From Eliyahu

Hello friends,

Battle of Discontent is the theme of our latest Eliyahu ben David Bet Midrash. It deals with  the account found in Bamidbar/Numbers 11. This is the first significant stop since leaving Sinai on the way to the Promised Land, and already Israel finds itself in crisis due to a growing wave of unnecessary-but-persistent complaining and discontent. This was so serious, in fact, that if YHWH Himself had not acted to put a stop to the growing atmosphere of unrest in the camp, the entire nation could soon have been lost. Listen to the program and I'm sure you'll agree it has a lot to say to us today. Following are a few additional thoughts about discontent that affect us and the world we live in today.

Have you heard: The UN Wants You to be Happy?!  At least, that's the purported goal of its World Happiness Report 2013. This document claims to rank the the level of happiness in each of the respective countries of the world, with several EU countries filling the top five spots. The overall goal of the report seems to be to urge governments to be nicer to people. (Oh, isn't that special?) Professor Jeffery Sachs explains; “More and more world leaders are talking about the importance of well-being as a guide for their nations and the world. The World Happiness Report 2013 offers rich evidence that the systematic measurement and analysis of happiness can teach us a lot about ways to improve the world’s well-being and sustainable development.”

What is the UN REALLY talking about? The homepage for the report finally gets around to telling us what they are really after with this. They say;

"For policy makers, the key issue is what affects happiness. Some studies show mental health to be the single most important determinant of whether a person is happy or not. Yet, even in rich countries, less than a third of mentally ill people are in treatment. Good, cost-effective treatments exist for depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis, and the happiness of the world would be greatly increased if they were more widely available."

Reading between the lines, they seem to be saying that unhappy people are mentally ill people, so the answer to increasing the world's happiness is for government to push the use of "cost-effective treatments" (i.e. more psychotropic drugs) to dull the "depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis" from the minds of the crazy masses. Just who are the "mentally ill" people they want to target with these drugs? Most of them are probably the people who are still aware of just how messed up this world really is, despite all the mind-numbing mass mind-control already inundating all of us on a daily basis. In other words, anyone who still has a brain left after the mass propaganda assault must be put on drugs so they will be just as "happy" as the rest of the mindless zombies that have already been mentally neutralized by less obvious means.

We are told that "governments worldwide are now measuring subjective well-being" to make their people more "happy." Maybe, but could the real reason be that they are afraid of what might happen when the "unhappy" people finally figure out what the "policy makers" are really up to? Growing unrest around the world suggests this as the more likely reason for this new interest by government in the "happiness" of the masses. Bottom line: The UN is afraid that growing discontent around the world threatens its plans for world government, so it is moving to counter the problem with this innocuous-sounding focus on "World Happiness."

The REAL Answer to Discontent: Once again the UN is trying to take God's place. Only He can give you rest from discontent. Only He can give you real shalom, by filling you with the fruit of His Spirit, which includes "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control." What is more, all of this is available to the follower of Messiah regardless of personal ups and downs, and even the troubles of this world. (Gal 5:22,23)

Got worry and discontent? Here is Paul's prescription:

In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Elohim. And the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Messiah Y'shua. Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the Elohim of peace will be with you. (Php 4:6-9)

No, life in this world is not a cake walk. We are faced with troubles and trials. Yet, on balance all of that is a small thing compared to the blessings we have in Y'shua Messiah, and the amazing hope we have in Him. We don't need the UN's "cost-effective treatments" to be happy. We just need more of Him! Tell Him your troubles, persist in prayer, with thankfulness for your blessings - live in Him - and pretty soon you will feel right as rain.

Blessings and Shalom,

Eliyahu Ben David

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