Please read this short Psalm first. This message is not altogether for fathers, but anyone who knows the Lord or wants to know the Lord. The world has many definitions of happiness: having something new, going someplace, doing something different, exciting, or dangerous, fulfilling sexual desires, and a thousand other things. The sexual appeal seems to be the bait used to sell almost anything from clothing, to cars, to hamburgers, to news, to entertainment, to sports.
There are many things that influence the thoughts and attitudes of people: music and public advertisement are among the top. If you will notice (I’m sure you have) that everything shown to us through audible media has music in the background. Things would not be as funny, exciting, emotional, as sad, as happy or intense without background music; because music manipulates the mind and emotions.
If you want to sale something you must appeal to the public’s prospect for happiness. We are told or shown that what I have you need and if you get it, it will make you happier than you were before. Not only do we by the product, but we also buy-in to that concept of happiness.
What about the value of happiness? The concept is, the greater the prospect of happiness, the more we are willing to pay for it. I remember when Disney World cost about $8 per day on a week day. What is it today? Does anyone remember when a movie ticket was $5? We pay Hollywood billions each year for…trash. The same with sporting events and concerts.
People (most that is) will pay whatever is demanded for the prospect of some short term happiness. The mind-set seems to be, if something is free, it must not be worth seeing, doing, hearing, or experiencing. I can remember when competition in the market place drove the price of an item or commodity down. Now, competition is not price, but the prospect of greater happiness: the greater the prospect, the higher the price; so, if something cost more it will make me happier.
The truth is, the best things in life are free. Real and true happiness is of greater value than all the pleasures of the world; and, unlike the world’s “limited warranty” it is not only lasting, but everlasting. It is free and it carries a Divine guarantee.
What is your definition of happiness? I noticed someone on the internet lists 10 things to make yourself happy: exercise, diet, meditation, spending time with friends, planning a trip, keeping a journal of things you are thankful for and so on. Everyone seems to have the answer, but all the worldly ideas and remedies including the thousands of books written on the subject give only temporary gratification of the flesh. Real happiness is found in THE BOOK, the Bible.
You must know that the only way to be utterly and completely happy in this life is to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Psalms Blessed [is] every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. Take the time to read Psalms, 112 which starts out: Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. I have often said that a person cannot be happy all the time, but I must be qualify that by saying “not in the flesh;” for you certainly can be happy all the time in the Lord. This happiness only comes to those who fear or reverence the Lord and walk in His ways. Only those who truly reverence Him will walk in His ways. The book of Psalms begins with the words, “Blessed is the man…” and continues by showing the conditions by which he can be happy: who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Email, johnpruitt@frontiernet.net
