I Am Happy In The Lord Because Of His Promises

1st Peter 1:3-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

I continually rejoice as a redeemed child of God, with unspeakable joy in knowing that my name is written in Heaven. Where is my name written in Heaven? Why of course, it is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Jesus is the Lamb of God. John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Not only is my name written in the Lamb's (Jesus') Book of Life, but my name

Revelation 17:8, “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”

Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

As redeemed adopted children of God, we continually rejoice with UNSPEAKBEL JOY. That is inexplicable joy that we cannot express in words.

If I seek happiness from circumstances without, then I cannot be happy unless the circumstances of my life are right. My former wife divorced me in 2006. I have painfully lived alone since. I am very lonely all the time, but God's Holy Spirit comforts me and helps me keep going from day to day. I had a root canal done in my upper left molar in February 2022. The procedure didn't go well. The tooth was saved, and an x-ray and 3D scan shows that everything is okay. The tooth is not cracked. It has healed well. Unfortunately, the tooth still hurts mildly and feels really weird all the time, especially at night. The endodontist said it is my ligament that connects the tooth to the jaw bone. He said my only options are to have to tooth extracted (pulled out), or just live with it. I have chosen to live with it, but I am not happy about it. I lost my home in the divorce and have bene renting since. I may never own a home on earth again, which makes me feel sad.

But dear reader, my happiness comes from within, because of my joy that I am a child of God. I am not happy very often from without. I read online that only 12% of men who are aged 50 said they are happy. That means 88% are unhappy. That is because they seek happiness from outward stimuli. I'm not happy being in horrible bodily pain. I suffer in chronic neck pain all the time. I suffer from neuropathic burning in my body's nerves, because of my spinal cord injury. Happiness is what “happens” to you. I have been hurt, cheated, betrayed and defrauded by countless people throughout my life. I am not happy about that. My former wife divorced me in 2006 almost 17 years ago. I am not happy about that. I live alone and am lonely. My faith in God sustains me, but I admit that I am rarely a happy person.

Having said that, I feel happy when I seek contentment from within, knowing that I am on the winning side in Christ Jesus. My website ministry makes me happy. I have joy contending for the faith, because I know it pleases God (Jude 1:3; Titus 1:9-14). I am not a miserable person. I feel happy in my soul, even though my life is not happy without being alone. Joy comes from within. I have peace and joy like a river flowing in my soul, because of God's indwelling Holy Spirit. The very presence of God's blessed Holy Spirit in me is my happiness and joy!!!

JESUS IS MY JOY!!! The precious Lord Jesus Christ is my light, my peace, my joy, my strength and my salvation:

Psalms 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

The man whose Bible is falling apart is not!

If you know that you've been born-again by the Holy Spirit of God into the Kingdom of God, then you ought to be exceedingly joyful. My happiness comes from within, from my joy.

1st Peter 1:8-9, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

I receive many emails from web visitors who are utterly miserable. I always keep emails confidential. I tell people to start listening to Bible preaching every day. Get into the Word of God. I like to listen to Alexander Scourby on YouTube read the King James Bible. It is all free. You can hear the entire King James Bible in just 75 hours. You can hear the whole book of Proverbs in 1:28 hours. We are need truth every day! God's Word is truth (John 17:17).

The many promises of God in His inspired Word make me happy in my bones. This old world of sin will soon pass away. Today's fashions will fade as the next generation comes onto the scene, just as yesterday's fashions have all faded away. In 1950 Hollywood actor Jackie Gleason was known as 'The Great One' around the world, but his name is now all but forgotten by the world (1st John 2:15-17). As believers we are pilgrims passing through here on earth, not settlers. Our permanent home is waiting for us in Heaven (John 14:1-3).

I am listening to this great sermon right now by Pastor Yankee Arnold, which makes me happy to hear. THE TRUTH makes me happy!!! ...

SALVATION versus SERVICE
(Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold)