God's Rules of Order

I believe that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. I'm convinced of that. I believe that God wants your life to be filled with joy. I believe that God wants your life to be as an overflowing cup. I believe God is a very wise and loving Father who is concerned with the joy and happiness of His children. He is grieved when you're unhappy, despondent, or having problems. I believe God's desire for you is a full, rich, abundant life. Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Thus, God set forth certain principles or rules in His wisdom, knowing how He had created us, knowing our capacities and capabilities, and knowing our needs. He set up His rules and said, "This is the way to joy, happiness, peace, love, and a rich life."

Our problem is that we don't always agree in practice with what God has said. We may agree in principle. But we soon get to that place of divergence between the principle and the application. So, if you ask me whether I believe the Bible - yes. Do I always practice what the Bible espouses - no. And whenever I violate one of the rules, I'm the one who suffers.

God's rules are really the rules of happiness. They are the rules of success. David said, "Blessed (how happy) is the man...(whose) delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not whither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalms 1:1-3). Moses told Joshua to take the law of the Lord and meditate in it day and night, "for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8).

As I look at the rules God has set forth, I may say, "I could never be happy doing that." I may argue in my heart with the rules of God. But, in reality, I'll never be happy until I obey them. The world is filled today with frustrated people. They have that sense of life-is-passing-me-by. "There must be more to life than this!" Thus, there's that quest and search for fulfillment, for satisfaction, for something to take care of this crazy yearning within.

This is a result from arguing with the rules that God has set up, and by trying to find happiness and peace apart from obedience to the command of God. God has set up a certain order. You may argue with it, you may debate it, you may violate it. But you'll never find real peace, happiness, and joy until you submit to it.