"Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind...and thy neighbour as
thyself". (Matt. 22:37-40)
-JESUS CHRIST
Everyone
is searching for true happiness. There isn't an individual who
doesn't want peace, joy and fulfillment! Unfortunately, very
few find it. Not because it is not available, but because they
are not looking in the right place!
Many
are like a blind man, grasping in the darkness or someone
searching for a needle in the haystack.
Everything
seems so impossible! Nothing works out. Happiness eludes them
like a mirage on the desert or a phantom rider who disappears
as he turns the bend in the road!
Judging
from the great numbers who fill our divorce courts, love and
marriage is often a bummer!
Many,
who on happier days laughed and loved, are now disappointed,
bitter and angry. They want out, to call it “quits”. The
home has turned into a battlefield. The tenderness and caring
is gone, along with any desire for romance!
For
them, love and marriage has not been the answer to the quest
for true happiness!
A
large number will try again in a common-law (shack up)
arrangement or a second marriage - hoping, hoping, hoping that
this one will pan out better!
KING
ALCOHOL IS A TYRANT
In
many instances, alcohol seems like a comfort and friend to the
lonely divorcee, the aging gadabout or social butterfly. As
well as, the businessman about to declare bankruptcy!
And
what of the person who has lost an expected promotion, the
desire to compete or who has reached the top of the ladder
with no place to go?
Life
has become boring, humdrum and a waste to a lot of people; for
many and varied reasons. For some, the future looks bleak with
high rents or mortgage payments, having to live on
unemployment insurance or welfare cheques.
Others
are dogged by depression, fear, sickness, pain and even
thoughts of dying or suicide!
And
so they try to drown their sorrows with alcohol or drugs. But,
drugs, alcohol and suicide is no cure-all. Rather, these only
further enslave and in the end, destroy totally!
Alcohol
and mind altering drugs are cruel despots and tyrants which
refuse to stop, until all hope and life is gone!
TRUE
HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN FAME & FORTUNE!
If
you don't think so, ask the unhappy movie star who visits her
psychiatrist regularly. Or consults her daily horoscope,
personal clairvoyant or New Age chancellor for guidance!
Read
the sad stories of millionaires and business tycoons who have
become so miserable that they have blown their brains out,
taken an overdose or leaped from the penthouse of their luxury
apartments!
Success
is sweet, but it doesn't last long enough. And if it does,
very often there is no satisfaction! And the rat race seems to
be never-ending.
Being
successful doesn't come with a guarantee. Nothing in this life
is 100% permanent or secure! Exceeding the quota this year,
means it will be tougher next year!
This
year's champion is often last year's champion next year, and
"president today" could mean "former
president" after the board meeting or election. And
"success today" often is only a memory in a few
years, together with some mementos on the dresser and news
stories in a scrapbook!
Father
Time marches on and always takes its toll, without favoritism.
The young executive who worked so hard to make it to the top,
suddenly finds himself nearing 65 with the prospects of a
farewell dinner, a couple of speeches and the
"traditional gold watch".
And
then out to pasture!
TIME'S
UP: CLOSE FOR THE NIGHT!
Time
waits for no man...and it has a way of catching up to all of
us! And the years do a job on the most healthy, robust and
virile. As time passes, hair turns gray, wrinkles appear,
muscles lose their tone and the strength of youth dissipates.
AND
EVENTUALLY, THROUGH SICKNESS, DISEASE, ACCIDENTS OR JUST PLAIN
'OLD AGE', DEATH COMES TO EVERYONE. THE GRIM REAPER ALWAYS
WINS IN THE END!
Money
and riches have a way of slipping out of our hands too, and
even if we can hang on to it, what good is a fortune when
you're too sick to enjoy it or too old to spend it?
And
even if we're blessed enough to have good health, there are
only so many things to buy, see or do. Vacations and parties
become boring too, don't they?
After
all, you can only sleep in one bed at a time, drive one car at
a time, wear one suit of clothes at a time; and who needs
three meals a day?
And
alcohol has the ability to make you a slave to its
intoxicating power!
No,
my friend. True happiness does not come from a marijuana
joint, a bottle of beer, a cocktail glass, great wealth and
affluence or the applause of our fellowmen!
Nearly
2,000 years ago, St. Paul wrote, "But godliness with
contentment is great gain". (1 Tim. 6:6) Again he
declared, "Not that I speak in respect of want. For I
have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be
content". (Phil. 4:11)
The
Bible says, "The joy of the Lord is our strength".
(Neh. 8:10) Jesus said, "My peace I give unto you: not as
the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled". (John 14:27) And St. Paul declared, "For
God hath not given us the spirit of fear, by of love and power
and a sound mind." (1 Tim. 1:7)
The
only way to true happiness is going God's way, walking the
Gospel road! And the two prerequisites that Jesus Christ
spelled out are:
Love
God - Love your fellowmen
Jesus
said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man
cometh unto the Father, but by Me". St. Peter stated,
"There is none other name under heaven given among men
whereby we must be saved". (John 14:6)
And
St. Paul said, "There is one God and one mediator between
God and man, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom
for all". (1 Tim. 2:5-6)
The
only way we can love our fellowman, is to be filled with the
Holy Spirit, for the "love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost". (Rom. 5:5)
Then
we will really have something to live for, and share with our
children and grandchildren!
GOD'S
BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS!
Jesus
stated that upon these two commandments "hang all the Law
and the Prophets". (Matt. 22:40)
Love
for God translates into the desire and capacity of loving
one's neighbour!
THE
BIBLE GIVES US THE BLUEPRINT FOR REVIVAL IN THE CHURCH, GOOD
COMMUNITY RELATIONS, PEACE ON EARTH AND PROSPERITY AMONG MEN!
If
everyone really loved God with all our being, we would keep
His commandments! We would automatically praise the Lord,
preach His Word and love our fellowman!
Then,
spontaneous revival would break out in our churches and
sinners would flock into God's house to receive His blessing!
They would "see our good works and glorify our Father in
Heaven". (Matt. 5:16)
If we
all loved our neighbour as ourselves we would be kind, loving,
merciful, gracious and forgiving!
We
would not judge one another or be proud, envious, jealous,
resentful or biased! Not only would we all be truthful and
godly in our living but also caring, compassionate and
helpful!
There
would be a drastic reduction in crime, lawlessness and
delinquency as parents loved, nurtured and disciplined their
children.
THE
OUTCOME - Police departments would be reduced in size and
jails near empty. Bingo halls and VLT gambling arcades would
close up, bars and taverns would go out of business!
If a
genuine revival of righteousness came to our land, the banks
would have to lower "the exorbitant usury" they
usually charge their customers and be content with decent
profits. Price gouging would be eliminated and bankruptcies
would be virtually non-existent!
Families
would grow together in love and harmony and divorce lawyers
would have to find something else to do. Abortion clinics
would be turned into ‘Adoption Centers’ and money-hungry,
medical doctors 'turned executioners of unborn fetuses' would
return to the practice of saving lives!
SCHOOLS
AND UNIVERSITIES WOULD AGAIN BECOME CENTERS OF GENUINE
LEARNING COMMUNICATING MORAL VALUES, COMMON SENSE AND
RESPONSIBILITY WITH ACADEMIC TRAINING!
If we
all loved God and our fellowman and embraced the teachings of
the 'Good Shepherd' there would be a turning away from the
deceptions of an atheist science which promotes the fatally
flawed evolutional theory, dangerous occultist practices of
the New Age Movement and secular humanism!
Anyone
following the "Golden Rule" - do unto others as you
would have them do unto you - would not rape, murder, steal,
commit adultery, live a homosexual lifestyle or lie!
Automatically,
'born again' Christians seek the "high road of life"
after an encounter with 'Jesus of Nazareth' making us
concerned about the needs of others - spiritual, economical
and physical - because of a changed life & a transforming
spiritual experience!
The
blessed Holy Spirit tenderizes our hearts with compassion for
the needy, sick, suffering and unfortunate!
Loving
God and our neighbours also has a therapeutic effect for those
who follow Christ's teachings. By helping others, we get our
minds off ourselves, thereby releasing any neurotic tendencies
which may have developed in our lives!
By
pampering ourselves too much, we spoil ourselves and lose
touch with the real issues of life! General William Booth -
founder of the Salvation Army - used the word 'OTHERS' as his
slogan!
By
God's grace and sheer faith, let's resolve to do the same!
