Happiness

[MitzaLizalor]

II Chronicles 9:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Whether she was the myrrh oligarch of her day or not, what was in her heart is of no interest to me. Solomon communicated God's wisdom for her to hear and the Queen acknowledged her delight.

II Chronicles 9:7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

Christians appreciate happiness at that level because God is ever present. What about places where no God is known? Yes, they have a word translated as "happy" but is that the same thing as witnessed by Sheba in the person of their queen? Here's an example from the atheistic realm of Zen.





This is their big day out. Would that be a high point where Christ was engaged? It's not necessary for any prospective mother-in-law to smell her son's intended to know she's unsuitable. This ultimate failure exists in its own right.

Happiness is unique to Christians.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Happiness

Spiritual laws are as real as physical laws, and Jesus invented spiritual laws to govern happiness among other delights. God's path to happiness is not the same path one who appeals to her sin nature would take. Sinful actions can usually be traced to one foundational lie: that we will be happier if we do or possess this thing of our own choosing. But God assures us the happy person is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of who scorn True Christians(Tm) (Psalm 1:1).

God delights in confounding the wise by using foolish things to accomplish His purposes, weak things to shame the strong, and lowly and despised things to magnify His glory (1 Corinthians 1:27–28). The psalmist says that we are happiest when we are delighting in God’s promises and commandments (Psalm 112:1). People may mock Christians for being intellectual simpletons, but Jesus knows we are happiest when we rely on Him, not our own intellect.

These people do not look happy, and they do not look like they delight in God's promises and commandments even if they do imagine themselves to be well educated and clever. A happy people do not behave like this:

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: Happiness

Happiness is irrelevant. The more we suffer, the greater our chances we go to Heaven! (Matthew 7:13-14)

[MitzaLizalor]

Re: Happiness

For the wretched nations of the world, even if an illustration of their folly were given they could not understand it. It would be nice if they did so they could be healed from their spiritual abjection – but Jesus was quite clear on this:

Matthew 13:9-15 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

[Dr. Anthony J. Toole]

Re: Happiness

I'm only a doctor of medicine and not a Pastor but if nothing else the experience of 3 ex-wives has taught me about happiness. Not mine - but really what does that matter in the grand scheme of things.

P.S. If anyone knows a death metal version of this please post the link - ideally as part of an album of show tunes.

[MitzaLizalor]

Re: Happiness

One of the worst forms of metal is the Ska - it's all about demons. How often have we heard that "demons don't exist" or similar? But here right after what sounds like a hindoo invocation @ 2:29, about where they seem to forget where they are or what they're supposed to be doing, what happens? Parental guidance advised if checking out this idolatrous, punk, metal, ska fusion but whatever that keyboard player is drinking has not led to happiness.

[Isabella White]

Re: Happiness

One of the worst forms of metal is the Ska - it's all about demons. How often have we heard that "demons don't exist" or similar? But here right after what sounds like a hindoo invocation @ 2:29, about where they seem to forget where they are or what they're supposed to be doing, what happens? Parental guidance advised if checking out this idolatrous, punk, metal, ska fusion but whatever that keyboard player is drinking has not led to happiness.

Oh, I think that this is so very true, too, dear Sister Mitza, and I do thank you for providing us with this very relevant confirmation. After listening (briefly) to the musical video clip that you have so kindly provided, I think anybody can see that the demons are having their way there, doing whatever it is that they desire.

And, we should not be surprised, as the has given us ample warning:

Matthew 12:43-45:
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

And, as is noted in verse 45 above, the situation becomes even worse, with the passing of time. It's as though those demons support each other, and seek more targets to attack. Certainly, in the video link below (viewer discretion advised), the disastrous effect is obvious.

[MitzaLizalor]

Re: Happiness

I inadvertently played Captain Sensible and Yoko Ono at the same time; occasionally the dreadful guitar and the awful screeching were on the same note – but neither of them seemed happy. South Pacific is not a film I'll ever watch (Paul Gauguin's depictions of the region are more than enough for one lifetime) but imagine things from the young persons' point of view: to have Humpty-Dumpty leering at your every interaction from two feet away† is very unlikely to produce happiness.

So often we hear God's message through the ages mocked, derided as utterly divorced from reality. By that is meant aspects of reality we can actually confirm and by divorced, is meant that if God is so out of touch with what we can see for ourselves, how much worse will He be concerning the rest? Mockery and derision is bad enough but sometimes our opponents get physical, running us through with spikes or burning us alive. For centuries this has gone on, not at all times in all places, but wherever Christians are found happiness is found too. Not the shallow delight of a Pacific lagoon. Real happiness.

I Peter 3:12-15 The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear

† I just checked. Two feet is maximum range.

[Dr. Anthony J. Toole]

Re: Happiness

Parental guidance advised if checking out this idolatrous, punk, metal, ska fusion but whatever that keyboard player is drinking has not led to happiness.

Ahh there's the extra kilo of sweetness the original needed.