Are You Happy?

O. T. #1286  "Are You Happy?"
Sept. 17, 2018
Psalm 84-Part 2


LET IT GLOW

Happiness. Are you and I happy today? What makes us happy? It's good to take a minute to think about it. Probably we all would answer with the same things-being with family, friends, church family, having enough to get by. I don't think trials and troubles nor pain would be on the list. But deeper than that, does it make us happy to walk and talk with Jesus throughout the day? Sharing His love with others? Reading His Word for instruction? Today's psalm gives us a different perspective of happiness.

There are three verses with begin with the phrase, "blessed is" or "blessed are."
Blessed means happiness; How happy!

How about taking a closer look at them in hopes it will show us what should be making us happy?

Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house: they will be still praising Thee. (verse 4)
Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. (verse 5)
O LORD of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee. (verse 12)

Are we happy whenever we are in God's house of worship?
Do we praise Him with a pure heart? Not only during the worship service, but do we sing praises to Jesus everywhere?
Is our strength found in the Lord Almighty? Or does it come from somewhere else?
Do we have God's ways hidden in our heart so we can follow them?
Will we be trusting Him today?

Trusteth refers to hide for refuge; be confident or sure; make to hope.

Jesus is all we will ever need as we journey through this life on our way to heaven. Along the way, let us determine that nothing is going to steal our joy? Is He our hope, confidence, refuge?

In the eye of the storm, Your love surrounds me. What a song. I heard on the radio the 5th and 6th graders at a Christian school in North Carolina sing it before the hurricane hit the coast.
When we are weak, Jesus can make us strong to face those storms and go through them. Is He our anchor?


LET IT GROW

Look at verse 10, For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

What is our ruthers/rathers?

The text literally reads: I had rather be a doorkeeper at the threshold of God's house and never be able to enter therein than to dwell on the inside of the tent of the wicked. (Falwell)

NLT says it this way: A single day in Your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!

Hasn't someone put that in a song?
Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me. On and on it goes; it satisfies my soul.

You know, nothing can separate us from God's love. No one loves me like Jesus. So let us go out into the world and let them know it by our joy in Jesus.

LET IT GO

Praise Jesus today!
Continue to trust Him for and with everything.
Set my mind and heart on Jesus.
Choose joy today.
Am I happy?