I Think Myself Happy
The worldly man believes he is happy when becomes emotionally high as a result of experiencing temporal favor or what he believes to be luck. The major failing of this type of happiness is that one may only experience it while circumstance permit. In other words, worldly happiness is driven by external stimuli such as money, advancements in society, etc. Let's look at Hollywood to illustrate the devastating deception this type of happiness imparts to people. There are a number of well known people who have gone to Hollywood and had great success, experiencing all things associated with worldly happiness. Even with all the fame, money and success, many of these actors become so depressed, they commit suicide. Why? They have only acquired a counterfeit happiness which they cannot control or call on in times of distress. Their happiness is controlled by the external circumstances in their lives. In fact the pursuit this counterfeit happiness is what lures many to devastating personal failure and many times to a tragic end.
What people really need is to find happiness in Jesus, the Word of God. Mind altering Psychotropic drug manufacturers, drug pushers, and alcoholic beverage manufactures and the practitioners of psychiatry would surely go out of business if people ever understood what real happiness was and how to get it. Try to imagine the dynamics of an entire society whose mental health was rooted in God's supreme blessings. What would the possibilities be?
I have come to believe that I have the right to take official authority over the rule of my happiness. I have also learned that unlike counterfeit worldly happiness, I can be supremely blessed by God. All I have to do see what God's Word says and obey it.
Acts 26:2 is key to understanding the attainment of Godly happiness. It is here, while facing extraordinary adversity in dealing with King Agrippa, Paul said the oddest thing, "I think myself happy..." At first blush this doesn't seem like a big deal because of the way our society uses the word think. In our country, if someone were to ask, are you well? One might answer, "I think that I am well." There is an implied question, a doubt, in the answer. Many times in our society the word "think" is used with little certainty much less as a causal factor. In our society "think" is largely reduced in meaning to merely holding an opinion.
But in the Greek "think" has a far more powerful meaning. My Strong's concordance associates the words command with official authority, deem, consider, count, esteem, governor, judge the rule over and suppose with the word think. Further, in the Greek, the word happy in best associated with the words supremely blessed.
I don't believe that Paul, while dealing with King Agrippa, was simply verbalizing an idle thought equivalent to, "Things are so bad, I think I'll just say I'm happy." Nor do I believe that Paul was simply gritting his teeth and bearing the adversity. What I do believe is that Paul was employing a spiritual principle. Paul chose to take command his mind. With his God given official authority Paul seized control (subjugated) of his own thoughts and chose to esteem himself supremely blessed by God. Because he decided on his course of thought, Paul was able to speak forth faith filled words which brought results. Paul knew that God had given him the power to think himself happy (supremely-blessed) and to issue forth a declaration of faith. With just those few faith filled words, Paul made personal failure impossibility. What chance did King Agrippa have contending with a supremely blessed man of God? No chance at all!
What was true for Paul is also true for us. Whether the circumstances in our lives are good or bad, our trump is the same as Paul's, our happiness in God. The real challenge is to overcome our carnal mind. It is certain that we must exercise our official God given authority to take command over our carnal mind if we want to experience real happiness. So, how do we do this?
We first must accept the fact that if we do not give our carnal minds good things to think on, our minds will give us evil things to think on. What could Paul have given his mind to think on when he boldly declared, "I think myself happy?" I believe that Paul was a man who practiced what he preached. In Philippians' Paul gave us God's direction on what to think on. Paul said."Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians' 4:8
What could Paul have been thinking of that would meet all the qualifications of Philippians' 4:8? To fully understand those qualifications, I had to again go to my concordance Strong's associates honest with venerable meaning sacred. The word just is associated with equitable, innocent, holy meek, right. The word pure equivocates to clean, innocent, modest, perfect, chaste clean and pure. The word lovely entails friendly towards, acceptable. The words "good report" refers to well spoken of, reputable and virtue incorporates manliness, valor, stronger for lifting. Who but Jesus could possibly meet all of these criteria? Yes, I am convinced that Paul was considering all the wondrous blessing of our Lord when He said, "I think myself happy." I believe that Paul had his heart steadfastly fixed on Jesus.
It would seem that my goal is the most important goal of all. To be blessed with your supreme blessings by being in Your perfect will for my life. I shouldn't be surprised if I get something right since I believe that I have the mind of Christ. This is a pretty staggering thought considering that I know only a small portion of Your blessings and I still don't know what your perfect will for my life is. I think that happiness is just like your glory. No mater how much we attain, there is always infinitely more to be had. Lord, just how blessed can I get and how do I find what your will is for my life?
My two goals have been to find out what is Your calling on my life and to be happy. I believe that these two things are inexorably intertwined. So, Father in the name of Jesus I ask, that through your word, You impart your wisdom to my heart concerning these issues of life.
Consistent with previous meditations I see that a soft heart is required to be happy because Your word says, " Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief." Your word also says "...happy is that people, whose God is the LORD." I also see where your word says, "Happy is he...whose hope is in the LORD his God." Proverbs 28:14, Psalm 144:15, Psalm 146:5
I see that love is an absolute requirement for happiness. Love keeps my heart soft. A soft heart fears/respects and places its' hope in You and holds fast to the fact that Jesus is Lord.
So how do I soften my heart? I believe that the key to realizing this happiness is found in Acts 26:2 where Paul, even under adverse circumstances, said, "I think myself happy..." What a revolutionary idea. All people really want is to be happy and Paul is telling us that we can think ourselves happy. How do we do this? Well Daddy God, You have told me what to think on. You said, "For the rest brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, what ever is lovely, and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is to be any virtue and excellence, is there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things-fix your minds on." Philippians 4:8 AMP What are some things that might satisfy the types of things mentioned in this verse. I believe that there is only one answer, Jesus. Isn't Jesus the truth, worthy of reverence, honorable, seemly, just, pure, lovely, lovable, kind, winsome, and gracious? Isn't Jesus the source of all virtue and excellence and isn't He worthy of praise. I say yes to all these things.
The worldly man believes he is happy when becomes emotionally high as a result of experiencing temporal favor or what he believes to be luck. The major failing of this type of happiness is that one may only experience it while circumstance permit. In other words, worldly happiness is driven by external stimuli such as money, advancements in society, etc. Let's look at Hollywood to illustrate the devastating deception this type of happiness imparts to people. There are a number of well known people who have gone to Hollywood and had great success, experiencing all things associated with worldly happiness. Even with all the fame, money and success, many of these actors become so depressed, they commit suicide. Why? They have only acquired a counterfeit happiness which they cannot control or call on in times of distress. Their happiness is controlled by the external circumstances in their lives. In fact the pursuit this counterfeit happiness is what lures many to devastating personal failure and many times to a tragic end.
What people really need is to find happiness in Jesus, the Word of God. Mind altering Psychotropic drug manufacturers, drug pushers, and alcoholic beverage manufactures and the practitioners of psychiatry would surely go out of business if people ever understood what real happiness was and how to get it. Try to imagine the dynamics of an entire society whose mental health was rooted in God's supreme blessings. What would the possibilities be?
I have come to believe that I have the right to take official authority over the rule of my happiness. I have also learned that unlike counterfeit worldly happiness, I can be supremely blessed by God. All I have to do see what God's Word says and obey it.
Acts 26:2 is key to understanding the attainment of Godly happiness. It is here, while facing extraordinary adversity in dealing with King Agrippa, Paul said the oddest thing, "I think myself happy..." At first blush this doesn't seem like a big deal because of the way our society uses the word think. In our country, if someone were to ask, are you well? One might answer, "I think that I am well." There is an implied question, a doubt, in the answer. Many times in our society the word "think" is used with little certainty much less as a causal factor. In our society "think" is largely reduced in meaning to merely holding an opinion.
But in the Greek "think" has a far more powerful meaning. My Strong's concordance associates the words command with official authority, deem, consider, count, esteem, governor, judge the rule over and suppose with the word think. Further, in the Greek, the word happy in best associated with the words supremely blessed.
I don't believe that Paul, while dealing with King Agrippa, was simply verbalizing an idle thought equivalent to, "Things are so bad, I think I'll just say I'm happy." Nor do I believe that Paul was simply gritting his teeth and bearing the adversity. What I do believe is that Paul was employing a spiritual principle. Paul chose to take command his mind. With his God given official authority Paul seized control (subjugated) of his own thoughts and chose to esteem himself supremely blessed by God. Because he decided on his course of thought, Paul was able to speak forth faith filled words which brought results. Paul knew that God had given him the power to think himself happy (supremely-blessed) and to issue forth a declaration of faith. With just those few faith filled words, Paul made personal failure impossibility. What chance did King Agrippa have contending with a supremely blessed man of God? No chance at all!
What was true for Paul is also true for us. Whether the circumstances in our lives are good or bad, our trump is the same as Paul's, our happiness in God. The real challenge is to overcome our carnal mind. It is certain that we must exercise our official God given authority to take command over our carnal mind if we want to experience real happiness. So, how do we do this?
We first must accept the fact that if we do not give our carnal minds good things to think on, our minds will give us evil things to think on. What could Paul have given his mind to think on when he boldly declared, "I think myself happy?" I believe that Paul was a man who practiced what he preached. In Philippians' Paul gave us God's direction on what to think on. Paul said."Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians' 4:8
What could Paul have been thinking of that would meet all the qualifications of Philippians' 4:8? To fully understand those qualifications, I had to again go to my concordance Strong's associates honest with venerable meaning sacred. The word just is associated with equitable, innocent, holy meek, right. The word pure equivocates to clean, innocent, modest, perfect, chaste clean and pure. The word lovely entails friendly towards, acceptable. The words "good report" refers to well spoken of, reputable and virtue incorporates manliness, valor, stronger for lifting. Who but Jesus could possibly meet all of these criteria? Yes, I am convinced that Paul was considering all the wondrous blessing of our Lord when He said, "I think myself happy." I believe that Paul had his heart steadfastly fixed on Jesus.
It would seem that my goal is the most important goal of all. To be blessed with your supreme blessings by being in Your perfect will for my life. I shouldn't be surprised if I get something right since I believe that I have the mind of Christ. This is a pretty staggering thought considering that I know only a small portion of Your blessings and I still don't know what your perfect will for my life is. I think that happiness is just like your glory. No mater how much we attain, there is always infinitely more to be had. Lord, just how blessed can I get and how do I find what your will is for my life?
My two goals have been to find out what is Your calling on my life and to be happy. I believe that these two things are inexorably intertwined. So, Father in the name of Jesus I ask, that through your word, You impart your wisdom to my heart concerning these issues of life.
Consistent with previous meditations I see that a soft heart is required to be happy because Your word says, " Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief." Your word also says "...happy is that people, whose God is the LORD." I also see where your word says, "Happy is he...whose hope is in the LORD his God." Proverbs 28:14, Psalm 144:15, Psalm 146:5
I see that love is an absolute requirement for happiness. Love keeps my heart soft. A soft heart fears/respects and places its' hope in You and holds fast to the fact that Jesus is Lord.
So how do I soften my heart? I believe that the key to realizing this happiness is found in Acts 26:2 where Paul, even under adverse circumstances, said, "I think myself happy..." What a revolutionary idea. All people really want is to be happy and Paul is telling us that we can think ourselves happy. How do we do this? Well Daddy God, You have told me what to think on. You said, "For the rest brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, what ever is lovely, and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is to be any virtue and excellence, is there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things-fix your minds on." Philippians 4:8 AMP What are some things that might satisfy the types of things mentioned in this verse. I believe that there is only one answer, Jesus. Isn't Jesus the truth, worthy of reverence, honorable, seemly, just, pure, lovely, lovable, kind, winsome, and gracious? Isn't Jesus the source of all virtue and excellence and isn't He worthy of praise. I say yes to all these things.
Jesus is my joy, not the things of the world.There is no way that can bring happiness.
