Are you happy?

Are you happy? answer me truthfully...
I guess a better question would be, are you at peace? Do you have the happiness that comes with that? (better known as joy)
I would have to say that I am not happy all the time... but I do have peace and joy... because I know that Jesus can't love me any more than He does right now... and He won't love me any less either.

I think that there are a lot of people out there right now who are trying to find happiness in things, situations, people. They don't want to try Jesus because they think that His ways are too pious... too boring. Two loved ones have been in the forefront of my heart today as I write this... and really more than that... and I have to include myself in this at times because I am far more natural man than I want to be.. and far less princess than I wish I could be. We believe lies:

The Lie : I am what my life is all about.
That is the lie of our culture... is it not? Being Christ's princesses and living life to please the King of Kings is a totally foreign concept. I just came home from a new Bible study beginning at church. It is Daniel with Beth Moore. Daniel 1: 5 tells us that Daniel was a young man that was selected to live in the king of Babylon's house and was given provisions from the king's table each day. The things he was offered were not clean meats for a Jew... so let me draw your attention to Daniel 1: 8 "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat..." Only Daniel and his 3 friends stood up and would not be defiled with what was not right for them... none of the other youth taken objected... and we don't know A THING about them... only these 4 made a difference for Christ. Galatians 2:20 says " I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me." Maybe for the past week you were hoping I would get off this point.. of duty to the king... but I can't. I can't seem to leave it alone... so there must be someone who needs to hear it... and it might just be me.
You see, God gave His son Jesus for us in that while we were yet sinners... Christ died for us. Another words... while I tried life my own way, before I acknowledged that God was in control of my life... when I may have been to church and heard what was said, and then decided to reject it anyway cause I wanted another sip, or kiss, or puff... THAT is when Jesus allowed the nails to be driven into his hands and feet... when he allowed the blood to flow out of his wounds and he suffered the penalty of death. I say allow, because he certainly did not have to die... Jesus was God even then... but he chose it because our sin had a price... spiritual death for us... The Father could not receive us as sinners... He is holy and perfectly pure. So, through Jesus' death, he paid the price for our sins.
That is such a wonderful gift. Jesus offers us redemption as a gift and all we have to do is choose to accept it. Romans 10: 9 & 10 says " That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Choosing to accept it means our hearts repent of our sin and are changed and we believe that Christ is our Savior and redeemer because of what he has done for us. We don't do the saving, that is even done for us, we just have to decide to accept what is offered. People want salvation to have a stipulation... because they want to be able to control it and do something for it, but it is only through grace... the grace of Jesus Christ and God the Father that you can have this gift. Ephesians 2:8 & 9 says " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
After writing out this awesome plan that God has for our salvation... wow... my heart is full. Talk about it ALL being for me... Jesus did ALL that for me... and in my heart, then, it becomes less about duty and more about loving on my Daddy and my King. For the peace and joy I have in Him. What can I do to show you my love for you dear Lord? It will never match that love that You have for me, but please let me offer something to you as a sacrifice of praise... and I realize in myself that the only thing I really have that comes close enough (but isn't quite) to being worthy is ... all of me. For I was bought with a price... it is my demonstration of my love for Him... grace inspired obedience and service. And that brings about another whole wave of peace and grace that I am so thankful for... oh so let me serve You some more my sweet, sweet Savior.
Satan will distort the truth (lie) and discourage me in any way possible... if I let him... That is WHY... we need to know the scriptures, and why we need to commit them to memory...
This is the princess life in a nutshell... Love for my Daddy and King... and I am not gonna be thwarted from it. I am going to decide, like Daniel, to not be defiled. I am going to decide to stand against this culture and it's lies by not allowing myself to be defiled. Who's with me? This has helped me so much. I hope it will help my two loved ones as well.