The Secret To Happiness

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What Do You Need?
Here are some photos of Accra in a few of the
areas where we were preaching.

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What Do You Need?
Accra 

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What Do You Need?
Accra 

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These two girls broke my heart.  They are cousins
and live with Maggie, our host.  Like many in
Ghana, they were essentially abandoned and
Maggie, being a relative, took them in.  They are
good girls with open and kind hearts. They both
were baptized and obeyed the gospel.  I spent a
great deal of time studying with them and
listening to them.  Before I left they came to me
and asked if they could be my daughters.  Of
course, I said yes.    
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These were taken in Takoradi. Ten people obeyed
the gospel that morning.   We went to a nearby
river and baptized them all.  I was very happy
that day.  
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I was very happy that day. 
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I was very happy that day. 
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What Do You Need?

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Theophilus and I visited the local vocational
school in Takoradi.  There are 240 orphans,
primarily girls, learning seamstress, hair
styling, catering and fabric design. The girls
are given a safe place to stay for three years
and are learning a trade. Right after the photo
was taken this group of girls began singing,
quite beautifully, "Were Marching to Zion."
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On the way back to Accra the police rousted us
out of the car and threatened to jail us for some
sort of violation. We had to pay our fine to
the commander (in blue) on the spot. Theophilus
took this as an opportune time to lecture them on
the evils of greed and extortion. I took a more
philosophical view about the whole thing and
asked the commander if I could get a photo with
him.          
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What Do You Need?
This is a picture of Takoradi as we were leaving. 

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What is the Secret to Happiness?

• Paul wrote this while in prison.
• Phil. 411-13 Not that I speak from want, for
  I have learned to be content in whatever
  circumstances I am. 12I know how to get along
  with humble means, and I also know how to live in
  prosperity in any and every circumstance I have
  learned the secret of being filled and going
  hungry, both of having abundance and suffering
  need. 13I can do all things through Christ who
  strengthens me.

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What is the Secret to Happiness?

• Pauls joy and contentment
• was not because he had never had it good anyway.
  I know how to live in prosperity
• was not because he had accumulated a lot of
  stuff and enjoyed a lot of freedom. I know how
  to get along with humble means.
• was not because of mental trickery. Didnt play
  mind games by just pretending that things arent
  all that bad.

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What is the Secret to Happiness?

• I have learned the secret
• Pauls joy and contentment (even when suffering)
  derived from the power of faith in Jesus Christ,
  and thus faith in Gods purposes as revealed in
  His Word.
• I can do all things through Christ who
  strengthens me

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The Secret is ChristAnswers, Purpose, Hope

• Where Did I Come From? amoeba? aliens?
• a loving and holy Creator
• Who Am I? an animal? a nobody?
• a unique and special creation
• What Is My Purpose Here? achieve? enjoy?
• serve and glorify my Creator
• Where Am I Going? nowhere? better place?
• eternal glory with my Creator

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The Secret is ChristAnswers, Purpose, Hope

• Most of our unhappiness is rooted in the lie that
  we best know our needs and our purposes, rather
  than letting our Creator define them.
• Happiness is not found by achieving or obtaining
  more, but by learning to value (and thus desire)
  the things that God says are important and
  valuable.

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The Secret is ChristAnswers, Purpose, Hope

• Ecclesiastes
• All is futility, and a striving after wind
• The conclusion, when all has been heard, is
  fear God and keep His commandments, for this is
  the whole of man.

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Some Results of Self-Focus

• 2 Timothy 31-5 For men will be lovers of
  self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant,
  revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful,
  unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious
  gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of
  good, 4treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers
  of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding
  to a form of godliness, although they have denied
  its power

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Some Results of Self-Focus

• Anger general dislike of most people, seeing
  only the worst in people, impatient with people,
  because they cause us problems. The only value
  people have is what they can do for us.)
• Depression, Complaining no one knows or cares
  how bad we have it, nothing seems to go our way,
  we never get to do what we want, people just take
  and take when do I get to receive? (No joy in
  service.)
• Fear what little we do have will be taken away,
  the future will be filled with pain. (No trust in
  the higher purposes of the Creator.)

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The Secret is ChristAnswers, Purpose, Hope

• When we put our trust in God we believe in
  something that has eternal purpose and value.
• 1 Tim. 617-19 Instruct those who are rich in
  this present world not to be conceited or to fix
  their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on
  God, who richly supplies us with all things to
  enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in
  good works, to be generous and ready to
  share, storing up for themselves the treasure of
  a good foundation for the future, so that they
  may take hold of that which is life indeed.

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The Secret is ChristAnswers, Purpose, Hope

• When we put our trust in God we believe in
  something that has eternal purpose and value.
• 1 Timothy 66-8 Now godliness with contentment
  is great gain. For we brought nothing into this
  world, and it is certain we can carry nothing
  out. And having food and clothing, with these we
  shall be content.

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The Secret is ChristAnswers, Purpose, Hope

• When we put our trust in God we believe in
  something that has eternal purpose and value.
• Ecclesiastes 311 He has made everything
  beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity
  in their hearts, except that no one can find out
  the work that God does from beginning to end.

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Will You Become A Christian?
Hear The Word (Rom. 1017) Believe That Jesus is
the Son of God (John 824) Repent of Your Sins
(Acts 1730) Confess That Jesus is the Son of God
(Acts 837) Be Baptized for the Forgiveness of
Sins (Acts 238) Live Faithfully Until You Die
(Rev. 210)
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