1. FBC QUIZ: WHAT IS COMMON KEY WORD IN THE FOLLOWING VERSES? “I always pray with joy…” (1v4) “Yes, and I will continue to rejoice” (1v18) “…your progress and joy in the faith”(1v25) “…your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow”(1v26) “…make my joy complete…”(2v2) “…be glad and rejoice with me.”(2v18) “…welcome him in the Lord with great joy”(2v29) “…rejoice in the Lord!”(3v1) “whom I love and long for, my joy and crown…”(4v1) “Rejoice in the Lord always.”(4v4) “I rejoice greatly in the Lord…”(4v10)

2. Philippians 4v4-13

3. “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”. -Aristotle “ I believe the very purpose of our lives is to find happiness. This is very clear regardless of one’s religion, everyone seeks happiness”. - Dalai Lama ( The Art of Happiness, page 3 )

6. HAPPINESS IS….. GOOD HEALTH * FINANCIAL FREEDOM * MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS * SELF ADVANCEMENT * PURPOSE IN LIFE

9. WHAT IS TRUE HAPPINESS? HOW TO BE JOYFUL AND HAVE INNER PEACE WHEN LIFE CAN BE DIFFICULT?

11. Is joy and peace attainable by following certain methods?

13. TRUE HAPPINESS IS FOUND IN THE LORD “Rejoice in the Lord always” (verse 4). Happiness is not found in pursuing it; it is a by-product of pursuing God. The bible does not teach us to seek happiness. True happiness is not the absence of difficulties and tribulations, rather it comforts us through difficulties and tribulations.

14. HAPPINESS IN THE LORD DOES NOT MEAN HAVING A SMILEY FACE ALL THE TIME. True happiness in a sinful world does not mean the absence of sadness. “Blessed (Happy) are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” – Matthew 5v5

15. “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony”. ( Luke 16v25-parable of the rich man and Lazarus )

16. True happiness is cultivated over time. “Let your gentleness be evident to all” (verse 5). True happiness is evident by our changing to be better for Christ, not by our life changing to be comfortably better. Gentleness, joy and peace are ALL fruits of the spirit together with self-control, faithfulness and patience (Galatians 5 v22- 23). Living a Spirit filled live takes time and effort. True happiness also takes time and effort.

18. 4 GUIDELINES TO INCREASE DAILY HAPPINESS. Be persistent. Know you can become happier. Be spontaneous. Embrace variety. ( taken from www.lifeoptimizer.org )www.lifeoptimizer.org

19. TEN KEYS FOR FINDING HAPPINESS Live on purpose. Find happiness right now. Accept total responsibility for your life. Act in boldness. Expect happiness. Increase your awareness. Build your connections. Learn and read daily. Serve other people. Prioritize your actions. (Taken from www.lightisroad.com)

20. TRUE HAPPINESS BLOSSOMS AS YOUR CHRISTIAN FAITH GROWS “ IT’S NOT HOW FAST YOU GROW THAT MATTERS. IT’S HOW STRONG YOU GROW THAT REALLY COUNTS”. ( Rick Warren- Purpose Driven Life )

21. TRUE HAPPINESS IN THIS LIFE IS REALIZING COMPLETE HAPPINESS IS IN THE NEXT LIFE. “The Lord is near” (verse 5b). A temporal world will give you temporal happiness. You can be truly happy in this life but if you are not true to God you will not find happiness in the next life. A temporal world will give you temporal grief.

22. “ When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.” (Horatio Spafford- “It is well with my soul”)

23. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev 21v3-4

26. “Worry does not empty tomorrow of it’s sorrow, it empties today of it’s strength”. Corrie Ten Boom

27. TRUE HAPPINESS COMES EASIER WHEN WE HAVE A THANKFUL ATTITUDE “..with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (verse 6b). Thankful people think of “excellent and praiseworthy things” (verse 8b) instead of always thinking why unhappy things happen to them. If we cultivate a habit of being thankful for little things in life, happiness comes easier than hoping for big things to come along to make us happy. A thankful heart shapes our prayers of petition and request (verses 6-7).

28. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1 Thessalonians 5v16-18

29. TRUE HAPPINESS COMES EASIER WHEN YOU REALLY EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF CHRIST. “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ” (Chapter 1v9, Paul’s prayer of joy).

30. “Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs ”. I Tim 6v10

31. “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you downcast (unhappy)? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you but you must master it.”” Genesis 4v6-7

32. TO REJOICE IN THE LORD IS A CHOICE. You can choose to pursue happiness and trust that life’s circumstances will give it to you. You can choose to pursue a relationship with God and trust Him for happiness. Do we confess with our lips that we are seeking God but are really seeking happiness?

33. ARE WE FOLLOWING CHRIST OR FOLLOWING OUR OWN ROAD TO HAPPINESS?

35. Happiness is to know the Savior Living a life that’s worth the living Having a change in my behavior HAPPINESS IS THE LORD Real joy is mine, no matter if teardrops starts I found the secret, it’s JESUS IN MY HEART