Is Supreme Happiness attainable?

Is supreme happiness or a state of utmost bliss attainable? Yes, and it wouldn't cost you an arm and a leg, so to speak.

"Where can I find supreme happiness?". It might surprise you that it is actually found in the Holy Bible (Matthew 5:3-12) as taught by Jesus Christ in His Sermon on the Mount and commonly known as the Beatitudes.

In Latin, beatitudo means "blessedness." Here is how you can be in a state of unperturbed peace:

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Recognise your need for God; that man shall not live by bread alone but every Word that proceeds from the mouth God. It is God who has given to each of us the breath of life and His Word to us are life and spirit. His written Word contains a set of principles that we can live by as we work out His purpose in us and through us.

2. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Be humble and know that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's standard of righteousness. Have Godly sorrow for your sins and turn away from them with a repentant heart.

3. "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."

Being meek is not a sign of weakness, but a gracious demonstration of self-control when provoked or irritated. Stay polite. Stay in kindness. You ain't going to let nobody unnerve you.

4. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

Pursue God and the things of God with a desire to be well-pleasing unto Him by obeying His Word even when other people are not looking.

5. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

It is more blessed to give than to receive. When you are in a position of power and authority or at an advantage, do remember to extend compassion and forgiveness to others.

6. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Let your motive be pure; unafraid of being misunderstood or judged because you desire to please God, above all.

 7. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Make peace happen. Take up the ministry of reconciliation. Be a promoter of commitment and loyalty.

8. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

9. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

When you align yourself with the mission of God for your life, be prepared and undeterred by the opposition that comes your way.

As you put into practice with discipline and consistency what Jesus has outlined above, you will find yourself in a state of supreme happiness just as He was while on this earth before His return and ascension to heaven where He sits at the righthand of God the Father, and will come again in the fullness of time.

Click here for Pastor Kong Hee's preaching on The Beatitudes, from which this article is adapted.

Take Care of the Little Things

In our current age, the old adage of 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away' may no longer in fashion, but there is no denying that we need the nutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables for a healthy life. Remember the sailors in our history books who died from scurvy due to Vitamin C deficiency in their diet?

Surely, you have also heard of drinking seven cups of water a day. It is water and does not allude to copious consumption of other liquids laden with sugar which would spur detrimental side-effects such as obesity and diabetes. 

While mineral salts are essential, you would hear ever so often to cut back your sodium intake. But, could you imagine french fries or potato chips minus the salt? On the other hand, if you don't steer clear of excessive salt intake, you know that you would dread the build up of blood pressure and related consequences.

Then there is the lack of discipline to get enough sleep which ranges from 7.5 hour to 9 hours for adults depending on your age. To check that you are getting enough sleep based on your sleeping time or waking time, you may wish to check out this sleep calculator at https://startsleeping.org/sleep-calculator/ 

Also, you might wanna get a copy of the following paperback tome on "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker. 

Mr Walker presses home the importance of sleep. Consider this excerpt: "Based on a rich, new scientific understanding of sleep, we no longer have to ask what sleep is good for. Instead, we are now forced to wonder whether there are any biological functions that do not benefit by a good night's sleep. Emerging from this research renaissance is an unequivocal message: sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day ..."

Other little things that you need to take care of are books borrowed from the library. More importantly, be mindful to show gestures of love and forgiveness to the imperfect people who are in your life on a daily basis.

It is the little foxes that spoil the vines. As you take care of these little 'hygiene' factors, you will be avert big issues which may arise through their neglect. Don't overlook the little things. Take care of them and they will take care of you, in return.

Memories of Happiness

A beautiful sunset, or a cup of coffee at Starbucks, might well take your breath away and inspire you. 

But, there is nothing quite like the touch of happy human relationships. And, all the more so as our environment become more de-humanised with the intrusion of technology such as robots and artificial intelligence. 

Would you rather share your thoughts and feelings with a cyborg or a real person?

Yes, as wonderful as human relationships could be, they could also hurt you when the interaction is soured through misunderstanding, neglect, immaturity, etc.

In such a situation, the least you could do is to hold yourself together and maintain your own dignity and worth. Yes, in the eyes of your Creator, God Himself, you are delightful and loved for who you are, regardless.

And, remain patiently hopeful on the wing of prayers for a new day to dawn and that you would enjoy your days in the sun once again.

Click here for Memories for the Cats musical with the following lyrics:-

Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
She is smiling alone
In the lamplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan

Memory, all alone in the moonlight
I can dream of the old days
Life was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again

Every street lamp seems to beat
A fatalistic warning
Someone mutters and the street lamp sputters
And soon it will be morning

Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin

Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale, cold smell of morning
A street lamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning

Touch me, it's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is
Look, a new day has begun

May you find a refreshing human touch to warm your heart and put the sparkles back in your eyes again in the fullness of time soon. Amen.

Dream The Impossible Dream

Never give up on your dream. Keep your dream alive and do not lose sight of it. As you keep on dreaming, you will get to live out your dream. 

And, even if you don't, life would be sweeter because you have a dream.

One of the biggest dreamer I know of is Pastor Jerry Savelle. I have read a good number of his books and articles, but I never knew the impact of the popular song "The Impossible Dream" has on his life until I read the following book (67 pages) "Never Stop Dreaming Big Dreams".

Click here for one of the best rendition of The Impossible Dream and be refreshed. 

When you work on your dream, it is like an unuttered prayer to attract the collusion of circumstances to unfold for you to drive your dream forward. Never give up on your dream. Yes, make it as big as you can dream of.