happiness – La Vista Church of Christ

Mistakes of a Rich Man

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 21:19:44 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mistakes-of-a-Rich-Man.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Luke 12:13-21

I. Someone approached Jesus, asking him to settle a dispute over an inheritance.

A. Jesus declined, stating that it wasn’t his occupation

B. But he pointed out the root problem between the brothers – greed

1. We know this without even knowing the facts in the case.

2. Whether it was one holding on to more than was proper or the other demanding more than was proper, greed was the root cause of this problem.

C. Greed, covetousness, the love of money: however you word it, this sin lies at the root of many sins - I Timothy 6:6-11

D. Jesus illustrated his point with a parable concerning a rich man

1. The man was not a thief. He did not practice extortion. He wasn’t a swindler.

2. The man is presented as an honest farmer who gain his wealth through hard work and perhaps a bit of luck in this particular year.

3. He had a bumper crop, which he had to decide how to handle

II. The Rich Man’s Mistakes

A. He measured success in the wrong manner

1. Jesus told the story to point out that life does not consist of how much you have - Luke 12:15

2. Wealth is a rich man’s security - Proverbs 18:11

3. Life extends beyond this world, but things stay in this world - I Timothy 6:7

4. Riches are an unstable commodity - Proverbs 23:4-5

a. How can wealth measure success when they come and go, seemingly as they please?

5. Then too, who is deciding that he has succeeded in life? - Proverbs 27:2

a. Such is not wise - II Corinthians 10:12

b. The true measure of success is found in God’s eye - I Corinthians 4:4

c. The Lord weighs the heart - Proverbs 21:2

6. The measure of success is found in spiritual things, not material

B. He missed the opportunity to do good with his surplus

1. One of the joys of working is the opportunity to help others - Ephesians 4:28

a. Luke 3:11 - Give of your excess

2. Yet this man’s focus was solely on himself - Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

a. The ultimate retirement plan - Luke 12:29-34

b. The proper use of wealth - I Timothy 6:17-19

3. Acceptable worship to God is doing good - Isaiah 58:5-8

C. He found happiness in the wrong thing

1. The rich man believed he could be happy because of what he had.

2. Treasures on earth - Matthew 6:19-21

3. Remember wealth is fickle. To find joy in something fleeting is foolish.

4. The believer’s joy is in God - Philippians 4:4

D. He thought he knew the future

1. Do not boast about tomorrow - Proverbs 27:1

2. Life is too short and unpredictable - James 4:13-15

3. After life comes judgment - Hebrews 9:27

4. Surely man strives in vain - Psalm 39:6

5. Because he trusted wealth, he made no preparations - Psalm 52:7-8

III. The rich man’s mistakes are common ones

A. Will you see the danger or walk on - Proverbs 22:3

B. The fool wants life to operate on his rules - Proverbs 14:16

C. Enough time has passed for making mistakes - I Peter 4:1-3

D. Will you today begin laying up treasures in heaven?

How Can I Be Happy with All These Troubles?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 20:12:33 +0000

by Charles Box

In our society, there is much talk about happiness. Happiness is even a Bible subject. In Psalms 35:9, we read, "And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation." We do not think of happiness as a choice, but happiness is, in fact, just that, a choice. You can choose to be happy, or you can choose negativity and thus be miserable, making everyone around you miserable as well. In Psalms 146:5, we read, "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God." When you choose happiness, you lift the spirits of those around you, and you get happiness in return. "Happy is the man who finds wisdom" (Proverbs 3:13).

Leah named one of her sons "Asher," which means "In my happiness." "And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher" (Genesis 30:13). If we are serious about happiness, then we must be serious about attitudes that promote love, understanding, justice, hospitality, and compassion. These are the things that are helpful for our spiritual growth. An enduringly happy, useful, and contented life is possible now - but only to those who "lose" their selfish life in the selfless service of God and their fellow man. It is possible to be happy even while living in difficult or miserable circumstances. Some people are happy; others actually work at making themselves and those around them miserable. I challenge you to take these steps, and if you do, it will help you to be happy.

Step one: Decide each day to be happy.

Decide every morning that you will be in a good mood. Maintaining a good mood daily is possible when you wake up grateful for God's grace and peace through Jesus. Paul wrote, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:2). Always focus on the good things of life, especially on your forgiveness and the hope that you have in Christ. When you wake up, why spoil it with an unpleasant attitude? A positive Christian attitude can greatly enhance your day. Let us understand that, "This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24).

Step two -- Be thankful for the good things that you have and for the good people who are in your life.

These are blessings from God. Everything in life doesn't always go your way; it won't always go against you, either. "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble" (Job 14:1). Many good people touch your life daily. You have many positive qualities in your life. You have much to give to the world. Do not squander your life with negativism and ingratitude. In Philippians 1:3-5, we read, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." Be thankful for other Christians and for the good they do. Be thankful for salvation, be thankful for the church, and be thankful for the opportunity to serve. Be thankful for your family.

Step three -- Be humble and have the spirit of Christ.

As Christians, we must strive to cultivate humility, for there is no greater gift in this life than to live in humility, loving one another and loving God with all our hearts. So often, though, our pride gets in our way. When we lose our humility, we begin to lose our love for not only our God, but also for our family. Therefore, it is absolutely vital for our spiritual health that we defeat pride by humbling ourselves in love before our gracious God, and letting that love spread out to touch everyone around us, including family, fellow Christians, friends, and even enemies. God inspired Paul to say, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). If you think too highly of yourself, you may get to feeling sorry for yourself. Both attitudes will make you miserable. Those with a humble, Christ-like spirit find happiness regardless of circumstance.

Step four -- Stop complaining and murmuring.

Choose to have a positive attitude even in the face of difficulties. Look for hope in your life. Paul wrote, “Do all things without complaining and disputing" (Philippians 2:14). Those who hold grudges and complain about every little slight will always be miserable. You also risk causing yourself and others misery if you believe you are entitled to special privileges. Opportunities are always available for you to improve and for your world to change for the better. It is not too late. Your love can change someone's world. Stop complaining and stand up and change your world. We must want to change our world. You should believe that you can achieve something for God, for yourself, and for your family. Stand up and change your world.

Step five -- learn from your past mistakes and value your relationship with God.

We have all messed up. Regret those sins. Learn from them and avoid repeating the past. Even our personal failure is no excuse for us to choose misery. God is good, and He wants us saved. God's goodness draws us to Him. "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). Paul wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). True happiness belongs to those who are "in Christ." Christians have much to rejoice about, especially the forgiveness of sins. Before Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they knew God on an intimate, personal level. They walked with Him in the Garden and talked directly to Him. (Genesis 3:8) Let us leave our past mistakes and walk with God. God gave us the opportunity to spend eternity with Him through Jesus Christ.

Step six -- Have faith in what life can bring.

God finds many ways to send blessings to you. Be open to receiving happiness and joy from the hand of our great God. Let yourself enjoy the positive experiences of your life with God and with your family. By inspiration of God, Paul wrote, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). Money is not the answer to having happiness and joy. God is the answer to man's needs. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Lift up your head and heart. Be thankful and enjoy the peace of God. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

"Whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he" (Proverbs 16:20). The love and sacrifice of Jesus is still deeper than any thought that I could imagine. Yet, you must choose life. The sinner’s part is to obey the truth. "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever" (I Peter 1:22-23) To obey the truth you must believe in Jesus with all your heart (John 8:24), Repent of your sins (Luke 13:3), Confess the name of Jesus (Acts 8:37), and be baptized to wash away your sins. (Acts 22:16) After your baptism into Christ, follow Him with a solid, determined, settled, and unmovable attitude of service.

Is it proper to take pleasure in the death of the wicked?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 02:07:09 +0000

Question:

Does the city in Proverbs 11:10 take pleasure in the death of the wicked?

Answer:

"When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting" (Proverbs 11:10).

Everyone is happy when things go well with the righteous because the righteous is generous with his blessings (I Timothy 6:17-19). When the wicked die, it also brings happiness because the source of problems is removed. The focus here is on enjoying life and happiness, with justice triumphing over evil.

A similar observation from the opposite viewpoint is "When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves" (Proverbs 28:12).

Perhaps you are thinking of: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the LORD will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him" (Proverbs 24:17-18). This almost seems contradictory, but notice that in Proverbs 11:10, it refers to a general feeling throughout the city, whereas in Proverbs 24:17-18, we are considering a personal enemy. We are not to seek vengeance on others (Romans 12:19-21). You can have an enemy, and he might not be a person totally given over to evil. Even with the wicked, we ought to desire their salvation. However, this doesn't mean we can't enjoy the lack of oppression, whether it comes from an evil person converting to God or an evil person no longer being able to commit evil.

Feminism Makes Women Miserable

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 22:30:30 +0000

Source: Victor Joecks, "Modern feminism makes women miserable," Las Vegas Review-Journal, 20 February 2025.

"The Institute for Family Studies recently analyzed findings from the annual American Family Survey. It found 37 percent of conservative women ages 18-40 said they were completely satisfied with life. But only 12 percent of liberal women that age were."

"A 2017 study by a Penn State professor noted 'politically conservative participants were significantly more optimistic and satisfied with life than their liberal counterparts.'”

"The implication is that liberals are depressed because they care so much about the world’s problems. While that may sound noble, stressing out about something that you can’t control isn’t a virtue. It can lead to “learned helplessness.” If people believe their choices won’t improve things, they often give up or make worse choices."

"Feminists originally argued for equal opportunity in voting, education, and the workplace. That happened. But second-wave feminists went further. They disparaged marriage and religion as tools of the patriarchy. They didn’t view children as a source of meaning and fulfillment but rather as an obstacle to career success. Third- and fourth-wave feminists went beyond that. Many contend that different outcomes between men and women are the result of societal expectations. These ideas have gone so far that leftists now claim men can become women. Why some men would willingly give up the power of the patriarchy is never quite explained."

"As a result, liberals are less likely to be married, go to church, or have kids. But these choices haven’t brought joyous liberation. Just the opposite."

"Single, childless adults are more than twice as likely as married individuals to say they’re always or almost always lonely, Wilcox noted. Historically, single individuals found community and connection in a church or synagogue. But liberals are less likely to attend religious services."

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored" (Titus 2:3-5).

Unhappy or Happy?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 01 Feb 2025 16:09:50 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

The measure of a good life is not that you are happy or not. You can sear the conscience so that it does not bother you to do wrong or to use people for selfish purposes. With a seared conscience, you could possibly enjoy the "pleasures of sin." Therefore, the question is not what makes you happy; you could temporarily find pleasure in what might use and damage others. So, what I want us to think about is not whether the end results of what you choose to do make you feel pleasurable or happy, but whether the things you do are actually good so that they bring satisfaction that good is being done.

Take the issue of thankfulness as an example. Is it good to be thankful for what you have? On the surface, it seems like it might bring a satisfying perspective, and it would not hurt anyone around you or use anyone for selfish objectives. So, the Lord wants us to master our hearts so that we are thankful, and the more we feed that outlook, the more contented and satisfied we become.

The cure for much unhappiness is to be thankful and develop a thankful outlook. Depression is often caused by ingratitude about:

Who you are or are not,
What you have or do not have, and
What you do or do not get to do.

But thanksgiving comes to terms with each of these. It refuses to be unhappy because we are not someone else, refuses to chain happiness to things or lack of things, and refuses to tie happiness to what we might be missing because of where we are. It chooses to master emotional feelings instead of being mastered by certain negative interpretations of your surroundings.

For example, you can look at a child as a burdensome inconvenience to you, or you can look at that child as an opportunity for love. The bottom line is that you can fail to be happy anywhere under any circumstances if you fail to be thankful for who you are, what you have, and what you get to do. Furthermore, you cannot be thankful without being happy. Let that sink in! You cannot be thankful without being happy.

In everything, give thanks! (I Thessalonians 5:17-21). I can't name an epistle of Paul that does not emphasize thanksgiving. Happiness was not because Paul had all the right circumstances and conditions for it but because of what he chose to be thankful for. Happiness will come when we practice being thankful. He “learned” to be content in all circumstances because he practiced and perfected the habit of viewing his opportunities to be thankful, which determined his joy and happiness!

We can learn what Paul learned!

The Joys of Involvement

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:52:35 +0000

by David Gibson

Have you noticed? The happiest Christians are highly involved in the Lord’s work. Why is this so?

There is joy in using our God-given talents as He intended for the good of others. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace ...” (I Peter 4:10; see Romans 12:4-8).
There is joy when we see fruit from our labors. Usually, gardeners don’t till, fertilize, plant, weed, or water just for exercise. They want to see something coming up out of the ground!
Jesus said, “Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together” (John 4:36).
There is joy in knowing that God is pleased with our efforts to serve Him. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16; see Philippians 4:18).
There is joy in being prepared to give an account of our stewardship. The five-talent and two-talent servants had nothing to fear when their master returned and asked them to account for what he had entrusted them (Matthew 25:14-30). They had something to show for their time. And then they had the pleasure of hearing their master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant ... Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

God knew what He was doing when He put us together in His church, assigned us our tasks, and instructed us to work together!

Does God Want Me to Be Unhappy?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 17:40:32 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

It is quite natural to want to be happy, and often, people think that is the whole reason God put us here. They have imagined that God just wants us to be happy no matter what. Is that true?

Let's consider this for a moment. God created us intending to win our love and eternal fellowship. Sin is the result of choosing selfish desire over fellowship with God. Sin would not be a challenge if it offered no pleasures. Sin offers temporary pleasures and tests our loyalty to God. People can and do feel "happy" in sinful things.

An alcoholic likes the pleasure he feels in being relaxed by the effects of alcohol. He thinks that is his way of being happy, and "doesn't God want us to be happy?" He forgets that God does not want him to be happy in that way. "Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). The happiness God wants us to pursue is not in fleshly desires fulfilled, but in a spirit that loves to drink in the Spirit's revealed word. Does God want us to be happy? Yes, but not by degrees of drunkenness or adultery or sexual immorality (I Corinthians 6:8-10). God does not want us to be happy in sin. He wants us to be happy out of sin and in Christ.

People can enjoy sin. That is why sin is tempting. But it is not a lasting pleasure. It appeals to the temporal flesh. The lasting joy is in Christ (Colossians 2:10; I Peter 1:8). That is where we develop the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22ff), which includes love, joy, and peace. That is the happiness God wants us to develop from the inside out. This will result in happiness here and forever, the most lasting and wonderful kind of happiness.

The question is whether we want to be happy in God's way or our own temporal way (I Peter 3:10-12). God wants us to learn contentment, joy, and peace in the best way, apart from sin and through Christ in you, full of glory! Do you know this lasting happiness in Christ with Christ in you?

The God of Happiness

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 15:49:05 +0000

by Chadwick Brewer

“‘Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke’… so I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded” (Ezekiel 24:16,18).

It has become common to hear people say, “God wants me to be happy.” We can only know what God wants from us by searching His breathed-out Word. Scripture reveals that God may require a lot from us that might cause temporary unhappiness or deep sorrow. Ezekiel had to lose the delight of his eyes to serve as a sign of God’s judgment on His people.

There might come a time when I must choose between a good relationship with my family and serving God faithfully. I might have to leave home, my job, and all my creature comforts to please Him. I might have to sacrifice everything I have ever owned to do His will. Maybe it’s a huge slice of humble pie required to right my wrongs or repair a relationship. I may lose friends and close companions who no longer walk with God. There might even be a time when I must forfeit my life in service to God and others. In all of these hypotheticals, happiness is not the currency of choice.

The true god of happiness is me. I am the one who is supremely concerned with my happiness. God wants me to have a home with Him in heaven eternally, and He wants me to be willing to lay anything and everything on the altar of self-sacrifice to achieve that goal. So please recognize that when one says, “God wants me to be happy,” it is the individual who wants to be happy, regardless of God’s true desires.

God Wants Me to Be Happy (Flores)

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 16:12:57 +0000

by Zeke Flores

"God wants me to be happy!"

How many times have you heard that from someone? How often might you have said it yourself?

Interestingly, the Bible says nothing like that. It does say that God wants you to be holy (I Peter 1:14-16), which is much deeper and far more significant than happiness.

I'm not saying God wants us to be unhappy, but the true path to happiness is more than happiness. Joy is not in our selfish desires but in the will of the One who knows what's best for us. Besides, why settle for mere happiness when you can have so much more?

Find holiness by finding your place in Him. Today.

Ready? Let's go!

That Your Joy May Be Full

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:10:03 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

Jesus prayed that those who would become His disciples would have a joy that is full (John 17:13; 15:11-13; 16:22). It would come through knowing the truth of the apostle’s eyewitness testimony of Jesus which provided the basis for the conviction that Jesus addresses our need of a cleansed and cleared conscience from sin. He gives us a purpose for living and a hope that is literally out of this world. With the past forgiven, a present that is well supplied, and a glorious future, how could we not have a fullness of joy?

Jesus wanted us to have a joy that “no man can take from you” (John 16:22), and indeed, the apostles had this joy so that not even threats and persecution could override and prevail over this joy (Acts 4:32; 5:40-42). They rejoiced that they were “counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” That joy was so full that there was no room for feeling sorry for themselves. That is the joy Jesus prayed that we would all come to possess.

Jesus’ prayer was further realized in disciples who were not eyewitnesses of Jesus but knew the certainty of the apostle’s testimony (I Peter 1:6-8). They had never seen Jesus but still had “joy inexpressible and full of glory.” That is the joy that prevails over hardship and trial. That joy develops as a fruit of walking closely with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-22). No matter the storms or trials we may face, we need to have a treasure inside that is deeper and stronger (II Corinthians 4:4-16) than the unpleasant things that may happen to us. It needs to be like the children’s song, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay” and “I know the devil doesn’t like it, but it's down in my heart…down in my heart to stay”. “I’ve got the wonderful love of my blessed redeemer way down in the depths of my heart to stay.” This is the joy Jesus wanted us to discover and realize in a full way.

Can we have something so excellent (Philippians 3:8) that gives us reason to “rejoice in the Lord always?” (Philippians 4:4). Or have we settled on a measure not so full that people can easily take from us? Pour into our hearts the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ that leave no room for darker thoughts, fears, anger, and anxiety. Get focused on Jesus and the fullness of joy He is praying for you to have and enjoy! Others obtained it, and we can have it in the same way and in the same measure. Go for it!