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Authors: Joseph Prince
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in to the temptations of fame and fortune that this world promises through movies, magazines and television programmes. I’ve yet to see one person, who after indulging in the pleasures of this world, return to me to say that it was worth it. Quite the opposite — they return and tell me that their lives are empty, that they hate life. I’ve met more than one who has confessed to me that they are suicidal. For them, life is not worth living.
While many choose not to, we can all learn from the mistakes of others. The Bible is one book that can teach us how to live a life worth living. Reading the Bible, you’ll learn from the sufferings of David, Solomon, Samson, Jacob, Lot, Samuel and many others. But there are many people who choose not to learn from the sufferings of others. Even after reading about how David and Solomon made their mistakes and suffered the consequences, they are still prepared to make the same mistakes themselves.
Two to three years down the road, after thinking that they have progressed, they find themselves back at square one. It’s like playing the game Snakes and Ladders. You climb the ladders a few times over the years, but then you land on the snake’s head and slide back down again!
Have You Ever Fantasised About Having More Money And Influence?
Have you ever fantasised about money? Have you ever thought to yourself, “If I had enough money to buy whatever I want, to travel wherever I want, to marry whoever I want…”? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be born in a very rich family, to have lots of influence and power?
One day, when I was very tired, I asked my wife to massage my head and shoulders. She was wonderful. Her hands soothed my sore muscles and I began to relax. But after a short while, she grew tired and stopped. I began to fantasise: What if I was a king? I’d have lots of servants, and they would massage my head and shoulders because if they didn’t, they’d soon have no hands to massage anyone! Have you, like me, ever thought what it would be like to have a massage that goes on forever?
Have you ever thought to yourself, “What if I could have whatever my eyes see and like”? Would that be a life worth living? There is a man in the Bible who lived a life that many men and women would fantasise about. In the book of Ecclesiastes, we see that King Solomon indulged in everything and anything his flesh desired.
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 2:1–11:
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter — “Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives .
4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds .
9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my reward from all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labour in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under
While many choose not to, we can all learn from the mistakes of others. The Bible is one book that can teach us how to live a life worth living. Reading the Bible, you’ll learn from the sufferings of David, Solomon, Samson, Jacob, Lot, Samuel and many others. But there are many people who choose not to learn from the sufferings of others. Even after reading about how David and Solomon made their mistakes and suffered the consequences, they are still prepared to make the same mistakes themselves.
Two to three years down the road, after thinking that they have progressed, they find themselves back at square one. It’s like playing the game Snakes and Ladders. You climb the ladders a few times over the years, but then you land on the snake’s head and slide back down again!
Have You Ever Fantasised About Having More Money And Influence?
Have you ever fantasised about money? Have you ever thought to yourself, “If I had enough money to buy whatever I want, to travel wherever I want, to marry whoever I want…”? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be born in a very rich family, to have lots of influence and power?
One day, when I was very tired, I asked my wife to massage my head and shoulders. She was wonderful. Her hands soothed my sore muscles and I began to relax. But after a short while, she grew tired and stopped. I began to fantasise: What if I was a king? I’d have lots of servants, and they would massage my head and shoulders because if they didn’t, they’d soon have no hands to massage anyone! Have you, like me, ever thought what it would be like to have a massage that goes on forever?
Have you ever thought to yourself, “What if I could have whatever my eyes see and like”? Would that be a life worth living? There is a man in the Bible who lived a life that many men and women would fantasise about. In the book of Ecclesiastes, we see that King Solomon indulged in everything and anything his flesh desired.
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 2:1–11:
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter — “Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives .
4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds .
9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my reward from all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labour in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under
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