Don't Stop....

This morning a song came to my mind from when I was a kid. All I could remember was "Don't Stop Believing....Hold on." complete with the music and the voice of the artist. I had no idea what the rest of the lyrics were, I looked it up and the lyrics other that what I had recalled are not impressive, rather depressing, but "Don't Stop Believing....Hold On." stuck with me. I needed to hear that this morning.....perhaps you do, as well.

I was Discouraged. Frustrated. Irritated. Annoyed. Downcast. Defeated. Anxious, Uptight. Angry....I had a headache besides my face hurt because my jaws were clenched. Let's just say. I was fully involved in this downward spiral.

I know this is a tactic of the enemy. He wants us to let our guard down. He wants us to go in the direction of getting us to stop believing what God has to say and release our grip on God's Word. The enemy uses Distractions, Distractions, Distractions! It is so easy to get distracted by things that we perceive we have no control over. Things that we do not like. Things we are not comfortable with. Questions without answers with no apparent direction. "I Do Not Like This, Sam I Am"....Oooops, I have Grandchildren, can't you tell!

Well, What AM I meditating on? Recycling the problems and the issues that are heavy on my heart only achieve all the negative side effects that I just described and make the enemy very happy. I could ponder the issues in 1000's of different ways, and still not have the answers. Asking When? What? How? Why? questions over and over again are not getting me anywhere but miserable. I have no more insight than I had before, but I have effectively achieved a negative mental, even physical level of frustration. So, THIS is not working.

My favorite Pastor, Keith Moore, often says, "What do the Scriptures say?"

So, I ask, "What do the Scriptures say to me today?"

Philippians 4:8-9 New King James

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Yeah, sure God, but I do not see one thing lovely, true or of good report in this situation. Not one good thing!!!!!

Philippians 4:8-9 Amplified Bible
 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you.

Okay, that helps..... "whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word"!!!! Perhaps there really is nothing good to find in the current situation. We're not necessarily talking about what the situation says, rather what does God say in spite of the situation?

anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you.

So, think on the things that are lovely, true and of good report. The things that are right and Confirmed by the Word of God, i.e. what do the Scriptures Say? Think on these things continually. Get what God says down deep in your heart. Not the problems, frustrations, questions, irritations and the unknowns. Practice thinking daily about what is lovely, true and of good report, what does God have to say? So, if you are in a mental, emotional, physical, situational state of disruption, you are not thinking on the things God says to think about. If it doesn't agree with God, it's not something to think on. Satan is always about getting your focus headed in the wrong direction. God is all about your peace and well-being which comes by following His instructions and being a Doer of it! "Don't Stop Believing...Hold On!"

Okay, repetitive, I know, but let's read the Message Bible in Philippians 4. This time let's start at verse 6 and read through verse 9.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

So, let's do this now.....Think on things that are lovely, true and of good report. Things that are right and confirmed by God's Word. The beautiful, not the ugly. The best, not the worst. Things to praise, not to curse.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Hebrews 13:21

may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Philippians 2:13

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Roman's 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Ephesians 3:20

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Psalm 32:8

The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

Deuteronomy 31:8

 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Isaiah 43:19

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

1 Thessalonians 5:21

But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

I am not knowing the details of what lies ahead, but I know the things that God says that are certainly true and right. Lovely and a positive report. I will meditate on what He has to say about my situation. 

"Don't Stop Believing....Hold On."

This Changed my Whole Life! Part 3

Good Morning!
Last night I found a message by Gregory Dickow. "5 Secrets to Effortless Change". It is a wonderful overview of exactly what changed my life. It is so true that the change itself is effortless, without struggle and works of strenuous willpower, which never achieves anything for more than a few days.

Zechariah 4:6-7
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!"

It is not by our might nor by our power that the mighty mountains in our lives will fall. It by the Spirit of God. The finishing touches of victory will be known to have been by the Grace of God....His arm of power stretched out to us to help us.

Our error has been that we have thought it is all up to God to fix everything in our lives. We have not not understood the part we have to play. When we do our part, God is faithful to fulfill His part. His part really does make the changes in our lives effortless. It is so amazing. I verify and totally agree with what Gregory Dickow has to say. Truly, the 5 Secrets he teaches are "Things that Changed my Entire Life!" Please listen.

Watch "5 Secrets to Effortless Change" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/LL5mOgG2iQM

This Changed My Whole Life! Part 2

When I was born again there was something essential that I did not understand. After I had lived the "Christian" life in misery for more than 15 years, I discovered the following verses that changed my Whole life, seriously.

Romans 10:9-10
 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 

You ask, "How did you get "born again" if you hadn't already known those verses?

I mentally knew those verses. I had openly declared Jesus is Lord, but I had NO comprehension what I was confessing really meant.

Then I found these verses:

Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 

Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

I looked up the meaning of "Lord" to find out that it means: Lord, Master, Supreme Authority.

At that moment I realized that I had never ever truly made Him Lord, Master or Supreme Authority of my life. Not even one time. I was still the Ruler of my life. 

I believed He is the Son of God. I believed He died, shed His blood for the payment of my sins. I believed He rose again from the dead. I believed He was seated at the right hand of the Father. But, although I had said the words "Jesus is Lord". I had NEVER submitted to His Lordship.

I struggled with the words "Depart from Me, I never knew you, you doers of wickedness." I sobbed as I had realized my situation. I did not want Jesus to tell me "depart from me" because I had never made Him Lord, Master, and the Supreme Authority of my life, so as to do His will and not my own.

I repented and this time I knew what it meant to declare Jesus is Lord and this time I meant what I said when I confessed Him Lord of my Life. "Not my will, but Your will be done". Teach me. Help me.

The following verses only continued to impact my decision....

Revelations 3:15-16
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

I certainly did not want to happen to me. My foolish complacency was definitely over. My heart had been pierced by God Himself.

James 2:19-20
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

James 1:22-25
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.

Luke 6:46-49
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he  is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

I was convinced by the Word of God, that my life had been miserable because I had not yielded myself to Jesus as Supreme Authority of my life. I had been a fool. I was not at all a doer of His instructions. I had continued in my own ways of thinking and doing and the resulting ruin of my life was obvious.

That day Jesus truly became the Lord, Master and Supreme Authority of my life. It is hard to express all that happened to me as a result of of that decision. It was truly a heart change that resulted in changes in my life in so many ways. I had a respect for God and His Word that I never had before. I truly started taking God at His Word, without trying to make excuses or justify my own wrong behavior. "Yes, Lord", was a far better approach. I became more and more sensitive to seeing, admitting and responding to the things that needed changing in my life as God, through His Word, revealed them to me. I desired to please God, it wasn't a set of rules that I was obligated to perform. It truly was because His way is a far better way and I really did want to please Him. I was tired of the struggles and the outcome of trying to be the controller of my life. Admittedly, I wanted the better results that obeying God offered.  I chose to humble myself and I truly was repentant. I desired to study God's Word, I wanted to learn and do things His way, I wanted Him to tell me "Well done, Good and faithful servant..." .....the results were well worth it all.

The biggest issue was that I had no idea how I would ever be able to implement the changes I saw necessary to obey Him, but my desire to please Him and my aversion to going back to a miserable life have been so great that I have received His correction, often in tears, and cried out to God for the help to change.

Honestly, His Grace has been sufficient for me, is not just a fine saying. The power He extends to me to do His will has made the work of changing mostly in the decision to submit and obey. The actual changing has been far easier than I thought it would be.  

Denying myself and choosing to obey has, at times, been a challenge. I really do not want the fruit of my own ways again. When I am in a rebellious curve of "what about Me?" It is far better to yield to my Master and say, "not my will, but thine be done, O Lord!" At times I have gone back to foolishness and yielded to thinking my way is ok. I quickly find out that it still remains totally undesirable. It doesn't take me long to repent and do things God's ways again! He is faithful to forgive me and cleanse me from my wrong ways.

Life is good as long as I continue submitting to Him as the authority of my life. This has been the pathway to the happy, peaceful, prosperous in every way, life that I now enjoy. It's so much better not being the boss of my life. God is All-Wise and I am not interested in being a fool any longer!

This is not to say that difficulties and challenges haven't come my way. Still, in and through those times, doing things God's way remains the preferable way to handle life and it's issues. It has taken some serious talking to myself at times, like when I have been hurt and don't want to forgive. I always have choices to make. The choices I make determines the trajectory of my life. Choosing God's Way keeps me on the desirable path. God is always my ready help. He never has left me alone and He never has left me without His help. This is not an issue of the power of my own will. It is a matter of recognizing who God is and my proper attitude and position before Him. He is the Supreme Authority of my life, Not me! I really DO like it that way!

What about you? Is Jesus truly your Lord, Master and the Supreme Authority of your life. I encourage you to humble yourself and embrace His ways. It is the wise way to go. He will be your help, too.

Proverbs 3:7-8
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.

This Changed my Whole Life!

I didn't understand! I had been a Christian for 15 years. Why was my life worse after 15 years than it was when I got born again? "God, Where are You???? God, Fix This!!!! God, change Him!!!" That is what I was constantly praying, yet things continued to get worse in nearly every aspect of my life.

Why?

Why wasn't God doing anything about my problems?

Finally, I changed my question saying, "God, What am I not understanding? Help me to know what to do!!!! Help me! I don't want to live like this anymore!"

It was then that things began to change. The blame game was over.... no more "Fix Him!" Pass the bucket was over, too.....no more, "God, You fix it!" It was down to Me. What is my problem, anyway? What do I need to do differently?

I finally humbled myself. I finally was willing to change, and to be changed. I was willing to be taught and to learn and to do things differently.  Reading the Bible became a necessity to me. It was no longer a religious duty where I would read then walk away not even knowing what I had even read, remaining unchanged. I was desperate to find help. Now God's Word became alive to me. I don't know how to explain it well. I wanted to learn, I was searching to understand. I was willing to receive instruction. I was fed up with life as I knew it. I was willing to change MY ways, finally! Things simply had to change! As I read God's Word, things began to make sense to me and certain words and statements captured my attention and impacted me from deep within. It was not just in my head, it was in my inner self.

I recognized that it was Me that needed to change, not everyone else or things, but me!

But How? What?

There are several major things that I learned that have changed my life radically. If you learn these and respond accordingly, you will be changed too.

Today I will share one thing I learned. In upcoming days I will share more.

#1 - I recognized I was a Fool

Proverbs 12:15
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 1:7
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise (disrespect) wisdom and discipline.

Isaiah 5:21
Woe to the wise in their own eyes, And -- before their own faces -- intelligent!

Proverbs 3:7
Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the LORD and refuse to do wrong.

I thought I knew what needed to be done to fix things. I thought I knew Who needed to change and WHAT They needed to do. I was right....in my own eyes, but a Fool never thinks HE is the Fool.

Proverbs 18:7
The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins.

I began to be cross-examined by God's Word and the Holy Spirit, only to find out that my wisdom was nothing more than that of a fool.

I had not respected the wisdom or the  discipline of God. I had not obeyed God and I had not turned away from my own way of doing things. Truly, I had been a Fool.

Proverbs 26:12
There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.

Could it be possible that I was worse off than a fool?

It was hard to believe that I, myself, was the fool. But my attitude, my behavior and my thoughts and words revealed my true condition. The comment that I heard a lady say once clearly reveals a fool's perspective. She said "I don't really need to take time to spend with God. I am doing pretty well on my own." Being wise in her own eyes, she did not realize how needy she actually was. She was a Christian, by the way.

We do not know what we do not know. That is not a riddle. We simply do not know what we do not know. By ourselves we are in an echo chamber, recycling our own way of thinking and processing things. Until we hear another perspective, our thoughts only rotate around what we already know, whether it is right or wrong. It is necessary that we learn from another. It is necessary that we learn from those who are wise. God Himself is the All-Wise God. Who better to learn from? We must follow the instructions given in Proverbs 1:5 - Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

Proverbs 14:14
The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

Proverbs 1:29-33
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”

I was a Christian, but I was still doing things my own way. I was A Fool. I was simply experiencing the results of my own ways. I was complacent and I was being destroyed. It was the fruit of living my own way.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Doing things my own way was the way of a Fool. I was full of pride. I thought that I knew best. I had not humbled myself to either learn from God or do things God's way. I was only reaping the consequences of my choices.

So, the first lesson I learned that changed my life was to realize I was a fool. My problems were the result of doing things my way. I had not taken the time, effort or interest to really want to know God's advice on how to live my life. I was complacent and I was being destroyed by doing things my own way. I had assumed that now that I was a Christian, everything was up to God to fix. How wrong I was!!!! More about this issue to come in future posts....

Please take what I have learned seriously. Learn from the truths from God's Word. Give attention to God's ways. Refuse to be a fool. Refuse complacency. Destruction is a downward spiral so sadly brought upon us by the choices we make. Choose to learn God's ways. Stop thinking YOU know the way to go, humble yourself and learn and follow what God says about the wise way to go. If you don't like the fruit in your life, stop being a fool. Grow in true wisdom and knowledge instead. God's ways are the right ways.

Be Quiet!!!

I used to think I could say whatever I wanted to, to whomever I chose with no restraint, with no self control or consideration for another.

When I was angry or frustrated, I could tell someone off with skill! Unfortunately,  I had learned effectively from example and by practice. But just because I wanted to say whatever negative, hurtful thing that came to my mind, just because I felt justified to say whatever I wanted and because I was quite capable to do so, didn't mean that it was smart to do so.

There were some hard lessons I went through in the process of learning to deal wisely with my tongue.

Proverbs 10:8
The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

Proverbs 10:13
Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling fool invites disaster.

It is not so sweet when you find out you are a babbling fool. How many times do we need to fall flat on our faces or experience disaster before we find out that gaining instruction and treasuring up that knowledge to become wise is far better than the results of being a babbling fool, saying whatever I want, whenever I want, to whomever I want because I can?

Proverbs 10:17
People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life. Those who ignore correction will go astray.

Discipline is not easy, but if you want to experience the life Jesus came to give us, you'd better start learning that God's way is the Right Way to go and humble yourself to receive correction and discipline to learn to live His way.

Proverbs 10:19
Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

Keep my mouth SHUT!!!! Say what? I never had considered that way of handling things. That was a new thought to me. Too much talk = sin??? Really? Stop and think about that for awhile!

Proverbs 11:11-12
Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. It is foolish to belittle ones neighbor, a sensible person keeps quiet.

Proverbs 11:25
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 13:3
Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.

No wonder things weren't going very well for me, I was inviting my own destruction by not controlling what I said. I tore down my own neighbor instead of refreshing them. I was a fool with my own tongue. I had no one to blame but myself.

Proverbs 17:27-28
A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouth shut they seem intelligent.

That scripture cured me! I had enough of being a fool and didn't want to be that way any longer.

Proverbs 18:21
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Are you liking the consequences of what you are saying, if not consider holding your tongue. 

Ponder these additional scriptures and respond according to the wise way!

Proverbs 10:19 ESV

When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Matthew 12:36-37

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Proverbs 21:23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

Proverbs 17:27

Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

Colossians 3:8

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Proverbs 15:4 

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

James 1:26

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

There are many more scriptures that talk about this subject. If those haven't convinced you to guard your mouth, then you need to ponder these scriptures longer and remember that God's Word is true, He cannot lie. If you do not like the way your life is going, perhaps you should do a review on the words you are speaking and be quiet until you can use your words wisely.

If you see that the words you have been speaking are not pleasing to God and you do not want to be a fool with your words any longer. Ask God to forgive you. Repent (turn your behavior around so as to do differently) and ask God to help you do what is wise with the words of your mouth. You will be surprised how His grace (His power extended to you to help you) comes in with what you need to change, if you are serious about doing it God's way.

Cheer up Buttercup - Part 2

In case you were not convinced yesterday that obedience to God's ways is a key to true happiness, here is some more truth to persuade you.

Luke 11:28
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Psalm 128:1-2
Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord whowalks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Deuteronomy 5:33
Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

Joshua 1:8

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Cheer up Buttercup!

I used to think I would be Happy....if he would do this, if he wouldn't do that! I used to think I would be happy if I got married. I used to think I would be happy if I had a child. I used to think I would be happy if I had more money, if we could go on vacation, if we could get a new car, if we had a bigger house, if I have a smaller house. I used to think I would be happy ...... but in all those things I never found happiness.

I have heard those type of comments made by other people, too. I have learned that if we are not happy from within first, that nothing from without will make us truly happy either.

Now I am happy if he does or if he does not. I am happy I am married. I am happy with my son. I am happy with grandkids, too. That is truly Blessed! I am happy on vacation. I am happy when I am not. I am happy in my car, or in a smelly pickup truck!😖 I am happy in a big house, I am happy in a small house. I am happy with what I have got and happy inspite of what is not. I am happy here or there. I am happy anywhere. Ok.....not funny Dr Suess!

Seriously, though really, I have actually been rather surprised at myself that I have been happy, even joyful for no particular reason even in the midst of the craziness of the world around me and all of the issues. I am Happy.
 
How? WHY?

I found these scriptures this morning that answered those questions. These are not just words.  What David says is truly the reason for my happiness. I am free from the trying to be happy and wishing that I was happy to truly being happy and here is the reason why...

Psalm 119:1-3
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD.
Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His ways.

Psalm 119:35
Direct me in the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.

Psalm 112:1
Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands.

That is it! Obey God and you will find happiness from within regardless what is without. Seriously, God's Word is True!