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Is True Happiness Really Possible

January 28, 2021

27:29

From His Heart is the teaching ministry of Dr. Jeff Schreve. We exist to speak real truth, real love and real hope from the loving heart of God to a lost and hurting world.

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Is True Happiness Really Possible

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♪♪♪
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male announcer: Welcome to"From His Heart" with Pastor
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Jeff Schreve, who's in hisseries, "Life's Big Questions."
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Everyone wants to be happy,but can you ever truly be
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completely happy?
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The answer is yes.
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Join us today for the lesson,"Is True Happiness
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Really Possible?"
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♪♪♪
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♪ There is truth, thereis love, there is hope ♪
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♪ that you'llalways dream of. ♪
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♪ He can heal every scarwith real truth, real love, ♪
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♪ real hope fromhis heart. ♪
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Pastor Jeff Schreve:Nobody wants to go
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through life unhappy.
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Everybody in this room,everybody under the sound of my
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voice, we would say, you knowthat's what we want in life,
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we want to be happy in life.
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I mean, from the time you'relittle and you hear stories,
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you are introduced to thephrase, "and they lived
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happily ever after."
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You say, that's right,that's what I want.
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And you know in our Preamble tothe Constitution, we have the
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pursuit of happiness.
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And we have happiness put inthere and we're like, yeah,
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happiness, that's what we want.
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But so many people arenot happy.
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As a matter of fact, many, many,many people are unhappy,
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very unhappy.
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Single people are unhappy,they wanna be married.
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Married people are unhappy,they want to be single.
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If somebody said,what is marriage?
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It's like a window pane, you hadflies on the inside wanting to
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get out and flies on the outsidewanting to get in, and that, you
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know, we just kinda go throughlife and we're just thinking,
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well, something else is gonnamake me happy, because I'm not
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very happy right now.
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Sometimes we can wonder, I mean,is true happiness really
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even possible?
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Is it possible to live happilyever after?
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I was listening to an interviewthis morning, Pat O'Brien,
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he was talking about celebritiesand he said, of all the
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celebrities I know, he said,there aren't more than ten
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who are really happy.
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They have everything that wethink we need to be happy, and
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they're so unhappy.
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Many, many people are unhappy.
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Why is that?
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Could it be because they arelooking for happiness in all the
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wrong places?
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I think so.
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We're in a series called,"Life's Big Questions," and
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today we wanna talk about thequestion of happiness.
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Is true happiness reallypossible?
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And we're gonna look at theperson, King Solomon, who was
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an unhappy camper.
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Unhappy camper.
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I like what Jim Gaffigan saysabout camping, he doesn't like
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camping, he said, do you wannaknow who's happy?
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The guy leaving the campsite.
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He's happy, he says.
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But King Solomon, we would callhim an unhappy camper, and the
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reason he was unhappy is in thebook of Ecclesiastes, which is
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a strange book, it'sone of the Wisdom books.
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You know that's the waythe Bible is divided up, you got
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history and then yourun into wisdom.
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Job, Psalms, Proverbs,Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.
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And Solomon, the king in Israel,the son of David, who was
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king in the 10th century B.C.
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he wrote Proverbs, most of them,he wrote Song of Solomon, and he
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wrote Ecclesiastes.
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And Ecclesiastes was one ofthose books that people are
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like, I don't understand whythat's in the Bible, it just
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seems so dismal and depressing.
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Vanity of vanities,says the preacher.
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Vanity of vanities.
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All is vanity.
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And people would say, well,that shouldn't be in there.
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But it should, and God put it inthere because Solomon is going
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to be the poster child, the onethat goes on an expedition, and
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his expedition is this.
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I am going to try and find truehappiness, but here's how
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I'm going to find it.
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I'm going to try and find itunder the sun.
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That phrase, under the sun, inthe New American Standard Bible.
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Is used 29 times in thebook of Ecclesiastes.
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What does that mean,under the sun?
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Solomon says, I'm going to keepGod out, I'm gonna keep heaven
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out, I'm just gonna look ateverything that you can do in
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life and see where is the sourceof satisfaction, where is
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happiness to be found?
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And we're gonna find, as we goon the search with Solomon, that
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he was looking for happiness inall the wrong places.
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In Ecclesiastes chapter 1, and alot of these verses today I'm
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going to use the easy-to-readversion because I like the way
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it puts it.
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But Solomon gives us hisexecutive summary right in
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chapter 1, and he says this.
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"I, the teacher, was king overIsrael in Jerusalem.
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I decided to study and to use mywisdom to learn about everything
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that is done in this life.
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I learned that it is a very hardthing that God has given us
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to do.
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I looked at everything done onearth, and I saw that it is all
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a waste of time.
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It is like trying to catchthe wind."
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Vanity of vanities, saysthe preacher.
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Vanity of vanities, allis vanity.
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Trying to find happiness, didn'tfind it under the sun.
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So here's the question.
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Well, Solomon,where did you look?
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Where'd you look tofind happiness?
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Because maybe I've found it in aplace you didn't find it, maybe
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I'm gonna look in a place whereyou didn't look.
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Now remember this, when Godsends Solomon on a search for
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happiness, Solomon is muchsmarter than you are, he's much
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smarter than I am.
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He's really probably thesmartest guy who ever lived
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outside of mortal man, obviouslyJesus is not included, but God
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had blessed Solomon with wisdomand discernment and breadth of
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mind, the Scripture says, likethe sand of the seashore.
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And Solomon had resources thatyou and I don't have.
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So when Solomon searches outsomething, he searches it out
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from top to bottom, he searchesit out completely to see, is
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there happiness here?
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Can I find the source ofhappiness here?
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And he looks in six areas wherepeople are looking today in the
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same six areas.
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He lived 3.000 years ago and yetpeople today are still doing
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what he did and ending up emptyjust like he ended up.
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So let's look at these areas.
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Area number one is the area ofwisdom and knowledge.
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And Solomon concluded that truehappiness is not found in wisdom
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and in knowledge and in learningand in education.
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He says, in Ecclesiastes1:17-18, "I decided to learn how
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wisdom and knowledge are betterthan thinking foolish thoughts,
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but I learned that trying tobecome wise is like trying to
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catch the wind.
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With much wisdom comesfrustration.
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The one who gains more wisdomalso gains more sorrow."
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Now Solomon put his mind to thebooks, he began to study and
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study and study and learnand learn and learn.
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And he said, it's like tryin' tochase the wind, it's pointless,
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it's meaningless.
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I mean, he knew so much aboutso many things.
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If you could sit down withSolomon, if I could sit down
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with Solomon, I don't care whatyour field of expertise is, he'd
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be able to talk to you about itand talk intelligently about it
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because he knew so many thingsabout so many subjects.
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He knew about chemistry and heknew about biology, he knew
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about botany, he knew aboutphilosophy, he knew
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all these things.
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And he said, that's not makingme happy, that's not the source
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of happiness, knowing things,learning, and education.
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True happiness is not foundin wisdom and knowledge.
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So Solomon said, well, okay,well, let me switch gears.
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I'm going to go in a totallyopposite direction.
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I've been hitting the books sohard, now I'm gonna switch gears
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and I'm going to quit learningand I'm gonna start laughing.
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And he said, I'm gonna look forhappiness in fun and games,
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in laughter and frivolity.
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But he found out that truehappiness is not found in
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fun and games.
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So it's not found in wisdom andin knowledge and in education,
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and it's also not found, numbertwo, in fun and games.
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And that's what he says inEcclesiastes 2, beginning in
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verse 1, he said, "I said tomyself, 'I should have fun.
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I should enjoy everythingas much as I can.'
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But I learned that thisis also useless.
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It is foolish to laughall the time.
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Having fun does notdo any good."
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Now I think having funis important.
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We had these wonderful familiesup on the stage for
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a parent-baby dedication.
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Hey, it's very important thatthe families have fun together,
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and it's important for, I think,for dads to bring the fun.
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Even if they're not naturallyvery fun, they need to somehow
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learn how to makethe house fun.
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And if the wife is more fun thanthe husband, then he needs to
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really employ her help inmaking it fun.
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But home needs to be fun, and weneed to have fun in life.
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But fun and laughter and games,that's not the source
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of happiness.
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And if you seek after that, youknow, it's one comedy movie
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after another, one comedy showafter another, trying to find
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the source of happiness.
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You're not gonna find it inthere, 'cause it doesn't
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exist there.
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Solomon tried that and he said,no, that's not where it's at,
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you're not gonna find it.
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So then Solomon said, all right,I haven't found it in wisdom and
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in learning, I haven't found itin laughter and fun and games,
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so now I'm going to trya third area.
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And the third area:drugs and alcohol.
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Maybe I can find satisfactionand happiness in drugs
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and alcohol.
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But he found out that truehappiness is not found in
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drugs and alcohol.
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He says, in Ecclesiastes 2:3,"So I decided to fill my body
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with wine while I filled mymind with wisdom.
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I tried this foolishness,because I wanted to find a way
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to be happy."
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He's looking for happiness.
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Maybe I can find happinessin a bottle.
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Maybe I can find it in a pill.
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Maybe there's something externalthat I can bring inside of me
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that will make me happy.
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But he didn't find happiness indrugs and alcohol, he didn't
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find happiness in any stimulant.
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And as it relates to wine, hewas the one who said, in
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Proverbs 20 verse 1, wine is amocker, strong drink a brawler,
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and whoever is intoxicated byit is not wise.
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Don't do that, don't go therewith wine, don't go there with
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strong drink, don't go therewith drugs, because you're not
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gonna find happiness there.
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And as we know, if you go downthat road of alcohol and drugs,
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what you find is instant heaventhat leads to everlasting hell.
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It will wreck andruin your life.
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Number four, true happiness isnot found in money
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and possessions.
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Solomon learned that.
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Now Solomon had more money thananyone has ever had.
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We talk about the people today,Bill Gates and Warren Buffet and
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some of these guys, I mean, BillGates has so much money.
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Listen, compared to KingSolomon, Bill Gates was
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a street beggar.
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Solomon had anythingand everything.
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It was phenomenal all the richesthat King Solomon had.
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When the Queen of Sheba came tosee Solomon's kingdom and to
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hear from Solomon, she said,man, I heard these stories about
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you and I thought, no way!
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And then I come and hear you,and I come and see your kingdom,
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and not the half was told to me.
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Your greatness exceeds even thestories I heard, which I thought
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they were embellished.
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Solomon had so much, he says inverse 8 of chapter 2, "I also
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collected for myself silver andgold, and the treasure of
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kings and provinces."
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He had so much silver.
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The Bible says that, during thereign of Solomon, silver was
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as common as stones.
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They didn't really think silverwas very valuable during the
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reign of Solomon.
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Why?
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Because gold was it.
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And Solomon, he coveredeverything in gold when he made
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his temple of God, when he madehis palace it's just gold, gold,
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gold, gold.
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He would bring in 666 talentsof gold every year,
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the Scripture says.
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He was so rich.
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And most of us think, that'swhat will make me happy.
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I think there are lots of peoplein this room today, lots of
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people watching on televisionlistening, that they say, you
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know, I think the problems in mylife, they would be solved if
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I just had more money.
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So many people think that.
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Man, if I just had more money,then I would be happy, then
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I would be satisfied.
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Ecclesiastes 5:10: "He who lovesmoney," Solomon says, "will not
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be satisfied with money."
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But we think that moneyis gonna do it.
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Money is not gonna do it.
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Money can't do it.
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And so many people, they longfor it, they scheme for it, they
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dream for it, they sell theirsouls for money, and then
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what happens?
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As Ted Turner, billionaire TedTurner said, money is like
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a paper bag, everybody wants thepaper bag, and when you finally
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get the paper bag you open it upand find out it's empty.
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It's empty.
00:14:08.884 --> 00:14:10.319
He who loves money will not besatisfied with money.
00:14:10.352 --> 00:14:12.988
And Solomon, who had more moneythan anyone, he said, hey,
00:14:13.022 --> 00:14:17.226
that's not the sourceof satisfaction.
00:14:17.259 --> 00:14:20.629
So he said, I'm going to trysomething else.
00:14:20.663 --> 00:14:23.766
And he tried what many peopletry, sex and sexual immorality.
00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:29.672
And he found out the truehappiness is not found in sex,
00:14:29.705 --> 00:14:33.842
it's not found insexual immorality.
00:14:33.876 --> 00:14:38.547
Verse 8 of chapter 2, he said,"I provided for myself male and
00:14:38.580 --> 00:14:43.552
female singers and the pleasuresof men--many concubines."
00:14:43.585 --> 00:14:50.092
Many concubines.
00:14:50.125 --> 00:14:51.827
What's a concubine?
00:14:51.860 --> 00:14:53.262
It's like a love slave.
00:14:53.295 --> 00:14:55.097
She lives in the harem, andshe's just in the bullpen there.
00:14:55.130 --> 00:14:58.834
He had 300 of them.
00:14:58.867 --> 00:15:01.270
He had 700 wives and300 concubines.
00:15:01.303 --> 00:15:05.174
Not porcupines, we're talkin'concubines.
00:15:05.207 --> 00:15:07.276
[congregation laughing]
00:15:07.309 --> 00:15:08.944
They're just waiting around inthe bullpen for Solomon
00:15:08.978 --> 00:15:12.348
to call 'em up.
00:15:12.381 --> 00:15:13.782
Now, if you're one of 1.000, 300in the bullpen, 700 wives,
00:15:13.816 --> 00:15:18.887
I mean, the implication is hehad sexual relationships with
00:15:18.921 --> 00:15:22.958
1.000 different women.
00:15:22.992 --> 00:15:25.194
Well that's a lot.
00:15:25.227 --> 00:15:27.429
And he gave himselfover to that.
00:15:27.463 --> 00:15:30.366
It says, in God's Wordtranslation, if I can find
00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:34.770
it here.
00:15:34.803 --> 00:15:37.272
It says, "I had all the womena man could want."
00:15:37.306 --> 00:15:43.145
I would say so, if youhad a thousand.
00:15:43.178 --> 00:15:46.148
All the women a man could want!
00:15:46.181 --> 00:15:47.583
Well did that satisfy you,Solomon?
00:15:47.616 --> 00:15:49.785
No.
00:15:49.818 --> 00:15:51.153
No.
00:15:51.787 --> 00:15:53.122
Vanity of vanities,all is vanity.
00:15:53.155 --> 00:15:54.456
Now he calls it the pleasuresof men, many concubines.
00:15:54.490 --> 00:15:58.727
And that is pleasurable.
00:15:58.761 --> 00:16:00.596
Sex is pleasurable, andGod created sex.
00:16:00.629 --> 00:16:03.499
He put pleasure in there, it'sfor procreation, yes, but it's
00:16:03.532 --> 00:16:06.702
also pleasurable.
00:16:06.735 --> 00:16:08.303
But the Scripture talks aboutthe passing pleasures of sin.
00:16:08.337 --> 00:16:13.008
It says in Hebrews chapter 11that Moses endured ill treatment
00:16:13.042 --> 00:16:16.578
with the people of God ratherthan choosing the passing
00:16:16.612 --> 00:16:20.215
pleasures of sin.
00:16:20.249 --> 00:16:22.184
Sin is pleasurable, but it'spleasurable for a moment.
00:16:22.217 --> 00:16:26.088
As I shared with you, those thatgo the route of drugs and
00:16:26.121 --> 00:16:29.091
alcohol, it's instant heaventhat leads to everlasting hell.
00:16:29.124 --> 00:16:33.362
I mean, it's fun for a moment,but then the bills come due.
00:16:33.395 --> 00:16:36.498
And that's the way it is withsexual immorality, it's fun
00:16:36.532 --> 00:16:39.568
for a moment but then thebills come due.
00:16:39.601 --> 00:16:41.937
Now I realize that there isa huge temptation there.
00:16:41.970 --> 00:16:45.741
I realize that it's difficult tojust say no, like Nancy Reagan
00:16:45.774 --> 00:16:50.546
said so many years ago when itcame to drugs, just say no.
00:16:50.579 --> 00:16:54.283
Well when it comes to sexualimmorality, just say no.
00:16:54.316 --> 00:16:56.685
But it's like, yeah, but there'sa part of me that wants to say
00:16:56.718 --> 00:16:59.288
yes, and that's the struggle.
00:16:59.321 --> 00:17:01.723
Here's the thing to remember.
00:17:01.757 --> 00:17:03.559
You will never find happinessgoing after sexual immorality.
00:17:03.592 --> 00:17:08.964
Never.
00:17:08.997 --> 00:17:10.299
And as a Christian, if you dothat, you're gonna be convicted
00:17:10.332 --> 00:17:14.536
in your heart, the Holy Spiritof God is gonna be stabbing you
00:17:14.570 --> 00:17:18.173
in the heart saying, whatyou're doing is wrong.
00:17:18.207 --> 00:17:21.910
And you can try and kick theSpirit to death, kick your
00:17:21.944 --> 00:17:25.414
conscience to death, but in themiddle of the night you're gonna
00:17:25.447 --> 00:17:28.183
know, I am in sin before God.
00:17:28.217 --> 00:17:31.153
And you're gonna question yourown salvation, if you have it at
00:17:31.186 --> 00:17:34.056
all, because how can you livethis way if you're truly
00:17:34.089 --> 00:17:37.893
born again?
00:17:37.926 --> 00:17:40.596
Your conscience would just bewrithing in pain because you're
00:17:40.629 --> 00:17:44.800
walking in the darkness andthe Lord will be convicting
00:17:44.833 --> 00:17:47.603
your heart.
00:17:47.636 --> 00:17:49.071
Solomon said, hey, happinessisn't found in sex and
00:17:49.104 --> 00:17:52.274
sexual immorality.
00:17:52.307 --> 00:17:54.409
And then he said how about this?
00:17:54.443 --> 00:17:56.712
Number six.
00:17:56.745 --> 00:17:59.281
Work and achievement.
00:17:59.314 --> 00:18:00.749
Surely I will find happiness inmy work, surely I'll find
00:18:00.782 --> 00:18:05.454
happiness if I achieve, if I dothese great things.
00:18:05.487 --> 00:18:10.826
But true happiness isn'tfound in that.
00:18:10.859 --> 00:18:13.662
He said, in verse 4, "Then Ibegan doing great things.
00:18:13.695 --> 00:18:21.870
I built houses and I plantedvineyards for myself, I planted
00:18:21.904 --> 00:18:24.640
gardens and I made parks.
00:18:24.673 --> 00:18:26.175
I planted all kinds offruit trees.
00:18:26.208 --> 00:18:27.943
I made pools of water for myselfand I use them to water
00:18:27.976 --> 00:18:31.613
my growing trees."
00:18:31.647 --> 00:18:33.682
Oh man, he's built stuff.
00:18:33.715 --> 00:18:36.251
Gardens and parks, and it was sobeautiful, and it's like, this
00:18:36.285 --> 00:18:38.987
is what Solomon built and, man,I'm gonna get happiness out of
00:18:39.021 --> 00:18:43.058
that, that's gonna bethe source of happiness.
00:18:43.091 --> 00:18:45.694
It's not.
00:18:45.727 --> 00:18:47.996
All his work wasn'tsatisfying to him.
00:18:48.030 --> 00:18:52.000
He goes on to say this, inverse 17, "So I hated life.
00:18:52.034 --> 00:18:57.673
For the work which was doneunder the sun was grievous to me
00:18:57.706 --> 00:19:00.475
because everything is futilityand striving after wind.
00:19:00.509 --> 00:19:03.512
Thus I hated all the fruit of mylabor for which I have labored
00:19:03.545 --> 00:19:06.248
under the sun, for I must leaveit to the man who will come
00:19:06.281 --> 00:19:08.584
after me, and who knows whetherhe will be a wise man or a fool?
00:19:08.617 --> 00:19:12.421
Yet he will have control overall the fruit of my labor for
00:19:12.454 --> 00:19:15.157
which I have labored by actingwisely under the sun.
00:19:15.190 --> 00:19:18.093
This, too, is vanity.
00:19:18.126 --> 00:19:20.028
Therefore, I completelydespaired of all the fruit of my
00:19:20.062 --> 00:19:23.131
labor for which I had laboredunder the sun."
00:19:23.165 --> 00:19:26.768
Man, I've worked and worked andworked and I built this huge
00:19:26.802 --> 00:19:29.938
kingdom, but then I'm gonna passon and I gotta give it
00:19:29.972 --> 00:19:33.475
to someone else.
00:19:33.508 --> 00:19:35.210
And who knows whether thatsomeone else is going to be
00:19:35.244 --> 00:19:37.813
a wise man or a fool?
00:19:37.846 --> 00:19:40.249
And we know the story aboutSolomon, his son, Rehoboam,
00:19:40.282 --> 00:19:43.852
became king, and Rehoboamwas a fool.
00:19:43.885 --> 00:19:47.956
Solomon said, "I work my fingersto the bone and who knows if
00:19:47.990 --> 00:19:51.193
I don't leave thisto a bonehead?"
00:19:51.226 --> 00:19:53.128
And that's what he did, becauseRehoboam was a bonehead.
00:19:53.161 --> 00:19:55.564
He lost the kingdom.
00:19:55.597 --> 00:19:56.898
Ten tribes said, we're notfollowing you anymore, Rehoboam.
00:19:56.932 --> 00:20:01.803
We think that if we justachieve, if we get that next
00:20:01.837 --> 00:20:05.374
promotion, if we get the nextrung on the ladder, if we get
00:20:05.407 --> 00:20:09.945
that degree, if we achievesomething, then we'll be happy.
00:20:09.978 --> 00:20:15.450
Hey, you're never gonnafind happiness in any
00:20:15.484 --> 00:20:20.088
of these things.
00:20:20.122 --> 00:20:21.623
Why?
00:20:21.657 --> 00:20:23.358
Because happiness is not foundunder the sun, it's only found
00:20:23.392 --> 00:20:28.196
in the Son.
00:20:28.230 --> 00:20:29.564
In the S-O-N, in the Sonof the living God.
00:20:29.598 --> 00:20:34.136
True happiness is onlyfound in the Lord.
00:20:34.169 --> 00:20:39.074
He says, in verse 25, "Forwho can eat and who can have
00:20:39.107 --> 00:20:43.011
enjoyment without him?
00:20:43.045 --> 00:20:45.714
Answer, no one.
00:20:45.747 --> 00:20:47.949
No one.
00:20:47.983 --> 00:20:49.318
You can have some passingpleasure in some of these
00:20:49.351 --> 00:20:51.086
things, but it's not the sourceof satisfaction, and you'll
00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:53.822
never find happiness in things,and in going after learning and
00:20:53.855 --> 00:20:59.194
going after laughter and goingafter drugs and alcohol and
00:20:59.227 --> 00:21:02.531
going after women and going, anyof that stuff, and in work and
00:21:02.564 --> 00:21:06.435
achievement, none of thatstuff is gonna do it.
00:21:06.468 --> 00:21:08.737
It's only in the Lord.
00:21:08.770 --> 00:21:10.839
Psalm 128 says this.
00:21:10.872 --> 00:21:13.775
"How blessed, how happy iseveryone who fears the Lord,
00:21:13.809 --> 00:21:20.182
who walks in his ways.
00:21:20.215 --> 00:21:21.817
When you shall eat of the fruitof your hands, you will
00:21:21.850 --> 00:21:25.120
be happy.
00:21:25.153 --> 00:21:26.855
And it will be well with you.
00:21:26.888 --> 00:21:29.691
Your wife shall be like afruitful vine within your house,
00:21:29.725 --> 00:21:31.927
your children like olive plantsaround your table.
00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:34.196
Behold, for thus shall the manbe blessed who fears the Lord."
00:21:34.229 --> 00:21:37.632
It's in the fear of God, it's inwalking in his ways, that's
00:21:37.666 --> 00:21:40.502
where you find happiness, thathe's the source of happiness.
00:21:40.535 --> 00:21:43.505
And I love how it says, you'llbe happy and it will be well
00:21:43.538 --> 00:21:46.541
with you and your wife,it speaks of the home.
00:21:46.575 --> 00:21:49.745
You know, lots of unhappycouples today, lots of unhappy
00:21:49.778 --> 00:21:53.348
couples in church, in our churchand other churches,
00:21:53.382 --> 00:21:56.451
many unhappy couples.
00:21:56.485 --> 00:21:57.786
You wonder, it's like, man, whydid you guys get married,
00:21:57.819 --> 00:22:00.188
'cause you seem tohate each other?
00:22:00.222 --> 00:22:02.057
Many people come into marriage,and Larry Simms shared this with
00:22:02.090 --> 00:22:06.728
me the other day, saw a littlecartoon, and the wife is at the
00:22:06.762 --> 00:22:10.132
altar and there's a little thingabove her head like she's
00:22:10.165 --> 00:22:13.335
thinking, and her thoughts are,he is going to make me happy.
00:22:13.368 --> 00:22:18.974
And the husband, the groom, he'sthere at the altar and he's got
00:22:19.007 --> 00:22:22.277
the little bubble over his head,she is going to make me happy.
00:22:22.310 --> 00:22:28.717
You know, it's almost like atick looking at a dog, saying,
00:22:28.750 --> 00:22:32.587
"Well, I can just suck off ofyou, I can just feed off of you,
00:22:32.621 --> 00:22:35.924
you're gonna make me happy."
00:22:35.957 --> 00:22:37.292
You know what marriage is?
00:22:37.325 --> 00:22:38.627
it's two ticks and no dog,that's what marriage is.
00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:41.963
[congregation laughing]
00:22:41.997 --> 00:22:43.532
You can get in a lot of troublebecause you think, well, that
00:22:43.565 --> 00:22:45.300
person's going to make me happy,you say, well, this person's
00:22:45.333 --> 00:22:47.402
going to make me happy.
00:22:47.436 --> 00:22:48.737
The only person who can make youhappy is Jesus Christ.
00:22:48.770 --> 00:22:52.073
[applauding]
00:22:52.107 --> 00:23:00.982
And if couples will seek himindividually and then come
00:23:01.016 --> 00:23:05.887
together and seek him, theirmarriage will turn around,
00:23:05.921 --> 00:23:09.391
their life will turn around,everything will turn around.
00:23:09.424 --> 00:23:11.393
People are unhappy in marriage.
00:23:11.426 --> 00:23:12.727
Why?
00:23:12.761 --> 00:23:14.095
'Cause they're unhappy withthemselves, they're unhappy in
00:23:14.129 --> 00:23:15.430
life 'cause they're lookingfor happiness in all
00:23:15.464 --> 00:23:17.432
the wrong places.
00:23:17.466 --> 00:23:19.201
We have to look for happiness inthe one who is the source,
00:23:19.234 --> 00:23:23.472
and that is Jesus.
00:23:23.505 --> 00:23:25.006
I'll close with the words ofthis hymn, written by Harry Loes
00:23:25.040 --> 00:23:30.045
in 1915.
00:23:30.078 --> 00:23:32.647
It says, "Friends all around meare trying to find what the
00:23:32.681 --> 00:23:36.885
heart yearns for by sinundermined.
00:23:36.918 --> 00:23:40.655
I have the secret, I knowwhere 'tis found.
00:23:40.689 --> 00:23:43.425
Only true pleasuresin Jesus abound.
00:23:43.458 --> 00:23:47.028
All that I want is in Jesus.
00:23:47.062 --> 00:23:51.132
He satisfies.
00:23:51.166 --> 00:23:52.701
Joy he supplies.
00:23:52.734 --> 00:23:55.370
Life would be nothingwithout him.
00:23:55.403 --> 00:23:59.274
All things in Jesus I find."
00:23:59.307 --> 00:24:03.912
♪♪♪
00:24:03.945 --> 00:24:05.547
Pastor Jeff Schreve: The biggestquestion ever asked in the Bible
00:24:05.580 --> 00:24:07.682
came from the lips ofPontius Pilate.
00:24:07.716 --> 00:24:09.718
He asked the people, "What thenshall I do with Jesus who is
00:24:09.751 --> 00:24:12.754
called the Christ?"
00:24:12.787 --> 00:24:14.122
Hey, what have you donewith Jesus?
00:24:14.155 --> 00:24:15.957
You know, many people tip theirhat to Jesus, but they never bow
00:24:15.991 --> 00:24:19.261
their knee in surrenderand submission.
00:24:19.294 --> 00:24:21.930
Tipping your hat doesn't get youto heaven, you must surrender to
00:24:21.963 --> 00:24:25.066
him who died for you androse again from the dead.
00:24:25.100 --> 00:24:28.703
So if you're not sure about yourrelationship with Jesus,
00:24:28.737 --> 00:24:32.007
today is the day to make sure.
00:24:32.040 --> 00:24:33.642
Just pray this simpleprayer with me.
00:24:33.675 --> 00:24:35.844
Lord Jesus,I need you.
00:24:35.877 --> 00:24:38.647
I know that I'm a sinner, andI'm lost, and I can't save
00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:41.917
myself, but I believe you diedon the cross for my sins and
00:24:41.950 --> 00:24:45.320
rose again from the dead.
00:24:45.353 --> 00:24:46.888
And right now, Jesus, I ask youto forgive me, come into
00:24:46.922 --> 00:24:51.026
my heart, be my Lord and Savior.
00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:52.861
I surrender my all to you, andI promise to follow you
00:24:52.894 --> 00:24:57.098
all the days of my life.
00:24:57.132 --> 00:24:58.600
My friend, if you'll pray thatkind of prayer and mean it,
00:24:58.633 --> 00:25:01.670
the Lord will come in and yourlife will never be the same.
00:25:01.703 --> 00:25:05.240
I would love to hear from you toknow that you're watching,
00:25:05.273 --> 00:25:08.143
to know that God is using thisbroadcast to make a difference
00:25:08.176 --> 00:25:10.645
in your life, to know that youjust prayed that prayer with me
00:25:10.679 --> 00:25:14.182
to receive Christas Savior and Lord.
00:25:14.215 --> 00:25:16.418
Please take the time to callthat toll-free number, write me,
00:25:16.451 --> 00:25:19.521
email me, let me know what'sgoing on and how we can
00:25:19.554 --> 00:25:22.324
pray for you.
00:25:22.357 --> 00:25:23.658
You really are important to God,and you're important to us,
00:25:23.692 --> 00:25:27.662
and we're here for you.
00:25:27.696 --> 00:25:29.731
male announcer: Today's message,"Is True Happiness
00:25:29.931 --> 00:25:32.801
Really Possible?"
00:25:32.834 --> 00:25:34.135
is available in multiple formatswhen you call...
00:25:34.169 --> 00:25:41.810
Or go online tofromhisheart.org.
00:25:41.843 --> 00:25:46.181
Pastor Jeff Schreve: The Bibletells us in the book of Proverbs
00:25:46.214 --> 00:25:48.350
that the fear of the Lord isboth the beginning of wisdom
00:25:48.383 --> 00:25:51.920
and the beginning of knowledge.
00:25:51.953 --> 00:25:53.555
You see, the fear of the Lord isthe starting point, it's the
00:25:53.588 --> 00:25:56.091
ABCs of a walk with God.
00:25:56.124 --> 00:25:58.226
If you bypass the ABCs of theChristian life, if you omit this
00:25:58.259 --> 00:26:01.796
critical first step, then you'llnever become the person God
00:26:01.830 --> 00:26:04.799
wants you to be.
00:26:04.833 --> 00:26:06.134
That's why I'd like you to havea copy of my brand-new booklet
00:26:06.167 --> 00:26:09.404
entitled, "The ABCs ofthe Christian Life."
00:26:09.437 --> 00:26:13.041
It will give you truth that youneed to build a life that
00:26:13.074 --> 00:26:16.311
will last for nowand for eternity.
00:26:16.344 --> 00:26:19.347
The ABCs booklet and mysix-message series, "Life's Big
00:26:19.381 --> 00:26:23.151
Questions," are my thanks foryour gift this month to help
00:26:23.184 --> 00:26:26.554
From His Heart reachthe world for Christ.
00:26:26.588 --> 00:26:29.557
Here's how you canget your copies.
00:26:29.591 --> 00:26:32.360
announcer: To get PastorJeff's new insightful booklet,
00:26:32.394 --> 00:26:34.996
"The ABCs of the ChristianLife," and the powerful
00:26:35.030 --> 00:26:38.366
six-message series, "Life's BigQuestions" in the format of your
00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:42.437
choice, make your giftwhen you call...
00:26:42.470 --> 00:26:49.611
Or go online tofromhisheart.org.
00:26:49.644 --> 00:26:52.881
And thank you for extending yourinfluence for Christ around
00:26:52.914 --> 00:26:56.551
the world throughFrom His Heart.
00:26:56.584 --> 00:26:59.888
announcer: From His Heartis the viewer-supported
00:26:59.921 --> 00:27:02.090
broadcast ministry of Dr. JeffSchreve, who believes that, no
00:27:02.123 --> 00:27:05.794
matter how badly you may havemessed up in life, God still
00:27:05.827 --> 00:27:08.997
loves you and has a wonderfulplan for your life.
00:27:09.030 --> 00:27:12.100
Find out more about that plan,go to fromhisheart.org.
00:27:12.133 --> 00:27:17.806
♪ Real truth, real love,real hope ♪
00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:22.444
♪ from his heart. ♪♪
00:27:22.477 --> 00:27:27.348

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Is True Happiness Really Possible

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Is True Happiness Really Possible

Is True Happiness Really Possible

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