Proverbs 29:18. From a Christian perspective, a human Government should have laws that promote a vision based on the teachings of Christ. The good news is that many Governments to include the United States have laws based on Judeo-Christian beliefs, namely the Ten Commandments. Until recent times, U.S. laws have promoted the pursuit of happiness and peace based on Judeo-Christian beliefs. Now there appears to be an assault on the underpinning of U.S. governing laws. Laws are becoming based on principles that are at odds with Judeo-Christian beliefs.

Matthew 25:21. Jesus’ story of the five golden talents illustrates how we should be industrious with the talents that God provides us. In the parable, the lord provided each of his servants a certain number of golden talents. It was not said, but it was known by all of his servants that the lord expected them to increase his golden talents while he was gone.

Romans 5:2. Unlike God’s love, God’s grace is conditional. On the other hand just like love, God offers grace to everyone. The difference between God’s love and saving grace is that grace is only given to ones that have faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Through their faith, Christians can rejoice because of the grace God has given to them (Romans 5:2, “ By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”). Saving grace is justification by faith.

Romans 15:13. Having hope is a wondrous thing that is a necessity on your way to happiness. Without hope most things cannot be accomplished. Hope gives you energy and motivation to reach your goal. If you had no hope that you will be paid on your job, would you even go to work?

The only way to happiness is through following Jesus Christ. One of the reasons that Jesus came on this Earth was to show us how to live in righteousness. When we are found in Jesus Christ, our next step is to live like him. Living like Him includes both in His suffering and His joy. The suffering is a good suffering much like an athlete preparing for a sporting event. The athlete goes through much pain as well as joy in preparing for the sporting event, but the greatest joy is in winning the sporting event.

From a Christian perspective there is only one way to happiness and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way for us to be reconciled back to God and to have true joy. With happiness we are all like the prodigal son where we will try many ways to reach happiness. For us who are Christians, at some point we will realize that we need salvation and that we need to establish a relationship with our Father, our God.

Luke 8:13. Our unbelief in God is evident by the sin in our lives. Our unbelief can only be reversed by the word of God and our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior. To continue growing in our faith we must continue to learn and be rooted in God's word. If we are not rooted in God's word, we will fall away into sin and unbelief again (Luke 8:13, “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.”).

Psalms 1:2. Through prayer we shall prosper in spiritual warfare. The prayer that God desires from us comes from the heart. When we delight in prayer and seek God's truth day and night, we will prosper (Psalms 1:2-3, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And 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 wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper").

2 Corinthians 1:12. The secret of happiness is when our conscience lines up with God, and we act on that Godly conscience. Because our conscience leads us in our day-to-day activities, our conscience is key for us to have God’s eternal joy.  By having a Godly conscience we can act Godly in an ungodly world.

God desires for us to be fully committed to Him in all things and at all times. That is the secret of happiness. We are blessed when we are fully committed to God’s commandments. God’s commandments boil down to loving God with your whole heart, and loving your neighbor as yourself.  We are blessed when we seek God with our whole heart. We do not look back, but continually and fully seek God to discover God’s truth and love (Psalms 119:2 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart”).

PSALMS 119 BIBLE SCRIPTURE Psalms 119:2 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart”