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In a world filled with shifting sands and uncertainty, truth stands as an unwavering rock upon which we can build our lives. It is the foundation of our faith, the guiding light in our journey, and the source of our joy and happiness. I have been reading Psalms, Isaiah and John lately and one word has been jumping out at me. The word TRUTH. I would like to explore with you the wonderful and transformative impact of truth as revealed in Scripture through Psalm 119:160, Isaiah 45, John 14:6, and John 8:32.
The Assurance of Truth (Psalm 119:160) “Your word is true from the beginning: and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever.” – Psalm 119:160
The psalmist’s words remind us that God’s truth is eternal and unchanging. When we anchor our lives in the truth of His word, we find a deep sense of assurance and peace. In a world marred by deception and uncertainty, the truth of God’s promises and His righteous judgments provide a solid foundation on which we can stand. This assurance brings us joy and happiness, knowing that we are firmly held in the hands of a faithful and unchanging God.
God’s Sovereignty and Truth (Isaiah 45) Isaiah 45 is a powerful declaration of God’s sovereignty and His role as the source of all truth. It is a reminder that He is the one who creates, sustains, and reveals the truth to us. God’s truth is the ultimate reality, and it is reflected in His creation, His Word, and His plan for our lives. Knowing that God is in control and that His truth prevails should fill our hearts with gladness and happiness.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but through me.” – John 14:6
In the words of Jesus, we find the ultimate revelation of truth. He is the embodiment of truth, and through Him, we find the way to eternal life with the Father. The knowledge of this truth brings immeasurable joy, for in Christ, we discover the purpose and fulfillment of our lives. The truth of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection assures us of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the hope of eternal happiness.
Freedom in Truth (John 8:32) “And you will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” – John 8:32
The truth liberates us from the chains of deception and falsehood. When we embrace the truth of Christ and His teachings, we experience a deep freedom—a freedom from guilt, fear, and the burdens of sin. Lies, distortions, and falsehoods can weigh us down, leading to sadness, anxiety, and depression. In contrast, the truth brings light, peace, and joy, setting our hearts free to rejoice in the Lord.
Truth is not just a concept or a set of facts; it is a transformative force that impacts our lives in the most profound ways. When we embrace the truth of God’s Word, His sovereignty, the person of Jesus Christ, and the freedom it brings, we find ourselves filled with joy and happiness. Lies and falsehoods may lead to sadness, anxiety, and depression, but truth brings us into the presence of God, where we can experience true and lasting gladness. As we seek and embrace the truth, let us remember the words of Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” and may we walk in the light of God’s truth, rejoicing in His everlasting love.
In the office of Foundation for His Ministry’s home for needy children in Oaxaca, Mexico, there are eight plaques each containing a picture and word of gratitude from eight young ladies who spent most of their lives growing up here at the mission. The Word of God and truth of the gospel that they received transformed their spiritual lives forever. But the work of FFHM doesn’t stop with transforming hearts with the truth, but also expanding minds and preparing kids for successful, flourishing lives outside the protective walls of this children’s home. These eight ladies went to various universities in Mexico to learn the truth of different professions. All truth is God’s truth as St. Augustine once wrote. Ruby and Maggie studied the truth of medicine and now Ruby is a doctor and Maggie is a nurse. Zenaida studied early education and Estela studied languages and after graduating they both returned to minister to needy children with FFHM for many years. Leticia went to a culinary institute and is now happily working in the food industry. Our other Leticia and Erika graduated from Universities, and then found a higher calling being wives and mothers. Raquel learned about the tourism business and enjoys working with visitors who come from all over the world to visit Oaxaca, Mexico.
Many more young adults who grew up at the children’s home went on to earn degrees from various institutions of higher learning than these eight ladies, but these ladies on our “wall of miracles” recognized what a wonderful gift higher education is that has enabled them to thrive in this state of Oaxaca, which has one of the highest poverty rates in Mexico. Each one of them expressed their heartfelt thanks by giving FFHM a plaque engraved with a note of gratitude.
So let’s all celebrate TRUTH! Spiritual truth that sets us free from fear, guilt and shame; that brings us out of the darkness and into the light. Celebrate scientific truth, mental health truth, business truth and horticultural truth. Let’s celebrate all truth because all truth is God’s truth which he freely gives us so that we can be happy and know that he truly loves us.
I have a bunch of colorful zinnias growing next to my patio. They bring a smile to my face every time I gaze upon them. They make me happy. What happens when they fade and die? Here at the home for needy children in Oaxaca, Mexico, we have a big mango tree that is full of mangoes. Everyone here loves mangoes. They make us happy. What happens when they become wormy (as they have of late), or we eat the last good one? The children here have wonderful house parents who they love and become attached to. What happens when the house parents move on?
In a world filled with fleeting pleasures and momentary happiness, we are often left longing for something more substantial, something that can fill the void within our souls. True happiness cannot be found in flowers, mangoes or even in the love of house parents. However, the psalmist reminds us of a profound truth that has the power to transform our lives – our ultimate source of joy lies in the Lord.
Psalm 32:11 beckons us to “rejoice in the Lord and be glad.” It is an invitation to experience a deep and abiding joy that surpasses all circumstances. This joy is not dependent on our external situation but is rooted in a relationship with the One who created us. It is a joy that springs forth from the depths of our being, from a heart that has been transformed by God’s love and grace.
As believers, we have a unique reason to rejoice. We have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Our sins have been forgiven, and we have been reconciled to God. We are called the righteous, not because of our own righteousness, but because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us.
This joy is not merely an emotion; it is a choice we make every day. We choose to rejoice in the Lord despite the challenges and trials we face. It is a deliberate decision to focus our hearts and minds on the goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty of God rather than being consumed by the troubles of this world.
When we rejoice in the Lord, our perspective shifts. We begin to see life’s difficulties through the lens of God’s grace and providence. We find comfort in His presence and in the promises of his Word.
All of us at the home for needy children, staff, volunteers and the kids, can truly rejoice and be glad following our Savior who loves us and wants us to be happy, eternally.
Before coming to Oaxaca, Mexico, to work with FFHM’s home for needy children, I lived in Santa Rosa, California. I would occasionally drive by a church with a big sign on it’s front lawn that would always have an encouraging verse displayed. One day I drove by and the verse was Psalm 16:6, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” I loved it! What a creative way to say God has really blessed my life or to say that God loves me and wants me to be happy! King David wrote this Psalm and I can just imagine him riding around the kingdom; the land flowing with milk and honey, fruitful vineyards and orchards, forests, rivers, mountains and seas, and exclaiming, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places!”
My experience has been that in a world filled with fleeting moments of joy and constant pursuit of happiness, we often find ourselves seeking something more enduring. True happiness, it seems, is an elusive state of being that many of us yearn for. However, the words of David in Psalm 16:5-8 offer profound wisdom and guidance on the path to discovering lasting happiness. Let’s take a closer look at these verses and uncover the keys to finding genuine and enduring joy in our lives.
I think the first thing we see is that we should seek fulfillment beyond material possessions: Psalm 16:5 reminds us, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup.” These words urge us to shift our focus from the accumulation of material wealth and find contentment in a deeper connection with the Divine. Material possessions can bring temporary pleasure, but true happiness lies in nurturing our relationship with God and embracing the spiritual aspects of life. By recognizing that our ultimate fulfillment comes from God, we can escape the endless cycle of consumerism and embrace a more meaningful existence.
We should also consider that gratitude is a pathway to joy: The psalmist continues in verse 6, saying, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” This verse teaches us the importance of gratitude and contentment with our present circumstances. Often, we fixate on what we lack, leading to dissatisfaction and discontentment. However, by adopting an attitude of gratitude, we shift our focus to the blessings and abundance that already surround us. Recognizing the goodness in our lives, no matter how small, cultivates a joyful spirit and opens our hearts to experience the happiness that is sometimes buried within us.
Another profound lesson from this scripture is the importance of trust and surrender. The psalmist declares, “I will not be shaken.” When we place our trust in the Almighty, we relinquish our worries, fears, and anxieties. Surrendering control allows us to find peace in knowing that we are not alone in life’s challenges. It is in this surrender that we discover a profound sense of security and contentment, leading to lasting happiness that transcends the ups and downs of external circumstances.
These verses also remind us to cultivate a life of purpose and meaning: Psalm 16:6 emphasizes the idea of a “delightful inheritance.” To find true happiness, we must explore and embrace our unique purpose in life. Each individual possesses innate talents, passions, and gifts that, when pursued, bring a sense of fulfillment and joy. By aligning our actions and aspirations with our deeper calling, we tap into a wellspring of happiness that goes beyond momentary pleasures. When we live authentically and engage in activities that resonate with our values, we experience a sense of purpose that infuses our lives with genuine happiness.
Psalm 16:5-8 offers timeless wisdom on the pursuit of happiness. It teaches us to shift our focus from material possessions, cultivate gratitude, embrace trust, and live a purpose-driven life. True happiness does not lie in external circumstances but in the depths of our souls. By integrating these principles into our daily lives, we can unlock the door to lasting joy, finding contentment, peace, and fulfillment that transcends the ebb and flow of life’s challenges. May we all strive to live according to these profound truths and discover the happiness that awaits us.
God loves us and wants us to be happy. That’s an important aspect for us to keep in mind as we go through life living in this “already – not yet” kingdom of God. Paul reminds us in Romans 14 that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, something the Roman Christians were losing track of, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. I like Wikipedia’s definition of joy; the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, and is typically associated with feelings of intense, long lasting happiness.
That’s what God wants for his people. Intense, long lasting happiness. God’s people in Rome were getting all worked up about what foods were clean to eat and what foods weren’t, and were passing judgment on one another and condemning each other. Paul tells them in verse 14 that he personally, was convinced that nothing is unclean in itself, but if it distressed his brother in the Lord, that he would not eat certain types of food, because that would not be acting in love.
Acting in love is what God did for us in rescuing, redeeming and restoring us; in bringing us into his kingdom through the blood of Jesus the Messiah. Bringing us into his kingdom is all about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is about well-being, thriving and flourishing. It is about feelings of intense, long lasting happiness.
Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God in terms of joy as well. In Matthew 13:44 Jesus says the kingdom of heaven (or kingdom of God) is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. When he buys the field he is filled with feelings of intense, long lasting happiness.
When we buy into the kingdom of God, we too get to experience that same happiness.
For us to experience this joy, we must have the Holy Spirit. Living in the kingdom of God means living under the reign of the King. It is the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes to the joy that awaits us in the kingdom and in the King, and who invites us to be a part of the kingdom. And it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to live in peace and to thrive with our kingdom brothers and sisters.
Paul writes in Ephesians 5 that we should be filled with the Spirit (18). When we are filled with the Spirit, we are filled with joy and sing and make music from our hearts to the Lord (19). This also gives us the ability and desire to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (21). The Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes to a strange, new realization that goes against the grain of this world’s general operating system. That realization being that we will be happier people, not by domineering other people, but by submitting to other people. Not by ruling, but by serving. Not by throwing our weight around but by throwing our energy into helping others.
So, we may not be judging each other or condemning one another about what we are eating and drinking, but there is a fair amount of strife among Christians about different political and social issues. We can’t bury our heads in the sand when it comes to these issues and act like they don’t exist or are not important. But we also shouldn’t condemn to hell as reprobates those who hold different opinions than we do. We should remember, and, with the power of the Holy Spirit, live in the kingdom of God together as righteous, peace loving, children of God, and that will fill us with joy.
God loves us and wants us to be happy. This doesn’t mean that every moment of everyday we will be experiencing heavenly bliss. We have all gone through difficult times in our lives. Times of pain and suffering. Times of anguish and despair. When we go through rough spells, and we sometimes question whether God really loves us and wants us to be happy, I think that we should remember the words of Hebrews 12:2, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
I find three important ideas in this verse that can help us when the hard times come. First, fix our eyes on Jesus, not on our problem. Jesus who loves us and gave himself for us and who will never leave us nor forsake us. Second, focus on the joy that will inevitably come when the pain is gone. Every trial that we go through, God will use to make us happier people in the end. Third, endure. Don’t give up. Don’t lose faith. Always trust in the goodness of God. Always believe in his love and that nothing can separate us from his love.
Many times, when New Testament writers want to talk about Jesus passion and suffering on the cross, they use the word “blood”. And they use that word a lot, mainly to encourage Believers in their Christian walk, especially when that walk happens to be through the valley of the shadow of death. As we approach Good Friday, it is helpful to consider the following verses:
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Acts20:28
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14
The joy that was set before Jesus that enabled him to endure the cross, was us! You and me, fellow believers in the Messiah and adopted children of God. The benefits that we experience from the blood of Christ are – being included in the church of God; being reconciled to God; redemption and forgiveness of sins; and clean consciences that allow us to serve the living God.
As lent comes to an end and the celebration of the risen Lord approaches, let us rejoice and be glad, no matter what we are going through, because God loves us and wants us to be happy. We have the blood to prove that.
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My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.
Horatio Spafford
God loves us and wants us to be happy. I discussed this with the men at a drug and rehab center in Tlacolula, Mexico, yesterday. I am leading them on a study of Ephesians, and in this book, especially chapter two, Paul makes the fact of God’s love for us abundantly clear.
Ephesians 2:4 says, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.
Ephesians 2:7-8 talk about two other aspects of God’s great love, that is his “incomparable riches of grace” and his “kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
The result of his great love is that we are happy!
We are happy because we were dead spiritually, and are now alive.
We are happy because God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms (6).
We are happy because we have been saved by grace through faith (8).
We are happy because we are God’s work of art created to do good works(10).
This Valentines Day we can enjoy pink hearts, red roses and dark chocolates, emblems of the love humans have for one another, but we should celebrate, rejoice and be glad in God’s great love, rich mercy and incomparable grace that will never fade away.
God loves us and wants us to be happy. This is clear from many of the Psalms. Last week we saw it in Psalm 32, and it is even more prominent in Psalm 33. Psalm 33 is a liturgy in praise of the LORD.
God loved his chosen people Israel when this Psalm was written and sung at the temple, and he loves his chosen people, the Church, now:
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love (5)
The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love (18).
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you (22).
Because of God’s unfailing love, his people are happy:
Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him (1).
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy (3).
Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance (12).
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name (21).
God’s love for us is steadfast and never fails. He loves the righteous; those who live in right relationship with him and with their neighbors. He delivers them from the Evil One, from their enemies, and from themselves. In this Psalm, the people are especially happy, it seems, because they have just been delivered from a large army knocking on their door. Verse 10 says that the LORD foils the plans of the nations (those unrighteous nations who do not want to live in right relationship with God or their neighbor Israel). Verse 16 says that no king is saved by the size of his army and that no warrior escapes by his great strength. Verse 19 refers to the LORD delivering his people from death.
Sometimes we have an evil army knocking on the door of our lives, our family or our community of faith. But when we trust in God’s unfailing love and “wait in hope for the LORD” (20), we will come out of the situation, in the end, victorious! We will sing joyfully to the LORD and our hearts will rejoice in his holy name.
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Before you ever get a problem, God already has your deliverance planned. Joyce Meyer
God loves us and wants us to be happy. How do I know this? The Bible tells me so. Its repeated many times in the Psalms. The LORD is good and his love endures forever. Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; his love endures forever.
One key to understanding that God loves us and wants us to be happy, is the word “good”. In the beginning, in Genesis 1, God makes light, land and sea and it is good. He makes plants and trees and calls them good. He makes the sun, moon and stars, and guess what? They are good. He creates animals, birds and fish. He says, ” They are good.” They are all good in their own right, but who are they good for? Humans! I don’t think the creation so far made God particularly happy, but he knew it would make humans happy. Adam and Eve; you and me. Finally he makes humans in his image and likeness, and then stands back and takes a look at it all and declares, “It is very good!”
The second key to understanding that God loves us and wants us to be happy, is the word “love”. All of us who have children love them and want them to be happy. We are not perfect, and often make mistakes in showing our love for them. Those who are in Christ are God’s adopted children. Our heavenly Father never makes mistakes in loving us. I like what Jesus said in Matthew 7, ” If you being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to his children. ” This goodness all starts with God’s love. Not with us. 1 John 4:10 tells us, “This is love, not that we have loved God, but that he has loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”
If that thought, act, gift and love doesn’t make us happy, nothing will!
As we enter a new year, we can imagine it as a kind of new creation. A blank slate, an empty book, and we can look forward to seeing what good words that God is going to write on the slate of our hearts; on the pages of our lives. We can anticipate wonderful gifts that our Heavenly Father is going to give us. Let’s look forward to the new year with excitement, joy and anticipation, knowing that God loves us and wants us to be happy!
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Praying that in 2023 you have –
12 months of success
52 weeks of laughter
365 days of fun
8760 hours of joy
525600 minutes of blessing
and 31536000 seconds of happiness
I truly believe that God loves us and wants us to be happy. I believe that because the Bible tells me so.
The phrase in the Bible that leads me to that conviction is “The LORD is good, and his love endures forever.” These words are found 11 times in the Old Testament, from 1 Chronicles (16:34) to Jeremiah (33:11). It is found most frequently in Psalms (100:5; 106:1; 107;1; 118:1; 136:1).
Most of the time, this scriptural nugget is preceded by the words, “Give thanks to the Lord” as in Psalms 106:1 and 107:1. “Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; his love endures forever.”
I try to practice that admonishment everyday. When the sun pokes its head over the horizon every morning, I tell myself and those around me, “Look, he did it again!” God doesn’t have to make the sunrise everyday, but he does because he loves us and wants us to be happy!
I am the gardener at a home for needy children in Oaxaca, Mexico. When I see the Birds of Paradise, Hibiscus, Geraniums, Canna Lilies, Bougainvilles or Roses in bloom, I can see how God is so good and loves us so much, and I happily give him thanks and praise his name. He didn’t have to give us all these beautiful flowers, but he did, because he loves us and wants us to be happy.
My wife and I have a little piece of property not too far from the home for needy children. I am constantly planting and caring for many flowers, bushes and trees that I planted. They need a lot of TLC to flourish and thrive (kinda like us humans). I was pleasantly surprised about a month ago, by the appearance of the Passion Flower pictured above. It is beautiful. I did not plant it. God did. Why? Because the LORD is Good and his Love endures forever and because he loves us and wants us to be happy. Just ask Benjamin Franklin.
“The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voice in praise to the LORD and sang:
He is good; his love endures forever.
Then the temple of the LORD was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. 2 Chronicles 5:13,14
God loves us and wants us to be happy. This verse from Romans emphasizes that truth. Notice it does not say, “May the God of misery fill you with all despair and anguish as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hopelessness by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
No, it is all about being filled with all joy and peace and overflowing with hope. If there are three words in our vocabulary that are the essence of happiness, they must be joy, peace and hope. And Paul’s prayer is that his readers would not just possess a little bit of joy here, and a taste of peace there with a smidge of hope thrown in. No. He wants his readers to be filled with all joy and peace and overflow with hope.
How is that accomplished? Paul says it comes from trusting in God. Trusting in God like a little baby trusts in its parents. Trusting in God so deeply that, like a baby, you don’t even realize how much you are trusting him. Sometimes when I am praying, I will all of a sudden say “Goo, Goo – Ga Ga”, just to remind myself of how much I truly depend on him for every little thing I have, like bread, breath and water. It also reminds me of my insignificant knowledge in comparison to the infinite knowledge of our omniscient Father. There are so many things that I don’t understand about life and God, that I would like to understand, but I can’t. Then I get this image of Einstein trying to explain the theory of relativity to a toddler. There is no way the toddler can understand. Like me. There’s no way I can understand a lot of the things that I would like God to explain to me. So I say, “Goo, goo – ga ga”, and go on happily trusting God.
So let’s trust in Lord; taste and see that God is good, all the time, and celebrate the fact that our Father in heaven loves us and wants us to be happy.
To Enjoy God 