AfterThoughts: July 21, 2019

July 21, 2019

“The Pursuit of Happiness”

Psalm 1

Today, Pastor David shared about true happiness from the Book of Psalms. Re-read those verses as you consider these questions.

• How do you define happiness? How does that definition of “happiness” differ from the one intended in these verses?
• Pastor David spoke of the strategy of gradual progression that Satan uses (walk-stand-sit) to acclimate us to sin. Has there been a time in your life when that strategy worked on you? How were you able to escape that and get back to the right path (“growing in Godliness”)?
• What does it mean to “delight” in the Word of God? How does your time spent reading and meditating on God’s Word effect you? Your mood? Your interactions with others? Your understanding of happiness?
• What is one thing you can do this week to improve your engagement with Scripture?
• Are you trying to find happiness apart from a growing relationship with Jesus? If you are, is it working? If you have never trusted Christ for your TRUE HAPPINESS, visit www.dawsonchurch.org/becoming-a-christian to learn more.

ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of wate that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1

"Since 2004, the share of Americans who identify themselves as optimists has plummeted from 79% to 50%, according to a new Time poll."

"According to the 2018 World Happiness Report, the U.S. ranks 18th on a 50-country happiness index, far behind No. 1 Finland, No. 2 Norway, No. 3 Denmark and no. 4 Iceland. We trail Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Austria, and Canada to name a few countries."

- Jeffrey Kluger, TIME Magazine

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts…”

- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

HEAR METHOD:

• H Highlight
• E Explain
• A Apply
• R Respond

“We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast, get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner; we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits; we talk too much; love too seldom, and lie too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years.” 

― Philip Yancey, Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened To The Good News

John 15