Jesus came to bring eternal life. He taught us a new way to live that would add more to life quality & purpose, rewards, peace and satisfaction. God wants us to be happy and enjoy life. Jesus said:

"I am come that they might have LIFE, and that they might have it more abundantly " (John 10:10).

 

We all want to be happy. The Bible says, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom" (Proverbs 3:13). Solomon, one of the wisest men that ever lived, once asked God for wisdom. Because he did not ask for wealth but wisdom, God granted him both (I Kings 3:9-14). Solomon did not use his wisdom. Seeking pleasure in "worldly pursuits" and "self-indulgences," he saw at the end of his life that it was "all vanity" (Ecclesiastes 2:11-13). Real happiness comes in serving God and honoring his word.

"Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the WHOLE DUTY of man."

"For God shall bring every work into judgmen4 with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether it be evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Solomon admonishes the youth today saying "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). The Bible tells us to remember God while the world cries "forget God" or "do your own thing" and "nobody's going to tell me what to do." These are "bad ideas" from Satan and should be rejected. We are all answerable to our creator, God. Someday "every knee shall bow" but for some it will be too late to obey God (Romans 14:10-12).

Let's take a look at what Solomon had going wen for himself. He was a good businessman with much prestige (I Kings 10:15). Solomon exceeded all the other kings of the earth in wealth. Everyone came to him seeking the great wisdom "God had put in his heart" (I Kings 10:23-24). He was wiser than all men, speaking 3,000 proverbs and many songs of the Bible (I Kings 4:31-32). The Queen of Sheba once visited Solomon to see his great wealth she had heard so much about and remarked:

"Howbeit I believed not the words until I came, and mine eyes had seen it.- and behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard" (1 Kings 10:7).

The Bible talks about two wisdoms. A wisdom that comes from God (James 3:17) and one self-acquired of "human reasoning." We use the latter, everyday thinking, "Why should I do this?" This can be dangerous in religion if it is not guided by the word of God. Many people educate themselves on things of this world and are ignorant of the "next world" and of God, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?... (Matthew 16:26). To be happy we must also be wise in accepting things we cannot change, things beyond human control for "That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbered" (Ecclesiastes 1:15).

"HAPPY is the man that FINDETH WISDOM, and the man that getteth understanding. "

"For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold "

"She is more precious than rubies: all the things thou cans t desire are not to be compared unto her. "

"Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.

"Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. "

"She is a TREE OF LIFE to them that lay hold upon her.- and happy is every one that retaineth her" (Proverbs 3:13-18).

 

The Bible says sin is pleasurable. Moses once refused to be called the "son of Pharoah's daughter" and "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:24-26), but chose rather to suffer with the people of God. If sin were not some fun we would not want to do it. Sin is deceitful for it promises fulfillment and cannot fulfill. People get caught up in sensual pleasures trying to please the "god of self" only to find it requires more sins and new sins, in an attempt to satisfy - much like drugs. AR the wealthy, self-indulgent people who have tried it, died unsatisfied as Solomon did.

Solomon built idolatrous temples with the wealth God blessed him with (I Kings 11:1-8). The daily needs of his court were great and he taxed the people heavily (I Kings 4:22-30). He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (five in women) who "turned away his heart" to their gods and kept Solomon's heart from being perfect with his God (I Kings 11:3-4). Solomon did not withhold anything from himself that he desired, and surrounded himself with music, wine and friends (Ecclesiastes 2:3-12) as many do.

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die" (Isaiah 22:13).

Jesus told a story about the rich young fool who had the same philosophy of life (Luke 12:19). The world portrays violence, fornication, adultery and divorce as acceptable behavior, with husbands and wives failing to fulfill the roles in the home designed by God. It is "Satanic lifestyles" promising happiness, but not from God. All we have to do is look at the "drunk on the street," the "broken homes" and the "drug addict" crying, "more, more" to see that "doing one's own thing" doesn't bring satisfaction. Even our songs flaunt man's sinful way and rebellion against God with music and laughter at worldliness instead of hanging our heads in shame. We are becoming a society that "no longer can blush" (Jeremiah 6:15), and one who parades it's sin and "hides it not" (Isaiah 3:9).

The living water is Jesus and when we drink of him, we shall be satisfied and "never thirst again." It gives meaning and purpose to life and firs us with joy. Isn't this what we all really want? Solomon found the source of joy was only in God and in serving and living for him. "God made the world and all the things therein" and is "the Lord of heaven and earth" (Acts 17:24). They that "seek the Lord" shall find him, for he is "not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:27). Our search for happiness ends when we each find Christ as our Saviour. We are free of condemnation, free of trying to "earn favor" with God by works of "self-effort." Eternal life is ours by promise of God as our faith helps us live for him.

"For in him we live and move, and have our being; as certain also of our own poets have said, for we are also HIS OFFSPRING" (Acts 17:28).

Painful memories - We see two lives - the life of Christ who lived the life he calls us to live, and is at the right hand of God. Solomon on the other hand pursued happiness with man's thinking and was unhappy and unsatisfied at the end of his days, deciding that God was right (he always is). Painful memories can be spared us if we choose to follow God's way at an early age. Make good memories in life now.

Habits of sinning - Sometimes sin becomes a "way of fife" to us and we don't want to change or can't quit. We become hardened in our hearts, the word of God no longer moves us. We become insensitive to God's word and his "inward urgings" for us to do right. We may fail to enjoy life or good health because we used drugs, or alcohol or tobacco at an early age and became addicted to them, missing the "good things" in life.

Miss the joy of a "job well-done" - Parents who divorce, have to be separated from children and their love, and all those "endearing things" children do as they grow up. Parents sometimes learn too late that the children they "gave up" for other things or other pursuits don't have time for them in their "old age" either. Couples who separate or divorce often learn too late that instead of "getting away" from problems they "acquire more problems," finding out too late it would have been better to work through the problems we all have.

The "bad example" we leave - We teach our children by our "running away" to be a "quitter" instead of "sticking things out" and "growing beyond" and miss the reward of knowing I stayed and gave my best. God always blesses us when we do this. It is his will that we have faith and persevere in troubles. Troubles bring trust in God and the reward of knowing I kept my commitment to God.

The pride of "possession" - Remember the Israelites whom God gave the land of Canaan before they ever left Egypt. They never trusted God and lacked faith to go in and possess it. So they wandered 40 years in the wilderness, missing the abundant life God meant for them to have in Canaan. Only their children ate of "that good land" along with Joshua and Caleb. Don't miss heaven, the cost is too great.

1. Jesus came that we "might have________________ and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

2. "Happy is the man that findeth _______________" (Proverbs 3:13).

3. Solomon said "Fear God, and __________________ his commandments: for this is the whole ________ of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

4. "Remember thy _____________ in the days of thy _____________" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

5. Who put Solomon's great wisdom in his heart? _______________ (I Kings 10:23-24).

6. The Queen of ___________________could not believe Solomon's great wealth and came to see for herself (I Kings 10:1-7).

7. Christians are "kept by the power of _______________ through _____________" (I Peter 1:5).

8. Sin is pleasurable. Once Moses refused to be called the "son of Pharoah's daughter and enjoy the pleasures of _________ for a season" (Hebrews 11:25).

9. "God made the ______________ and all the things therein and he is _______________ of heaven and earth" (Acts 17:24).

10. Christians have an "inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled ... reserved in ______________________" for them (1 Peter 1:14).

NAME__________________________ LESSON RECEIVED____________________

ADDRESS_______________________ LESSON RETURNED____________________

________________________________ GRADED BY____________ GRADE________

I will promptly grade your answers and mail you the results.

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I will promptly grade them and mail you the other lessons.

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