I am enjoying everything football has given me, and I want to enjoy to the maximum every chance I am allowed.

Life can be difficult, so have fun whenever you can to the glory of God.

Scripture's commands to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4)

Though poor in this world's goods, though grieving the loss of loved ones, though suffering pain of body, though harassed by sin and Satan, though hated and persecuted by worldlings, whatever be the case and lot of the Christian, it is both his privilege and duty to rejoice in the Lord.

The people of God ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world! People should be coming to us constantly and asking the source of our joy and delight. A. W. TOZER

Do we seek happiness because we're sinners or because we're human? Should faith in God be dragged forward by duty or propelled by delight? Must we choose between holiness and happiness?

We don't pretend all is well. But knowing God's commands to rejoice in him through his all-sufficient power, we meditate on his Word and call on him to impart his gladness to us. In time God exchanges our natural responses with his supernatural, joy-giving presence. Sometimes sorrow and joy do battle; sometimes they coexist, but when our hearts and minds are on Christ, joy is never far away:

Wesley said, "Every Christian is happy; . . . he who is not happy is not a Christian.

We see that the world seeks happiness instead of holiness. Therefore, we assume we should do the opposite. But we're wrong.

Imagine if our churches were known for being communities of Jesus-centered happiness, overflowing with the sheer gladness of what it means to live out the good news of great joy. Imagine if our children brought their friends to church and their comment was, "Those people seem so nice . . . and happy.

Thomas Watson (1620—1686), a Puritan preacher and author, said, "He has no design upon us, but to make us happy. . . . Who should be cheerful, if not the people of God?

John Wesley said, "A sour religion is the devil's religion."[284] The sure way to have a sour religion is to believe in a sour God. We play right into the devil's hands when we fail to recognize and teach the happiness of God.