I saw a great “Peanuts” comic strip the other day and Charlie Brown is asking Linus if he thinks much about the future. Linus replies...I think about the future all the time. Charlie Brown turns and asks him “What do you think you’d like to be when you grow up?” Linus looks straight at Charlie Brown and says, “Outrageously Happy!” Who out there doesn’t want to be happy? There might be a few who don’t, but the rest of us...we would love to have our lives to be outrageously happy! Did you know that the Bible tells us specifically how we can see many happy days in our lives? The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, listed four things that would allow us to enjoy life and just be happy. First, he said that you need to keep your tongue from speaking evil. Second, we need to keep our lips from telling lies. Third, we need to turn away from evil and do good. And lastly, we need to search for peace and work to maintain it. So, if you really want happiness, there it is for you, straight from the Bible. But remember, continued happiness doesn’t just fall out of the sky on your head. You
have to do your part. Don’t speak evil, don’t tell lies, don’t do evil, but do good and look for peace and do what it takes to preserve it. That all of a sudden sounds like a lot of work! Is there a short cut to all of this? Actually, there is. You can do all of this by humbly coming before the God of the Bible and asking him to make your heart like his son Jesus. It will mean that you won’t get your own way as often as you think you deserve it. You will have to be filled with the love and kindness of Jesus himself. And you will have to submit yourself to the guidance and action of God’s Holy Spirit. So, can you be happy? Sure...it is right there for you and me and anyone who wants it. But it will take humility and love and self-sacrifice and the willingness to let God change our hearts. That’s the price for real and lasting happiness. If you really want to be happy...it is right there for the taking.
Here’s our Bible verse for today...
1 Peter 3:10-11 NLT For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. (11) Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
have to do your part. Don’t speak evil, don’t tell lies, don’t do evil, but do good and look for peace and do what it takes to preserve it. That all of a sudden sounds like a lot of work! Is there a short cut to all of this? Actually, there is. You can do all of this by humbly coming before the God of the Bible and asking him to make your heart like his son Jesus. It will mean that you won’t get your own way as often as you think you deserve it. You will have to be filled with the love and kindness of Jesus himself. And you will have to submit yourself to the guidance and action of God’s Holy Spirit. So, can you be happy? Sure...it is right there for you and me and anyone who wants it. But it will take humility and love and self-sacrifice and the willingness to let God change our hearts. That’s the price for real and lasting happiness. If you really want to be happy...it is right there for the taking.
Here’s our Bible verse for today...
1 Peter 3:10-11 NLT For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. (11) Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ