The message of the Bible is really very simple. God has only given us two basic themes in His word. The first message is God's message to sinners, " Here's How to Go to Heaven ". The second message is, " Here's How to be Happy While You Are waiting to get there." This is a message to Christians.
There are numerous places in God's Word that bear this out. Jesus said, " I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10b) He is speaking of two different things here. Notice that first He wants us to have "life". "Life" here is "Eternal Life" or salvation. He came to give eternal salvation to every person who would receive it. Notice also that He came to give "Abundant Life". Now, that is something else. "Abundant life" is speaking of happiness. Life is birth. Abundant life is growth and maturity. This is just one of dozens of verses that refer to both "Heaven" and "Happiness"
John 10:9 says, " I am the door, by me if any enter in he shall be saved", that is talking about being saved. That has to do with going to heaven. The next part of the verse says "he shall go in and out and find pasture". This part of the verse is talking about feeding and growth. That has to do with happiness. This is another "Heaven and Happiness" verse.
In I John 3:23 John writes "And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ".(23a) Now if a person does what this part of the verse says, he will be saved and will go to heaven when he dies. The rest of the verse says "and love one another, as He gave us commandment" (23b). If we practice what this part of the verse says, the result will be happiness. there it is again "Heaven and Happiness".
The first part of all three of these verses relate to God and have to do with going to heaven. The last part of these verses relate to people or surroundings and have to do with adjustment, growth, maturity, or development, and result in happiness.
I know I am going to Heaven and that's wonderful, but God also wants us to be Happy while we are on our way.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
HEAVEN & HAPPINESS
Posted by Dr Dave Noffsinger at 5:55 AM
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2 comments:
Amen brother! Another good post. It's amazing God give us the formula in His Word to be happy, and yet so many reject the happiness He offers.
Theodor Fontane:
Happiness, it seems to me, consists of two things: first, in being where you belong, and second -- and best -- in comfortably going through everyday life, that is, having had a good night's sleep and not being hurt by new shoes. Nice Comment!
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