Why Aren't We Happy - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. One official retirement years. Read our papers on official retirement years. Of all things, the worst you could face without enough money and if you read the articles. I Think I'll never have that kind of thing is never gonna happen. I'll never have that kind of money that I thought remember all the people I work as my dad was all my neighbors work they all retired and he made it but they said you can't make it and if you have all this money so we try to acquire more more secure joining of today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie going pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word means let's get back to many of the top.

Nice place and that is Edenic right we use that word is a Wonderful Pl., God comes and walks with them in the garden. There's no bad world out there is nothing but goodness, and in that world, all the God did to them is he allowed them total freedom except he gave them a one commandment dispensation just one and by the way, you can eat of any tree in the garden in this one. I've told you this. There's nothing special about that tree.

It wasn't like they they were all green, but this one was gold is not like that. It's just he said you need a many tree I think it was the same as all the others, except that tree.

That's the only one you can eat out a one commandment dispensation and if you just listen to what I'm saying you'll be happy forever. Sounds like a good deal now here comes Satan or the serpent and he says, indeed, has God said, you shall not eat from any tree of the garden is questioning what God said. By the way it always works this way and then he says the woman said him from the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden God said, you shall not eat it or touch it or you'll die. I don't think he said touch it, but she got it that way. But there's the one commandment the serpent said to the woman you will surely shall not die. Let me paraphrase, for God knows that the day you eat it your eyes will be open and you will be happy yeah that's wrong. That's the temptation for it's always the temptation is always the same, has God said that's not really true.

Think of. Think of the major areas in our culture of sinfulness you think of sex and drugs in power and stuff all those kinds of things we we followed all kinds of temptations. That's why the book of Ecclesiastes was written. Solomon said you know everything that you think will make you happy on temporal basis. I did all by the way I did in a way you could never do it.

I did it to the nth degree in every area. I did it is my conclusion.

It's all vanity.

It didn't produce happiness at all.

It never did what it said it would not just think what happens to us. We live in a culture by the way where we have taken sexual perversion to serve new heights and the reason is why why would people do that because they want to be want happy. This is going to make me happy. Now please understand something that Satan invents act know God and he said this is the way it's going to work is a wonderful thing to make you happy and is between a man and a woman in the context of marriage. You don't have it before you don't have it with other people. The whole idea of it is in a context. So what Satan say I take it out of context. Be really happy to be happy to make you happy and we do it over and over again. I just remember woman told me once she was having an affair with her husband and she said look, God wants me happy. And this makes me happy that she was in counseling because everyone was so miserable. But she said God wants me to be happy to see what ends up happening you buy into that nothing of our culture.

When you start reading the national statistics in America of sexually transmitted diseases, especially among young people. It's startling never hear on the news.

They don't talk about it now. Do you think all these young people such a transmitted diseases makes him happy.

Just happy to do this or not. You see, you take something and then you make it worse. You just simply say no has got to adapt.

That's not the case at all.

And that's what he does in every single area of our lives and so we end up in courtrooms and we end up in rehab centers. We end up in therapy. We end up in bankruptcy because I thought it make me happy.

I spent money I never heard I got it make me happy bankruptcies on happy sin will never produce lasting happiness in anyone's life.

It'll always be temporal and yet we fall for it over and over again we choose not to be happy. We allow worry and sin distill our happiness. We believe Satan's lies about happiness and this one happens often, the Christians we feel guilty about the things that God is putting our lives to make us happy so we become unhappy because we believe somehow that's wrong. I want to go with me to first Timothy chapter 6, first Timothy chapter 6 and verse 17. This area has had enormous effect over the church throughout the centuries it. It's the kind of thinking that because the whole monastic. Remember, used to go to monasteries separate yourself from everything in the world were some very uncomfortable garments eat dried bread and drink water be isolated know and that'll make you happy. Just the thought of it doesn't make you happy but people thought it would make you happy because you don't want, you can get happiness.

Many of the things God gives you. That's not true to me show you this, verse 17 he said instruct those who are rich in this present world. These are rich people in the church.

He said I want you to instruct those who are rich in this present world.

We can't be rigid, happy Nitro, you can be rich and happy just like you to be porn happy. You can be rich and happy's but I want to instruct those who are rich in this present world.

First, not to be conceited while rich people are never considered running, not rich people. This temptation there were conceited means do they get their significance for me which they think are better than other people because they have money, there's a real temptation with getting your significance from the wall.

He said no don't do that.

Don't get your significance from being rich and then he says secondly or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches. That's our security don't think you get your significance in your security from having money now. None of us would never fall for that would bring.

I mean is not the whole key, we don't get any security for money.

We have more money. You don't want to face your retirement years. Read our papers and stuff you want official retirement years.

Of all things, the worst you could face a without enough money and if you read the articles. I kept thinking I'll never have that kind of money I mean is never gonna happen. I'll never have that kind of money that I thought remember what all the people I grew up with wall factory workers.

My dad was all my neighbors work they all retired and they made it they said you can't make it, unless you have all this money and so we try to acquire more more so make a secure while in Jesus address that didn't remember the guy had so much wealth and he said you know, I know what I want to do. I want I want to accumulate more build bigger barns to hold all my wealth and Jesus said you full don't you know this very night your life can be expected of you to be dead tonight so I want a bigger barns, but I hope you and hope you all, you don't get your this, you'll get your hope your future certitude.

He said for money don't do that, he said, don't get your significance any citizen don't get your hope from it and you see it with people we gain our significance because we cumulate stuff we actually whether we want to admit it or not think were better than people more secure people because we've acquired stuff. Don't do that. No notice. He said you could be rich but don't do that when he first moved here, years and years ago someone of the church took us to a very prestigious country club to have dinner one night and so it was prestigious and all that and I remember going there and sitting down and I was just shocked by this. I looked on the country club and I and this is just my memory of it and I I'm I might've been a bad night for them and you.

You are wonderful in your country club. I don't care I that's fine but when I look when I looked her mind this is all I saw. They were miserable.

These are people living homes right on that by the country club and they were miserable.

I thought well money did make them happy. There was no happiness of all because it doesn't make you happy. You see, but there's a temptation in American culture with capitalism.

That's the key to becoming happy. All he needs more if I can become happy, he said, look, don't he said become conceited or picture hope when uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things.

This answers the question. If you have money. Why do you not don't come, don't lie.

But you know what you think because I'm smart really don't think there's any smart people in Haiti.

Now they're all down there I'm smart way even if you were smart while you smart then you took advantage of opportunities where those opportunities come from. You see, the whole point of it is.

He said I supply everything God said.

He said I said kings up on the throne. If your station in life's a good station.

It's because of me. See you have to think that way. Whether it's because of you.

He said that's the danger that you have so we said, if you have well great, but he said I want you to remember no matter what. He said that I'm the one Arisa supplied it to and then those last two words are important. The last two words. Why does God give us that. Notice the last two words to enjoy. You mean you can be enjoy and have money, yes, you have joy and I can have joy with the gifts of God. Yes, you can have joy. Enjoy money gives the best thing about money is a gives you choices.

This is a lot of choice.

Enjoy enjoy what God is giving you is giving you health. Enjoy it giving you great friends enjoy them.

Whatever is giving you. Just enjoy it. You been enjoying the good things that God is giving you.

Now you don't get a pass on this so you cannot Greg say yes going to give me enough money. I promise I'll enjoy it and I said came from you.

Is it what what will see limited memory test you on this verse 18. First thing I want to test you.

If I give you a lot of financial blessing.

Instruct them to do good is it too much is given much is expected. If I give you a lot of financial blessing to better do good with them. See anyone in want to be clear that we understand another's next phrase to be rich in good works to be known as a person who is rich in good works. You do good with what God's given you see is an amazing thing. And by the way a lot of super wealthy people understand that they understand that they just didn't get out of life what they thought they what I can still remember reading the whole life cousin from Pittsburgh of Andrew Carnegie and he was the richest man in the world at the time. With that, with the steel industry in Pittsburgh became a time in his life. He was not a really nice man, but there came a time in his life. He said you know if I don't start giving this while wealth out and helping off a lot of people of my life seems kind of pointless. So we started on the Carnegie Museum, Carnegie, and I mean just a lot of really good benefactor things I think a lot of really wealthy people understand is not made me happy. But there's something I need to do so.

It is understood that way but notice he says to be rich in good works and then he says let me be more specific, to be generous and ready to share. So if I bless you financially.

Your job is to be generous, you see usually what we say is not have to be generous look of her support guy and he gives X amount of dollars to a good cause I'm a rich guy I'll get twice as much as it the women I am a thousand times as well, but I'll get twice as much as he gave that's not generous as Noah Genesis. He said you need to be really generous if I bless you in that way now. What's really interesting is he tells us the reason for that. In verse 19 he says, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future.

Now let me paraphrase that gotchas I'll never forget what you do. Never forget it.

I remember that for all eternity to someone who's wealthy who was generous and ready to share. He said I will say to you, well done good and faithful servant. You see there's a future for you to use. Is there something you can do and I'll never forget it. That's for the future but for the present of the latter part of the verse. He said, so that the result that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. If you do that you have a great life me paraphrase, if you do that you will be happy to see if you do that you will be happy. I remember reading years ago and second psychology today. There was an article on the person that wrote it up asked to remember the line that they wrote in a set up for all the studies we've done all unhappiness, I conclude with one sentence. Happiness is giving yourself away is said the happiest people we've ever tested are people just give themselves away to others are happy people who don't planning on what degree are less and less happy. Happiness is giving yourself away and that's exactly what Paul says to Timothy. He said that's exactly the way this works you will take hold of the meaning of life you'll be happy. So he says if were not happy is probably because we did not choose to be happy. We allow worry and sin to steal our happiness. We believe that Satan's view of temporal happiness is right and we end up not being happy, and we feel guilty sometimes about the gifts that God has given us to enjoy them to be happy with. And then one last one on one verse Proverbs 16 verse nine Proverbs 16 in verse nine and this is really a foundational basis of happiness. Solomon writes in verse nine he says this the mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps ever make plans to plans for today lunch again right after plans and we have plans for like tomorrow. We have plans for the week. Then we hit we have plans for the next few months probably make a plans for the holidays. I know we have plans for the year and then we have plant. We have plans for five years, decades, we have plant. I have plans when I retire. We have our plans.

We make plans. We have a lot of plans, he said.

While there's only one thing wrong with your plans.

He said there yours. Notice the next part of verse the Lord directs the steps God sovereign, you have your plans member the medicine of the bigger barns a whole my stop. Jesus said you to be dead. The night won't help much, why God sovereign is not say never make plans.

He single ultimately God is sovereign. James even wrote that don't say I'm going to go to another city and do business Samba to go to another city in the business of the Lord wills and other was always recognize the sovereignty of God. But there's something else about it.

He's not only a sovereign God is God's loving he is a good sovereign loving God. He loves you in a way no other human is ever look, there's nothing you can do to make God love you more. There's nothing you can do to make God love you less.

He loves you with infinite love. So you have the sovereign God who loves you with an infinite love.

So the point would be why would you be happy no matter if your plans go awry. Whatever it is I still have God I still have this God who is sovereign and who loves me. Not only should that give me peace, but that should make me content and happy because of God we are created by God that you make us happy. We are loved by God, that should make us happy. We are redeemed because of our sin by God.

That should make us happy. God took up residency in us through his indwelling spirit. That should make us happy.

God is given us promises not just for today by forever and he's promised us. He's coming back or will going to him. These are all given to us by a sovereign loving God, how can we not be happy to see how can we not, we allow certain things we don't choose to be happy. We allow worry and send this to our happiness. We believe Satan's temple view of happiness. We sometimes feel guilty about the good gifts that God has given us. And lastly we don't ruin our happiness in the sovereign loving God is made, not this may bother view you but I don't care you're going to be happy forever can stop it Kent Kent that there were that's not me you're going to be getting to be happy forever.

You understand that will never be diminished near the presence of the Lord you will be happy forever. See, there's no depressed people there is no people feeling sorry for themselves. There's no people victimized in heaven will be happy will conform to the image of Christ to be happy were going to be happy forever. CS Lewis I love his line about heaven. He said that. Just think of it in eternity. Every chapter will be better than the one before every single thing forever will be nothing but great for you and for me sin that make you happy is he sin to have an effect on us as people. It surely should the close of the words of AW toes or he said the people of God. That's us to be the happiest people in the whole wide world. People should be coming up to us constantly asking the source of all of our joy and happiness. Let me ask you how many people come up to you and say why are you so happy many times that happen.

Why are you so happy you see how that would work. Imagine anything that's more effective as a tool for evangelism. Why are you so happy is the reason that we such a tool was using. They want to be happy. Doesn't everybody want to be happy.

So for the happiest people on earth. When people want to know why you happy.

Peter said to be able to give an account for the hope that the new or the happiness it's in you want to know. I'm happy, I'm happy because of my relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

That's what made me happy. I don't understand your happiness is prevailing. It's always there.

But people I think of a really honest with each other is that our reputation is out of people think of when I think about us, how these are happy people because it should be so, and right where I started. Same question. Are you happy spring father and I know it is your desire. There were all happy, you're happy. God doesn't mean father that we don't suffer. We know that the apostle Paul even said when he viewed the suffering of his life which was enormous. He said these are just momentary light afflictions, it cannot be compared to the glory to come. I would pray that would be our perspective that there is a prevailing happiness about us. A prevailing delight and joy about us our sins are forgiven. Our destiny is sure we are indwelt by the very presence of God. Father I pray that we understand these great great blessings you've given us all them designed to continue to make us happy people. Father I pray that each of us ask ourselves in our own hearts. What is stopping me from being father I pray that if we understand the benefit of happiness. We know that it is for your glory.

And we know this for our good. Pray this pastor broke apart on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you like listening to the message one more time.

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