We Can Be Happier Pt 2 (James 5:1-11)
Gary McManus, 04/03/2022Part of the Life With Jesus is Better series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
April 3, 2022 James 5:1-11
“We Can Be Happier Pt 2”
The Declaration of Independence mentions “the pursuit of happiness.”
The pursuit, not the guarantee.
That wisdom can be painful, as James’ letter mentioned.
Achievements do not guarantee happiness.
See Proverbs 28:20 (and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, the life of Bernie Madoff).
Pastor McManus has preached on the topic of happiness and mentioned it in other sermons.
What about the bluebird of happiness?
The idea is in American popular culture. The ancient Israelis knew of a bluebird but is not mentioned in the Bible—and certainly not any “bluebird of happiness.”
The Bible reads “happy” OR “blessed”. And not consistently. See today’s James 5:11 in the King James Version.
In today’s God’s Word, James is connecting patience and blessing, even happiness, with suffering (James 5:10)
What DOES the Bible mean by happy/happiness?
The sweetness of life?
Better Bible words are “glad”, “joy”, even “peace”/”content”.
The literal definition of the Greek word in the New Testament (blessed-ness/happiness) is “free from daily cares and worries.” .
VERY few people are free from daily cares and worries. Only the Greek and Roman Gods are so free.
Remember last week’s message? Say “yes”.
Jesus said the birds and flowers are free from cares and worries BECAUSE of the care lavished on them by the Heavenly Father. Likewise, we should not focus on what we don’t have. Learn to FIND our Heavenly Father’s efforts already at work in our lives. (1 Peter 5:7)
Love can make you happy? Crazy?
God’s love can make you happy.
Peace is a component of happiness.
There is research on happiness.
Gratitude is a key component to the doorway to happiness. Gratitude—thanksgiving to God!
God is generous even to the Heathens. (Isaiah 22:13,
Psalm 104:15, Psalm 4:7) There is a joy of the flesh that all can know. But happiness in the New Testament is usually understood in spiritual terms.
In the beatitudes, the words should be understood as God extending His benefits. The Messiah brings those benefits as Jesus commented on Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:18-19).
Blessedness/happy/ happiness is from God.
The Apostle Paul: blessedness will EVEN be extended to the Gentiles/the Heathens. How? When they see that God HAS ALREADY provided for them in the Messiah, Jesus. What do we have to do? Consider it. Think on these blessings, be open to them, notice them, receive them.
Saint Augustine’s The Confessions: saw that God was at work in his life all along. Make a happy memories list if you need to.
What about happy places? Like Disneyland?
The promised land would be a happy/blessed place.
. . .a land “flowing with milk and honey”
God would extend benefits there.
We can be HAPPIER wherever we are,
enjoying God’s extended blessings, if we will receive what the Lord is giving, and consider those blessings, beginning with God’s own anointed, the Messiah, Jesus. Amen.
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