GOD'S FORMULA FOR HAPPINESS

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"Happy are those who reject the advice of evil 

people, who do not follow the example of sinners 

or join those who have no use for God.

Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the 

LORD, and they study it day and night.

They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear

 fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.

They succeed in everything they do.

But evil people are not like this at all; they are 

like straw that the wind blows away.

Sinners will be condemned by God and kept 

apart from God's own people.

"The righteous are guided and protected by the LORD, 

but the evil are on the way to their doom."

(Psalms chapter one GNT)  

UNLOAD THAT PROBLEM

YOUR RESURRECTION

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We have just finished celebrating the resurrection of 

Christ.  He not only died for us, but after three days

in the tomb he came back to life - or was resurrected -

NEVER TO DIE AGAIN.

Did you know that after you die, you too will be 

resurrected.  The Scriptures clearly teach us:

"... that there shall certainly be a resurrection

of both the righteous and the wicked."

(Acts 24:15 NASB)

They further teach us that it consists of a first and 

a second resurrection.  The first one is the resurrection

of the righteous.  These are the people who are in a

relationship with Jesus Christ.  And they will be raised

from the dead to live for ever and ever with Jesus Christ.

[The rapture and judgement are not a part of our discussion

right now.]

And the second resurrection is the one for the wicked.

But instead of living for ever with God, they will be

given an eternal death sentence away from the presence

of God in a place of eternal torment.

My point is this.

Christ's tomb is empty because he was raised to life

so that we to can be raised to life with him at our

resurrection if we have a relationship with Christ. 

I can rejoice over Christ's resurrection making possible

 my coming resurrection after this old body dies someday.

WHY LORD? WHY?

Many of us have had family members or known of 

people who were living for God and a blessing to all

around them, and yet had a premature death.

My own son was that way.  A young man helping his

church and it seemed everyone in the community.  Yet

he was killed in an auto accident.  It was one of the 

largest funerals I have ever attended because of his 

love for God and all around him.

I could not help but wonder, "Why Lord?"  Why some

one like that instead of an old worn out man like me.

I believe the answer is in the Scripture below.

"The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart;

And devout men are taken away while no one understands,

For the righteous man is taken away from evil,

He enters into peace;"  

(Isiah 57:1,2 NASB)   

I feel like God gave me my answer.

WHY GOD? WHY?

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My son was an outstanding Christian.

He helped build the church he attended.

He taught one of the Sunday school classes.

He had helped many of the the people in 

his community.  In fact, they were considering

naming the street he lived on after him.

But, in the prime of life he was killed in

an auto accident.

Linda was a personal friend.  She had not

always lived for God.  But when she did 

turn to the living God she went all out in 

living for him.

But when Linda was around forty years old,

cancer got her, despite all the praying we 

did.

WHY GOD?  WHY?

I do not pretend to know the answer,

but perhaps there is a clue in

ISAIAH 57:1,2

"The righteous man perishes, and no man
takes it to heart;
And devout men are taken away, while 
no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from 
evil, He enters into peace;"

God knows the future just as well as the
present.  Is it possible that God in his
mercy some times takes a way a righteous
person because he sees that in some way
the Devil might destroy that person later
in life?

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The righteous man will be glad in the LORD

and will take refuge in Him;

And all the upright in heart will glory."

(Psalms 64:10 NASB)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous:

but the Lord will deliver him out of 

them all."

(Psalms 34;19)

EVIL VS. RIGHTEOUS

"The strong tower of the wicked comes to ruin,

but the root of the righteous stands firm.

An evil man is ensnared by the 

transgression of his lips,

but the righteous escapes from trouble.

From the fruit of his words a man

is satisfied with good,

and the work of a man's hand 

comes back to him."

(Proverbs 12:12-14 RSV)

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THE BLESSED PERSON

"Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel

of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD;

and on his law he meditates day and night.

And he shall be like as tree planted by the rivers

of water, that yields his fruit in his season;

his leaf also will not wither;

and whatever he does will prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like chaff

which the wind drives away.

Therefore the ungodly will not stand

in the judgment, nor sinners in the 

congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the 

righteous: but the way of the ungodly

will perish."

(Psalms ch. 1 AKJV) 

TODAY'S PROMISE

"I know that the Lord will 
maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and the right of the poor.
Surely the righteous will give thanks
unto your name:
the upright will dwell in your presence."
(Psalms 140:12,13 AKJV)

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"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)