Happiness Is-

Quotes from above article
Good news oct/nov 1980
Clayton Steep

The happiness God has, that which He offers to us, was meant to be with us constantly. It was meant to become a permanent part of us - of our personality and character.

He created us because He wants to give us the opportunity to live as He lives, to be in His Family.

So desirous is He for us to be in His Kingdom that He has given that which was of most value to Him - the life of Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Why? In order to make it possible for Him to give us eternal life, yes, but more -- that He might be able to give us "all things" (Rom 8:32)! All things - let your mind dwell on that for a moment!

Yes God gets His pleasure - His thrills - from giving to us. Jesus said, "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). And to enter into the Kingdom is to enter "into the joy of thy Lord" (Matt.25:21,23).

Through Christ's sacrifice our sins and iniquities are forgiven, never to be remembered again (Heb. 8:12). We are recounciled to God. that makes for happiness. Therefore we can "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Rom. 5:11).

"Blessed are those... who walk in the law of the Lord" (Ps. 119:1. RSV). Obedience brings great peace of mind (verse 165). It prepares one to receive etenal life (Matt. 19:17). And that's happiness too!
God's laws are a delight (Ps.1:2). They exist for our good (Duet. 10:13). "The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" (Ps. 19:8). "Blessed is every one that...walketh in his ways...happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee" (Ps. 128:1-2).

One of the greatest keys to happiness is being thankful. We start off each day with a bonus - life - because, let's face it, nobody owes us life! But of even more value than life is knowing God and partaking of His salvation.
Nothing else in life really matters. Other blessings may come and go. Wealth, material possessions, health - they all have wings. We should be grateful when we have them, serving God "with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abuundance of all things" (Deut. 28:47). But when they are gone, we still have that which counts most: God, His Word, His Church, His Spirit.
The apostle Paul realized this and admonished Christians to always give thanks (Eph. 5:20). "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thess. 5:18).
Paul always found a lot to be grateful for. He could say, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil. 4:11). Thankful contentment is happiness!

Christians have the promise of eternal life. This is a hope the
people in the world do not have (Eph. 2:12).When we who are called begin to feel burdened down we can remember that the present distress is only a temporary condition. While other people's hearts are failing them for fear and worry, and while the world falls apart around us, we can lift up our heads because our redemption draws near (Luke 21:25-28).
That's why the apostle Paul tells us to be "Rejoicing in hope" even
though at the same time we may need to be "patient in tribulation" (Rom.12:12). For a short season we may be "in heaviness through manifold temptations." Yet knowing we will be grateful throughout eternity for what these trials produce in us, we can "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Pet. 1:6-9).
The world can offer no thrill or happiness as exciting as
anticipating the moment when our change will take place and real life will begin.

We have a God we can trust. We can take all our problems to Him.
He has never failed. "Take delight in the Lord.... Commit your way to
the Lord; trust in him, and he will act" (Ps. 37:4-5, RSV). "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
[obey - John 14:15] God" (Rom.8:28). Since the promise is that all
things work together for good, there is nothing left to worry about, is there? Talk about freedom! Talk about peace of mind! "The
righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles" (Ps. 34: 17).
Jesus Christ proved" that He could overcome every obstacle. There is no problem in the world that He cannot solve for us. That is why He tells us, "Be of good cheer [in other words, be happy!]; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Although there are additional ways in which the Bible describes true happiness, they may all be summed up in one definition: Happiness is -doing God's will. It really works. "If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them" (John 13:17)!