(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

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 He's 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. It's want to introduce myself real quick. My name is Dylan Oz I go to a 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 this can He's probably gonna choke me out when I get home. He chokes 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 profit 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 hath been already done Then I saw that wisdom excel at folly as far as light excel at 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 what happeneth 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 diet 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 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 unalienable 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 tenth 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 And 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 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 going to 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 use 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 estate 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 The 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 going to 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 will never ever be 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 1st Timothy 1st Timothy chapter 6 1st and 2nd Thessalonians 1st Timothy 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 5 Bible 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 Says we can bring nothing into this world certain we 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 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 Oh, and then the bunnies 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 and 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 just be panic. 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 meal 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 heard from the faith and pierce themselves through with many sorrows So that's really the bottom line is the love of money is what's going to lead to all the sorrows in your life The love of money is what's going to 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 an 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 Billie 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 100% 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 boo-hoo 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 reprobate mine who just serves Satan 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 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's sad. 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 one and Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan and 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 if thou be the Son of God command at this stone command this stone that it be made bread So what is the first thing that the devil tempts Jesus Christ with the lusts of the flesh, right? 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 lusts 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 just 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 why 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 going to 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 the devil taking him up into an 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 wilt 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 tempt 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 and see 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 first 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 tempts us with the things that are temporal. We must realize these things do not bring happiness Go to Proverbs chapter 7 Proverbs chapter 7 Proverbs 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. Your 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 We're 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 so cool 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 weight at every corner So this guy is dumb according to the 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 weight 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. The good man is not at home He has gone a long journey He hath 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 stalks 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 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're talking about this last night in the men's class that people today literally brag Oh Captain of the football team he gets all girls, isn't he cool? He sleeps with this many number of girls and they literally boast and brag in their fornication 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 idiots? 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 why 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 doeth is without the body But he that committed fornication sinneth 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 Amnon? 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 hath woe who hath 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 hath 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 All right at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder Yet thine eyes shall behold strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast They have stricken me shout 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 Doesn't 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 going to 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 altogether 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 going to 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 two hundred thousand dollars a year And then now they're just like throwing it all away. They're getting divorced Why because they will not hearken 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 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 a wreck You're losing your home. You think that that is gonna bring happiness, right and some people, you know They've learned 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 and 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 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 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 counsel 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 front to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior Which is Christ the Lord and this shall be assigned 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, it 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 than 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 were justified with my faith Without the job 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 Did 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 lives. 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, too We at one point had an unhappy heart, too, 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 could always rejoice about salvation and 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 Ghost 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 is the word of Jesus Christ 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 witness if that in every city abides me bonds And afflictions does that sound very fun does 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 accurse 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 of 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 I 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 vainglory 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 strife or vainglory like seeking after the power seeking after all the things that the world seeks after That's all vainglory, 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 forty 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 but they just pull out they won't just want To get beaten with that you want to get stoned you want to get shipwrecked? verse 26 and journeyings 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 and 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 a there's not an unsaved person in this world that if you show them this list of everything the Apostle Paul went through And he said you think this person had a happy life you think this person had joy every single one of them say no Because 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 you 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 you 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 of a steaming others better than himself He 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 1st Corinthians 1 I'll read for you 1st 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 under our own understanding Right follow God's commandments the way he says to do it 1st Corinthians 1 verse 4 I think 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 that you're not gonna 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 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 till 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. So we have our 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're 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 gonna travel the world with kids? You know, I traveled halfway 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 are you know, they 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 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 whoa, 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 to 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 it's the last place I'll have you guys turn Psalm 73. We're gonna read a good amount of this chapter here We're gonna 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 There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men Neither they plague like other men therefore pride can pass at them about as a chain violence covered 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 walk it through the earth Therefore his people return hither and waters of a cup are rung out to them and they say how does God know and is there 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 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 their 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 did I 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 Or 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 a 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 there and 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 Oh Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image, so we 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 to figure it out. Man. They're doing a good job We 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 gonna 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 That's my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reigns So foolish was I an ignorant I was as a beast before thee nevertheless I'm continually with thee thou has holding 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 gonna 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's it's good for us to draw near to God That's what's gonna bring happiness in your life. That's what's gonna bring joy in your life. It's not gonna be by the fornication It's not gonna be by the alcohol it's not gonna be by the physical things and the temporal things It's gonna 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 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 the 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 Pray that you bless this church. Thank you so much for steadfast Baptist Church in Jesus name we pray. Amen