SIX WAYS TO BE UNHAPPY: 

The numbers  "six" & "seven" in the ancient Hebrew
way of thinking were complete opposites. H. Hailey in addressing Revelation
13:18, i.e."666" states "Through-out the book, seven expresses the idea of
perfection or completeness: the seven churches, seven horns, seven eyes,
seven spirits and so forth. So six, which falls below the sacred seven, can
never be seven or reach perfection; therefore, it symbolizes the imperfect,
that which is human and destined to fail. It is said that to the Jews the
number six was an omen or symbol of dread and doom, so when it was tripled,
666, it represented the completeness of doom and failure." Hailey,
Revelation, page 299.  
When we leave God out of our short term and long term goals, "that which is
human is destined to fail!." SIX PATHS TO UNHAPPINESS: 

1. TRUST IN THIS WORLD'S WISDOM.   What does  "wisdom" mean? "The quality
of being wise, good judgment based on knowledge.", Webster's New World
Dictionary. We would be naive to reject common sense and knowledge accrued
through hundreds of years of arduous scholastic & scientific achievement.
The libraries and universities are crammed full of knowledge on how to do
just about everything "under the sun."  Nevertheless, there are dangerous
ideas floating crying out "try me", "follow me".  Consider the following
dangerous samplings (this is not written tongue in cheek): "If you have
unhappily joined to the wrong mate",  "get a divorce" and find a new
partner.  Ask your "psychic friends", seek  more and more "self-esteem",
"feel good about yourself", buy a new "ward-robe", "abort" 


your unwanted, unborn child, embrace "euthanasia and suicide". Seek how to
"build a bomb", have a "sex change operation", try a "homosexual"
life-style. Join a how to "over-throw the federal government" underground
movement. Escape reality, "blow your mind" on the latest drug. YOU WOULD BE
WISE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL WHERE WE SHOP FOR WISDOM. Don't just follow
"anybody's and every-body's" brand of wisdom.  Please be advised, no "how
to" book (or any of the above choices) will show you how to obtain
long-lasting, eternal happiness. 
        IF YOU WANT TO FIND JOY, CONTENTMENT, HAPPINESS, HEED THE FOLLOWING WORDS:
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom
and instruction", Prov. 1:7. Solomon  says FEAR JEHOVAH FIRST! "Trust in
the Lord with all your heart, In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will
make your paths straight. Do not be wise you your own eyes. Fear the Lord
and turn away from evil.", Prov. 3:5-7.  Please be advised in New Testament
times the Apostle Paul stated, "For the word of the cross is to those who
are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
God", 1 Cor. 1:18. Paul said of his preaching, "And my message and my
preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of
the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of
men but on the power of God", 1 Cor. 2:4-5. 

2. PLACE TOP PRIORITY ON "THINGS".  Have you seen these bumper stickers: "I
owe, I owe, so  it's off to work I go", or "Whoever dies with the most toys
wins"? Did you ever get stuck behind a new truck on the four lane and
notice the big bass boat or set of Jet-skis
he was a pulling? Did you ever wonder how he could afford it? Or why he had
it? (I'm not knocking fishing or water sports, just wondering.)  We live in
a world that emphasizes "THINGS" and not just a few things BUT MORE AND
MORE AND MORE THINGS! If you put all your trust in earthly gain, this will
certainly insure unhappiness. "For what will a man be profited, if he gains
the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange
for his soul?", Matt. 16:26. Remember the parable of Jesus about the rich
farmer? "The land of a certain rich man was very productive." He was so
prosperous he had to tear down his small barns and build a huge one to hold
his grain. The inner thoughts of his hearts were revealed, "Soul, you have
many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and
be merry." Jesus said, "But God said to him, You fool! This very night your
soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? So is
the man who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God," Lk.
12:19-20.  
        I heard a true story about a young Mom and Dad in Colorado who were caught
in the horns of a dilemma. Decision time came, either buy right now the
bigger house, but if they did they could not afford to support all their
children. Their decision was give away one child. Would you sacrifice your
flesh and blood  for material possessions?  Would you give up your wife or
your husband for  things? There are husbands and wives that give up their
mates in order to keep their job and life-style. 
        To afford things we must work, work, work. The Bible encourages working
for the right reasons. Look at some: Work to supply your family ... see I
Tim. 5:8.  Work in order to help others ...Eph.4:28. Work in order to be
productive, (the opposite of laziness)  ...I Thess. 4:11. These should be
the priority and ethic, not things! "...Take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth," Lk. 12:15.

3. RELY ON YOURSELF TO SOLVE ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS: (And when in doubt turn
to your ungodly buddies for free advice). Remember  Frank Sinatra sang "I
DID IT MY WAY". What kind of decisions would you make if you took cheap
advice from Sally Jessie , Judge Judy, Dr. Ruth or the Today show to solve
your problems?  
        Jeremiah said "I know, O Lord, that a man's way is not in himself; Nor is
it in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O Lord, but with
justice; Not with Thy anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing", Jer. 10:23-24.

 
4. LET YOUR IMPULSES AND DESIRES MAKE UP YOUR PRIORITY LIST, "Live For
Today". Do wild experiences and instant gratifications drive you? (I.E.
sex, alcohol, pot, gambling, driving fast, radical spending sprees?) There
is a true story written in the Bible about a king named Belshazzar, he
ruled Babylon. He was the nephew of the great Emperor Nebuchadnezzar.
Somehow he forgot there was a creator in heaven. One night Belshazzar made
a great drinking party for all his royal yes men. They were toasting all
the idols of the empire with wine in gold cups from the temple in
Jerusalem.  "They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and sliver,
of bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand
emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall
of the King's palace", Dan. 5:4-5.  The King was literally scared half to
death. In the course of events he sent for Daniel to interpret the hand
writing on the wall. This is what it said: "God has numbered you kingdom
and put an end to it.... you have been weighted on the scales and found
deficient... your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and
Persians", Dan. 5:26-28.  That night Belshazzar met his death, his impulses
and desires came to a swift end!  What about yours?  
 
5. LIVE FOR THE WEEKEND. I.E. the  (mini)  V A C A T I O N!  I remember a
beer commercial a few years ago during foot-ball half-time; The product
flaunted the idea that their beer was made for "good friends" and the
"weekend".  North Carolinians, and other Americans live for the weekends.
You have worked real, real hard all week and now it's your turn to enjoy
your space. So from Friday afternoon until Sunday at midnight, it's your
turn to cut loose,  re-create and grab the "gusto", after all you "earned
it" and you "deserve it". Come Monday morning , it's work-time but you can
hardly move. You work hard at play and play at work! And that's real
happiness? 
         It's not a bad idea to get away & enjoy some time with our families, (the
wife, husband, kids). We all deserve time together! In fact God's word says
we need to.  But


what ever happened to common sense? What about getting up and getting ready
to go to Bible study? What ever happened to let's go and worship God? Let's
make time for our  family to learn from His word. Take time to reflect on
who gave us every material, spiritual blessing. Thank God for our children.
Take time out to pray to the Lord bless me with the wisdom to know right
from wrong, help me to make the right choices for my wife and children,
help me find forgiveness from my sins and not run from my sins. Help me
learn about the value of my soul!    

6. DON'T TRUST IN GOD.   (in "GOLD" we trust). A vast majority in this
nation have forgotten about the God of heaven. They serve the little idol
gods below! The Creator 
has been erased from the American consciousness. Americans trust in
themselves, in riches, the economy, their own wisdom but not in God! The
vast majority are living
like agnostics, i.e. living as if "it's impossible to know whether there is
a God or a future life, or anything beyond material phenomena." Does that
define you? Do you believe there might be a God out there, but can't seem
to find him?  Romans 1:20 cries out "For since the creation of the world
His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been
clearly seen, being understood throuh what has been made, so that they are
without excuse." Your ingnorance of the Father and His values stand
inexcusable!
        "No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible had which
conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States",
President George Washington. 
        Closing thoughts: When your life comes to an end will your material things
be of any value?  Do your Godless decisions bring you true happiness or
unhappiness?  Does feeding your appetite for sin give you a sense of
lasting satisfaction or simply wet your taste for more and more of the
same?  How do you plan to answer before God?
What will you do when there are no more week-ends left to live? Have you
placed your  trust in God or gold?  We would like to study together with
you. We want you to be prepared for heaven. There is a life after death, be
prepared. "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that
each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he
has done, whether good or bad. Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we
persuade men...."  2 Cor. 5:10-11.    

...John Gurtler....