Focus: Do You Want to Be Happy?

Text: Jh.13:17.

"IF ye KNOW these things, HAPPY are ye IF ye DO them."

In this text we have two ifs. The first one in Greek means, 'since' - "Since you know these things..." In other words, it is not in doubt that you know things. You know for sure. You are not ignorant of the teachings of Christ. The second 'if' is a probability. In other words, it depends on you. Are you ready and determined to be happy? Can you go beyond knowing to acting on what you know? It's good to know, but of what good is unapplied knowledge? True knowledge must have fruits.

The word 'know' means knowing to the point where you could say, 'I see!' The blinders are taken away from you and the spell cast off your eyes, and you now see things in their proper perspective.

The word 'happy' is 'makarios' in Greek. It speaks of the state of blessedness. It's more than being happy; it's being abundantly blessed. It stems from 'mak,' which gives us our word, 'macro,' meaning 'large, big, lengthy, or plenty.' Plenitude of divine blessings.

Happiness is not for those who know, but for those who do or live by what they know.

The Spirit is calling on you now to do the truth you know, to live by the truth you know, and to let the truth you know bear the fruit of heavenly happiness.

To be truly happy you must go beyond knowing to doing and living by the dictates of God's word. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter