God & enjoyment

There are many people who come to believe that serving God will lead to a life of enjoyment. This concept is filled with much falsehood and misunderstanding. Jesus said in John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The apostle Paul stated I Timothy 6:17 "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." Within these two verses and others we see a God who has our best interest in mind. A God who created the earth for our enjoyment and who wants us to have a good life. The balance part of that teaching is that sin ruin things and instead of enjoyment, heartache entered into our lives. When God created Adam and Eve, He had already created a most beautiful garden for them to live in for their enjoyment. The way of experiencing the joy and happiness that God has planned for us to reject the way of sin and follow the way of life that is only found in God and in His way. What arrogance that any man has to think that we know the way to enjoyment better then God does. The reason that Jesus encouraged us to deny ourselves was so we would reject the way of sin and selfishness so that we would be able to have a life of true joy and happiness by serving and loving God with all our heart, soul and spirit. God truly does want us to enjoy life but this can only happen when He is truly number one in our lives and when we commit to do life His way.
May the God of true joy and happiness reveal Himself to you throughout this week.

Pastor John