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P.O. Bo .• 41 6, Gravette, AR 72736
501-787-6026
Dr. Arnold Murray, DRE
I would like to discuss the
word happiness in this lecture. There
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nre many emotions we experience
Jfl our daily li ves, but sel dom do
we take time to analyze these
emotions. Joy is often mistaken
for happiness. Th ere is a di ffer-
ence between happiness and joy. Many things are capable
of making us joyfu l for a brie f peri od of tim e. For
., e xample, ;l.::tivities ,vc -enjuy ..10 ilg maJ-.c uS joy ftl l whil e
we are doing them. Happiness on the other hand, might
be thought of as our peace of m ind. Happiness is what
will get you through the "long haul". If you are op­
erating on short-term joy, you may nm out of gas.
The Greek word meaning hap py is "makarios" (m ak­
ar'-ee-os). More oft en than not, "ma karios" is tran slated
in Ole Bible as blesse d. The Greek word may be trans­
lated into Engli sh as happiness. MallY of you are fami liar
with the beatitudes in the Bibl e wh ich are the decla­
rati ons of Christ fro m the Sermon on th e Mount which
begin w it h "B lessed are" Peace of mind , or hIes ed
happi ne ss, comes from our Father.
How many times have you he ard someone say.
"\Vel 1, here it is again, another blu e Monday"? Monday
is a good day of the week. It is the begirUl ing of another
week that we mav serve the Lord. A Christi an should
he an ex anl ple of true happine s to the worl d. That is
1I0t :0 say a Christian'S life is a bo\vl of r ses. We
all hav e probl em s, but when you have a strong foun­
dat ion in Christianity, you know the pro blems of this
wo rl d don't arnoullt to much. Christians have the peace
of mind to find tnte happiness You ullderstand there
is a tles h body and an mner spirit ual man. You live
for t he inner man an d that S where- yoll fin clll,fpp ine ss.
What does the Bible say about happines ?
PROVERBS 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding
Don't ever forget this , Beloved. What type of
understanding are we tal ki ng about here? Let's read on.
PROVERBS 3.14 For the merchandise of it is better
than the merchandise of silver, And the gain thereof
than fine gold
How could wisdom and understanding be better than
silver and gold? If you have wisdom and understanding,
riches and other blessings follow anyway. However, if
you had a pocket full of gold but lacked wisdom, you
wouldn't have a pocket full of gold for long. Someone
would be very joyful to make you a real deal and beat
you out of your gold.
Newsletter #183 - January 1994
PROVERBS 3.15-16 She is more pre­
cious than rubies. And ali the things
thou canst desire are not to be com­
pared unto her. 1.~ Length of days is in
her right hand, And in her left hand
riches and honour.
Length of days means the po wer to
re main healthy and survive. Are we ta lki ng about being
"street wi se" here. 0 , we are talkiTU! about the wisrlo m
and understanding that comes from our Father's cOlU1cil
through the letter He wrote to us.
PROVERBS 3.'17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
This is the peace of mind I mentioned earlier in
tllis lecture. Ha ppy is the person thaI is able to th ink
with ullderst anding.
PROVERBS 3.18 She is a tree of life to them that
lay hold upon her. And happy is everyone that retaineth
her.
Christ is the tree of life. Grab hold of wisdom from
the Father's Word.
P ROVERBS 3.'19 The LORD by wisdom hath fo und ed
the earth, By understanding hath He established the
heavens.
Listen to God's Word. It was by wisdom the Lord
founded the earth and by understanding that he estab­
lished the heavens. Think of the power you will have
over life's little problems, if you will base your life on
that wisdom and understanding by which God created
the Ileavens and earth. DOII't allow anyone to rob you
of happiness. God's. letter to y Oll ex.pJa.i m; the ease by
which you may attain alld maintain happiness.
PROVERBS 3:20 By His knowledge the depths are
broken up, And the clouds drop down the dew.
Think of the knowledge required to design a system
to irrigate the entire earth. Don't let all of God's wisdom
and knowledge go to waste by ignoring His written Word
to you. God created your body. He sent the Bible as
an instruction manual for your body. How often have
you tried to put a complicatE'd toy together for your child
without first reading the instructions? And, just as you
think you are finished putting the toy together you say,
"Uhhh, r wonder where this last part is supposed to go')"
Then apart the toy comes. Just as some of your lives
come apart, when you don't follow the instnlction manual
that God sent to you. The Lord tells us our bodies will
work very well and we will be happy, if we will just
do things His way. All wisdom comes from our Father.
Won't you take your share?
 PROVERBS 3.21-22 My son , let not them depart from
thine eyes ' Keep sound wisdom and discretion. <.2 So
shall they be life unto thy soul, And grace to thy neck
The neck is man's weak spot. In times when physical
battles were fought with swords, the neck was the most
vulnerable spot. In the se end times your neck is spiri­
tually vulnerable. Especially, those of you that serve the
Lord. Why? Satan would love nothing more than to see
you die the spiritual death. God will protect your neck,
if you will but only take His Wisdom. Let's go to
Proverbs 4 : I. Listen to God's Word.
PROVERBS 4: 1-6 Hear, ye children , the instruction of
a father, And attend to know understanding 2 For I give
you good doctrine , Forsake ye not my law. J For I was
my father's son . Tender and only beloved in the sight
of my mother. ~ He taught me also, and said unto me,
"Let thine heart retain my words: Keep my command­
ments, and live. ~ Get wisdom, get understanding Forget
it not; ne ither de cline from the words of my mouth. 6
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee ' Love her.
and she shall keep thee.
Get wisdom and understanding . Without them vou
wil l never be happy . At thi s point , I mu st go to the
I beatitudes . The word beatitude means blissful happine ss.
The beatitudes all begin with the English word blessed
which JS translated from the Greek word makm which
means happy.
MATTHEW 5.1 And see ing the multitudes, He went up
into a mounta in.' and when He was set, h is disCiples
came unto Him .'
Christ did not address the multitude s. He was pre­
paring to te ach His students.
MA TTHEW 5.?-3 And He opened H Is mo uth, and
taught them, sayin g, 3 Blessed are the poor In spirit .'
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven .
Happy are the humble in spirit, for an eternity in
the kingdom of heaven with the King is theirs. This
might be the most difficult beatitude for us III the flesh
to live up to. Satan loves to see us build ourselves up
and begin thinking we are really something, and then
he will pull the rug out from under you . Your gifts,
what ever they might be, are from God . Give Him credit
for them.
MATTHEW 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn. for they
shall be comforted.
Blissfully happy are those that mourn . Mourn for
what? Watch the evening news. Gangs of youths are
Idlling each other because they have no hope . You are
able to mourn with the understanding, the knowledge and
the hope of God's plan to comfort you.
MATTHEW 5 .5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall
inherit the earth .
Compared to God we are meek. We are nothing.
This is not to say, however, that Christians should be
so meek they are afraid to stand up for their rights.
Don't let others run over you . Yes, we are to get along
with our neighbors, if at all po ssible. But, Christians are
not second-class citizens.
MATTHEW 5:6 Ble ssed are they which do hunger and
thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled .
I #84 8 Adam On e & Two
Happy are they which hunger ivr the truth . What
IS truth ? God's Word and His wisdom.
MATTHEW 5 7 Blessed are the mercifu/. for they shall
obtain mercy
Merciful might better be translated compassionate.
Happy are those who are compassionate. They shall be
shown compassion.
MATTHEW 5 .B Blessed are the pure at heart. for they
shall see God.
Heart may be translated mind. Blissfully happy are
the pure in mind. They will see God.
MATTHEW 5.9-10 Blessed are the peacemakers' for
they shall be called the children of God. l Q Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Most Christians are persecuted today . You have
probably made a Christian statement in public and heard
others snicker. Don't worry about it. God will take care
of the persecutors and yours is the kingdom of heaven
Do you understand the peace of mind Christ's Words
offer to His students ? You are a child of the King .
MATTHEW 5. 11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall
revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner
of evil against you falsely, for My sake . 12 Rejoice, and
be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven :
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you.
As it is written in Mark 13: 9 the Elect will stand
against the e vi I fal se one for the Lord's sake to testify
aga inst the anti christ. Chr ist is tea ching us we shoul d
be blissfully happy in thi s knowledge . Great is your
reward In eternity. In closing, let's see what the fi sh­
erman had to say about beatitudes.
I {JETER 3. 13-14 And wh c is he that will harm you,
if ye be followers of that which is good? H B ut and
if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye o and
be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled,
You don't have to worry, friend s. In fact, to worry
is to doubt every promise God made to you. It is well
to be concerned and plan ahead, but He is going to
take care of you as long as you are trying. There is
one other verse that comes to mind.
I PETER 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye , for the Spirit of glory and of
God resteth upon you. o n their part He is evil spoken
of, but on your part He is glorified.
We Christians have the opportunity to glorify God
by standing up for the truth . Happy is the person that
takes instructions and wisdom from the Father. Let your
happiness shine to others as an example of what Christian
life is.
**N EW T E FOR *