANWER THIS QUESTION:
I WOULD BE HAPPY IF: ___________________________________________.
D. What would it take to make you happy?
E. WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
Your friends can be like the buttons on an elevator, if you push the right one you go up, if you choose the wrong one you go down.
What makes you sad?
How long would you be happy if you received what it is that would make you happy?
F. How do you answer this question:
If you are not happy with what you have, will you be happy when you get what you want?
II. WE NEED TO DEFINE A FEW WORDS:
A. HAPPY
Favored by luck or fortune.
Fitting, well adapted.
Pleasant, glad, pleased.
Good fellowship, friendly.
In a pleased mood. Sunny, light hearted.
B. JOY:
The emotion evoked by well being, success.
To experience pleasure or delight.
C. When I see a little child in a new pair of shoes I ask them to jump.
Then I ask them if they can jump higher in their new shoes?
Almost every answer is the same: YES!
I am not sure that a child can jump higher in new shoes, but I will tell you, the child sure thinks he can jump higher.
WHY?
D. I think there are many differences between what is happiness and joy. But I also have to tell you it is hard to define those differences.
III. YOUR ENEMY KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT JOY CAN BE.
THERE IS A COORELATION BETWEEN JOY AND STRENGTH!
Neh. 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
IV. WE CAN HAVE AN UNHEALTHY SELF WORTH AND OPINION AND DOOM OUR JOY. IF YOU CAN NOT BE HAPPY WITH YOURSELF, YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY WITH OTHERS!
WE TEND TO PLAY THE BLAME GAME --- YOU ARE THE REASON I AM NOT HAPPY?
A. Why do we have problems with joy and happiness?
CAN ONE SEE JOY? HAPPINESS?
B. WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE ARE FULL OF JOY?
We need a good healthy balance of self worth or we will have trouble getting along with others.
Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
V. THERE ARE MANY LITERARY DEVICES THAT HELP SPOKEN AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. ONE LITERARY DEVICE IS THE POWER OF REPETITION.
A. Every mom and school teacher knows that if you want a child to know something, say it more than once.
B. As the Holy Spirit was leading the old preacher to write a letter to the Philippians, the old preacher used the power of repetition.
C. In Philippians the 4th chapter there is a problem in the church.
Two ladies have had a disagreement and it has an effect on the church.
We do not know what Euodias and Syntyche are fussing about?
So the old preacher tells them to settle it and be in the same mind.
Philip. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
D. Paul had not forgotten he said REJOICE!
Paul used repetition to re-enforce his thought that God’s people must rejoice.
VI. PAUL HAD LEARNED TO BE CONTENT AND THAT CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATIONS CAN NOT DICTATE TO OUR EMOTIONS.
A. Discuss the difference in instinct and learning.
Deep joy is not instinctual, it is a discipline and learned emotion.
Philip. 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
B. We develop thought and behavior patterns of how we will react to what is happening around us.
We can underestimate the power of the words that we hear and speak to our joy and happiness.
C. Things cannot bring sustained joy.
There will always be conflicts of personalities and clashing of interests and opinions, so relationships will not bring joy all the time.
To win all the time does not bring great joy?
D. We can grow anxiety and worry by being concerned over things in which we have no control, and then manipulation and control will steal our joy.
E. We can not let our disappointments in others and in things drive our joy system.
VII. JOY IS A FRUIT OR A BY-PRODUCT OF GOOD SPIRITUAL CHOICES AND LIFE.
A. FRUIT:
A sweet product containing a seed for more of the same kind.
The results of an action.
Consequence.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
B. Maturity learns to feed on what drains other people.
VIII. SORROW TURNS, JOY COMES, AND WE MUST STRIVE FOR A JOY THAT REMAINS.
Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
IX. GOD’S DESIGN FOR YOU IS TO KEEP YOUR JOY FULL.
DIVINE JOY COMES FROM GOD AND IS A FREE GIFT.
NO MAN CAN TAKE DIVINE JOY!
John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
X. JOY AND COTENTMENT GROW TOGETHER IN GOD’S LOVE.
1 Tim. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Tim. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
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.
XI. YOU WILL BE HAPPY IF YOU ENDURE.
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
CONCLUSION:
LET US REALIZE THAT JOY AND HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE.
LET US MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES TO SEE THE GOOD IN OTHERS AND KEEP OUR JOY FULL.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass it on?
