THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS - GOD'S WAY

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"LIFE, LIBERTY, & THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS" -
The Pursuit of Happiness God's Way

How the words "Life Liberty & The Pursuit Of Happiness" from the American Declaration of Independence, resonate throughout the world for nearly 250 years. How blessed is any nation that commits itself to come "under God” and guarantees every citizen the right to pursue "life, liberty, and happiness."
The question is how do we pursue happiness? Whose version of pursuing happiness do we choose? Is the pursuit of happiness the same as the pursuit of wealth, luxury, comfort, fame, fortune and power or is it something else? Jesus also invites us to the pursuit of happiness and declared that His word and mission includes a life of great joy for those who would accept His way. "These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full."(John 15.11)
There is a big difference, however, between the pursuit of happiness, God's way, and the pursuit of happiness man's way. Jesus demonstrated the perfect way to achieve real happiness. In His teachings and life, He showed that happiness comes from connecting with God and knowing Him personally as a loving Father. He showed that real happiness does not primarily consist in the pleasant arrangement of circumstances. It comes from within, from having a right spirit and attitude and can be experienced even in the most difficult circumstances. It is composed of inner peace and heavenly love and joy. It is founded on knowing we are loved, forgiven, and released from guilt and shame through the Cross and God’s grace. It is built on being constantly filled with God’s own love and life and consistently showing that love to others.
Yeshua showed the WAY - not just the IDEA - of pursuing happiness for people of every race and culture. His formula for happiness is very different than the formula of happiness that many pursue today. He showed that the way to true happiness is to live - not in independence from God - but in complete dependence on Him. No nation or individual that pursues happiness without equally pursuing dependence on God and determining to walk in His ways can be truly happy. As Yeshua says, "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."(Matt. 7.24.25)
The "happy life" that Jesus revealed is not always a life without pain, suffering or inconvenience but it is a life of love, joy and significance. Anyone who lays down his life in the service of others under the direction of God's Spirit (even when it costs) will discover Yeshua's secret of happiness. "The greatest is the one who serves." (See Luke 22.26) Self-realization, (despite what the world teaches) is not the way to true happiness. Surrendering ourselves to the plans, purposes and ways of God, receiving and transmitting His love under the direction of the Holy Spirit is His way to pursue happiness. Thank God for a nation built on the quest for happiness - "under God."
Today many nations are biblically illiterate and do not know Yeshua's way to the pursuit of happiness. Thank God, because of the immense religious freedom in this land, the United States leads the world in Biblical literacy and a huge section of its population (generation after generation) continues to discover from the Bible Yeshua’s way to happiness.
Jesus said if you "abide in my word" - (seek happiness His way) ... "you will know the TRUTH and the truth will make you free." (John 8.31.32)
This is why today we can truly say we live in the "land of the free and the home of the brave."