Hinges of Happiness - Tim Conley

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. What think

you of Christ? At his feet we humbly fall crown him,

Crown him, Lord of all. Bring greetings to you. Also

from the Paye congregation, extend to welcome to you to

come pay us a visit as you have opportunity. Joy

to you, Joy to this church, Joy to this community,

Joy to the world. The Lord is Come, Let earth

receiver King. Thank you for leading that song. I guess

that saved me from leading it. I was planning to

sing that first verse this morning. Those words are fresh

in our mind. To the world. The Lord is Come,

Let earth receiver King. And that's a very fitting song

to sing at this time of year, this season we

call Christmas, and we honor him in singing those songs.

But I think we ought to sing those songs the

other months of the year too, and the other Sundays

of the year. Joy to the world. The Lord is come.

That's why we gather Sunday morning to worship and praise Him.

And so that was a very fitting song. Thank you

song Later. Now I have a question for you. Is

that a fitting song to sing at a funeral? Joy

to the world and the body lies there in the casket.

How many in this auditorium were at Zeila Crupp's funeral

the end of October and bleeze, raise your hand, all right,

I know a few of you were, and so you

know from being at that funeral you sang joy to

the world at Zaela Krupp's funeral. My wife was able

to be there. I was not there. My family and

I that that Saturday. We watched the live stream of that.

It's as close as we got to attending that funeral.

And you say, wait a minute, isn't this a funeral.

Aren't there tears? There? Isn't there sorrow there? Why are

you singing joy to the world. Yes, there were tears there,

and there was sorrow, and there was loss and grief.

One of the reasons they sang joy to the world

is because they said Zaela like Christmas songs. I don't

know if that was one of her favorites, but they

sang joy to the world at her funeral. And I

think one thing that that song proved is this that

the testimonies the family gave the expressions of peace and

joy at such a time. The joy that was there

obviously did not hinge on the reality of that service

or the circumstances of loss and a body lying in

the casket. That's not what their joy and peace and

testimonies hinged on, not at all. But rather they bore

testimony to God and to his work and his goodness

and his grace. And that's why they could. That's why

they could. Yes, have sorrow, there was grief there, but

they did not sorrow as those who have no hope.

And it really blessed me that they sang joy to

the world at a funeral. For the day he talked

about Jesus asking questions. I'm going to ask some too.

This morning. I have another question for you, and it

would be interesting if I could pass out a little

survey to each of you and then collect it again

and see what you add. Simple answer yes or no.

Are you happy this morning? Are you happy this morning?

And if you'd say yes, it would be interesting to

hear why you're happy? And if you said no, I'd

like to know why not? Why am I happy? What

makes me happy? What makes you happy? What does it

take to answer that question with a yes? I've titled

the message this morning Hinges of Happiness, Hinges of happiness.

I have a hinge up here. Hinges are very common item,

very familiar, at least to some of us. I build

storage sheds, and people that buy a shed want to

be able to use the shed. They want to be

able to access it and get into it. So we

put doors on this Yet, but those doors have to

be able to open, right, and so we put hinges on.

They don't look just like this, but the same principle.

The door hinges on the shed. One of the definitions

for a hinge. It's a figurative definition. It is this

that on which something else turns or depends. Now, you

benefited from the work of hinges this morning, whether you

thought about it or not. You walked through the doors

of your bedroom, through the doors of your house, You

walked out to your car and opened the door. You

came to this building and you again walked through the door,

and it closed behind you. And all those doors were

depending on and turning on hinges. Now, maybe you have

seen an old building, an old bar with doors that

were practically falling off, no longer serving their purpose. There

could be more than one reason for that. But one

of the truths about a hinge is one of these

sides has to be fastened to something solid and stationary.

So on my sheds, this side is solid, and this

side the door is fastened too, and it works properly.

What happens if this side becomes loose, or if the

maybe the screw head breaks off or screws pull out

of the wood on the side that's supposed to be solid,

and the hinge goes like that, You know what happens.

And so that truth that's true physically in the physical

sense with shed doors, and that is also true spiritually.

The hinges of my happiness have to be fastened to

something solid and stationary, something that does not change. It's

probably I should simply say, we can't understand. We cannot

wrap our minds around and experience or life being without sorrow.

Now we know when God created the first people, Adam

and Eve. God looked on his creation and he pronounced

it very good. There was no sorrow, there was no pain.

Everything was perfect, and man enjoyed that reality. I'm not

sure for how long, but they lived in a perfect world.

So soon we come to Genesis three, and you know

what you find in Genesis three. Genesis three records the

fall of man and sin entering the world, and sin

brought thorns and thistles and suffering and sorrow and the

sentence of death. Go read that again some time, but

I find it interesting, and I think it ought to

It helps us to see the heart of God. You know,

Sin entered the world, and God came, and he had

a talk with the man that he had created. And

in Genesis three, God comes and because of sin, he

curses the ground, and because of sin, he curses a serpent.

Did God curse man? God didn't curse man. I don't

know what would have happened if God would have cursed man.

But God cursed the ground and he cursed the serpent.

And God simply decreed that because of that, because of

man's disobedience and sin, from now on, he says, man's

existence will be one of sorrow. He told Eve, he said,

in sorrow, shalt out bringing four children. And he told Adam,

he said, you're going to labor and sweat a lot.

And he said, in sorrow, you're gonna eat the fruit

of the ground that is now infested with thorns and thistles.

Your life's gonna be one of sorrow. That's gonna be

the reality of it. That's all we know. That's the

reality that we live in. And so it is. Robin

says that the whole creation growneth and travaileth in pain

together until now that's the reality we live in. And

yet man wants to be happy. We want to be happy.

I think God made us that way. God wants you

to be happy. Do you believe that God wants us

to be happy? And so what is that? Man tries

to define those hinges in his life? Man tries to

define what happiness is. Did I see a marker down here?

Did you ever see that, maybe a bumper sticker or

an expression somewhere? Happiness is and men try to define that.

Have you ever seen that? What was in the blank? Anyone?

Man tries to define what happiness is? I saw one

a number of years ago. It was a bumper sticker

on a pickup and that truck belonged to an ex

scivating company, and they had defined happiness. You know what

they put in the blank? They said, happiness is a

new asphalt driveway. I think what they're really saying is,

we'd be happy if you'd hire us to pave your driveway.

That's what they're saying, but happiness is a new asphalt driveway,

and I've never forgotten that. And so if that's the definition,

if that defines happiness, I'm sorry. I can't be happy.

I don't have an asphalt driveway. And if you do,

that's fine. But that's just an example of what I'm

talking about. My dictionary defines happiness and it uses this sentence,

and I don't like it. It says life is one

long search for happiness. And one of the reasons I

don't like that is because it implies, to me, maybe subtly,

it implies that it life is only going to be

a search for it and never defining of it, never

the fulfillment of it, and the blank is just going

to stay blank. You're always looking for it. And there's

probably some truth in that, especially in mankind that do

not know Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, what is happiness?

I want to first of all submit a few points

on what happiness is not. So I guess we should

put the words not up here first in the first

point of the message happiness is not. And I've said

more than once in a sermon that I wish sometimes

I could just open it up and we just have

discussion like Sunday school class. I'd like to know what

you would say happiness is not. But here's a few.

This is not exhaustive. Number one, happiness is not material possessions,

or we could say the abundance of things. Happiness is

not material possessions. You say, prove it, all right, Our

own country proves it. The United States of America proves

that happiness is not material possessions or the abundance of things.

In twenty twenty four, the United States was ranked the

world's richest country. And that's based on the GDP gross

domestic product of almost twenty nine trillion dollars in twenty

twenty four, ranked the richest country in the world. I know,

let's not talk about the national debt, but so ranked

by GDP the richest country. Now, wouldn't it be safe

to assume then that the richest country ought to be

the happiest country in the world. You think, surely in

the top five ranking the countries in the world, is

the US in the top five? Do you think it's

in the top ten? Come on, We're the richest country

in the world. Somebody's shaking their head. No, somebody knows

something about this. They say, for the first time, the

US has fallen out of the top twenty happiest countries

in the world, and in twenty twenty four it ranked

number twenty three, though it be the richest country in

the world. Because happiness is not material possessions and abundance

of things. We could prove it from the scriptures. Remember

the rich young ruler. The rich young ruler came running

to Jesus, and trying to picture that scene, I think

he came running right up to Jesus, and I think

he he was short of breath, may be still panting.

And he had some excellent questions for Jesus. He said,

good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

I can't think of a more concerning question than that.

To concern yourself with what shall And he came to

the right person. Excellent question. He came to Christ with that,

and you know what Jesus told him. He said, if

you want to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.

And he said which Jesus said, love the Lord your

God with all your heart, and your neighbor is yourself.

And the young man said, check, I've done it. He

said all these things. Remember he's rich. He said, I've

done all that. I've kept that from my youth. Do

you remember what he asked? Next? He looked at Jesus

and he said, what lack I yet? What lack I yet?

Mark ten. I think this is one of the saddest

scenes in the scriptures. Mark chapter ten. Then Jesus beholding him,

loved him. Jesus loves everyone. Jesus loves the humanity that

makes up the world. But in the scriptures this is

one of the one of the few times where you

have it actually like it's recorded. Jesus beholding him, loved

him and said, unto him, your question. One thing that

like us for all you've got, young men, right here,

one thing thou lackest, go thy way, Sell whatsoever thou hast,

and give to the poor, and now shall have treasure

in heaven. And come take up the cross and follow me,

and I'll add and you will be happy. Jesus answer

to that young man's question was give, not get. And

you know this young man stumbled on over that, and

he thought all these things he could not live without.

And here Jesus comes and tells him, actually, the problem

is you can't live with them if you want to

be happy and if you want to follow me. And

he was sad that saying. He wanted to be happy,

but he was sad at that saying and went away

grieved because he had great possessions and those things do

not bring happiness. Secondly, happiness is not satisfying the senses.

The Brethren devotions talked about people who will be partying

and satisfying the senses. Is it wrong to satisfy my senses?

We drove into Esta Kada on Friday. And driving into

Esta Kada, there there stands Mount Hood in all its glory,

and it was beautiful. This guy was overcast for the

most part, it was getting darker, but Mount Hood, the

top up a mountain, Hood was hidden in the clouds.

But from there down to the ground the snow, the

sun was shining in on it and it was just beautiful.

I don't know if the people and Esterkata ever get

tired of seeing Mount Hood or not, but when I

get a chance to see it, I just really enjoy it.

It was very pleasing to my sense of sight. Was

that wrong? I remember as a schoolboy coming home from

school and the schoolboys come home from school and they're

always hungry, and a what a sight to see if

Mom had baked bread that day and there's fresh bread,

still warm bread, sitting on the table and Mom says,

you can have a slice for your after school snack.

You know, the sight of that, then the smell of that,

just like I know lunch is going to be today.

Where's gary? I heard what we're haing them for lunch,

and I guarantee you it's going to be very pleasing

to my senses of smell and taste. Is that wrong?

Happiness is not simply satisfying the senses because those things.

And I want to say this, God created us with

these senses. And I think God created us with that

capacity because he wants us to enjoy moms fresh baked bread.

I think that's just fine. But when people try to

make themselves happy or find happiness in just gratifying the senses,

that's when they find there is not happiness in those things.

Maybe sometimes children or youth or even some of us

that aren't that youthful anymore. You know, we think if

we could just if we could just have or just

do whatever we want. You know, sometimes a little lad

thinks that dad can do whatever he wants. They would

aspire to that. Well. Ecclesiastes talks a man that was able,

talks about a man that was able to do that.

And Ecclesiastes two, verse ten, Solomon says, whatsoever mine eyes desired,

I kept not from them. I withheld not my heart

from any joy. For my heart rejoiced in all my labor,

and this was my portion of all my labor. Here

was a man who could get and do whatever he wanted,

and he talks about that here in this chapter. Look

what all he did in Ecclesiastes too. I made me

great works. I builded me houses, I made meet gardens

and orchards. I planted trees, I had fruit, I made

need pools of water. I got servants and maid servants.

I gathered silver and gold and peculiar treasure. Get me

men's singers and women's singers, and the delights of the

sons of men. So I was great and increased more

than all that were before me in Jerusalem. There's a man.

If it looked good, if it sounded good, if it

tasted good, if it felt good, he had it. He

could do that. Was he happy? What does he say

in verse eleven, Then I looked on all the works

that my hands had roten, on the labor that I

had labored to do, all this stuff that he could have,

and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and

there was no profit under the sun. Vanity here means

vexation means a grasping after for Ah he had. Solomon said,

I'm still I'm just grasping for it. What was that definition?

Life being one long search for happiness? That's the picture

I get here and Solomon grasping after happiness? Were these

things wrong? Were fruit trees wrong? Was it wrong to

enjoy the fruit from them? Maybe the smell of the

fresh fruit or the eating of it? Oh, that wasn't wrong.

The truth in this passage is simply this. All these

things that satisfy the senses, and things that God wants

us to find pleasing to our senses because He made

us that way. But in them alone there is no happiness.

Solomon was still grasping because though these things satisfy this,

they could not fill that God size hole in his heart.

Just like you have and I have, All men have

that need of God and that relationship with their creator

Number three closely related. Happiness is not freedom from restrictions.

Happiness is not freedom from restrictions or getting my own way.

Think about it. We talked about Adam and Eve and

the state of perfection living in the garden of Eden

in Paradise. How many restrictions did they have in the garden?

How many did God say? Don't how many? One? Just

one of every tree, and remember it's perfect. There is

no rotten fruit in this garden. Everything is of every tree.

Out help yourself, except one, just one restriction. Wouldn't life

be so much simpler if we only had one restriction?

But you know what Satan did. Here comes the serpent

and he says, as long as you have one restriction,

you can't be happy. Actually, you'd be better off if

you threw that one off and ate that fruit. You

know the story. Were they happy? Sin came upon all

men because of their disobedience. Happiness is not freedom from restrictions.

Go ask the prodigal son Luke fifteen, verse thirteen. You

know that story. It says he got the amount of

money his inheritance from his father that he was gonna get,

and he traveled into a far country with that was

he happy? Maybe he had some fun for a while.

We hear that question sometimes. It's not uncommon if you

go into the bank on a Friday and the teller

might ask you, are you doing anything fun this weekend?

What do you say? And so maybe the prodigal son

thought he was having fun for a while in the

far country. Just think about that. I don't know if

he had any restrictions in the far country. Actually we

know he did. He found out an empty pocketbook was

quite restrictive, didn't he. But but for a while, I

think he thought he was happy. He was having fun.

He was free from restrictions the far country. To me pictures,

he was far from any authority of his father, any

household rules, far from the authority and restrictions and those

stuffy old standards of the church in a far country.

Was he happy? Proverb says Proverbs twenty nine to fifteen

says a child left, and that means let go a child,

let go, let loose to himself, just like this young man.

What happens, it says, it bringeth his mother to shame.

And I would add with that he brings himself to sorrow. Hey,

where is this young man in the far country that

was having so much fun. Anyway, you hear the pigs,

guess where you find him. He's over there feeding the pigs.

He's out of money. Freedom from restrictions finds that young

man in the poverty, pig pen, hunger, pain life. That's

where he found himself. Did I perish with hunger? Number four?

Happiness is not I'd like to hear what you'd put

in the blank. But here's another one. Happiness is not

the removal of Mordecai or Mordecai. That's another subject. I

said Mordecaie all my life, and then somebody said Mordecai.

So I went and looked it up in ungers, and

I guess it's Mordecai's whatever. You know who I'm talking about.

Happiness is not the removal of Mordecai. Ester five. Ester

five finds Hayman invited to a banquet. It was just

him and Esther and the king. Have you ever been

invited to such a banquet? Have you ever sat with

such elite? Would you call that the VIP experience? Then

just Haymon with the king and queen. So they sat

down and they ate, and the king asked Esther what

do you want? What's your petition? She said, let's do

this again tomorrow. So not only did he get to

sit down with them once, but now he's invited to

do it again tomorrow verse nine. Then right on the

heels of that, then when Haman forced that day joyful

and with a glad heart. So in Hayman's mind, happiness

is being able to sit down to a banquet with

the king and queen. He's a happy man, right. Well,

the verse doesn't end there. But but when Hamon saw

Mordecai and the King's gate that he stood not up

nor moved for him. He was full of indignation against Mordecai.

I thought you were a happy man, Hamon Verse twelve.

Hayman said, moreover, yeah, esther the queen to let no

man come in with the king under the banquet that

she had prepared. But myself, he's bragging to his wife

and family, and tomorrow I'm invited unto her also with

the king. Yet verse thirteen. Yet all this of veileth

it profits me nothing so long as I see Mordecai

the Jews sitting at the King's gate. Hayman had concluded

that happiness hinge. He's saying, you know, this side is

if I could just attach this to the removal of Mordecai,

then I could be happy. Haman was convinced that a

person was his greatest problem. Haman was convinced that a

man in his life prevented him from being happy. That

was his biggest problem. Then says z Resh, his wife

and always friends under him. Let the gallows be made tomorrow.

Speak down to the king that Mordecai be hang there on.

Then go thou in merrily with the king into the banquet.

See that that's what it hinges on. Here's the advice.

Get rid of him, then you can be happy again.

Go in merrily. You know it is. It's just too

bad that Hayman was convinced of this and thought happiness

hinged on the removal of Mordecai. Do you know what's

worse When brethren in the church think that about each

other we're sisters. It happens when a young mother in

the church says, you know, if we could get just

get rid of the bishop, then we could church life.

It happens. Or what about the the husband who's become bitter,

who no longer lives with his wife. Oh he'll stop

in occasionally for a meal, but he's angry and he

blames her, and she's the problem, and I can't live

with her anymore? Is that the problem? Just happiness? Hinge

on the removal of Mordecai. Do you know what the

scriptures say? What really needs to go isn't Mordecai. But

what really needs to be removed, and what needs to

go and get hanged on the gallows is the pride

and selfishness and bitterness in my heart Ephesians four thirty two.

We love that verse. We can say it by memory,

and be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. Children

can quote that verse, and we aspire to that, and

that ought to be the experience in our churches. Who

can quote verse thirty one? Did you know that verse

thirty two hinges on verse thirty one? I think so.

Verse thirty one says, let all bitterness and wrath and

anger and clamor and evil speaking. I don't find anybody's

naming here. Mordecai is not in the list. But here's

what needs to go. All these things be put away

from you with all malice, and be kind one to another.

See the clarity of scripture and telling us what really

brings happiness. I have one more, happiness is not the

result of human effort or our own ability. Remember, Solomon says,

I looked on the works that my hands had wrought,

and the labor that I had labored to do. See

how that's all about Solomon and about what he could

do in his efforts in his hands, and he found

it vanity and vexation. God asked his people in Isaiah

fifty five, wherefore do you spend money for that which

is not bred, and your labor for that which satisfieth not?

God is simply telling his people it's not up to you.

You don't have the capacity to fill the need in

your heart and in your life. You're laboring for that

which satisfieth not. It's probably been over two hundred years ago,

back around back about eighteen hundred, but the story is

told of a man who went to his physician and

he complained ofancolie. He was just feeling blue, he wasn't happy,

and so it was a British physician examined him. And

after that examination, the doctor prescribed this. He said, you

need amusement. Go and hear the comedian Grimaldi, because Grimaldy

will make you laugh, and that will be better for

you than any drugs. You know what the patient said,

He said, I am Grimaldy. I am Grimaldy. Happiness is

not the result of our own effort and ability. So

what is it? Then?

We have five minutes to preach another message.

I'll submit a few again. They're not exhaustive. Number one,

Happiness is experiencing God's work. The Psalmah SAIDs Palm ninety

two four. For thy Lord has made me glad through

thy work Psalm one twenty sixty three. The Lord had

done great things for us, whereof we are glad. What's

the greatest thing that God has done for you? Isn't

it the work of salvation? Isn't it the fact that

He sent Jesus to die for us and for the

sins of the world. The Lord had done great things

for us. Happiness is experiencing God's work. Ephesians too says

it speaks about God and his love and grace and goodness.

For by grace are ye saved through faith? And that

not of yourselves is the gift of God. Remember there's

nothing we could do to earn that. It is the

gift of God, not of works, lest any man should both.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto

good works. And so it's clear that happiness is simply

being the product of God's workmanship. Yes, the initial work

of salvation, but ongoing. If you want to be happy,

God has to continue to work in your heart and

in your life, and you need to be his workmanship.

I need to be his workmanship Isaiah twenty five nine. Lo,

this is our God. We have waited for him, and

he will save us. This is the Lord. We will

be glad and rejoice in his salvation. In God's salvation,

in his work. And do you know what's interesting, God

does the same thing. This is a reciprocal experience. We

rejoice in God's salvation and he does the same. Zeph

Andiah three seventeen. The Lord, thy God in the midst

of thee is mighty. He will save. And then what

does he do. He will rejoice over thee with joy,

He will rest in his love. He will joy over

thee with singing. Did you know God sings when he

sees in your life? His salvation being experienced and worked out.

We're happy because he does it for us, and he's

happy because it's working in our beautiful picture. Happiness is

experiencing God's work. Secondly, happiness is being a servant. And

I know that sounds radical, that cuts right across the

grain in my old selfish flesh. But the scriptures say

happiness is being a servant. Was Paul happy man? The

apostle Paul? Was he a happy man? What made the

apostle Paul a happy man? Did it make Paul happy

when he had a really good year in tent making

and sales boomed, and he'd made some good profits and

he was able to buy I don't know what they

wanted to buy in those days. It wasn't an eifefel.

Is that what made Paul happy? Philippians, Chapter two, verse sixteen.

He encourages the Philippians to hold forth or hold fast

to the word of Life, that I may rejoice in

the day of Christ. That I have not run in vain,

either labored in vain? Yay? And if I be offered

upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, what offering myself,

sacrificing myself, giving myself as a servant, I joy and

rejoice with you. All offered here literally means to pour out,

to devote one's life or blood as a sacrifice. Paul saying,

if it cost me my life, if my blood is

shed for the cause of Christ and his kingdom and

for you Philippians, I'm a happy man. Can I say that?

Can you say that? He told the Corinthians, I will

very gladly spend. That means incurk, cost and beast men

exhausted and consumed for you. Happiness is being a servant.

Someone put it like this, They said, happiness is like

a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more he

elude you. You're go chasing after a butterfly. But if

you turn your attention to other things, and I'm just

going to say others, if you turn your attention to others,

it will come and softly sit on your shoulder. I

like that definition of happiness being a servant. Number three,

happiness is seeing spiritual life and growth, and we see

that in the life of Paul. I'm not going to

turn to these references, but you find it in Acts eleven,

Verses twenty one and twenty three. I think it was

Barnabas came to Antioch, and he saw what was going

on there in the church and how the church was

growing and people were understanding the word of God. And

it says he rejoiced. He was happy to see that.

We know how it is in the physical sense, if

you plant a garden or the grass seed feels, are

you happy to see those things prosper and the fruit

of that coming forth? Absolutely? How much more spiritually happiness

is seeing spiritual life and growth. Go read third John says,

I have no greater joy than to hear that my

children walk in truth. And that's a challenge to me

to be a person. How easy it is to find

faults in each other, Right, that's easy to do, find

faults in each other and talk about them, and let

those things hang us up when we ought to be

looking for the good and other people and looking for

the work of God in them and seeing this is

a this is an expression of God working in their life,

and maybe even telling them that when did I last

do that? When did you last tell her brother? Brother?

I was glad to see or hear such and such.

I think that bears testimony to God working in your life.

That's what they did in the church and addicts. Happiness

Number four is understanding and obeying God's word. The angel

Gabriel came to Zachariah, and he said, I am sent

to show to the glad tide. Inks you know the

prophecy of John the Baptist's birth and Jesus' birth Acts thirteen.

I think Paul's preaching Acts thirteen, thirty two, and thirty

three says, we declare unto you, glad tidings, the promise

which God made under the fathers hundreds of years ago.

God has fulfilled them, and that he hath raised Jesus

from the dead. Happiness is understanding and of being God's word.

The Gospel is good news. The Psalmist said, thy words

were found, and I did eat them, and thy word

was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.

Number five, Happiness is giving expression of it. Happiness is

giving expression of it. We know the Little Children's song.

If you're happy and you know it, and it says,

do four things, Tell us what are they? What's one

of them? If you're happy and you know it, say

man to clap your hand, stomp your feet. We're a smile,

very good. And then if that's not enough, the little

huss versus the song, they if you're happy and you

know what do all four? Now, sorry, I was late

this morning, but when we walked in you were singing.

Now if you would have been clapping your hands and

stomping your feet, you know, we have to do all

things decently in order. But I think the point of

that little song isn't it's something that we ought to

think about it. I ought to do better at If

I'm happy and I know it, then give expression of it.

That's the way it was go read in Neamiah twelve,

verses twenty seven and forty three, when they dedicated the

walls that they had built, and at that dedication it

was a time of great joy. It talks about the

women and the children joining in and singing, so that

the does it say the joy or the noise in

Jerusalem was heard afar off? They were giving expression of it.

What is being heard of far off in the Mennonite

Church today. I'm glad when we hear good news from

a far country, but it seems like so often the

noise going out from Jerusalem today is the noise of

church splits and trouble and turmoil and bitterness and things

like that. Shame on us, Shame on me. A German

philosopher said this. He said this scornfully about Christians of

his day, quote, I would believe in their salvation if

they looked a little more like people that have been saved.

Think about it. Is any among you afflicted, let him pray?

Proper response? Is any marry? Let him what sing sing psalms?

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice he righteous, and

shout for joy, all you that are up brighton hearts

on thirty two eleven. Lastly, number six, happiness is an

out of this world experience. See wait a minute, for

all you've said, you're saying I can't be happy in

this world. Yes you can. But finally, ultimately, eternal happiness

is an out of this world experience. You can go

to Revelation, and in Revelation twenty two it tells us

something about heaven and eternal life. Remember, we started out

in the beginning of the message and we talked about

the fact that we live in a sin cursed dirt.

That's all we know. That's the reality. Revelation twenty two

to three says in the New Jerusalem. In heaven, there

shall be no more curse, but the throne of God

and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his

servants shall serve him. Chapter twenty one. When we get

to heaven, when we get to the place where there

is no more curse, here's what we'll find. Revelation twenty one,

verse three. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, behold,

the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will

dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and

God himself shall be with them and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

There's not going to be any more funerals, and there

shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither

shall there be any more pain, for the former things

are passed away. The Psalmist said, thou wilt show me

the path of life. In thy presence is what fullness

of joy? And that's the fullness I'm talking about that

we can't experience in this sin cursed earth. But in

God's presence, where there is no more curse, there is

fullness of joy. May those truths and eternal realities hinge

our happiness