I remember years ago, traveling to the mountains of North Carolina with my fine wife Bev and my parents for a long weekend get-away.

We started looking for a hotel room and were unable to fine one for over 60 miles along Interstate 40. 

The clerk at the first hotel we stopped at told us that we would have a problem finding accommodations.  He informed us that the annual Furniture Market was taking place in High Point, North Carolina and there wasn’t a sleeping room to be found within 60 miles in any direction of that huge event.  We found out he was right.

This particular journey was before the days of cell phones and computers.  If you wanted to call ahead you use a pay phone.  We stopped at exit after exit only to hear the same message. . .there was no room in the inn  . . . Holiday or otherwise.

We had the money but there was a room to be found.  At least, my fine wife Bev wasn’t about to give birth.

Need a financial miracle?  The wrong place to look for answers and direction is Google Search.

I did a search on “how to pray for financial miracles.”

The first reference was an ad offering me a miracle prayer cloth.

I believe in prayer cloths. . .I have given them away in times past and may even do so again because Paul gave them away in the book of Acts when the anointing was strong.  However, I don’t think a prayer cloth is the first key to your miracle.

I’m not a big proponent of reverse motivation or psychology.

I like the direct. . .and yes, always the positive approach to every situation.

Except. . .this time.

Very clearly, God directed me to write the seven reasons some people are not successful.

I thought “Lord, why can’t I make this `seven reasons people are successful.’  His response was simple and direct…“Because I didn’t tell you to.”

Needless to say, in obedience to His divine direction here are seven reasons why people are not successful.

Happiness is an outward expression of an inner work.

Matthew 5:4 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!”

Your happiness. . .depends on what you do and how you respond to what happens to you.

For people to be truly happy. . .there must be an inner realization of the mental and spiritual commitments they’ve made to be more than what they are. . .do more than what they’ve already done. . .and bless more than they thought imaginable.

Here are seven ways for you to be truly happy.

I’m saddened that millions, perhaps tens of millions of believers will be rushing into debt within the next few days and weeks. . .throwing financial restraint and caution to the wind.

A dear friend of mine sent me a link to a website for Black Friday.  When I saw the words. . .I thought about the day Jesus was betrayed. . .that was a very black Friday.

Once I clicked on the link I saw it was a website that offered online deals prior to Friday, November 23^rd. . .the day after Thanksgiving. . .the biggest shopping day of the year or as it’s called in the retail world, Black Friday.