HOW TO FIND TRUE HAPPINESS
In preparing a message on true happiness, I found this quote, “It takes three things to be happy, good health, selfishness, and stupidity, and without stupidity the others are useless.” The quote was not what I was looking for, but what really amazed me was the number of books that contained this statement. However, buried deep in some of the references was a quote by other psychologists who said there are indeed three things that are required for happiness. They are work, love and hope. "Humm," I thought, "that's more what I am looking for."

In Psalm 2:12 the Psalmist says, “Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” Blessed is the Hebrew word 'esher and means “how happy.” David said, “How happy are all they that put their trust in him.” Using the words of the psychologists to refer to the biblical concept of happiness along with the psalmist's words, in an abbreviated form, I mention three things we Christians need to find true happiness.

WE NEED SOMETHING TO DO.
I suppose everyone can find something to do besides their jobs that will keep them busy. Some fish, hunt, play golf or bowl. Others, however, keep busy doing things that are destructive. While these things keep people busy, none of them produce lasting happiness. However, Jesus gives us things to do that will bring true happiness.
1. He says believe in Him. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1)
2. He says work for Him (v. 12) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
3. He says ask of Him (vv. 13-14) “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
4. He says obey Him (v. 15) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
These four things are works we can do that will produce real and lasting happiness

WE NEED SOMETHING OR SOMEONE TO LOVE
1. Jesus says love God. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37).
2. Jesus says love Him. “For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me” (John 16:27), and we show our love for Him by keeping His commandments” (John 14:15).
3. Jesus says love one another. Jesus said, “These things I command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:17).

WE NEED SOMETHING FOR WHICH TO HOPE
This hope is not like, “I hope I have something left in my 401k.” Rather the hope of which I speak of something for which we look with anticipation and with a settle assurance. All saved people have the hope of heaven. It is a surety.
1. Peter said we have the hope of all that the Father has given us. Peter wrote, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).
2. Jesus said we have hope of our future home. Jesus promised, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2).
3. Paul said we have hope of Jesus' glorious return. Paul wrote, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Remember David said, “Blessed (how happy) are all they that put their trust in him.” In a world of gloom and doom, along with these three ways to find true happiness are three others...we should trust Him, try Him and prove Him.

BTW, JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD
I dialed a number incorrectly the other day. The man whose number I dial called back to see if the call was for him. I had a friendly chat with Alan Hale from Houston. In the course of the conversation he mentioned that he had read my blog and that he, too, had a web site. He also mentioned that he had a book. The book is a list of 30,000 words each with its Spanish equivalent. He asked me if I would mention it in my blog.

This is not an endorsement because I have not ordered the book. It seems like it could be a useful tool for anyone who might be traveling to Mexico or who just wants to become familiar with Spanish as a second language. From what I can tell from the web site, it does not contain anything offensive.
The web site is www.magicvocabulary.com

THE ART OF PACING

I can't believe that I haven't posted anything since last Wednesday. Time passes fast when you're having fun. Actually, time passes fast whether you're having fun or not. So to uphold the integrity of blogging, consider this subject "Off the top of my head."

I wonder how many pastors have said, "If I could just get all of our people in church on the same Sunday, we would have a church house full." I have said it many, many times. Recently, my wife asked me if I had considered the opposite of that. What if all our people decided to be gone at the same time?" I had to admit that I had not thought of that. Just another thing about which to be concerned.

Regardless of what programs or campaigns I use, how fervently I pray or how many visits I make, I must be realistic and realize that I cannot MAKE people attend. I could resort to a well-used tactic and try putting a guilt trip of folks (believe me I have done my share of that), but I have learned that guilt trips either don't work or they backfire and produce a negative reaction.

So how do I handle such situations? I will continue to be concerned. I will fret to myself. I will keep preaching the Bible, praying, warning and encouraging our people, and before every service I will practice something I have developed into an art form, something I have done for as long as I have been a pastor...I pace. Whether or not it does any good, I walk the sidewalk until its time for the services to start looking for the people to come.

Don't ask me where all that came from. Oh I know, we are to pray and not worry, and I do pray, and I know that worrying is showing a lack of faith. So instead, I just get concerned and wonder how other pastors feel when its almost time to begin services and there are not as many people there as they would like.