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Someone once asked Rockefeller
a very simple question: "How much money do you need to be happy?" The richest man who ever lived replied: "Just a little more..." |
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Here is proof that money cannot buy happiness, or satisfy the longings of the human heart. The Lord Jesus said: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4) "Just a little more..." has no end to it. If he had said that $1 million would have satisfied, then he was soon to make $1 million. Had he set the price higher to (say) $100 million, then this too could be reached. But he recognised that no matter how much he got, he was always going to be looking more. The heart of man is essentially spiritual and materialism cannot meet its crying need. It is therefore foolish to make money the practical god of your life if it cannot meet your need. |
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Sin defiles your immortal soul and leaves it in a state of guilt and dissatisfaction. While there may be nothing intrinscially wrong with some earthly pleasures, yet they cannot meet the need of your soul. Other people chase after hedonism and make pleasure to be the be all and end all of their lives. They fail to recongise that as long as there is sin in the world, then there is not going to be satisfaction. An old preacher once preached a famous sermon entitled: "All Satan's worms have apples!" We have all sinned and until the guilt of our sin is dealt with in full, then we cannot enjoy lasting pleasure with the thought of death and eternity hanging over our heads. |
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How often your experience has been as described here: Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. (Proverbs 14:13) These words were spoken by Solomon who was the richest man in his day. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-10, he tells us of how he sought to buy happiness for his soul: I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. What was Solomon's conclusion after this hedonistic binge? Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. (v11) Read the newspapers and see the general unhappiness that abounds in the glitzy citadels of the rich and famous in Holywood and Las Vagas and other places among the movie stars etc., Watch for the bitter divorces of third and fourth marriages. Witness those who need to be dried out in alcoholic or substance abuse clinics Is this happiness? |
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Jesus Christ came that we might have life more abundantly (John 10:10) He tackled the sin issue for His people, reconciling them to God by His own precious blood (Colossians 1:20) Salvation from the guilt and power of sin is a reality. In Christ's Book, happiness can only follow on the heels of holiness. Our chief end, or purpose on earth, is to glorify God and enjoy Him for ever. We cannot do this as long as the cancer of sin is continually and fatally eating into the vitals of our soul. The Good News is that Jesus Christ has dealt with the sin issue once and for all at the Cross. Jesus Christ put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. This means that we can be saved from sin. In following God, we can have that pure joy and pleasure that God intended for us. |
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Why not you? Why not now? Maybe you think that this is too good to be true. Then you really must think again. To you is the word of this salvation sent. (Acts 13:26) Do not leave it too late Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 53:6-7) |