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Thread: Would you promise happiness to a person?

  1. #11
    Senior Member Colonel's Avatar
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    Christians who have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith have found happiness in the Holy Spirit and even supernatural relief from the pain while that was going on. To the point where they have felt more loyal to Jesus than at other times, not by a gargantuan religious effort according to the flesh but according to the reality of the Holy Spirit. So happiness may be found in spite of the circumstances rather than in the circumstances. Paul had a tougher life than most people will have but he also had times of plenty and content and it seems that the Holy Spirit moved to make it up to him what he had suffered for the gospel, in those times. So yes, happiness can be found in the Holy Spirit but not necessarily in the circumstances, at least not at all times.

    During my most powerful encounter with the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit where I thought for a moment that he had replaced the air and I would be unable to breathe, I was listening to a lullaby like song in a movie. But at the same time, there were gunmen approaching with the intent to murder the people who were listening to the song. The scene was a bit absurd but the Holy Spirit used that scene to underscore the reality of his presence of peace, a presence that may move to compensate for the circumstances.

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  3. #12
    Senior Member wheeze's Avatar
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    my wife received happiness when she married me.....

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  5. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by wheeze View Post
    my wife received happiness when she married me.....
    I suspect that was true of every other single woman in town when your wife married you.

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  7. #14
    Administrator fuego's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bookman View Post
    I suspect that was true of every other single woman in town when your wife married you.
    You know I actually started to post something similar to that when I read it.

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    Super Moderator Quest's Avatar
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    If happiness is an emotion, then no. Joy is not an emotion, peace is not an emotion, faith is not an emotions, and even Agape love Is not an emotion...

    Happiness would have to be defined before I could say yea or nay..no EMOTIONS last...they come and go...

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    CatchyUsername (03-31-2016), curly sue (03-31-2016), Ezekiel 33 (04-01-2016), Femme* (03-31-2016), Valiant Woman (04-01-2016)

  11. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Colonel View Post
    Christians who have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith have found happiness in the Holy Spirit and even supernatural relief from the pain while that was going on. To the point where they have felt more loyal to Jesus than at other times, not by a gargantuan religious effort according to the flesh but according to the reality of the Holy Spirit. So happiness may be found in spite of the circumstances rather than in the circumstances. Paul had a tougher life than most people will have but he also had times of plenty and content and it seems that the Holy Spirit moved to make it up to him what he had suffered for the gospel, in those times. So yes, happiness can be found in the Holy Spirit but not necessarily in the circumstances, at least not at all times.

    During my most powerful encounter with the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit where I thought for a moment that he had replaced the air and I would be unable to breathe, I was listening to a lullaby like song in a movie. But at the same time, there were gunmen approaching with the intent to murder the people who were listening to the song. The scene was a bit absurd but the Holy Spirit used that scene to underscore the reality of his presence of peace, a presence that may move to compensate for the circumstances.
    Reminds me of a section of Eusibius, where Romanus met his sentence of death with "cheerful countenance", saying where is the fire for me? Happiness in dire circumstance is the supernatural power of the Spirit overcoming it with people who know their God and where they are going.

    Psalm 144:15
    Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

    Psalm 146:5
    Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God,

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  13. #17
    Resident Chocolate Monster Lista's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bookman View Post
    I suspect that was true of every other single woman in town when your wife married you.




    In answer to your question...joy, yes, happiness...no. To me, joy implies an emotion that is not indicative of our surroundings or situations, whereas happiness is contingent on our surroundings or situations.

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    Bookman (04-13-2016)

  15. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    But that's how they hear that. This is the problem with that. We (as Christians) know there can still be joy and happiness in the midst of our trials and tribulations. The problem with telling someone this when you're witnessing is that they hear it from a wordly point of view. To them 'Jesus will give you happiness' and then they give their life to Him and all hell breaks loose, then in their minds you lied to them. Because they hear 'Jesus will give you happiness' as not having problems, etc. I think many fall away because of that kind of message.

    I remember a book title by Ray Comfort called, "God Loves You and Has A Wonderful Plan for Your Life (the Fallacy of the Modern Gospel)". God does love us, but the plan, from a world point of view, which is how those you are witnessing to will be looking at it, the plan may not be wonderful. Talk to a sinner and give them the details of any of the apostles' lives and the suffering, persecution, and death they encountered, and ask them how 'wonderful' that plan is or how much 'happiness' that will cause them to have, and trust me, they won't see it. There is nothing wonderful and 'happy' about that at all from their point of view.

    I just don't see where the Bible promises us 'happiness' per se. It does promise us trials and tribulations, persecutions, etc, while at the same time letting us know that Jesus had overcome the world for us, and we can overcome too. But I think representing what Jesus gives as 'happiness' is off base somewhat. I personally would never tell someone I was witnessing to that.

    Not criticizing you, it's jut not how I approach it.
    But how they hear is not your job or concern .. Just say what the bible says and leave the rest for God to bring the increase ... our Job is to deliver the Word NOT to make the Word come to pass or provide a Put option for our our listeners just in case it doesn't

    Yes some will fall away when the heat gets tuned on cos they were never good ground to begin with but many wont and will go on to produce fruit

    I believe Ray Comfort is wrong and he is typical of Christians trying to play God/Holy Spirit by downplaying certain aspects of scripture just in case it doesnt become manifest in the hearers life and in doing so prepares the hearer for guaranteed failure ... God does have A Wonderful Plan for Your Life -- that's not fallacy it's biblical fact ...

    That said people do need to understand that there are seasons of trials and temptations but everyone of them has an expiration date and will never be beyond what the individual can bear

  16. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Valiant Woman View Post
    Happiness or joy?
    Quote Originally Posted by Quest View Post
    Happiness would have to be defined before I could say yea or nay...
    How about happiness or meaning in life? Does joy come from having a meaning? Sean posted this article on FB a few days ago, it was an interesting read:


    A Psychiatrist Who Survived The Holocaust Explains Why Meaningfulness Matters More Than Happiness

    ...Research has shown that having purpose and meaning in life increases overall well-being and life satisfaction, improves mental and physical health, enhances resiliency, enhances self-esteem, and decreases the chances of depression. On top of that, the single-minded pursuit of happiness is ironically leaving people less happy, according to recent research. "It is the very pursuit of happiness," Frankl knew, "that thwarts happiness."

    This is why some researchers are cautioning against the pursuit of mere happiness. In a new study, which will be published this year in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Positive Psychology, psychological scientists asked nearly 400 Americans aged 18 to 78 whether they thought their lives were meaningful and/or happy.

    Examining their self-reported attitudes toward meaning, happiness, and many other variables — like stress levels, spending patterns, and having children — over a month-long period, the researchers found that a meaningful life and happy life overlap in certain ways, but are ultimately very different. Leading a happy life, the psychologists found, is associated with being a "taker" while leading a meaningful life corresponds with being a "giver."

    "Happiness without meaning characterizes a relatively shallow, self-absorbed or even selfish life, in which things go well, needs and desire are easily satisfied, and difficult or taxing entanglements are avoided," the authors write.

    How do the happy life and the meaningful life differ? Happiness, they found, is about feeling good. Specifically, the researchers found that people who are happy tend to think that life is easy, they are in good physical health, and they are able to buy the things that they need and want. While not having enough money decreases how happy and meaningful you consider your life to be, it has a much greater impact on happiness. The happy life is also defined by a lack of stress or worry...

    http://www.businessinsider.com/a-les...rvivor-2014-10

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