Tonight's Bible Study Notes:  

The Truth about Happiness

The Holy Spirit, our Help for Happiness (Part 2)

The Text

Psalm 34:8 (HCSB) 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!

The Introduction

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty  and the pursuit of Happiness – The Declaration of Independence.

Review

7. The pursuit of happiness must include a relationship with God. Otherwise, your pursuit of happiness will be fruitless never-ending search.

Happiness is a Good Thing

1. Happiness is a good thing.
   1. It is clear from the scriptures that happiness is a good thing in the eyes of God, because He often uses it to incentivize righteousness. Isaiah 56:1-2.
   2. It is clear from the scriptures that happiness is a good thing in the eyes of God, because He encourage men to aspire to it.
2. God wants us happy, and He instructs by the Holy Spirit in what to do to be happy. (Prov. 29:18). He tells us how to have a happy life, a happy marriage, a happy home, and a happy nation.

The Truth about Happiness

3. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, this includes the Biblical truth about happiness; what true happiness is, and how to have it.
   1. Job 5:17 – Divine correction and discipline lead to enduring happiness.
   2. Job 36:11 – Obedience to God leads to enduring happiness. (Also see Psalm 1:1-2, 106:3, 119:1-2; 128:1-2).
   3. Psalm 40:4 – Trusting God leads to enduring happiness. (Also see Psalm 84:12, and Prov. 16:20.  
   4. Prov. 28:14 – Reverence for God leads to enduring happiness. Also see Psalm 112:1.

The Lesson

• Psalm 41:1 – Helping the poor and serving others leads to enduring happiness. (Also see Prov. 14:2, John 13:13-17).

Proverbs 14:21 (HCSB)  The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.

John 13:13–17 (KJV)
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

• Romans 14:22 – Maintaining a clear conscience.

Romans 14:22 (HCSB) ²²Do you have a conviction? Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.

• Psalm 84:4-5 – Faithfulness in attendance and participation in public worship leads to enduring happiness. Also see Psalm 89:15.

Psalm 84:4–5 (HCSB) ⁴How happy are those who reside in Your house, who praise You continually. Selah ⁵Happy are the people whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

Psalm 89:15 (HCSB) ¹⁵Happy are the people who know the joyful shout; Yahweh, they walk in the light of Your presence.

That know the joyful sound That hear that sound. DeWette explains this of the call to the festivals and offerings, Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 10:10; Psalm 27:6. That is, says he, those who honor and worship God. The Hebrew word—<h8643>—means a loud noise; a tumult; especially, shouts of joy, or rejoicing, Job 8:21; 1 Samuel 4:5; the “shout of a king,” that is, the joyful acclamations with which a king is welcomed, Numbers 23:21; the shout of battle, Jeremiah 4:19; 49:2. Then it means the sound or clangor of trumpets, Leviticus 25:9; Numbers 29:1-6. The word is, therefore, especially applicable to the sounding of the trumpets which attended the celebration of the great; festivals among the Hebrews, and there can be little doubt that this is the reference here. The idea is, that they are blessed or happy who are the worshippers of Yahweh, the true God; who are summoned to his service; who are convened to the place of his worship. [1]

• Psalm 89:15-16 – Faithfulness in attendance and participation in private worship leads to enduring happiness.

Psalm 89:15–16 (HCSB)
 15 Happy are the people who know the joyful shout; Yahweh, they walk in the light of Your presence.
16 They rejoice in Your name all day long, and they are exalted by Your righteousness.

• Prov. 3:13,18 – Seeking and adhering to divine wisdom leads to enduring happiness. (Also see Psalm 8:22-26).

Proverbs 3:13 (HCSB) 13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding,
Proverbs 3:18 (HCSB) 18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy.

Proverbs 8:32–36 (HCSB)
32 “And now, my sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.
33 Listen to instruction and be wise; don’t ignore it.
34 Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.
35 For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

• A divine fellowship leads to enduring happiness. The truth is there is no genuine enduring happiness without God.
  • True happiness is only found in God.

Psalm 34:8 (HCSB) 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Psalm 144:15 (HCSB) 15 Happy are the people with such blessings. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

Deuteronomy 33:29 (HCSB) 29 How happy you are, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield that protects you, the sword you boast in. Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread on their backs.

• True happiness is only found in Christ. Psalm 2:12

Psalm 2:12 (HCSB) 12 Pay homage to the Son or He will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for His anger may ignite at any moment. All those who take refuge in Him are happy.

• God’s gift of happiness does not suggest that the righteous can avoid all causes of sadness, but that general state of the righteous will be happy and their happiness is more genuine, enduring, and elevated in comparison to the wicked.
  • The happiness of the wicked is brief (Job 20:5)

Job 20:5 (HCSB) the joy of the wicked has been brief and the happiness of the godless has lasted only a moment?

• The happiness of the wicked is often brief because of its reliance upon substances and situations that only provide temporary joy. Instead of Hard work and self-disciplines that lead to enduring happiness. Ecc. 10:16-19; Isaiah 32:20-33:1.

Ecclesiastes 10:16–19 (HCSB)
 16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.
 19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything.

Isaiah 32:20–33:1 (HCSB) 
 20 Those who sow seed are happy beside abundant waters; they let ox and donkey range freely.
 1 Woe, you destroyer never destroyed, you traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, they will betray you.

• It is better to endure temporary sorrow and maintain righteousness, than to abandon righteousness for temporary happiness. (James 5:11 – Because Job did not abandon righteous to escape temporary sorrow; His temporary sorrow ended with enduring happiness.) – See 1 Peter 3:14; 4:14)

James 5:11 (KJV) 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

1 Peter 3:14 (HCSB) 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed,

1 Peter 4:14 (HCSB) 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.