1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Deuteronomy 20:4

For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

The Source of Happiness

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
— Psalm 16:11

It has been said the best cure for hedonism is an attempt to practice it.

If you chase after pleasure, you eventually will come to the same conclusion as King Solomon: "I said to myself, 'Come on, let's try pleasure. Let's look for the "good things" in life.' But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, 'Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?' " (Ecclesiastes 2:1–2).

The Bible tells us that if our intense desire is to please ourselves, then it will be the source of all of our problems: "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it . . . " (James 4:1–2).

It comes down to this: If you live for yourself and your happiness and your pleasure, then you will be a miserable person. It's ironic that the people who live for happiness never find it, while the people who live for God find happiness as a byproduct. The people who chase after pleasure never really experience it—they may find little bits here and there, but nothing to speak of. Yet the people who live for God experience the ultimate pleasure.

Pleasure is not in itself a bad thing, although you might get that impression from some Christians. I think the Christian life is the most pleasurable life around. Why? Because the Bible teaches, speaking of God, "You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever" (Psalm 16:11). True happiness comes from God.

- - Greg Laurie

Harvest Crusades Central Valley (California) 2007

The Central Valley Harvest is only days away, and no matter where you are, there are lots of ways to get plugged in and stay connected. Here's how you can get involved: 1) Be There! Come on out to Cal State Stanislaus (Central Valley California) for one or all three nights of the event! You'll hear music from some of the top artists in Christian music, including P.O.D., MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Lincoln Brewster, and The Katinas. Most importantly, you'll hear a life-changing, relevant message from Pastor Greg Laurie. The crusade starts at 7 P.M. Friday and Saturday, and 6 P.M. Sunday. 2) Watch Live! Can't make it to Cal State Stanislaus? Watch the entire Central Valley Harvest at your computer. Each night's events will be webcast live from start to finish at harvest.org. 3) Stay Updated! Crusade Connection Blog:Get the latest news from the Central Valley Harvest, including photos and testimonies by visiting the Crusade Connection blog. Click here to access the blog! 4)E-mail Updates: Pray for Greg Laurie and the entire Harvest Crusades team before and during Harvest 07. 5) Get prayer requests and updates from the team, straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up! 6) Promote the Harvest! E-vites: Know someone you'd like to invite to the the Central Valley Harvest? Send them an e-vite! Click here to send an e-vite! 7) Web Banners: You can help promote the the Central Valley Harvest on your Web page or blog. We've already done all the programming; just copy and paste the code. Click here to see the banners! 8) Share the Word! Help put a Bible in the hands of every new believer at Harvest 07 through Share the Word. Every donation of $2.00 you make covers the costs for one Bible. Click here to donate! 9) Forward this to a friend! 10) Visit the Harvest Crusades website!

God Bless.

Doug

Numbers 14:21

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Proverbs 1:5

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Harvest Crusades Anaheim 2007

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