Are You Happy?

I know a man who, when asked the question, “How are you today?” simply states, “I am happy.”  The first time I heard him say it, I thought it was one of the coolest things a person could say.  To be able to offer a sincere declaration that you are happy is to communicate a great deal about your life in a three word sentence.

Unless…you really miss the meaning of happiness in life.

Merriam -Webster’s Online Dictionary gives broad definition to the word “happy”.

Happy- adj, 1: favored by luck or fortune 2: notably fitting, effective, or well adapted : felicitous 3a : enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment (is the happiest person I know, or, a happy childhood) b : expressing, reflecting, or suggestive of happiness (a happy ending) c : glad, pleased d : having or marked by an atmosphere of good fellowship : friendly  4a : characterized by a dazed irresponsible state (a punch-happy boxer) b : impulsively or obsessively quick to use or do something (trigger-happy) c : enthusiastic about something to the point of obsession : obsessed

The word happy is broad in scope – so broad that it’s true meaning is easily lost, or at best greatly reduced, because the term “happy” can define a very small situation and be accurate in its communication.  The problem is that when you use the term “happy” to define situations, you can convince yourself that happiness becomes situational.  The next logical step is to begin to live your life creating situation after situation in the hope that they will all add up to happiness.

Most people do not experience true happiness. Instead, they experience situational happiness.  Situational happiness is not “being happy”. You can experience happy moments with someone who has no real regard for you or even shows great disdain for you.  That moment does not create a happy life. Yet, I have seen many try to create and recreate those moments, reaching for true happiness.  In retrospect, they realize they have had great moments but cannot say, “I am happy.”

The word “happy” is used throughout scripture, translated from both Greek and Hebrew texts.  The Greek word for happy is μακαρίζω (mä-kä-rē'-zō ) which means “to pronounce blessed”.  The Hebrew word for happy is the word אֶשֶׁר eh'·sher, which means again, “to be blessed”. However, this word comers from the root word אָשַׁר ä·shar', which meaning is much more specific. Ashar means to “go straight, walk, advance, or to make progress.  It indicates that happiness from a biblical perspective is not situational, but about advancement or progress in life.  In scriptural context, this happiness is about progress in relationships with God and man. 

Happy times are great.  You should have them.  You should foster them.  But they are not what makes you happy.  Real happiness is found in the strengthening and progress of the relationships you share with God and with one another.

I spent a lot of my life trying to please people.  I wanted to make them happy and I wanted to be happy.  I thought that if I could just make them happy, my life would be a happy life.  The problem was that the only way to make them happy was to meet their expectations.  The greater problem was that once those expectations were met, they tended to lead to another set of expectations. There is not really a win because such expectations are usually not about our success, but about the desires of others.  You can spend a lot of time trying to feed that monster and end up frustrated or even broken.  I eventually found the place in my life where I became determined not to “chase happiness” in this manner.  It does not work.  Not only does it prevent you from moving forward, it usually sets you back.

Are you happy? Perhaps the way to answer that is to look at the forward momentum in your life.  It should not be measured simply by accomplishment, though accomplishment plays a role. It’s greater measure is found in relationship.  For it is through relationship that your purpose in God’s kingdom is fulfilled. Luke 17:21 explains that

 “…the Kingdom of God is within us.”   

If the kingdom resides in the hearts of people then you cannot fulfill kingdom purpose

without building right relationships.

Happiness on God’s terms is the blessing discovered in walking your walk, making progress and advancing your life’s purpose in the Kingdom. Look at your relationships.  Look at your thoughts and communication with others. Look at how these things affect your kingdom purpose.  Then, work to build those relationships with the Kingdom in mind.  It will take you a long way on the road to being happy.

Direct My Path, PLEASE!

Proverbs 3:5-6  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

People are always looking for directions.  “What do I do now?”  “Where am I to go?” “Should I take this job or that job?” “Should I marry him?” …And the biggest – “What is the will of God for my life?” "DIRECT MY PATH...PLEASE!"

Finding direction, like finding purpose presents great challenge.  Some will tell you that life is (or should be) easy.  Yet, after the fall of man, God made it clear that not everything in life WOULD be easy.  (Here is where some will be tempted to turn me off…don’t do it…hear me out for a minute.)

Life was designed to be easy, but when man sinned against God, things changed.  Looking at the life of Jesus, we discover that much of what He encountered was not easy.  Obviously Calvary and the cross, but I am talking about just how He had to deal with the disciples, Pharisees and even just people in general.  AND, without question, Jesus had a pretty strong understanding of the will of God.   This is why I am frustrated when people, in the name of simplicity, trivialize the gospel and say, “If you know God’s will…it is easy.” And, “If it is not easy, you must be out of God’s will.”  They forget that as Jesus prayed declaring, “Not My will, but Father, Your’s be done.” He was sweating drops of blood.  NOT EASY!

We live in a day of “easy”.  Christianity is often microwaveable, or worse, “fast food”.  Just hit the drive in and get what tastes good.  Many have forgotten what it is to taste and see that the Lord is good?  As a result, the direction they take in life usually points to what is easier, what will touch the palette of their mouths with a pleasant taste.  If it is without conflict, it gets attributed to the will of God.  

This is NOT how He directs your path.

Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us to: 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

As a pastor, this is the biggest question I field from people. “Can you tell me what is God’s will for My life?”  They do not easily hear that God’s will for their life is that they grow in their relationship with Him to the point that they can recognize His desire for them on a consistent basis; that they recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit and are able to follow it.

Most people are willing to “trust” in the Lord.  They will even trust a minister to be the voice of God in telling them what they should do.  They are equally willing to “lean not on their own understanding”, though this usually happens after everything they understand has led them to a dead end, or worse, up the proverbial tree.  

Likewise, once people get to this point in the process, they are willing to 

let God "direct their path".  They long for it.  

Their prayer is “help me out of this mess!”

The part that is missing is the part that seems to be the hardest. “In ALL of your ways acknowledge Him…”  People are mostly willing to acknowledge God when it suits them, when they want a specific answer on a specific matter, or becomes painfully obvious that all else has failed.

The word “acknowledge” is the Hebrew word “yada” ( יָדַע St. H3045 ).  It means, to know, learn perceive, discern, to recognize, confess and consider, to be instructed, to reveal and be revealed…and the list goes on.

“Yada” – to acknowledge God – requires considering His heart, His passion and His desires.  It means to consider how God will feel about a matter and what position He will take as defined in His Word.  This is difficult for people, not because of the word “acknowledge” but because of the word “ALL”.  People do not like to acknowledge God in every one of their ways, but only certain ones, because deep down they know that if they take time to consider God’s heart on much of what they do, it would become necessary to change their actions.

They want God to “love them as they are” without realizing that the greatest benefit of the love of God is that it is His desire to bring you to “greater than you are.”  

Everybody loves “greater” but not the price that comes with it.

If you want God’s best in your life, you have to be willing to let Him lead.  You have to know that His leadership will not only point you in direction, but will also point you AWAY from a certain direction.  Mostly, you have to know that His leading is through consultation.  Holy Spirit is the helper…the advisor or the consult.   If you consult with him only in the matter you desire, you will likely not be in the position to act on His leading anyway because you will be out of position. You must consult the advisor for every decision.  In ALL of your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.

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The Power of Words

 Language is important.  The Word of God tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue.  The amazing life God has given you often manifests and is reproduced through the things you communicate.  Your belief system is affected by it.  Your relationships are determined by it.  Everything you experience in life is in some way touched by the power of language.  For this reason, it is important for you to pay attention to how and what you communicate—both to yourself and to others.  The language youuse mayhave been established when you were young.  However, language is not simply a "one-time deal", wherein you learn it and then you have it.  Language experiences constant change and is developed and redeveloped over time.  this is true in a culture or society and this is true in your individual life.  Language carries you.  It takes you into specific directions - for better or for worse.  There are several key things that understood and utilized correctly, can help you to develop the language in your life that will move you into a specific direction. 

Focus

What you focus on determines your direction in life.  What you focus on determines what you declare.  What you declare determines what you believe; and ultimately how you live.   

You must choose the focus of your life. 

 To do that God’s way, you must understand His passion and His will.  You need to spend time with the Holy Spirit. Worship, prayer and time spent in His Word creates the opportunity for you to hear communication from Him.  If you make the Holy Spirit your passion, you focus on Him.  In turn, He shows you where you are to focus in your natural life.  This changes the way you communicate in your life because you begin to see things from God’s perspective rather than man’s.  That’s wisdom.

Silence

Once your focus is established, it is much easier to know what you should say.  Often, wisdom teaches us what is better not to say.  My Grandma B used to remind me, 

"It is better to be quiet and thought the fool rather than to 

open your mouth and prove it."   There is much truth to these words.  

 The Bible states that the fool has said in His heart there is no God.  People often put themselves in the position of a fool by the simple declaration of their mouth.  When things are going well, they declare the power of God.  When things are at their worst, they cry out to God for a miracle.  In the middle (the luke-warm place) is where they run into problems.  They look at the deterioration of their current situation and they speak against it.  They focus on a problem and verbalize all that is wrong with it.  In so doing, they talk like a fool.  They speak about the situation as though there is no God who is capable of handling it.  By example: “So and so really angers me.  There is just no way to deal with her.  Every time she opens her mouth it hurts me.” Or, “Every time I turn around, something else on this piece of junk I am driving is breaking down and costing me money.”  You have just given power to those situations by the declaration of your mouth.  By focusing properly, you could have breathed life into the situations.  You could say, “God, help me understand the reason for her pain.  Teach me how to be a part of her solution.” And, “God, thank you for the car you gave to me.  Thank you for the provision to keep it running or for its replacement.”  Every situation has a kingdom response and every response starts in the heart and projects through the mouth.  If you are unable to control what you declare, the best place to develop that control is learning how to be silent.

Power in Words

There is power in words.  God manifests Himself through His Word.  John 1 states: 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God – the Word was God.” 

 Also, 

“…and the Word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us."   

In Genesis God said, “Let there be…” and there was.  He spoke all of creation into being with words – the power of life and death.  It is the same power He placed within you.  You have the power to breathe life into every situation you encounter - if you speak as God instructs you to speak.  You also have the ability to speak death into any situation.  The Word of God is a two-edged sword.  You can use it to defeat the power of the enemy, Satan, just as Jesus did in the wilderness.  You can use it to bring life into the heart of a distraught person.  Jesus told Mary, “Your faith has saved you.  Your sins are forgiven.”  He declared, “This woman who has given but two mites has given greatly, for it is all she had.”  Not only did he breathe life into the minds of those around, He breathed life into her own perspective.

Words carry such power that anyone who has the ability to speak should be mindful of that power.  If you can breathe life and death in a good way, you can also do it in a bad way.  You can give life to anger and bitterness by what you say.  You can kill a dream with the words you speak – or even receive from others.

Words in Your Amazing Life

God gave to you an amazing life, and with it, the power to reproduce life.  Your ability to communicate with others is also your ability to speak into the earthly realm what has been established in the heavenly realm.  Return for a moment to the topic of focus.  Communication with the Holy Spirit allows you to develop a proper focus on life.  It does this by offering you a kingdom perspective.  Once you are able to see and understand what God has established for His kingdom, you begin to realize that the reason He gave you the power of words is to put your knowledge of the kingdom into play on the earth.  Embedded in your amazing life is the power and authority to release the fullness of the kingdom into the world around you.  Knowing this creates the responsibility for acting on it.  Acting on it creates the product of fruit in your life.  Bearing fruit produces the fulfillment of your amazing life!

What's In YOUR Hand?

 A national credit card issuer has a television commercial with a memorable catch phrase.  "What's in your wallet?" has a sing-songy appeal that manages to stay with you long after its thirty seconds of airspace has evaporated.  That is the great thing about catch phrases or jingles. For years, America has learned "There's always room for JELLO", "Don't leave home without it", and "It's everywhere you want to be".  Burger King said in the seventies, "Have it your way!" and America can remember it thirty years later.

Catch phrases, slogans and jingles are a vital part of commercial life because they serve to burn permanent communication onto our memories.  They in essence, write their words upon our hearts.  Isn't it amazing that once again, the natural world looks to spiritual principles to accomplish life altering purposes in the heart of man.

Actually, my reason for bringing this up reaches farther than the obvious - that we should be as quick to let the word of God become the life-changing catch phrases of our hearts.  There is also an element of God that comes forth as Rhema word to mankind.  Occasionally, the Holy Spirit will teach you a biblical principle, and then give you a creative thought to help you activate that principle in your life.  He will give you a catch phrase to keep you in remembrance of that principle. 

For example, there was a certain season when I have found myself praying for God to bring financial increase, to our church but also to my household.  Both arenas have a specific kingdom vision and purpose.  The major slowdown to that purpose is a simple matter of finances.  I am at that place where money answers all things.  I actually began to complain to God about the fact that He placed this huge vision in my heart.  He has given me all sorts of direction on what I am to accomplish and also what this church is to accomplish.  He just hasn't seen fit to finance the project at his point.  I even allowed myself a moment of comforting solace in the catch phrase,  

"Where God guides, God provides".  

  

After all, when God told Noah to build the Ark, He provided for the animals to gather together at the launching point.  That makes it easy.  I can rest in the comfort of knowing that when God is ready for me to do something, He'll make the way! AAAHHHH!!!

The question is, "Did God make the way, already?"  Throughout two decades of full time ministry, my wife and I have experience the hand of God at work in our financial provision.  He has brought forth many miracles in our life.  We have learned to trust Him with to provide for that which He asked us to do.  This fact frustrated me when all of the sudden I began to notice a decline in our usual financial position.  Such a decline has often proven to be the result of a missed or an ignored instruction from God.  I always look at such declines as a test at first.  They often prove to be just that.  However, when they continue, I begin to backtrack and determine whether or not I “missed the mark”.  I began to pray and ask God, "Where is the provision?"  His answer surprised me.  The Holy Spirit asked me a simple question.  "What's in your hand?"  In my head-strong state, I came back with a quick reply.  "Nothing!  You're God! Couldn't you have noticed that fact?  It is actually the reason I am having this conversation with you!" 

I am so glad that God is love.  He gently chastened me and informed me that although it is the reason I think I was having that conversation, He had created a much stronger reason.  He was looking at what was in my hand when I would not see what was in my hand.  He took me back to the place where the financial changes took place.  Looking back at that moment, He had led me into a specific opportunity - a business opportunity that I acted upon.  Shortly after I acted upon it, I encountered a distraction in another area of business.  In my frustration, I laid this opportunity down.  In the simple phrase, "What's in your hand?", God let me know that He had already answered a prayer for me but I ignored the answer and did not lay my hand upon the provision of that answer.  It opened the door for bitterness to enter my life.

How could that happen?  One of the most frustrating things that can happen to a kingdom citizen is to see and have purpose but have no way to approach that purpose and fulfill it.  God continued to open every door that He wanted me to walk through, but the provision to walk through those doors was hidden.  It was most frustrating to me.  I even felt like I was somehow failing God because I was not fully activating the ministry He had written in my heart.  Imagine how sheepish I felt when I realized that the hidden provision was actually hiding in my own desk drawer!

 God is also an encourager.  He sent someone to shine a light on that hidden place.  In my absence, He even allowed that opportunity a little growing room - just enough fruit to open my eyes to the provision He had provided for that simply needed tending and cultivating.  

 In this day and age of Christian life, there are many who are waiting for God to bring the supernatural provision He has promised.  They have sown seeds believing for harvest.  They look to God to "bring the Boaz" into their life and provide for them.  They forget that Boaz was attracted to Ruth because she was willing to take every step that was necessary to release that provision into her life.  He first observed her gleaning in the field.  He watched her fulfill every instruction given to her by her (get this) mother-in-law.

God's provision was released when Noah went looking for gopher wood.  It was released when Ruth went to work in the field.  Even when God provides a garden, He expects man to work it.  Man has come to believe that God just pours it out.  He does…on those who He knows will work with what He gives to them.

To end the story, I pulled this opportunity out and dusted it off.  I repented to God and to my family and even to the one who initially presented me with this opportunity.  I asked God to bless it.  Within a week, the opportunity produced a harvest.  Amazingly, in addition to that harvest, I found other favor.  Two families whose lives we have touched, one of which is a half a continent away, contacted us and released financial seed and blessing into our lives.  The blessing was again released and Cindy and I can move forward with the plan of God!

When the provision stops, you can often track it to your last place of disobedience.  Correcting that releases the blessing back into your life. Financially, you can look at what you were supposed to do.  Work a particular job - let go of a former dream that does not fit the vision - sow a seed that you did not sow - For God to put something in your \hand often requires you to release what is in your hand, whether its money or labor…or pride.  If you are at the point of continually asking God for provision and you are not yet seeing it, ask yourself the question, "What's in your hand?"

Realizing Your Value

 

When one hears the word "realize" one usually associates it with discovery.  For instance, "She finally realized how blessed she is."  Another use of the word "realize" speaks of accomplishment.  By example, "He finally realized his dream by starting a business."  The true realization of anything requires both discovery and accomplishment.  The Bible teaches in Matthew 12 and again in Luke 6 the principle that man is known by his fruit.  That which is accomplished brings greater revelation to the value.

Years ago one of my relatives had an apple tree in her yard.  Every year this tree would be absolutely full of apples.  You would think that this tree held great value to the family because of the apples it produced.  However, if you ever bit into one of those apples you would quickly change your mind.  They were the toughest, most bitter apples one could ever imagine.  We used them as baseballs.  Even its value for shade or aesthetic beauty lost out over the fruit that it produced. In fact, the tree is no longer in the yard.  For, while the amount of fruit is important, the quality of fruit is more important.  The value of that tree was ultimately measured by the quality of its fruit.

People enter God's kingdom without really understanding the value God has placed in their life.   

They begin to recognize that value through the teaching of God's word.  This sometimes proves to have a positive and a negative effect on people for this reason:  People discover that they have value in God's kingdom.  Once they realize that, they understand that that value must be put into practice.  They become excited and full of hope that their value is about to be put to use.  Those hopes are quickly dashed because the release of their value into the world around them does not materialize.  At this point, many develop one of two beliefs - either that they actually had no value after all, or, no one cares enough about them to recognize the value that is obviously there.  The usual next step is to become complacent in their Christian walk.

   The truth of the matter is, their 

value has not been realized.

  

It is there and in place, but it has not been brought forth in action.  Those who are around you will only discover your true value by the fruit you produce.  But the key to that discovery lies is in what you are willing to produce.  How you choose to relate to people realizes your value.  How you share your life with others realizes your value.  How you perform on your job realizes your value to the company for which you work.  How you raise and instruct your children realizes the value you hold as a parent.   

How you relate and function among your brothers and sisters in Christ realizes your value in God's kingdom.

Many declare that they are simply waiting for an opportunity to have their value recognized so that they can have room to function.  In reality, the value of an individual is usually recognized because of how they have chosen to function.  I have a friend who is a street musician.  He and his friend can be found almost every evening on a particular spot along Savannah's River Street.  He constantly has a barrage of gifted but frustrated musicians who are waiting to be discovered.  My friend is not simply waiting to be discovered.  He determined that he would use his gift in a place where people would be.  He did not wait for an invitation to perform.  He picked up his instrument, asked the city for a permit and started playing.  The longer he plays, the more people come to appreciate his gift.  Now on any summer evening, you will likely find 10 to 50 people sitting in the square, listening to his music.  His value has been realized to the community.  When he is not there, he is missed.  Even further, as a trained musician, I became intrigued at his chord structure, which is one of his own invention.  As he released his gift into the atmosphere, I realized (i.e. discovered) a value that is missed by most.  I actually paid this street musician to teach me his chord structure so that I could enhance the music God placed within me. His willingness to pursue an action has brought to realization his value.  One thing, though.  He is out there playing when it is hot, when it is cold, when there is a crowd or when the square is empty of passersby.  He plays when he is sick, tired, or sick and tired.  When I asked him why, his reply was profound.  "If I am not here playing, I will lose my spot."

If you are not willing to exercise

the value God placed within you

 in time, you will lose your way. 

 

Your place in life will become unsure and rather than living to thrive, you will begin living just to exist.  I challenge you this week to consider your value.  Consider to whom you extend yourself.  What relationships are you willing to build and nurture?  Where are you demonstrating your value in the body of Christ?  Where are you relating in order to recognize the value of others around you?  

What are you doing to realize your value?