Alright, well it's a great honor and privilege to be here
Thank you so much pastor Shelley for inviting me and for the great hospitality shown my family and really for all of you guys yesterday
Hanging out was a great blessing. I realized a lot of you may not know me
Just want to introduce myself real quick. My name is Dylan Oz
I go to Sure Foundation Baptist Church and also pastor Aaron Thompson is my father-in-law
So you may ask how do you marry one of pastor Thompson's daughters?
Well, it's really easy. You just got to beat him in a wrestling match and that was really easy to accomplish
No, I'm just kidding. He's probably gonna choke me out when I get home
He chucks me out all the time. But thank you also pass Thompson
If you watch this for your blessing for sending me here as well, but we're in Ecclesiastes chapter 2
Let's start reading in verse number 10 Ecclesiastes 2 verse 10 Bible reads and whatsoever mine eyes desired
I kept not from them
I withheld not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoiced in all my labor and this was my portion of all my labor
Then I looked all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labor that I had labored to do
Behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no prophet under the Sun
And I turned myself to behold wisdom and madness and folly for what can the man do that cometh after the king even that
Which have been already done then I saw that wisdom excel of folly as far as light excel of darkness
The wise man's eyes are in his head
But the fool walketh in darkness and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all then said I in my heart as it
Happeneth to the fool so it happened it even to me
And why was I then more wise then said I in my heart that this also is vanity for there's no
Remembrance of the wise more than of the fool forever seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten
And how died the wise man as the fool therefore I hated life
Because the work that is wrought under the Sun is grievous unto me for all his vanity and vexation of spirit the title my sermon
Is the pursuit of happiness the pursuit of happiness let's have a word of prayer Lord
Thanks so much for this day, and thank you so much for your word. We could trust it Lord
I pray that you'd fill me with the Holy Spirit help me to
Edify this congregation and pray that this message very important message would be conveyed. Well Lord Jesus name. I pray amen
The pursuit of happiness everybody probably in this room recognizes that phrase from the Declaration of Independence
It's something that our country is obsessed with happiness so much so that our country was founded with this phrase
I'll read it for you
We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unnamed
Alienable rights that among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness
So there's no doubt that we live in a world today highly
Motivated by finding happiness and our country itself was founded highly motivated on that pursuit of happiness
But when we look around at our country today when we look around even here in Texas or just as our nation as a whole
Do we see everybody very very happy?
No, we live in a world that's full of sorrow and sadness and the World Health Organization reports that nearly
800,000 people die worldwide each year from suicide one person every 40 seconds globally
It is the second leading cause of death for those between the ages of 15 and 24 years old
the CDC also says suicide is the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States and
The second leading cause of death between ages 10 to 34. That's a really sad statistic right there, right?
But everybody in this world is pursuing happiness, but we see a lot of people today that aren't happy
We see a lot of people today
God forbid taking their own life and it's a horrible thing and I'm sure if I were to ask for a raise of hands of people
Who know someone that's committed suicide? I'm sure almost every person in this room would be raising their hand
I know that I went to school
I went to the public school system and I knew many children there in high school that they didn't die of car accidents
They didn't die of drug overdoses. I knew many people that died from suicide
It's a sad thing, but that's because people today are pursuing happiness in the wrong way
You got to think why does Donald Trump appeal to so many people in this country?
Well, because he wants to make America great again, right? What does he mean by that?
Well, what they hear when they hear make America great again is money
That's what they hear and because that is the pursuit of happiness that the world is looking to so what I want to talk about
biblical happiness this morning number one
Why does the world fail at finding happiness go to Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12?
You know the world does fail at finding happiness say you saw by those statistics today
But no one's gonna argue about the fact that everybody is seeking for happiness
Everybody is seeking to find joy in their life and joy is a highly motivating factor for anyone so much
So it was actually a highly motivating factor for the Lord Jesus Christ himself Hebrews chapter 12 look at verse 2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross
Despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. So even for God himself in the flesh
What was it that helped him endure the cross? It was the joy that he was looking forward to it was a highly motivating factor
Even for the Lord Jesus Christ himself. So how much more is that gonna be a need in our life as sinful men, right?
It's something we all strive for but the problem is the world today seeks happiness in the wrong places
That is why they're not happy today
A lot of people don't know that that phrase the pursuit of happiness and the Declaration of Independence
It didn't used to say the pursuit of happiness. I'll read this for you. So the founding fathers they were highly
They looked up to this guy named John Locke
He wrote two treaties of government and in those documents that he wrote he actually had it worded a little bit differently
He said that the unnamed unalienable rights were life liberty and estate with a state being what we would call today
Property, okay. So really the original document said hey your rights is life liberty and the pursuit of money is what it
Really said at first and Thomas Jefferson. He changed that to the pursuit of happiness
There's a lot of debate of why he did that some people think it's because he was a little uncomfortable with slavery
Which I doubt since he had slaves
Because he didn't want to say that property is a right from God or whatever. He was a reprobate anyways
He wrote his own Bible version took away from God's word
So I have a hard time believing that he felt bad about slavery
But other people say it's because Thomas Jefferson saw money saw property as happiness and guess what that wouldn't surprise me
Because that's what most of this world sees they see that dollar as happiness
They chase that dollar their entire life in their pursuit of happiness
And that's what our country was based on and that's what we see as reality when we just look around today
The reason think about King Solomon. He gave his eyes everything he wanted. He was the richest man on earth
He held nothing back from his eyes, but did he achieve happiness?
Absolutely, not I'll read for you Ecclesiastes 2 10 again. It says and whatsoever mine eyes desired
I kept not from them
I withheld not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoiced in all my labor and this was the portion of my labor
He's saying I'm not holding any joy back from me. What is he defining as joy? The riches anything his eyes desire
That's what he's defining as joy and then you get to verse 17
He says therefore I hated life because the work that is wrought under the Sun is grievous unto me for all his vanity and
Vexation of spirit and that's what's gonna happen to you as well
If you're a saved Christian and you try to find happiness in the places in the in the things that the world tries to find
Happiness in you will also hate life. So number one the world's happiness is an endless journey
Turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 5 world's happiness is an endless journey
I'll read for you Proverbs 27 20 hell and destruction are never full. So the eyes of man are never
Satisfied the Bible says the eyes of man are never satisfied
You don't just gratify your eyes allowing yourself to see whatever you want and then just gonna be satisfied by that
You're gonna want to do it again and again and again and you may think it brings happiness to you
But it doesn't you just left empty
Seeking for it again Ecclesiastes chapter 5 look at verse 10
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase
This also is vanity. So if you love silver and you love increase, you're not gonna be satisfied by those things
But what are the two things that the world loves money?
Increase that's all that they love. That's all that they seek for but the Bible says you'll never ever be satisfied
Satisfied by that. Do you think that the rich people in this world are satisfied with their lives?
Do you think that they're content with the wife that they have or the house that they have or the car that they have?
Or the phone that they have absolutely not they're not content with it
And that's why they live miserable sad lives
And you know, it doesn't matter if you're saved or not if you're saved and you choose to follow the same thing that the world
Follows you also will have a miserable sad life and you'll be like King Solomon saying I hate life
Why are so many people committing suicide today because they find their happiness in an endless journey of money
Go to us first Timothy first Timothy chapter 6 verse and second Thessalonians first Timothy
First Timothy chapter 6 verse 5 Bob reads perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth
Supposing that gain is godliness from such withdraw thyself
But godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing
Out and having food and raiment let us be there with content
So there's people in this world today that suppose
That gain is godliness and when you look up to who just like the mass the masses look up to as heroes
It's people who have a lot of money. They think that those people are special. They may not fully think that they're godly
Maybe they don't even believe in God, but they think that they're special
They think that they're set apart because they've reached this place in life where they have a lot of money, right?
The Bible says from those people we're supposed to withdraw ourselves because if we start giving our mind over to that train of thought
God knows you're gonna be led on an endless journey that leads to you hating your life
It says we can bring nothing into this world. Certainly can carry nothing out
So God's trying to tell you, you know, don't focus on the things that aren't gonna last
Focus on the things that last forever and he says if you have food and raiment, let us be there with content
So real happiness is actually just being content with what you have, right?
How can you be happy with anything if you're not content, you know, you get that brand new phone, you know
I'm content with my phone. I'm like, this is great. It does everything I need it does it performs all the functions
I need it to perform when the s50 comes out
I'm not gonna be sad that I have a different phone
You know what I'm saying because I'm content but the world is not like that
They have that new phone and then they just hate it when the next one comes out
And so they reach their happiness open then the bunny's a little farther down the trail
That's why it's a never-ending never-ending cycle because it just keeps going forever
First Timothy 6 9 the Bible says but they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into
many foolish and hurtful lusts which drowned men in
Destruction and perdition so you got to think about the strong language that the Bible is using here
It's saying it's literally just drowning you in destruction and perdition
Maybe if you've ever you know if you used to watch the movies or something you watch the movie Titanic
Remember, there's a scene where people are just drowning and it's a horrible thing to see I couldn't imagine a worse
Almost anything worse than dying of drowning, you know, you'd just be panicked. You're just flailing under the water
You have no ability to breathe. You're just completely consumed by one thing
I need water or I need oxygen, right? You're underneath the water drowning
The Bible says that's what's gonna happen to your life when you desire to be rich
You're drowning in destruction and perdition the world doesn't want to tell you that that that's the case
They want to show you the commercials of everybody living it up at a nice rich house
Playing volleyball with the beautiful girls or whatever
That's what they want you to think that the rich life is like the Bible says when you desire that life
You're just drowning in destruction and perdition
It also says that if you will be rich, it's a temptation and a snare. It's a trap, right?
Who's ever seen a trapped animal before right? Are they having fun? Are they glad that they're there?
No, they're probably screaming making all sorts of horrific noises. They're probably bleeding. Maybe they have broken bones from it
It's not fun
but guess what you put that little enticing heel in that trap to trap that animal and they come right to it thinking it's gonna be
Good and it's not it's miserable. That's what being rich is the Bible says when you want to be rich
It's a trap and you'll be drowning in destruction. It's not a fun thing
look at verse 10 for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the
Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows
So that's really the bottom line is the love of money is what's gonna lead to all the sorrows in your life
The love of money is what's gonna lead to all the evil coming in your life
And again listen to the language of the Bible here. It says pierce themselves through with many sorrows
It makes me think of like a bow and arrow or something or maybe like a fish caught in a hook. You're pierced
You're trapped. You're in pain. It's not good
But the but the devil also always paints a picture that it's nice that it's lovely that it's a good life
The Bible paints a very different picture of wanting to be rich look at verse 11
But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness
The Bible commands us to flee these things yet the most miserable Christians you'll ever meet are the ones that disobey this verse
Are the ones that are trying to half serve God half become rich, you know
That is the most miserable place you could be as a Christian
So I want to give you some quotes from some celebrities about their fame
Because some you think these celebrities are happy and they're absolutely not who knows who Billy Eilish is good
Okay, pastor Shelley. I think I remember you preaching against her. Yeah, she's a complete demon possessed whore
She's a wicked person. She's like 19 years old and at 19 years old
She had the number one song in the world charts like you don't get that kind of fame at 19 years old without the devil helping you
Okay, she's singing all sorts of songs where her eyes are rolling back in her head. She's doing all these like demonic whisperings
She is just completely satanic. But here's the thing. She has given herself a hundred percent to the love of money
That's her main goal in life. She doesn't care about family. She doesn't care about the things of God
She cares about one thing making as much money as possible being as rich as she possibly can
Here's what she said. She said I don't mean this in a necessarily negative way
But I lost my teenage years boohoo because this all started when I was 13. There's no training
There's no like let me go to a school that's gonna teach me how to be famous
Also, that would suck that would be a trash school to go to because famous people suck. She added fame is trash
So this is coming from a person who's a reprobate who's completely given over to rep a mind who just serves
Staten and even she says fame is trash, you know
That's coming from not a godly person you would think that she of all people would be like all famous great
It's everything that I saw it for but it's not even someone as highly esteemed as Billie Eilish. She says fame is
Trapped is trash George Clooney. Everyone definitely knows who that is
He said the big hill the big house on a hill is isolating Clooney told there's no way
There's no other way to see it. There are restrictions to this kind of fame
I haven't walked into Central Park for 15 years. I'd like to you know
So the devil tempted George Clooney with all this money and all this fame
But guess what?
He's at the point in his life where he can't even go anywhere in public without being flogged
The Bible says that they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare
Well, George Clooney snare is now he's snared in his big house on a hill
He can't go anywhere right and you as a Christian obviously that's not gonna be your same snare
I'm not saying that if you give yourself over to money, you're gonna be as successful as George Clooney. Okay, you're probably not but you know
What I guarantee you there's a snare waiting for you
There's a snare waiting to trap you and it's gonna bring something negative to your life for George Clooney
He said he can't go to Central Park who knows what it would be for you
But I guarantee you there's a snare waiting for you when you want to give yourself over to money. Here's Idris Elba
He's a British actor. He said sometimes you're not sure what's real or not, especially when it comes to relationships
He lamented you're adored by millions. Sometimes even on your front doorstep
You can become paranoid and constantly question. Who is he? Who is she? I know I've been guilty of it in the past
So this guy he probably thought that being rich was great
But now he says that relationships are a problem because everybody loves him because of his fame
He can't find a real woman that just loves him because of who he is. He has all these problems now. He's paranoid
He's being stalked because he gave himself over to that love of money
And like I said, it's not gonna be the same thing for you. If you give yourself over to love of money
It's not like you're gonna probably not be able to find a wife because you're so famous
Okay, I doubt a Christian is gonna be as famous as these people but I'm telling you the trap is still there for you
The snare is still there for you. The sorrow is still coming for you when you want to give yourself over to everything that your eyes desire
Like Solomon did when you hold back no pleasure from your heart
You give your life everything that you want. You'll end up being like Solomon who said I hated life. It's a horrible thing
One why does the world fail at finding they keep seeking the next thing they can never be content
Number two the world measures happiness on only the physical and the temporal go to Luke chapter 4
Luke chapter 4 measure happiness only on the temporal and the physical and this is what Satan even tempted the Lord Jesus Christ with
Look at verse number 1 and Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan
It was led by the Spirit into the wilderness being 40 days tempted of the devil and in those days
He did eat nothing and when they were ended he afterward and hungered and the devil said unto him
Thou be the son of God command that this stone command this stone that it be made bread
So what is the first thing that the devil tempts Jesus Christ with the lust of the flesh?
Here's the Lord Jesus Christ. He's trying to do something spiritual. He's trying to be fasting for the Lord
He's in the desert fasting for 40 days and 40 nights and the devil comes to him and presents him with the lust of the flesh
Food right now food is not a sin
Obviously all of us have that need that we need to fulfill all the time
But when you're trying to be spiritual though when you're trying to fast then you don't want that temptation right there, right?
But it's obviously this is not necessarily the only lust of the flesh that the devil is gonna tempt you with but it's an example
Showing us that hey when you're trying to do something spiritual the devil comes at you and tempts you with the lust of the flesh
Be quiet because man finds happiness in things that are physical and temporal
That's what our flesh wants our flesh wants the things that are physical and temporal not the things that are spiritual
That's why we have to put off that old man and put on the new man
The new man craves to do the spiritual things like Jesus was doing fasting our flesh doesn't want that
So you have to have that knowledge in your mind saying hey this fleshly thing that I'm being tempted with right now this
Carnal temporal thing that my heart is wanting to go after and seek after
That is not gonna bring away at the end of the day the things that bring us happiness are things that are eternal
Look at verse 4 and Jesus answered him saying it is written that man shall not live by bread alone
But by every word of God and the devil taking him up into a high mountain
Showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and the devil said unto him all this power
Will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever
I will give it if therefore if thou therefore will worship me all shall be thine
So what's the next thing the devil tempts him with the lust of the eyes and the pride of life
The devil said all of these things all the kingdoms of the world all these things are delivered unto me
He said I'll give them to you if you worship me and why why would the devil think that he could temp the Lord Jesus Christ?
Well, because the devil knows that man desires things that are temporal and physical
Temporal and physical things like kingdoms things like power
Glory honor these are things that men seek for right they seek for that position in the sea to be the CEO of a company
So they could have the power the glory, right?
And that's what the devil was trying to tempt him with obviously the devil is not going to succeed at tempting the Lord Jesus Christ
But if we're not kept careful and we can absolutely fall into the things of the flesh
But it's gonna help you if you know that hey, this is a temporal thing that I'm being tempted with
This is a physical thing that I'm being tempted with. I need to remember that these things do not bring happiness
I'll read for you 1st John 2 16
For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not
Of the father but is of the world. So why doesn't the world find happiness?
Well, because they're believing a lie straight out of the devil's playbook
Literally, this is exactly what the devil did to Jesus Christ
It's exactly what he did does to mankind every single day
Temps us with the things of the flesh temps us with the things that are temporal
We must realize these things do not bring happiness go to Proverbs chapter 7 Proverbs chapter 7
You got to think what are some of the things that the devil promotes today?
What are some of the things he tells us great things to seek after how about open relationships, right?
Open relationships where it's just okay to just sleep around with everyone and your wife's just okay with it
Your spouse is just okay with it. You're whatever you are is okay with it sexual experimentation
These are things that the devil is tricking people with because it is something that's physical and temporal
You're there in Proverbs chapter 7 look at verse 5
We're gonna read a lot of scripture here that they may keep thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words
For at the window of my house. I looked through my casement and beheld among the simple ones
I discerned among the youths a young man void of
Understanding so the Bible saying that someone's looking through their window right now, and they're looking at an idiot
That's what they're looking at someone who's a fool someone who's a youth that's without understanding
So why is this person an idiot look at verse 8 passing through the street near her corner?
And he went the way of her house in the twilight in the evening in the black and dark night and behold there met him
A woman with the attire of an harlot and subtle of heart she is loud and stubborn her feet abide not in her house
Now she is without now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner
So this guy is dumb according to Bible because he's going around by a woman's house. Who's a whore
He's going around on the street corners by a woman who's dressed as an harlot and the Bible says that this type of woman is lying
In wait at every single corner. Why is that?
Well, because the devil knows that this is a great way to tempt mankind with something physical like fornication
So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him. I have peace offerings with me this day
Have I paid my vows therefore came I forth to meet thee
Diligently to seek thy face and I have found thee so her tactic here is to use flattery on this man saying man
I've just been searching all day long for you now
This guy's an idiot for believing that isn't he because the Bible just said that this woman's on every
Corner and that she's subtle in heart. She's not she doesn't care about you
She doesn't think you're special but she sure will flatter you won't she she'll tell you that she's been waiting for you all day
She has peace offerings. She's paid her vows. She's came forth diligently to meet this one special guy, right? It's a lie
It's a temptation. It's a physical temptation. That's not gonna bring this guy happiness. Look at verse 16
I've decked my bed with coverings of tapestry with carved works with fine linen of Egypt
I've perfumed my bed with myrrh aloes and cinnamon come let us take our fill of love until the morning
Let us solace ourselves with loves but the good man is not at home. He has gone a long journey
He have taken a bag of money with him and he will come home at the day appointed with her much fair speech
She caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips
She forced him he goeth after her straight way as an ox goeth to the slaughter
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare
And knoweth not that it is for his life
so here's the thing this guy probably thought it would bring him happiness to go and play around and commit fornication with this whore but
The Bible compares it as an ox going to the slaughter
You know just put that picture in your mind of what that would look like. That's a messy nasty horrible thing seeing an animal
Just get slaughtered right? That's what the Bible pictures when you want to go chase after that physical temptation of fornication
It's like you're just going to get slaughtered
You're going to get a dart striked through your liver liver punches hurt don't they it's a dart right through your liver
That's the thing the world today is so foolish that they think that fornication is gonna bring them happiness
We were talking about this last night in the men's class that people today literally brag. Oh
Captain of the football team he gets all the girls isn't he cool
He sleeps with this many number of girls and they literally boast and brag in their fornication
And it's like wow you're such an idiot that you're boasting about getting slaughtered
You're such an idiot that you're boasting about getting a dart strike through your liver. What's wrong with you idiot?
You think that's gonna bring you happiness
It's not gonna bring you happiness when you give yourself over to that and you wake up and you have an SCD now
It's not gonna bring you happiness when you give yourself over to fornication and now you have children out of wedlock now
You got to pay the bill for those kids every single day until they turn 18 years old
Because you decided to be a fool you decided to fall into Satan's temptations of the physical and the temporal and it led you to
You hating life. No one no one at the end of their life says wow
I wish I would just had more STDs
I wish I would just had to go to the doctor more and just had to take all these medications more and I wish I would
Have just suffered all the consequences of sin more in my life
No one thinks that but here's the thing the devil deceives people before they get those consequences
That's why you need to read the Bible
That's why you need to not
Seek your happiness in the same places that the world seeks their happiness because we already have the Word of God telling us
What's coming at the end of that door?
You know the world I feel bad for them because they don't have the wisdom of God
They're just walking through the path in life and opening every door they could open and they don't know what's on the other side of that door
You know, they get they get the raw end of deal in life because they don't have the Bible
But we have the Bible we know the path that we should be taking we know the path
That's at the end of the sin that we're going after and because you know that God's gonna punish you way more anyways
Especially when you know the door that you're going down, especially, you know
What's on the other side of that door when you commit fornication?
God's gonna ensure that you pay for it
God's gonna ensure that you're not happy by following the world's advice first Corinthians 6 18 says flee
Fornication that's God's command to us every sin that a man do it is without the body
But he that committed fornication sin it against his own body. God knows it's not gonna make you happy
So just trust him just listen to his word and flee fornication. He provided marriage for you
You can still satisfy your needs as a human being without sinning and without ruining your life
Without getting the STDs without getting the children out of wedlock
God knows how to make us happy think about the story of Amnon when he wanted to to take his sister Tamar
Right the Bible says that he was sick of love for her. He loved her so much
He was sick
But what happened after he committed fornication with her the Bible says that he hated her
Did he have happiness in his life by giving himself over to the desire of his heart by giving himself over like like?
Solomon said just letting anything that I think is joyful just to happen to my life was that bringing happiness to am not no
He hated his sister after he did what he did. What about alcohol go to Proverbs chapter 23?
This is another big deception. What does the world call drinking having a good time?
Happy times happy hour the Bible calls it. Is it happiness go to Proverbs 23 verse 29
The Bible says who have woe who have sorrow. So we're asking the question
Who are the people that have sorrow and woe in their life? We're not about to talk about people that have found happiness
We're not about to talk about people who have good times who have contentions who have babblings who have wounds without cause who?
With redness of eyes they that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek mixed wine
So the Bible says the people that go to seek alcohol. They're the people that have woe and sorrow
That's what I'm saying is the world's deceived because the world believes the commercial the world believes the billboard that it's a good time
That you're just hanging out at the beach with your friends playing volleyball with your friends drinking beer
The Bible says it's woe and sorrow and you as a Christian know that so when you give yourself over to that
Just be prepared for woe and sorrow look at verse 31 look not thou upon the wine when it is red
When it giveth his color in the cup when it moveth itself a right at the last it bite it like a serpent and sting
It like an adder yet thine eyes shall behold strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things
Yea thou shall be as he that lied down in the midst of the sea or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast
They have stricken me shalt thou say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it
Not when shall I awake I will seek it yet again now doesn't that sound like fun kids
Doesn't that sound like fun getting bitten by a serpent and stung by an adder
Does it doesn't feel fun to wake up with wounds and battle scars all over your body that you have no idea what they came
From does that sound like happy hour to you does that sound like a good time to you absolutely not
It's wicked and it's gonna bring nothing but sorrow and woe in your life
And if you're wise and if you want the real pursuit of happiness, you'll avoid alcohol like the plague
Bible says don't even look at it. That's how much you should avoid alcohol
Not just not drinking it not just not having it in your home
Not even looking at it because God knows when you look at it
The lust of the eyes is a powerful thing in our hearts because our wicked flesh. What do we do?
We desire the physical and the temporal the world desires the physical buzz from drinking beer
The physical and temporal feeling of being drunk. That's what they seek and that's what our flesh seeks
We cannot walk in the flesh though because God knows that that temporary happiness is not gonna bring you real happiness when now you have
SEDs the wounds without cause the babbling the redness of eyes, but what does the world do?
Well when they wake they seek it yet again because it's a never-ending cycle of seeking after things that are physical and temporal
Another thing that the devil tempts mankind with is power
I'll read for you psalm 62 verse 9 the Bible says surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree
Are a lie to be laid in the balance. They are all together
Lighter than vanity so the world what do they do? They go after the fornication they go after the alcohol
They go after the power and yet the Bible says all those things are vanity all those things are a lie
You get that CEO position. You're not gonna be happy with that
You're not gonna be satisfied in your life with just temporary power meaningless power just controlling money
It just doesn't make any sense. So why does the world fail at finding happiness number one?
It's a never-ending journey number two. It's based on the physical and temporal number three
They fail because when they reach what they want the very thing that they wanted ends up destroying them
They get to that place that they want and they finally reach it
They finally succeed and then that very thing destroys them
I'll read for you Proverbs 1 verse 32 the Bible says for the turning away of the simple shall slay them and listen to this the
Prosperity of fools shall destroy them
You know, it's a 100% promise in the Word of God that if a fool becomes prosperous that they will be utterly destroyed
That's what the Bible says
That's why people that's why almost 100% of people that win the lottery
End up becoming bankrupt because you have to be a fool to play the lottery
You have to be a fool to spend your hard-earned money on something that you're most likely never gonna win
And then when you win, you're you're a fool
So what do you do you just waste it all on homes and about on boats and like exotic vacations?
It's just stupid things and these people end up blowing it all they end up what probably killing themselves
They probably end up just being miserable and sad and end up committing suicide because one of a miserable life that they have
Because the prosperity of fools shall destroy them
And you know what although us as Christians, although we are wise in the sense that we're saved and that we have the Word of God
You know if you just seek after happiness in the same places in the same avenues that the world does, you know
You're a fool too. You're a fool too because you're ignoring the Word of God
You're ignoring the path that God has for your life
And if you think you're gonna find happiness down those avenues, you're just as much as a fool
The Bible says the prosperity of fools shall destroy them number one
You're probably not gonna become prosperous as a Christian if you seek it in the world
And even if you do I promise you you'll get there and just be destroyed by it
I've seen this happen where you know
I've been I've been preaching and I've been preaching about the importance of going to church and I've seen people in church
That I know that they're getting out of church. I know that they don't want to serve God anymore
they come to church maybe once a year and then I see their marriage fall apart and they get divorces and
You know here they are at the prime of their life making almost
$200,000 a year and then now they're just like throwing it all away
They're getting divorced. Why because they will not harken to the Word of God because they have people showing them
Hey, you need to be in church. You need to be serving God. You're saved. You know, God is your father
He's gonna chastise you if you disobey what he says to do you're like, no, I just want it
I want the prosperity. I want the money. I want to keep making a bunch of money. Well, guess what?
Now your life is destroyed. Congratulations. Now you're out of church your husband's left you your finances are wrecked
You're losing your home. You think that that is gonna bring happiness, right?
And some people, you know, they learn the truth later in life and my heart goes out to them
But you know what us right here in this room
We know what the Bible says and if you just decide to ignore it, I promise you I promise you your life will be destroyed
I would hate to see that so let's talk about Christian happiness go to Luke chapter 2 Christian happiness the world fails
I don't think anyone would argue with that. The world absolutely fails at finding happiness
I'll read for you Psalm 1 blessed is the man that walking not in the council the ungodly
Nor sand it in the way of sinners nor sit it in the seat of the scornful
But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law that they meditate day and night
So if you want to be blessed if you want to be happy
You have to realize you're not gonna find it in the council of sinners and in the way of the world
We have to look to the law of the Lord
So let's look at Luke chapter 2 verse number 10 and the angel said unto him fear not for behold
I bring you good tidings of great joy
Which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior
which is Christ the Lord and this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a
Manger and suddenly there was an angel there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying glory
To God in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men
You know what brings joy to a person the gospel of Jesus Christ brings joy to a person
They said here in verse number 10 good tidings of great joy
Nothing is gonna bring more joy to the heart of man then realizing that their sins can be forgiven and that they could be on
Their way to heaven that is true. Joy right there go to Titus chapter 3
I'll read for you Romans 4 5 but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justified the ungodly
His faith is counted for righteousness
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed righteousness without works
Saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not?
Impute sin isn't it a blessing to have the gospel of Jesus Christ
Doesn't it bring joy to you that God is not going to impute your sin on your account
That God has separated your sins as far as the East is from the West and that we're justified with by faith without the without
The works of the law what a blessing that is that I don't have to work my way to heaven
I don't have to pray and ask for forgiveness for my sins every single day
Do all the commandments go to church read the Bible pray help old ladies cross the street
And then hopefully I'm a good enough person to make it to heaven, right? It's called the good news
Can someone explain to me how work salvation is the good news?
Do you imagine if we just went to people's door? Hey good news for you change everything about yourself change your life
Come to church every week read the Bible every day pray follow all the commandments never sin great news
Aren't you happy to hear that how stupid is the false gospel of work salvation. It doesn't bring any joy
You know it we just read in Luke. It was glad tidings of great joy
Could you imagine if they would have just said all those things I just said hey great joy here. I come that's not the gospel
That's not good news and sadly most churches today teach a false gospel
And that's why their people have no joy because they're not even saved. They don't even have their sins forgiven
They don't even have step one of finding joy in their life
Did I tell you to go to Titus 3 Titus chapter 3 look at verse 3 for we ourselves also were sometimes foolish
disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another
But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness
Which we have done but according to his mercy
He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly
Through Jesus Christ our Savior that being justified by grace. We should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life
So in verse 3 he's saying hey you as well. You also were sometimes foolish
Disobedient deceived living in malice and envy serving lusts and diverse pleasures
You know we at one point had an unhappy life - we at one point had an unhappy heart - and why was it?
Well, it's because the kindness and love of God wasn't shed on our hearts yet
But God did shed out that love on us abundantly when we heard the gospel of Jesus Christ
And we chose to trust him for salvation that brings joy to a person knowing that they have a home in heaven knowing that hey
Whatever temporal or physical things I'm lacking here on this earth whatever you know road
I'm not able to go down like all these rich people are hey, it's okay. I have a home in heaven. Hey, it's okay
I have riches in heaven that I can strive to getting that lasts for forever
That's great joy in our hearts first Thessalonians 5 16 says rejoice evermore and no matter what is going on in our life
One thing that we can always rejoice about salvation in Jesus Christ being saved by grace alone
It's number one we find joy in the gospel number two Christians find joy by living in life focused on others
Rather than ourselves go to Acts chapter number 20 Acts chapter number 20 Acts chapter 20 look at verse 22 the Bible reads
This is Paul speaking and he's talking to the elders at Ephesus speaking to pastors
he says now and now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there save that the
Holy Ghosts witness it in every city saying that bonds and afflictions abide me
But none of these things move me neither count
I my life dear unto myself so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I've received of the Lord Jesus
To testify the gospel of the grace of God so you would think why does Paul have joy here?
He just said that hey I'm going into the city and I don't even know what's waiting for me there other than that the Holy Ghost
Witnesses that in every city abides me bonds and afflictions that sound very fun
That sound like that's gonna bring joy to your heart. Oh going to jail and being afflicted
Why was the Apostle Paul able to still have joy though? Well look look back at verse 24
He says neither count I my life dear unto myself
The first thing is he didn't focus only on his life because here's the thing if you're the Apostle Paul
And you're focusing on his life. He's like wow I've received a lot of beatings in my life wow
I'm going into this city, and all I know is that bonds and afflictions are waiting for me
No, thanks. That doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me
That doesn't sound like a lot of joy to me
But he said I neither count my life dear unto myself
But the possible cared about other people he wished himself accursed from God so that the children of Israel could be saved
He asked God to accursed him so that they can be saved in Romans 10
He said brethren my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved
He's speaking that under the inspiration inspiration of the Holy Ghost. He's not making that up
His heart's desire was for those people to be saved. That was his real heart's desire
So when he said hey these bonds these afflictions are coming my way. How am I still able to have joy?
Well, I don't count my life dear unto myself. I'm not worried about my dear little life
He's worried about other people. Let's read the next part of that
He also says that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry
Which I've received to the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God
He wasn't only not not focused on his life, but he was focused on the ministry of God
He wasn't worried about the things he was going through because he had two things on his mind other people and Jesus Christ ministry
and that's how you're gonna be able to get through afflictions and
Persecutions and temptations and things in your life like that when you're not focused on your own life
When you're focused on other people's life go to Philippians chapter 2
We have to make our life about other people in order to find joy
Philippians chapter 2 actually, I'm sorry go to 2nd Corinthians 11. I'll read for you. Philippians 2 2nd Corinthians 11
Philippians 2 3 says let nothing be done through strife or vain glory
But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves
Bible teaches that if you're gonna find happiness
You're not gonna be doing things through stripe or vain glory like seeking after the power seeking after all the things that the world seeks
After that's all vain glory, but it's about a steaming other people better than yourselves. That's how you're gonna find happiness
Look at 2nd Corinthians 11 verse 24 of the Jews five times received I 40 stripes save one
This is the Apostle Paul telling us what he's been through thrice. I was beaten with rods once
I was stoned thrice. I suffered shipwreck a night and a day
I have been in the deep. Does it sound fun so far? Anyone want to get 40 stripes?
Does anyone want to get beaten with rods like the police have? You know, the ass that they just pull out?
Anyone just want to get beaten with that? You want to get stoned?
You want to get shipwrecked? Verse 26, "And journeying is often in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in
perils by my known countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea,
in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in
watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness,
beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak?
And I am not weak. Who is offended? And I burn not. If I must needs glory,
I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities. Now, I tell you, if you walked up to an unsaved person,
there's not an unsafe person in this world, that if you showed them this list of everything the Apostle Paul went through,
and you said, "Do you think this person had a happy life? Do you think this person had joy?"
Every single one of them will say, "No." And I understand why, right? Because if you're just thinking about the physical,
you're just thinking about the flesh, none of those things sound very fun to me. None of those things are anything that I want to go through.
But we, as Christians, we have the Spirit of God and we know that we focus on the things that are eternal.
The reason the Apostle Paul was able to go through all the horrible beatings, all the perils of all the things that he went through,
is because he didn't count his life dear unto himself and he cared about the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Number three, how do we find joy?
Christians find joy by following Christ's commandments.
Go to John 13, John 13.
So the gospel brings us joy, focusing on others brings us joy.
Number three, following Christ's commandments bring us joy.
John 13, 13 says, "He called me Master and Lord, and you say, 'Well, for so I am.'
If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, he ought also to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
Now, obviously, feet washing is not a commandment, okay?
He was giving us an example of service, of esteeming others better than himself.
Feet washing is not something that we must do.
But the things that he does tell us to do, hey, if you know these things, happy are you if you do them.
You show me a person that doesn't want to obey God's commandments, I'll show you a person that's not happy.
Show me a person that lives their life just devoted and dedicated to the commandments of Christ.
I'll show you a person that has joy and happiness in their life.
Turn to 1 Corinthians 1.
I'll read for you 1 John 5, 3.
"For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous."
His commandments are for our own good.
His commandments are not grievous to us.
They don't put a negative, a net negative on our life.
Every commandment of God brings us a net positive in our life when we do those things.
You know, and we just have to trust in the Lord with all our hearts.
Lean not onto our own understanding, right?
Follow God's commandments the way he says to do it.
1 Corinthians 1 verse 4.
"I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ,
that in everything you are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge."
And it's funny because the Bible says there that in everything, in everything, our life is enriched by the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the world, they look at us and they say, "Man, being a Christian doesn't look like very much fun.
Looks like you guys have all these rules. Looks like you guys can't go out and have fun and that your life is so restricted
and that you're not going to have a happy life."
But they don't realize that Christ enriches every single aspect of my life.
All of Christ's commandments just does nothing but enrich my life.
Think about God's teaching on children. Does that enrich our life or is that a negative on our life?
I'll read for you Psalm 127.3. It says, "Lo, children are in heritage of the Lord,
and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man,
so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.
They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
You know, the world, they mock at how we love to have children
and how we don't wait until we're 33 and a half years old to have our first kid.
We don't wait until we have the $200,000 bank account until we have a first kid.
We just have kids because God says it's a reward.
We have children because the Bible says that as arrows in the hand of a mighty man are,
so are the children of the youth.
And here in Texas, you know, I'm sure you guys aren't with bow and arrows,
but just think about like a chest plate carrier with AR-15 mags, okay?
That's a happy man when you just got AR-15 mag after AR-15 mag.
You're happy when you're just full of AR-15 mags, right?
Same thing with arrows. Same thing with having children.
We're happy for those things. The world doesn't understand that.
They think that we're sad because we have kids.
Oh, you're so tied down.
How are you going to travel the world with kids?
You know, I travel that way across America with two babies.
It's fine. I'm happy to have my children.
What about marriage?
You know, I'm enriched by the fact that the Bible teaches spouses to be faithful.
You know, the world, you know, they want these open relationships.
Are they happy when their wife goes and cheats on them?
Are they happy when their spouse goes and commits adultery with them?
There's nothing more painful and hurtful that a person can go through than that, right?
It does not bring enrichment to their life to have these open relationships.
They want to mock the Bible's teaching about being one man, one woman, till death do us part.
Mock it all you want because guess what?
We're happy.
We're enriched by the Bible.
We're enriched by the commandments of Jesus Christ.
And here's the thing, we're even happy when we disobey God's commandments.
What do I mean by that?
Well, John 5-17 says, "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrected.
Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty."
So even when you get off the path,
you know that you'll still be happy because God will correct you.
You'll be happy when God gives you a spanking on this earth when you get off the path.
Because God knows when you get off the path of God's commandments,
it's woe, it's sorrow, it's hating your life, it's destruction, it's suicide, it's adultery.
It's nothing good, right?
So when we get off that path,
we can still be happy because God corrects us.
"Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
That's a blessing, too.
The fact that God loves us enough to when we do disobey His commandments,
He corrects us for it.
That's one thing.
Christ enriches our life in every aspect,
whether it's children, whether it's marriage, whether it's just Him spanking us.
We're enriched by that, and the world does not understand that.
So how are we going to apply this?
Go to Psalm 73.
I think this is the last place I'll have you guys turn.
Psalm 73, we're going to read a good amount of this chapter here.
We're going to read about Asaph, who's distraught, who has sorrow,
because he's seeing prosperity of wicked people, and his heart is distraught for it.
He's thinking, "Am I on the wrong path? Why am I serving God?"
Look at Psalm 73 verse 3.
He says, "For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm.
They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men.
Therefore, pride can passeth them about as a chain, violence covereth them as a garment.
Their eyes stand out with fatness.
They have more than their heart could wish.
They are corrupt and speak wickedly.
Concerning oppression, they speak loftily.
They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Therefore, his people return hither, and waters of a cup are wrung out to them.
And they say, How doth God know?
And is their knowledge in the most high?
Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world.
They increase in riches.
Barely have I cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning.
So he's saying, look at all these people that are prospering in the world.
They die, and there's no violence in their death.
They live to an old age.
They die a peaceful death.
They have more than their hearts could wish.
They speak corruptly.
How are they just talking against God, saying all these hard sayings and hard speeches against God?
Nothing bad is happening in their life.
He's like, have I cleansed my hands in vain?
Am I serving God in vain?
Because when I look around, I see the world prospering and I see me getting chastised.
What's going on here?
Verse, where was I? Verse 13, verse 14.
For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning.
If I say I will speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me until I went into the sanctuary of God.
Then understood I their end.
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places.
Thou castest them down into destruction.
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors?
As a dream when one awaketh, so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
So we've got to realize that everything that the world's happy about,
everything that the world has going on for them that we think sometimes in our flesh,
like, man, they've got it figured out, man, they're doing a good job.
We've got to realize all of that is temporal, all of that is fake, all of that is shallow,
because he's saying, hey, when I understood their end,
when I understood the fact that, yeah, maybe they're getting away with some of these things
on this earth, but they're going to spend an eternity in hell,
when I understood that, then I was able to understand, you know, what's going on here.
Maybe then I was able to understand where I need to have my eyes focused in this life.
And it's not on the things that the rich and the prosperous in this world focus on.
It's on the eternal things. Verse 21.
"Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee.
Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. Thou hast holden me up by my right hand.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire but thee."
So when he finally understands, he's not sad anymore.
When he finally is happy, it's because he's focused on thou, the Lord.
He's focused on the Lord. He's focusing on the fact that God has upheld him.
God is holding his hand. God is going to bring him through the struggles he's having in his life.
And he has eternity to look forward to he has rewards in heaven to look forward to look at verse 28
But it is good for me to draw near to god
I have put my trust in the lord god that I may declare all thy works
And that's what I want us to understand this morning is it's good for us to draw near to god
That's what's going to bring happiness in your life. That's what's going to bring joy in your life
It's not going to be by the fornication. It's not going to be by the alcohol
It's not going to be by the physical things and the temporal things it's going to be by the lord and by eternal things
So recap real quick. Why does the world fail at finding happiness? They're on an endless journey
They're never content with the things that they have
They only care about the temporal and because when they get their own own success
It just destroys them when they finally reach where they want to go, then they just get destroyed by getting there
So how do you get happiness?
Well, number one get saved get the joy of the gospel number two focus on others and number three follow christ's commandments
Let's pray lord. Thank you so much for this day and thank you for this sermon lord
I pray that every single person in here would have a happy life lord and a joyful life
But that they would find the happiness in the right places lord in the places that you've laid out for us in the bible
I pray that you bless this church. Thank you so much for said fast baptist church in Jesus name. We pray amen