One more thing, if you would like a blessing, check out Come Walk on the Water at http://www.lulu.com/content/524759
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| What's your motivation? Do you really want to have a happy life? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are actually people who, because of guilt, anger, or some other reason, do not want to be happy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are people who, when everything in their life goes right, it worries them to death. Others would be bound and determined to find something wrong with paradise. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A happy life is one with contentment, satisfaction, purpose, fulfillment, enjoyment, love, and joy. A happy life is one without burning anger, guilt, worry, greed, bitterness, hate, envy, jealousy, anxiety, depression, fear, or avoidable pain. A happy life can include some melancholy. Some people I love are dead, but I am thankful that I knew them. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basically, having a happy life is simple. That does not mean that it is easy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be happy, live right, and fulfill your purpose, you must do the following. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be happy, you must: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. Pursue it, or work towards a goal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. Be thankful | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. Minimize pain. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. Bless others | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5. Connect with the source | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To live right, you must: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. Connect with the source | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. Take up your cross | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. Follow Jesus (He is not a spoilsport) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To fulfill your purpose, you must: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. Follow Jesus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. Glorify God | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. Find your place | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. Get in God's rhythm. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| These are the elements that you need in your life, if you really want to be happy, and have joy unspeakable and full of glory, forever. Notice that there are only ten things to do, because some of them are listed twice. They are listed twice, because all these things overlap. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Here, I shall not tackle all of these, but I will explain three of them. The pursuit of happiness is just that: a pursuit. I (and others) have found that it is in the working towards a goal that I am most happy. Often, when I get what I was working for, it is a letdown. One time in my life I actually said, "My only problem is that I don't have any problems." Therefore, when you are always moving forward, working towards a goal, you are far happier than when you think you have arrived. When you think you have arrived, all that you have to sustain you is that broken, taped together crutch called "pride." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Being thankful is just that. Thank God for everything. Thank Him for waking up in the morning. Thank Him for whatever comes to mind to thank Him for, even unpleasant things. Thank Him that He loves you and cares about you. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Here is a short list of things that I am thankful for: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. God's love | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. God's creation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. God's Holy Name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. God's provision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5. Children, grandchildren, and my spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6. God's teaching, however rough it may be | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7. Talents God has loaned and given to us | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8. The joy of the Lord | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9. The fear of the Lord | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10. Being led by the Holy Spirit into doing God's will -- those times it actually happens. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11. Friends | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12. God's strength | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When you connect with the source of joy and happiness, a whole lot of other things become clear, some, right now, others, over time. The source is God. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You connect with Him by taking Jesus as your Lord (ruler) and Savior. You tighten the connection when you receive the Holy Spirit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right now, you can take Jesus as your Lord and Savior. All you have to do is read the words that follow in quote marks aloud (under your breath will do) and mean them. Fair warning: it is a lifetime commitment; it is not easy to take up your cross and follow Him. If you stumble, do not let it worry you. Just turn away from your problem, confess it to God, and don't let go of your commitment to follow Him. Say, "Dear God, I want to take Your Son Jesus, as my personal Lord and Savior. I know I've done wrong, but I submit to You, Lord Jesus, and believe that the Father raised You from the dead after you went to the cross and died for me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Once you've prayed the above prayer, you need to get a Bible and start reading it, at least a little every day (I like to read at least two pages). I recommend starting with the New Testament. Second, you need to find a good church that preaches Jesus Christ and Him crucified (maybe not every Sunday, but often) and start attending it on a regular basis. If you are not able to physically go, there are some fine ones on television, and some churches have a tape ministry for shut-ins. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To tighten the connection, you need to receive the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind the Holy Spirit is not an "it," He is a He. To receive Him, if you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, talk to Him and make Him welcome in your life. You can say something like this, "Dear Holy Spirit, I welcome You into my life. Fill me and Give me Your power to do good." Since Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, you need to ask Him for that. You can say, "Dear Jesus, please pour out the Holy Spirit upon me, please fill me with Him." More than that is up to God, but these things will connect you with the source and tighten the connection. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Because there are a lot more answers than I can put into a simple web site, you can e-mail your questions to me, Daniel, at [email protected]. One more thing, if you would like a blessing, check out Come Walk on the Water at http://www.lulu.com/content/524759 |
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