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What makes you happy? For Maria Brunner, all it takes for her to be happy is her "lazy" husband and "demanding" children. Currently, she is spending time behind bars. You see, her husband is unemployed and she supports the family by cleaning houses. Recently, she found out that her husband had run up $5,000 worth of unpaid parking tickets. Because she is the owner of the vehicle, she is responsible. Now, she is spending three months in a German jail because her husband couldn’t come up with the money.

Maria’s reaction? "I’ve had enough of scraping a living for the family … As long as I get food and a hot shower every day, I don’t mind being sent to jail. I can finally get some rest and relaxation." The police reported that when they went to arrest her, "she seemed really happy to see us…and repeatedly thanked us for arresting her. While most people taken into custody hide their heads in shame, Maria smiled and waved as she was driven off to jail."

What makes you happy? Jesus, in His landmark sermon, gives us the answers for a life of joy. It’s a cheerfulness that winks at adversity. It’s a joy that defies pain. It’s a sacred delight in the middle of disappointment. It’s a heavenly happiness or delight that withstands our circumstances. This life of joy is found in eight promises Jesus made.

Each of Jesus’ statements begins with the word "Blessed." When I hear this word it’s typically in a religious context or conversation. But the word Jesus used is not a religious term at all. It was used as a normal part of everyday vocabulary—mostly as an exclamation. Unfortunately, there’s not an English word that fully translates the Greek word Jesus used.

The closest we can get are English words like happy, enriched, joyful, delighted or blessed. Eight times Jesus promises us a taste of heavenly delight, enrichment and blessing. The shocking thing is that it doesn’t come the same way that popular culture tries to get it. Our culture says, "Blessed are those who are self-made, for they are the masters of their destinies. Blessed are those who never mourn, for their life will be a bed of roses. Blessed are the aggressive, for they’ll get whatever they want. Blessed are those who play by their own rules, for they’ll answer to no one but themselves." This is our culture’s prescription for happiness. But Jesus’ way is quite different. Let’s look at eight ways we can taste God’s delight and enrichment.

1. Matthew 5:3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

For almost a year, Old Testament King David refused to deal with God over his adultery and lies. It ate him alive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But when David stripped away his pride and grieved/mourned over his sin, God provided joy and enrichment to David through forgiveness.

3. Matthew 5:5: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." When I hear the word "meek," I think, "blessed are the weak, spineless wimps of our world." But for Jesus, meekness meant gentleness, tenderness, patience and submission. But meekness is more than that. One summer during college, I worked at a camp. My roommate was the camp wrangler and often times I got "roped" into helping with the horses. In other words, I got to scoop poop, feed, and brush down the horses. In their stalls, they’d kick me, pin me against the stall, step on my feet, and a few other unmentionables. They loved me. But when I put on their bridle and bit, those mean horses were docile enough for small children to ride on. Here was a powerful animal, but its power was under control.

God enriches those who do not let their power or position go to their heads, but who instead surrender their power to God for Him to use. To be meek is to be submissive to God’s plan and allow God’s power to work through you. The Apostle Paul described his own personal meekness or power under control in Philippians 4:13, "For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."

A pure heart is one that has been cleaned or purged or purified from filth. Your heart may be filled with hatred and selfishness and greed—it may be that way right now—but it can be cleaned and made pure. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." And when your heart is pure, Jesus says you will see God. You’ll sense His presence. You’ll see Him with a spiritual eye—you’ll see Him at work in and around you. Looking to be blessed and enriched by God? Be cleaned up.

As a result of bridge building, you will be called one of the "sons of God." God will enrich and bless you with the dignity and honor of being one of His children. He will meet your needs; shield you from danger; reveal His truth; forgive you, and give you heaven. Blessed are the peacemakers. Want to experience the taste of heavenly delight? Be a bridge builder.

To be a peacemaker, you must experience God’s peace personally. God is the ultimate peacemaker. He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to repair the broken-down moral bridge that your sin caused. The bridge was the cross on which Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins. Colossians 1:20 says, "He (Jesus) made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross." At this very moment you can trust Jesus as your Savior by being broken over your sin and placing your trust in Jesus as your Savior.

8. Matt. 5:10–12: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

There you have it—eight steps to tasting God’s blessing, enrichment and delight in this life. Be Dependent on God! Be Broken over your sin! Be Submissive to God’s plan! Be Addicted to your relationship with God! Be Merciful and Forgiving to others! Be Cleaned up from your sin! Be a Bridge Builder! Be Faithful To God when life is tough!

Obviously, there is no way we can implement all eight steps at one time. Here’s my challenge. Look over the list of eight steps and choose one to work on. And then write what your action plan will be, starting today. When you’re done tell someone close to you what you’re going to do.

Doug Whitt and his bride, Sylvia, were escorted to their hotel’s fancy bridal suite late one night. In the suite they saw a sofa, chairs, and a table, but where was the bed? Then they discovered the sofa was a hide-a-bed, with a lumpy mattress and sagging springs. They tossed and turned all night and woke up with sore backs.

Early the next morning, the new husband went down to the hotel desk and complained. The clerk asked whether the husband had opened the other door in the room. Doug went back up to the room, and opened the door they thought was a closet. There, complete with fruit baskets and chocolates, was a beautiful bedroom. Opening all the doors in a honeymoon suite is like obeying these eight steps so that you can experience a life of delight, blessing, joy and enrichment from God. What are you waiting for? Open the closet door and experience the incredible life God has for you—a taste of God’s heavenly delight! Work your action plan!