Daily Devotional, Year 3 – December 12 (The Gospel According To Pollyanna, Part 5: “Sorrow Is Better Than Laughter!?!”)

By admin On January 6th, 2018

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – December 12

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The Gospel According To Pollyanna,

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Part 5:

“Sorrow Is Better Than Laughter!?!”

To read Part 1, click here…December 2nd (The gospel according to Pollyanna)

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“It is better to go to the house of mourning,

than to go to the house of feasting:

for that is the end of all men;

and the living will lay it to his heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter:

for by the sadness of the countenance

the heart is made better.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning;

but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dore_Solomon_Proverbs.pngIs Solomon correct?

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Does this above passage from Solomon’s Ecclesiastes make any sense whatsoever to the world?

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And does it even make sense to the vast majority of those who call themselves Christians?

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Well, let’s examine what the Bible says about all this happiness/sorrow business, using the movie, Pollyanna as the backdrop for these concepts…

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Dore – Solomon – Proverbs – Wikipedia – Public domain (2)

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpgTHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO POLLYANNA

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Yes, in that charming little Disneyland movie, Pollyanna, was a recently orphaned young girl who came to live with her very harsh and judgmental aunt.

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And yet, this happy, lovable and precocious little girl in that movie, had followed her father’s gospel of his own making (which eliminated the thousands of seemingly harsher verses found in the Bible).

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And so, the movie tension was somewhat centered on Pollyanna’s happy, 800 verse no-judgment religion, against the sour-faced fire-n-brimstone preaching that her Aunt Polly was pushing.

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

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THEY FOUND PEACE WITH THE WORLD

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpgNow, in this movie, Pollyanna’s infectious, bubbly, and upbeat personality began to have a positive yeast-like affect on the unhappy lives of all those in a little village, which had long-suffered under the harsh and judgmental “Christian” religion of town’s matriarch, Aunt Polly.

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And by young Pollyanna’s cheery and hopeful influence, eventually these troubled townspeople regained their happiness, becoming at peace with the world once again!

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

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.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:At_a_loss.svg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

And so, the question to be asked is this: “So what’s wrong with bringing sunshine into the lives of those who suffer under a dark shroud of depression and despair?”

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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PSYCHOLOGY: HAPPINESS FIRST!

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

Well, most people (including most Christians) would probably applaud what Pollyanna did in her newly adopted community.

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After all, Pollyanna’s glad outlook on life made a lot of sad people feel happy once again!

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

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“THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT UNTO A MAN”

Proverbs 14:12

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

 But is happiness and being at peace with the world what our Heavenly Father wants above all else?https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheers!_(3162940696).jpg

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Is that His chief goal for the human race?

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Well, that was the message which this feel-good movie trumpeted: “God just wants all of you to be happy!” This was the inference made in the movie.

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But is this proclamation in harmony with the Bible?

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

Hands Toasting Drinks – Cheers! – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

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“SORROW IS BETTER THAN LAUGHTER!?!”

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

Yes, is mere earthly happiness and peace with the world God’s chief desire for Mankind?

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Let’s examine once again, just what the Wise Man has to say about all this…“It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Ecclesiastes 7:2-4

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Well, this above passage from Solomon seems to be saying just the opposite of what Disneyland’s movie was proclaiming! Yes, contrary to the general consensus, the Bible says it’s better to mourn, better to be sorrowful, and the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning.

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But the above passage even goes one step further by finishing up with these words…“but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth!”

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But why does God take such a diametrically opposed stance from the general consensus of the world’s psychologists who teach us that happiness should be the most important goal of each and every person?

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon – a party tonight – signsofheaven.org

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“EVEN IN LAUGHTER THE HEART IS SORROWFUL; AND THE END OF THAT MIRTH IS HEAVINESS”

Ecclesiastes 14:13 

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_van_Gogh_-_Old_Man_in_Sorrow_(On_the_Threshold_of_Eternity).jpgWell, the fact is, God does indeed want people to be happy! But He wants us to find true happiness! And this world can never bring true and lasting happiness! Because true and lasting love, joy, peace and contentment are not attainable in this world!

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Yes, let’s be honest! Any joy, any peace, and any contentment will only be short-lived in this world!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_van_Gogh_-_Weeping_Woman_(F1069).jpg.

Because of sickness, death, loss, loneliness, rejection, mistrust, selfishness, dishonesty, lust, and all the other results of sin, humans can only attain to a limited and temporary degree of love, joy, and a peace.

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Because, soon, those wonderful attributes will evaporate and return back into sorrow, mourning, pain, grief, despair, loneliness, and other similar woes, commonly experienced by Mankind.

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Vincent van Gogh – Old Man in Sorrow (On the Threshold of Eternity) – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

Weeping Woman – Van Gogh – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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TRUE HAPPINESS IS FOUND ONLY IN SALVATION

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

But God’s chief desire is for lost souls to find true and lasting love, joy, and peace! But these qualities can only be truly gained through the atoning blood of this world’s Savior, the Lord Jesus.

.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heinrich_Seufferheld_Betendes_Maedchen_opus_16,1_1893.png

And yet, for most of us, the only time our hearts are willing to follow Jesus, is when we are sad. That is why God allows “the god of this world”, Satan, to cause so much suffering, grief, sadness, etc., and other such evils to overshadow the lives of unsaved humans at some point in time…

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Listen…“But though He (God) cause grief, yet will He Have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. To crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth…Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.” Lamentations 32-34, 40

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And so, now it is revealed here, that God is allowing the “god of this world” to bring woe and misery upon the world’s inhabitants in hopes that they will return from their rebellion against Heaven!

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“BE AFFLICTED, AND MOURN, AND WEEP!”

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

Unfortunately, there are many (like the story’s little heroine, Pollyanna) who simply want people to be happy regardless of their relationship with their Redeemer: even before they have had a chance to return to the Lord in genuine contrition and true sorrow of heart for their sins.

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

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GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR LIFE EVERLASTING

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

But listen to the New Testament Book of James…“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_198722/William-Brassey-Hole/The-sorrow-of-king-Davidand mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” James 4:4, 8-10

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Here we see the correct order of how happiness is to be truly achieved. Sorrow which causes men (and woman and children) to turn back to the Lord! And this above passage encourages all world-loving sinners to turn their laughter into mourning, etc..

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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“SHOULD WE THEN BE DOUR AND DEPRESSED?”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Munch_Det_Syke_Barn_1896.jpg

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

Now does this mean that we Christians should not be joyful, upbeat, and cheerful, etc.?

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Should we instead go through life all dour and depressed?

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After all, Aunt Polly’s harsh and judgmental gospel was certainly not the true Gospel, but rather, was just another false, counterfeit gospel, much like the judgmental and self-righteous of the Pharisees of old!

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Well, tomorrow’s devotional (click here) will hopefully answer these questions.

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Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

Munch – Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

TO READ PART 6, CLICK HERE…

December 13 (The Gospel According To Pollyanna, Part 6: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy? Or Don’t Be Happy, Worry?”)

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pray_for_Our_Nation_sign_IMG_3291.JPG

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, help me to be wise as a serpent in regard to Satan’s deceptive tactics in his ongoing war against God’s people…

Pray for Our Nation sign – Wikimedia – Share-alike-lic.

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Fleeing to the Mountains: The Abomination in the Church, Part 1”, or you may also read…March 1st (A Designer Jesus!)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

.Soldiers of the Cross - Armor-Up!

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

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“And there appeared a great wonder (“sign”) in Heaven;

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a woman clothed with the sun,

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and the moon under her feet,

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and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:”

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Revelation 12:1

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer Constellations w/ark (aka: Sagittarius) & Revelation 12 Woman (aka: Ursa Major, including The Big Dipper) – www.theheavensdeclare.net

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If you were to go out on a dark and starry night in the summer months, and lift up your head, you might just see this constellation group.

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Looking at this sketch, do you see this woman as she tries to take hold of that crown?

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Well, this is a heavenly fulfillment of the above Bible verse (“And there appeared a great wonder (or “sign”) in Heaven; a woman…and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Revelation 12:1).

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And this woman is known as the Revelation 12 Woman, and that crown is known as the Revelation 12 Crown. You can see this constellation group in the summer months by looking in the western skies.

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Summer Constellations w/ark (aka: Sagittarius) & Revelation 12 Woman (aka: Ursa Major, including The Big Dipper) – www.theheavensdeclare.net

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HEAVENLY SIGNS

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summer w/woman & doves

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These constellations are the Summer Constellations, and they are the beginning constellations of this wonderful message which God has inscribed in the heavens, which He promised in Luke’s Gospel.

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Listen… “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…The 12-Star Crown Constellation of Revelation 12

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollyann_statue_(18902222832).jpg

TOMORROW…

December 13 (The Gospel According To Pollyanna, Part 6: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy? Or Don’t Be Happy, Worry?”)

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. 

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THIS IS STUDY #344 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, and tags, etc.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.

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