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A Storehouse of Happiness, P1: Finding Joy Beyond Social Media · Couples’ Journey Podcast Channel

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  Welcome to Couples Journey with Christ Jesus blog series podcast.
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  For this week, we're on the series, A Storehouse of Happiness.
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  We're about to uncover a truth that can transform your understanding of happiness and blessings.
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  Did you know that much of what social media promotes as happiness is often misleading?
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  Today, Rey and Annie invite you to pause and reflect on what true happiness
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  really is, rooted not in fleeting worldly pleasures, but in the one who satisfies our souls.
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  Stay with us as we explore how God's word reveals the true path to blessing. Here's part one.
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  The influence of social media also spreads many wrong narratives about what
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  true happiness really is.
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  Because we've lived in a fallen world marked by sin, we often fail to see happiness as rooted in God.
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  Not only does this distort our personal perception, but it also affects how
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  happiness flows in our marriages and eventually impacts our relationships with others.
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  This week, we want to take some time to reflect on what true happiness really
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  is, one that's anchored in Christ Jesus.
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  We'll explore how this happiness should flow from within, into our marriage,
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  and outward into our relationships with others.
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  To help us, we'll refer to a verse from the book of Proverbs.
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  He who despises his neighbor's sins, but happy is he who is gracious to the poor.
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  Proverbs 14 verse 2. The happiness mentioned in Proverbs 14 verse 21 comes from the Hebrew word Esher.
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  According to the Lachman Organization, the NASB Bible Translator,
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  this Hebrew word is used in 835 verses throughout the Old Testament.
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  The meaning of Esher is happiness or being blessed.
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  When we look at these verses, they paint a picture of what it truly means to
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  be blessed. Some of these key conditions of happiness include, 1.
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  Not walking in the counsel of the wicked or intentionally avoiding advice that
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  leads away from righteousness and God's truth, as noted in Psalm 1 verse 1.
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  2. Having inner peace that results from God's mercy, as noted in Psalm 32 verse 2. 3.
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  Hearing and gaining understanding from God's wisdom, as seen in 1 Kings 10 verse
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  8, 1 Chronicles 9 verse 7, and Proverbs 3 verse 13. 4.
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  Having transgressions forgiven or sins pardoned, as noted in Psalm 32 verse 1. 5.
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  Living a blameless life by walking in God's commands and ways,
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  as referenced in Psalm 119 verse 1, Proverbs 8 verse 32, Proverbs 29 verse 18, and Isaiah 56 verse 2.
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  We've attached an additional document with a complete list of Old Testament
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  verses that describe the conditions of happiness, being blessed.
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  We encourage you to take some time to reflect on these verses and learn from them.
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  By God's grace, this will help clear up any misunderstandings or wrong perceptions
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  about what happiness and being blessed truly mean.
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  As we observe the selected definitions of being blessed above,
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  we realize that these qualities are difficult to attain apart from Jesus Christ.
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  Only through Him can our connection with God be restored, and the effects of
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  sin, including the wrong perceptions of happiness and blessings,
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  be transformed through the help and continuous guidance of the Holy Spirit.
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  We also see a consistency of the above definitions to Jesus' promises of blessings
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  in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 5 verses 3-11, the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.
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  Sin is what hinders us from experiencing true happiness and blessings anchored in God.
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  Sadly, we only recognize and face the reality of these misunderstandings when
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  we see their temporary effects or negative impact in ourselves.
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  In our marriages, and even in our relationships with others.
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  Tomorrow, we will dive deeper into Proverbs 14 verse 21 and explore how wrong
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  perception of happiness is connected to despising others, especially our spouses,
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  and how showing grace makes all the difference.
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  For now, we pray that this brief reflection on the true condition of happiness
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  rooted in God points us all to our need for Jesus Christ.
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  Before we close, we want to invite you to engage with us and support the Couples
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  Journey blog series podcast.
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  By following this channel, leaving comments, and sharing episodes with your family and friends.
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  You're helping us in our mission to transform marriages today.
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  Your support encourages more couples to seek God's guidance and grow stronger together.
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  Learn more about this movement on the website www.couplesjourney.org.
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  Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can make a difference.
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  Here's the final part of today's episode.
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  Thank you for joining us in this first step of our journey toward understanding
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  real happiness, one that flows
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  from our relationship with Christ and impacts every area of our lives.
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  Remember, true blessing begins within, through God's grace, and extends outward
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  into our marriages and relationships.
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  Be sure to tune in tomorrow as we dig deeper into Proverbs 14 verse 21 and learn
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  how grace can transform how we see and treat others.
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  Until then, may God's peace and joy fill your hearts.