EMOJI: How to find Happiness

Emoji: Where to Find Happiness. Part 1

Prov 16:20 20 Whoever listens to what is taught will succeed, and whoever trusts the Lord will be happy. NCV

Introduction:  It is said, “Confession is good for the soul…” so here is my confession…I need this series Personally.  I’m not up here pointing a finger and saying, You…I want you to know…I’m doing this series for me…

The idea of Emoji was introduced to our communication through a Japanese company in 1999.  The word Emoji comes from the Japanese language.  One word meaning Picture and the other meaning letter.  This isn’t original to the Japanese language…it is part of the Hebrew text for 1,000’s of years.

Transition:  We are living in a World that not only uses

Emojis but are seeking Happiness…the seemingly elusive Emoji.

  1. Happiness
    1. Now contrary to what we may think: Happiness is simple, but it isn’t easy.
      1. Simple means – not elaborate, not complicated, easy to understand.
      2. Easy means – not hard or difficult, requiring no great effort, free from pain, discomfort, or care.
    2. So don’t miss this…Happiness is Simple but it is not easy….
    3. Statements About Happiness
      1. The pursuit of Happiness…not the guarantee is so ingrained into the American Culture that the Statement is in our Declaration of Independence
      2. Dave Chappelle said: “The Higher up I went the Less happy I was…”
  • C.S. Lewis said, “God cannot give us a happiness apart from Himself, because it is not there.”
  1. Augustine famously said, “the key to happiness, to true human fulfillment is properly ordered love.”
  2. The Song Happy which was the most successful song in 2014 and Pharrell Williams most successful song of all time… In fact, it was his tenth attempt at creating a song about fictional character Gru falling in love in animated film Despicable Me 2. Williams said he was asked to write a song about Gru – who was grumpy and unhappy for most of Despicable Me – falling in love and becoming more cheerful in the film’s sequel.
  3. Even our Cartoons are looking for Happiness…
  1. Where Not to Find Happiness
    1. Possessions
      1. Now I’ve been poor, and I’ve had a little change in my pocket…
      2. I much prefer some change…
  • But it doesn’t bring lasting happiness…fulfillment and joy.
  1. From Psychology Today…an article read that Americans have more money than ever before, yet we are more depressed and stressed than ever…the article goes on to say…the number one cause of anxiety for those with Money…is anxiety over money….
  2. Prov 27:20 20 Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. NKJV
  1. Appearance: Being Beautiful or Handsome will not bring Happiness
    1. Trust me I know this from Personal experience…ha ha ha
    2. 94% of girls 21 years and younger wish they were more beautiful
  • 85% of women over 40 don’t think they are attractive…that is one contributing factor to why 11.3Billion dollars was spent last year on cosmetic surgeon and enhancement fees. That was just in Mont Belvieu alone…
  1. They say it is the rise of the Selfie…that has caused this explosion of cosmetic enhancements…
  1. Relationships – you were created for relationships…even marriage…but if you think that marriage and a person can make you happy…you are in for a rude awakening…
    1. We’re asking a person to do what a person can’t do…
    2. Parents let down kids
  • Kids disappoint parents
  1. Husbands fail wives
  2. Wives let down husbands…
  3. All cats let down the family…
  • Dogs do pretty good.
  1. Pleasure – Pursuing Pleasure will not bring happiness…
    1. There are pleasure that are wholesome, good and add to your happiness…
    2. But the pursuit of Pleasure…will never make us happy…
  • Now make no mistake scripture says, “there is pleasure in sin for a moment…” yet it never brings true lasting pleasure…
  1. 1 Tim 5:6-7 6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. NKJV

Transition:  Now where do we find Happiness…and here is the Simple Part…but not easy.

  • What Does God and the Bible Say
    1. There are 2700 passages of Scripture that reference the idea of Happiness.
    2. Scripture uses several synonyms for Happiness:
      1. Joy
      2. Glad
  • Gladness
  1. Blessed
  2. Celebration
  3. Feasts and Festivals
  • Have you ever notice in Scripture there are more Feasts, Celebrations and Festivals than there are Fasts…
  1. God himself is Happy…
    1. Ever notice the false gods, like tiki gods…they are either sad or mad…
    2. John 15:10-11

11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! (MSG)

  1. You ever notice children wanted to be around Jesus…kids don’t want to be around grumpy, sad people…
  • Ps 144:15  15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord! NKJV
  1. Proverbs 2 says, “God laughs at his enemies”
  2. Ps 97:12 12 May all who are godly be happy in the Lord and crown him, our holy God. TLB
  1. Joy vs. Happiness
    1. I have heard people teach and I actually taught it because I was repeating what I had heard and hadn’t studied it for myself…
      1. God wants you to have Joy…but that doesn’t mean you’ll be happy…
      2. Can I tell you that makes no since.
  • Like I shared earlier…Joy and Happiness are synonyms…
  1. So where did this come from?
    1. In the late 1800’s a Scottish Minister and Preacher wrote a famous devotional called “His Utmost for My Highest” which is a wonderful work and great devotional…but in it he wrote…Joy and Happiness are not the same…Joy is internal and a fruit of the spirit but Happiness is outward and circumstantial…
    2. Biblical Happiness and Joy are not to be deprecated or diminishing one for the other…

Transition:  Now this doesn’t mean we aren’t going to experience sadness, disappointment, pain and hurt…but we can still have Joy and Happiness in the midst of it or when it is over…

  1. The Biblical Book of Happiness and Joy
    1. Philippians would be the book of the bible that would be the book of Happiness and Joy…
    2. Paul uses the word Joy 19 times in these 4 short chapters…yet if we are honest and understand the backdrop of the story…Paul has nothing to be Happy about, yet he is.
    3. Backstory
      1. Paul is in Prison…on death row…Nero is Emperor…he is known as the most blood thirsty leader to have lived in the Roman empire…A Roman writer wrote concerning the days of Nero’s leadership: “I feel as if I am living in a sewer by living in Rome.” Nero has killed Christians by the 1,000’s. He would dip believers in pitch, tar, hand them on a cross and light them on fire to light the city streets…and now He is about to claim his greatest trophy…Paul.
      2. Paul is chained by and between two guards day and night…and if this isn’t bad enough many of the believers have now turned against Paul…
    4. This is the backdrop of Paul writing the book of Philippians….
      1. Phil 1:3-5

3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,

  1. Paul learned to find joy and happiness in watching others grow…
  1. Phil 2:1-4 2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
  1. Paul is saying, “I love watching the Church Work…”Happiness is only found when the focus is on others…
  2. Jesus taught…”to find your life you have to lose it and whoever loses his life for Christ sake will find it…”
  3. Happiness and Joy are counter intuitive to what you and I think…
    1. I think to be happy I need all my wishes and wants fulfilled…but truth is when I help others wishes and wants be fulfilled…I’m the happiest.
  4. Zig Ziglar said: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
  • In Phil. 1:21-25 Paul is having a conversation about his death and when he thinks of it…he is happy…but torn whether to remain with them or to die.
  1. Phil.4:4 is the hardest part of all for me personally…”Rejoice in the Lord and again I say Rejoice.” Sounds so simple but is so hard.

Transition:  How can Paul be so happy in these bad circumstances; most importantly How can I be happy in bad circumstances and good circumstances for that matter.

  1. Change the Way We Think
    1. Paul uses the word Mind, Think and Remember 16 times in the book of Philippians….
      1. The way we think will determine our happiness…
      2. Having the mind of Christ
  • How we Think Matters…
  1. We learn How and What to Think…by renewing our minds.
  1. We can always find a reason or person to blame for our unhappiness…but sooner or later I have to take responsibility for my own Happiness.
  2. Phil 1:5-6 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. NIV
  1. Are you convinced He is still working, or have we arrived…if He is still working…then I’m not finished.
  2. I said earlier Happiness is Simple; but it is not easy…let me remind you of C.S. Lewis’ quote:
  1. C.S. Lewis said, “God cannot give us a happiness apart from Himself, because it is not there.”
  2. To have true Happiness…we have to have God.

Question:  What do I do when I feel Overwhelmed?

  • I know this doesn’t sound too biblical…but let me help you…if you are feeling overwhelmed often…go get a physical with blood work…make sure there isn’t something medically going on. Secondly, renew your mind…and learn spiritual warfare…cast all your cares on the Lord for he cares for you…are you and I truly convinced he cares for us.

Question number 2 – Some churches don’t celebrate holidays they believe we shouldn’t.  Why do some churches celebrate, and others don’t?

  • For me personally it boils down to two things: Are we going to be religious or redemptive?
  • I’m not 100% sure what holidays the person is asking about…but let me take Christmas or Easter…I know Jesus’ wasn’t born on December 25th…but the fact that He was born needs to be Celebrated and Redeem the fact Jesus came in the flesh…
  • Easter…I know all about Ishtar…and her dying and going to the underworld and the earth losing it’s ability to produce…but like Paul on Mars hill when He went to the Mountain and they were worshipping all these false gods…Paul said, Let me tell you of this unknown God…His name is Jesus…though Pagan’s worshipped Ishtar…Christians
  • came and told them who the true God was who went and entered the Underworld and restored the ability for this world to produce life…new life again.
  • Do you want to be redemptive or religious…

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