Does God care if we are happy? - Page 17  

Portage Girl, televangelists terrify all of us.

Amen!

I would join.

Another point I would like to make here and then I will likely be out of this thread because I do not wish to dominate the conversation. For those who believe the Bible, I feel like for the majority there is an oversight. The OT was a tutor(as stated in Galatians 3:24), to show us the difference between right and wrong. Grace did not come in until Christ entered the scene. People of the OT did things such as sacrifice that we don't do today. Not because they were barbaric or we aren't barbaric, but because to be forgiven our sins the cost is blood. Well THEN the blood was shed by sacrificial animals, which must have been very burdensome to have to pick the best of the flock every so often and without stripe nor spot to gain or regain the favor of God. So God sent His Son(Son in Greek simply means descendant), the Christ, the Messiah, as the ultimate and final perfect sacrificial Lamb of God. We no longer have to do sacrificing, nor are the judgements that men faced as harsh as they were back then. God tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to follow Him, Christs example. Jesus was a peaceful man in all things. We are to be peaceful as wll as best we can. God would not have sent Jesus if we were capable of taking care of things ourselves. I don't think He would have sent Him if he didn't love us and want us to be happy, He could have let us go on and on endlessly sacrificing animals until the whole human population starved to death from lack of animals left to eat. I'd have really been NOT happy if that were the case. Most people would

Noodleroo~Here's my theory We are in fact to go back to God, in whatever capacity he sees fit. We were born from God, it was his breath that gave us all life in the first place. That breath of which we have no control over, go ahead and try to hold your breath until you die...ya can't do it because you don't truly control it, so that tells me whether we recognize it for what it is or not, He is always with us.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23 Do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word. That they all may be one, as You Father are in me, and I in You, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that You sent Me and the glory which you gave Me I have given them that they may be one just as we are One. I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.

So, I take that to mean we will all be together in the end. Who undestands eternity other than God? I have no clue of what capacity we will return to the Father, just faith that we will return. Hope to see you all there!! You are absolutely right IMO.

Wow!  Let me say that again...WOW!!!  I just had to post before it all disappeared! 

I agree with the post that stated that happiness is a relative thing~what makes you happy, may not bring me joy at all.  There are many scriptures in the Bible that explain, in detail, what God has done, made, performed for our joy~happiness...too many to list!

Here's one:

For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.  Ecclesiastes 2:26

And another:

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands.  Isaiah 55:12

Anyone who believes in God as our Creator only has to look around at the beautiful and intricate world He created for us to understand that He desires our happiness.  He gave to us what He didn't even give to His angels....redemption.  When the some of the angels exercised their free will and chose to rebel, they were cast from Heaven, never to return.  Adam was created, then he was found to be lonely and was given Eve as a helpmate(for his happiness?).  Then he was given dominion over all the animals and named them.  He lived in a paradise and didn't have want for anything(again...this would indeed make me happy!). 

Then he messed up.  Could have gone bad for the rest of the human race at that point, but God sent His Son to redeem our sins....who couldn't be happy about that?  We have the chance to be saved!  All else that troubles our world is trivial next to that.

The problem with mankind is that we think it is all about us.  Our happiness should be first and foremost.  Like a child riding in a car at night who looks up, spies the moon and says, "Look, mommy!! The moon is following me!"

We are part of the big picture, but we are not the big picture.  For me?  I am happy to be a part of the big mosaic that God has painted for this world and I feel blessed that He even considers me worthy of that honor.  After all, what am I?  Someone of importance?  Someone of extreme worth? Not to you.

To God? Yes!  How many of us would sacrifice our child for other beings?  That kind of love surpasses all things and should make us all extremely happy.  If you can't be happy that God so loved this world that He gave his ONLY begotten Son, so that we shall not perish but have everlasting life.  I will have everlasting life!!!!  A life not tainted by worry, sickness, bad days, mean people, hurtful words....if one can't be happy about that, then I would venture to say that you just cannot be made happy. 

I have to say I'm enjoying seeing everyone's perspective on this, and I'm glad that the thread has lasted this long.

Still reading through it.

Anyone who believes in God as our Creator only has to look around at the beautiful and intricate world He created for us to understand that He desires our happiness.  He gave to us what He didn't even give to His angels....redemption.  When the some of the angels exercised their free will and chose to rebel, they were cast from Heaven, never to return.  Adam was created, then he was found to be lonely and was given Eve as a helpmate(for his happiness?).  Then he was given dominion over all the animals and named them.  He lived in a paradise and didn't have want for anything(again...this would indeed make me happy!). 

Then he messed up.  Could have gone bad for the rest of the human race at that point, but God sent His Son to redeem our sins....who couldn't be happy about that?  We have the chance to be saved!  All else that troubles our world is trivial next to that.

The problem with mankind is that we think it is all about us.  Our happiness should be first and foremost.  Like a child riding in a car at night who looks up, spies the moon and says, "Look, mommy!! The moon is following me!"

We are part of the big picture, but we are not the big picture.  For me?  I am happy to be a part of the big mosaic that God has painted for this world and I feel blessed that He even considers me worthy of that honor.  After all, what am I?  Someone of importance?  Someone of extreme worth? Not to you.

To God? Yes!  How many of us would sacrifice our child for other beings?  That kind of love surpasses all things and should make us all extremely happy.  If you can't be happy that God so loved this world that He gave his ONLY begotten Son, so that we shall not perish but have everlasting life.  I will have everlasting life!!!!  A life not tainted by worry, sickness, bad days, mean people, hurtful words....if one can't be happy about that, then I would venture to say that you just cannot be made happy. 

nicely said x2

Sometimes what is best for us or for someone else is not what we want.

To anyone who doesn't feel that a loving God can exist with all the pain and suffering in the world, you should watch the movie "Letters to God".

"One either sees God in everything, or they see nothing"  Unknown

I'd say that God would like us to be happy, but not in human terms. When you have the Spirit it's a joyful, peaceful sort of happiness. It's the kind of happiness that gave the Christians of older times the peace and strength to sing while being burned at the stake.

But God cares more about our souls than our bodies. A pot has to be baked before it can be truly useful, God will use whatever means needed to fashion his servants into the people he needs them to be.