I was walking my dog this week after I got home from work. You just have to know how Kobalt is. He is always on a mission to get where he is going. And once he gets there, he has his nose to the ground. It’s just one continual sniffing party. But, on this particular day and this particular walk, Kobalt did something different. It was so out of character for him that I noticed immediately. He lifted his head to look. And look he did, for several minutes. As soon as he did that, I knew exactly what the Lord was trying to get over to me. “Emery, you’ve always got your nose to the ground. You’re always trying to get somewhere. Lift up your head and look around and enjoy what’s around you.” He didn’t say those words in my spirit, but that’s what I believe was the sense of the picture He showed me. And, he used my dog to get me that message. Just wonderful! Years ago, Joyce Myer wrote a book entitled, ‘Enjoying Where You Are on the Way to Where You Are Going’. I read the book years ago but what I remember most from that book is the title. That’s what stuck with me. We need to lift our heads and enjoy where we are. Tomorrow, we’re headed to church. Do you enjoy being in church? Do you have a happy church life? Maybe you just need to lift your head and enjoy where you are. That’s what we are going to look at in today’s blog: How to Have a Happy Church Life.

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1 Kings 10:1–10 (KJV) — 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

• Happiness was one of the outstanding traits the Queen of Sheba saw when she visited Solomon.
• Sheba is modern Yemen, in Arabia, about 1,200 miles from Jerusalem. ¹
• Excellence thrills the heart and mind, and that’s what she saw.
• The queen beheld excellence of wisdom and the prosperity it provided.
• There was no doubt an extra lift to the step of the those who served at Solomon’s table.
• How could you not be happy while serving under the blessings of God?

The Source of Happiness

Happiness is found in God

Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV) — 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Happiness is found in God Presence

Psalm 16:11 (KJV) — 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Happiness is found in the Person of Jesus Christ

• One unknown gentleman said these words.

“You can mandate order, you can mandate dress code, but you cannot mandate happiness. Happiness is a by-product of the right type of pursuit, pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Other Sources of Joy

• God’s Word details for the sources of joy.
• This is quite a list, one that you should take note of.
• God wants you to be happy.
• He wants you to be healthy.
• He wants you to be prosperous.
• He wants you to be fruitful.
• Happiness is not over the next hill, you can have it here and now.
• Consider these sources of joy.
• The Holy Spirit
  

  Romans 14:17 (KJV) — 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

• Knowing and Doing God’s Will
  

  John 13:17 (KJV) — 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

• Finding Wisdom and Revelation
  

  Proverbs 3:13 (KJV) — 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding.

• Retaining the Word
  

  Proverbs 3:18 (KJV) — 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.

• Handling Affairs Wisely and Trusting the Lord
  

  Proverbs 16:20 (KJV) — 20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: And whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

• Maintaining Your Vision
  

  Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) — 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

• Maintaining vision also means planning to do the right thing tomorrow, the next month, the next year.
• It means living your life by principle not by opinion.

Rules about Happiness

• I found this list in my life’s travels.
• Maybe this list will help you in yours.
• No external thing can make you happy, person, place or thing – that is idolatry.
• No circumstance can make you happy or unhappy only your response to it.
• No change in status can make you happy: changing marriage partners, jobs, positions etc.
• Your internal life makes you happy; your relationship with Jesus, and the Word.
• You will drain the people in your life if you try to put pressure on them to make you happy.

Question: What other rules of happiness have you found? Please leave them in the comments section below.