Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 4
Thursday


WHAT BRINGS
HAPPINESS?

READ:
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
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All was vanity and
grasping for the wind.
There was no profit
under the sun.
__Ecclesiastes 2:11
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After studying the effect of the post-World War 2 economic boom in Japan, Richard Easterlin concluded that monetary growth does not always bring more satisfaction. More recently, economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers conducted surveys in more than 100 nations and concluded that life satisfaction is highest in the richest countries.

So who's right? Let's check with the writer of Ecclesiastes. He should know! He was a truly rich man (2:8). He had the means to try everything in this world--and he did! He gave himself to pleasure (vv.1-3), grand projects (vv.4-8), entertainment (v.8), and hard work (vv.10-11). But he concluded that it was all "vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun" (v.11).

Lasting satisfaction doesn't come from possessing tangible things like savings accounts and material goods. Recent events have shown that these things can suddenly lose value. To find true happiness, we have to find it in Someone who is not from "under the sun." And that is our savior, Jesus.

Hymnwriter Floyd Hawkins wrote: "I've discovered the way of gladness, I've discovered the way of joy, I've discovered relief from sadness....When I found Jesus, my Lord." Only He can give joy that is full (John 15:11). __C. P. Hia
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`````````````````Take the world, but give me Jesus,```````````````
````````````````````All its joys are but a name;``````````````````
````````````````````But His love abideth ever,```````````````````
``````````````Through eternal years the same. __Crosby```````````
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To know happiness, get to know Jesus.

************Today's Bible Reading __ 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 from 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....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....

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
labor; and this was my
reward from all my labor.

11 Then I looked on all the
works that my hands had
done and on the labor in
which I had toiled; and
indeed all was vanity and
grasping for the wind. There
was no profit under the sun.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The title of Ecclesiastes refers to the assembly of Israel and the
message of God from "the Preacher" (Solomon). In chapter 1, we
are given two phrases that are key to our understanding of this
wisdom: "vanity of vanities" (the emptiness of life without God), and
"under the sun" (according to this world's system). __Bill Crowder