Introduction: There are those who claim that “HAPPINESS” comes at HAPPY HOUR while under an intoxicant beverage or mind-altering drug. Really? Come on? Have you been deceived?

My sweet mom who later became a genuine CHRIS  follower told me she drank at night to “help calm her nerves”! But after experiencing the great “LOVE of JESUS,” she realized that Jesus could calm her nerves and not give her a “hangover”!

“To Know Jesus is to know PEACE.
But No Jesus = No PEACE”

What others are looking for in a bottle or popping a pill, we can find in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Have you discovered life’s greatest discovery?

Does “HAPPINESS” really come in drinking your problems away? On the contrary, it just complicates them more….the next day, they are still there! And actually, the emotional and mental state of a person who turns to such a counterfeit crutch hits a low point afterwards called “depression” (scale from 0-10…..person on 2, or 3… the devil doesn’t tell that part). So in order to cope or feel better, the process must be repeated….another drink….an unbreakable, vicious cycle…demonic stronghold…chemical imbalance…. Next thing a person knows, they don’t have the bottle; the bottle has them! Can a person get FREE? Yes…the “TRUTH” can set you free (John 8:32). Jesus is the TRUTH!!(John 14:6).

1. Start Enjoying the Journey! (Eccl 3:1)

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Solomon understood the “vanity” or emptiness of the world’s philosophy…”Wine, Women, and Wealth.” Summarizing the book of Ecclesiastes, it would be fair to say, here’s a man looking back on his life, as if a tornado hit it, which evolved around indulging in self-gratification while searching for meaning and purpose in life only to come up short and feeling empty. And yet, he writes in the last chapter, his conclusion of making a mess of what time he had on earth, even though he was given wisdom by the Lord and accomplished more than most do in a lifetime.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
(Eccl 12:13)

Personal Application: Let’s learn from Solomon.

2. Start retaking some ground from the enemy! (1Sam 30, 31)

David was in trouble!

” And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. “6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. “

“8 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

3. Start Appreciating your family & friends! (Prov 17:17)

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

4. Start witnessing with your “walk & talk”! (Psalm 126:5, 6)

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

5. Start watching what you eat! (1Cor 10:31)

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Personal Application: God’s given us a certain amount of responsibility for our life. He lets us choose. If we abuse and misuse our bodies, then we cannot blame that on the Lord. Ultimately, our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

6. Start listening to CHRISTian music! (Col 3:16)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” (Eph 5:19)

7. Start practicing a daily devotion (Psa 119:9-11, 89, 105, 130)

“9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

“89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

“105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

“130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

Personal Application: Without feeding on the Word of God daily, a believer becomes weak and ineffective. Paul describes the Scriptures as the “Sword of the Spirit,” our only offensive weapon against the enemy (Eph 6:10-18).

8. Start building stronger relationships (Eph 5:18-33; 6:1, 4)

“18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

“1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

9. Start developing your prayer life! (Eph 6:19; Col 4:2; 1John 5:14, 15)

“14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

Personal Application: Developing a time to both talk & listen to our Heavenly Father is absolutely necessary in order to stay in fellowship -communion- with our God.

10. Start trusting the Lord more! (Prov 3:5, 6)

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Conclusion: We hold the NEW YEAR in our hands. What we do with these 10 ways for a “HAPPY HEAD START” will determine the spiritual outcome of the year. I’m praying for you, as I appreciate your prayers as well!

“11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (Eccl 3:11)

May our Lord bless us in the NEW YEAR – 2021  -with His PEACE, POWER, and PRESENCE!