Temple Baptist Church - 10-27-2024
Psalm 23:1-3
Introduction:
A. I preached last week on “The Secret Of A Happy Life.”
B. Tonight, I want to look at the “ingredients” of a happy life. What does happiness in this world for the believer mean? First of all, I deem it important to explain what some wrong ingredients are.
1. Prosperity is the wrong ingredient! I thank the Lord for money!
a) That may seem to be a contradictory statement in light of “the love of money is the root of all evil,” but I thank the Lord that He has met my needs over the years. While the love of money is the root of all evil, money is not evil in itself. Money is amoral. It has no morality as it has no life or capability to do wrong. It is a tool to be used for the betterment of our lives.
Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
b) I was not born rich and have not made a fortune in my lifetime. My wife and I tithe and give to missions, pay our bills, buy our food, purchase the necessities, go out to eat on occasion, and actually have a few dollars in our pockets. Money cannot purchase a happy life. It may purchase momentary happiness, but the happiness is gone as quickly as the money is.
2. Property is the wrong ingredient! Isn’t it nice to have things? Once again, this is not a contradictory statement. We have certainly been blessed with more than we need. I have nothing to complain about. What Barbara and I have is fine and we are perfectly contented. But property will not bring about happiness in life in itself.
3. Position is the wrong ingredient! It is nice to also advance in the job place, but you can be the CEO of the largest corporation in America and be miserable. When you just “punch a clock,” you can clock out and leave the work behind. The sleep of a hardworking man or woman is sweet. The CEO often brings his job home because he has more to worry about than just self.
C. Enough said on that subject but we need to know that happiness is not found in things. The ingredients to happiness for you and I are found in these verses that we read.
1. Happiness is found in Salvation – verse 1 I dwell on this point because, if you miss salvation, you will not only miss heaven, but you will also miss the best life available. I will not spend time on this point because we looked at salvation in the first 5 words of the Psalm, but I will say, “If you are not saved and right with the Lord, you will never be happy in this world or the world to come!
1. We saw that a happy life for the child of God comes only through personally know the Lord Jesus Christ and also getting to know Him in the word “Shepherd.” If you can live a happy life outside of Christ, you may not be one of His sheep! When we, as His sheep, find fulfillment outside of Christ, we are convicted, chastised, or both.
2. How many of you know for sure what tomorrow holds for you? How many of you know where you will be next week, next month, next year? How many of you know what you will need physically, monetarily, and spiritually in these days to come? The answer to all these questions is obvious: neither you nor me.
3. You can trust the unknown which cannot be trusted, or you can trust the Lord who knows all things and owns all things. I take the latter!
Matthew 6:25-26 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2. Happiness is found in Contentment – vs. 1-2 “I shall not want.” You can be saved, have all that the Lord provides for you, and not be happy if you are not 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.
a. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (8) And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (Contentment with your things! If what you have is neither enough nor is it good enough, you will always be seeking either more or difference.)
b. “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Contentment with your circumstances! I have often said that life is hard and often unfair but that is just life. Like it or not, you will have troubled times as well as good times; you will have poverty as well as prosperity; you will be hated as well as loved; you will be sick as well as healthy; you will weep as you will laugh; that is called life.)
c. You and I will never be happy in this life until we find contentment with what we have, who we are, and where we are! The Lord feeds us and He leads us. Both provision and providence are in His hands.
3. Happiness is found in Restoration – vs. 3
a. There may be times when we, as God’s children, begin to stray. Happiness is not found in the life of straying but thank the Lord that happiness is found in the act of restoration! He restoreth my soul.
b. I can repent, get right with God, but then it takes an act of God to restore my soul with the “balm of Gilead” that only the Lord can supply and apply.
1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Psalms 51:7-10 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (8) Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. (9) Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. (10) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
4. Happiness is found in Righteousness – vs. 3 “paths of righteousness”
a. Paths of Righteousness are for our sake. 1 Timothy 6:6 Godliness with contentment is great gain.
Peaceful lives are found in godliness, not sinfulness. Sin will cause the child of God to have a life of turmoil and tragedy! The wages of sin have never changed: death! A clear conscience makes for a soft pillow. We will never be happy while walking at a guilty distance from the Lord.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; (2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
b. Paths of Righteousness are for His name’s sake.
Our lives, as Christians, are to glorify the Lord in this present, evil world and to make a good difference. We are the only Bible that the world will read, and our “epistles” will either lead them to Christ or drive them away. Our life is to reflect the Lord’s leadership, provision, protection, and our satisfaction.
I often say at funerals, “We are not glad that they died. We are glad that they lived.”
Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Conclusion: I will sum this all up in one statement: Happiness is the Lord!
No comments:
Post a Comment