Q. Do you know what the background of the song “Don’t worry be happy come from?
Indian mystic Meher Baba (1894–1969) often used the expression “Don’t worry, be happy” when cabling his followers in the West, and the expression was printed on inspirational cards and posters during the 1960s. In 1988, Bobby McFerrin noticed a similar poster in the apartment of jazz duo Tuck & Patti in San Francisco, and he was inspired by the expression’s charm and simplicity. He wrote the song that was included in the soundtrack of the movie Cocktail and became a hit single the next year.
So just like Bobby McFerrin and Meher Baba want to be happy by not worrying by singing a song and talking to his followers I want to talk about how we can spiritually and for eternity not worry and be happy.
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Mat 6:31-34
- Q. What do we worry about?
- Our work.
- Our children.
- Our country if it is going forward.
- Q. Why do we worry?
- We do not trust God that he has our best worldly interests at heart.
- We look at problems around us and we loose focus of God.
- Q. So if we worry what does God say we are like?
- Well the Bible says we are pagans, unbelievers, not Christians if we run after these things, because it says God knows that we need them.
- I think we make tomorrows problems, todays problems and we will not be happy.
- Q. Does worry make you happy?
- No it is like a rocking chair going back and forth keeping you busy worrying but you are not getting anywhere.
- No it makes you sick physically, emotionally and spiritually.
- In v34 it implies that you make tomorrows problems todays and “each day has enough trouble of it’s own.”
- Q. What is worry?
- Definition: To feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.
- Worry makes you focus on yourself and not on God.
- Worry makes you expect the worst future possible.
- 95% of the things that we worry about does not even come to true.
- It is lack of trust in God that He has our best interests at heart.
- It is comparing yourself with people around you that makes you unhappy.
- It is faithlessness because you do not see God in the picture, you are overwhelmed with your thoughts.
- We seek to build our own kingdoms.
- Q. So if we are not to worry, what does God want us to do?
- Seek first His kingdom.
- Seek first His righteousness.
- Let’s break down these two.
- Q. What does it mean seeking first His kingdom?
- Well let’s define His kingdom: It is his body / church / people who belong to Him here on earth.
- Seeking definition: “attempt or desire to obtain or achieve”
- So in essence it is to find and stay in His church.
- Q. So people belonging to God, what would they want?
- Q. Would they not want exactly the same things that God wants?
- If they are subject to Him they will do what he says.
- People who did not do what the king wanted in the older times was either killed or thrown in prison.
- Q. So the question is what does God want?
- God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:1-5)
- Q. Don’t you love and want the best for your kids, friends and family?
- Q. If you really believe the Bible, do you want them to get saved and go to heaven?
- Q. Would this statement by Jesus; move you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him? (Luk 9:23)
- “8 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mat 28:18)
- A disciple = fisher of men (Mrk 1:17), meaning they help people to be right with God by studying the Bible with them to reconcile them with God (2 Cor 5:16-21), by helping them to have faith (Col 2:12), making them a disciple (v.19), helping them to repent (Luk 13:3) and get baptized (v.19) for the forgiveness of their sin and to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
- So Jesus wants the whole world to become disciples.
- Q. Are you a disciple, if yes are you living as a disciple?
- Q. Do you know what a disciple entails?
- Q. Do you have a goal for yourself as Jesus did to see your neighbourhood evangelized in your lifetime?
- “30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mindand with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
- Q. What does it mean to love God with all of your heart? To just go to church on Sunday?
- Q. Which one do you love more? Measure the time you spend watching TV and spend on Facebook and social media and compare that to loving God spending time to love Him and loving people.
- Q. Do you really love what God loves? Do you really have His heart and His best interests at heart?
- Q. So what is righteousness?
- Definition: “the quality of being morally right or justifiable
- It means being in the right standing with God.
- When you have a righteous relationship it is like having a great marriage, you are happy, fulfilled and in love.
- Remember when you were courting your girlfriend / boyfriend you would do anything and everything to make them happy and to be with you.
- God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:1-5)
So in Summary:
- Q. So the question is, are you still “in love” with God?
- Q. Are you doing anything or everything to make Him happy or are you trying to make yourself happy?
- Q. Are you helping all people to be saved? (work colleagues, your friends, your family, etc.)
- Q. Who are you studying the Bible with to help to be close to God? When last did that happen? One, two, ten years ago, …?
- Q. Who are you making a disciple of in the last year?
- Q. Who have you baptized in the last year? Two years?
- Q. Who are you teaching to obey after they became disciples in the last year?
- Q. So the question is, are you still “in love” with God?
Prayer:
- Morning Lord
- That saying: “Why worry, just be happy” is so true.
- Father I must ask myself the question: “Do I really believe in You enough that it will change my life and be happy for eternity?”
- I do know Lord that you said; faith without deeds is dead. (Jms 2:17)
- Lord help me to repent if I have been calling myself a disciple but haven’t been living as one and get a mentor who will keep me accountable to live to love you as my first love.
- Lord if I haven’t become a disciple yet then help me to find someone who will teach me and make me a disciple like Jesus said.
- Lord I know guilt feelings will not go away even though I try to stick my head in the sang and sing the “Dont worry be happy song” a thousand times unless I repent.
- Lord I do love you with all my heart.
- Amen.
