Friday, March 3, 2023

Reflection - Richard DeHaan - Are You Happy?

Source (book): "Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Chapter 40, "Are You Happy?", Page 47.
By Richard DeHaan, Our Daily Bread Author


 We write this to make our joy complete. - 1 John 1:4
PHOTO: We write this to make our joy complete. - 1 John 1:4
Read: 1 John 1

An elderly woman was once asked by a friend about the spiritual welfare of a mutual acquaintance. She replied: "Well, she's in a very bad state of mind. She's got just enough Christianity to make her miserable when she's doing wrong, but not enough to make her happy in a prayer meeting."

The most unhappy people, it seems to me, are not the unsaved, but Christians who are disobedient to Christ. When they continue to sin, they are inviting God's loving chastening and are asking for much sorrow and loss. Because they have the benefit of the indwelling Holy Spirit and a knowledge of God's will through the Scriptures, they feel more wretched in their backslidden state than those who have not accepted the Savior. Every Christian who has lived for a time with unconfessed sin knows what I'm talking about.

To avoid such heartache and to be a happy Christian, we must seek to know God's will through Bible study and prayer. Then, in the power of the Holy Spirit we must strive to do God's will, walking in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). We are not without sin (1 John 1:8), but we must be honest and open with God about our sin (1 John 1:9) and strive to overcome it.

Sin causes the cup of joy to spring a leak.
 

We write this to make our joy complete. - 1 John 1:4
Read: 1 John 1
 
 


An elderly woman was once asked by a friend about the spiritual welfare of a mutual acquaintance. She replied: "Well, she's in a very bad state of mind. She's got just enough Christianity to make her miserable when she's doing wrong, but not enough to make her happy in a prayer meeting."
 

 An elderly woman was once asked by a friend about the spiritual welfare of a mutual acquaintance.
PHOTO: An elderly woman was once asked by a friend about the spiritual welfare of a mutual acquaintance. She replied: "Well, she's in a very bad state of mind. She's got just enough Christianity to make her miserable when she's doing wrong, but not enough to make her happy in a prayer meeting."


The most unhappy people, it seems to me, are not the unsaved, but Christians who are disobedient to Christ. When they continue to sin, they are inviting God's loving chastening and are asking for much sorrow and loss. Because they have the benefit of the indwelling Holy Spirit and a knowledge of God's will through the Scriptures, they feel more wretched in their backslidden state than those who have not accepted the Savior. Every Christian who has lived for a time with unconfessed sin knows what I'm talking about.
 

 The most unhappy people, it seems to me, are not the unsaved, but Christians who are disobedient to Christ.
PHOTO: The most unhappy people, it seems to me, are not the unsaved, but Christians who are disobedient to Christ. When they continue to sin, they are inviting God's loving chastening and are asking for much sorrow and loss. Because they have the benefit of the indwelling Holy Spirit and a knowledge of God's will through the Scriptures, they feel more wretched in their backslidden state than those who have not accepted the Savior. Every Christian who has lived for a time with unconfessed sin knows what I'm talking about.
Picture posted by Artofkleyn.co.za
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To avoid such heartache and to be a happy Christian, we must seek to know God's will through Bible study and prayer. Then, in the power of the Holy Spirit we must strive to do God's will, walking in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). We are not without sin (1 John 1:8), but we must be honest and open with God about our sin (1 John 1:9) and strive to overcome it.

 
To avoid such heartache and to be a happy Christian, we must seek to know God's will through Bible study and prayer.
PHOTO: To avoid such heartache and to be a happy Christian, we must seek to know God's will through Bible study and prayer. Then, in the power of the Holy Spirit we must strive to do God's will, walking in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). We are not without sin (1 John 1:8), but we must be honest and open with God about our sin (1 John 1:9) and strive to overcome it.
Picture posted by Deborah Scotka
 
Sin causes the cup of joy to spring a leak. 
 
Sin causes the cup of joy to spring a leak.
PHOTO: Sin causes the cup of joy to spring a leak. 
Picture posted by voltuzaidi
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/b00da3a0-dfe7-4780-a716-572b37f22105/d6xnjry-087934d8-e1d4-4f08-add1-0ac2ee10a42d.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_1125,q_75,strp/poca_hontas_by_voltuzaidi_d6xnjry-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.XuL6gMdJrPjHYGBpO8CrjMUgEN1enn9Zht8aA2KuBTA 
 
 

Source (book): "Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Chapter 40, "Are You Happy?", Page 47.
By Richard DeHaan, Our Daily Bread Author

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Reference
[1] From "Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries, Chapter 40, "Are You Happy?", Page 47.
 

Links


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