1. Grace Fellowship Church www.GraceDoctrine.org Pastor / Teacher James H. Rickard Tuesday, June 17, 2008

2. Memory Verse Phil 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

3. The Upper Room Discourse John 13-16; John 13:17, Sharing the Happiness of God

4. Principles of Happiness: Isa 65:18, “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.”

5. Eccl 2:26, “To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.”

6. 1. The key to true happiness is a change in your mental attitude.

7. Never confuse true happiness, with the various stimuli of life which are enjoyable for the moment, but have no ability to sustain you in daily living. John 15:11; Heb 11:25

8. Heb 11:25, “Choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”

9. John 15:11, “I have taught you these things that My happiness might be in you, and that your happiness might be fulfilled.”

10. 2. It is not having what you want that makes you happy, but rather accepting what you have, and coming to a point of contentment. Phil 4:11-13; 1 Tim 6:7-8

11. 1 Tim 6:7-8, “For we have brought nothing into this world, and it is obvious that we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and shelter, we shall be content with these.”

12. 3. Happiness depends upon the quality of your thoughts; you should guard the type of thoughts you allow to enter your soul. Phil 4:8-9

13. 4. Whenever you use your capacities to the greatest extent to learn and apply the Word of God you attain the greatest success and happiness possible in this life.

14. It is your capacity that allows you to experience happiness.

15. 5. The only way to happiness is to cease worrying about things that are beyond the power of your will.

16. 6. You will never realize how much of God's happiness you have in your life until you go through certain problems and find out that your happiness has not been taken away. Psa 31:7; 1 Peter 1:3-8.

17. Psa 31:7, “I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul.”

18. 7. Happiness is not a reward for doing something; it is a consequence - the consequence of taking in Bible Doctrine. Prov 3:13

19. Prov 3:13, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”

20. 8. True happiness does not come as a result of getting something we do not have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.

21. 9. The place or the condition does not dictate happiness. It is the mind alone that can make someone happy or miserable. Prov 23:7; 17:22

22. Prov 23:7, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

23. Prov 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

24. 10. Happiness is not "following the crowd" and accepting their approach toward life.

25. A happy person is one who makes up his own mind, has his own convictions, and does not allow himself to be manipulated. Ex 23:2

26. 11. A person is happy because he is growing daily, not even knowing where his limits lie.

27. 12. Happiness is not limited to something you experience but can also be something you remember.

28. John 15:11, “I have taught you these things that My happiness might be in you, and that your happiness might be fulfilled.”

29. Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Tape # 08-044 Sharing the Happiness of God, Pt 6 Upper Room Discourse, Pt 186 John 13:17; Phil 4:8-13; 1 Tim 6:7-8 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008