In reality, effective life is impossible without appropriate preparation. Jesus solved the question of effectiveness by preparing Himself for the ministry. There is almost no information about what Jesus had been doing during the first 30 years of His life. Gospels tell us the story about His ministry. Meanwhile, we need to understand that prior to starting His ministry Jesus had been seriously preparing himself for quite a long time.
We have established that God only comes when we have prepared the way for Him. We can do that by ministering to Him and fulfilling His calling in our lives. We pointed out that we have to use all possible means to preach the Gospel of Kingdom in this world, because that is the necessary prerequisite for the Coming of the Lord in glory and power. Let’s look at one more verse from the Scripture that talk about preparing the way of the Lord.
Yesterday we started talking about God’s desire to demonstrate His glory and fullness in our lives; for this to happen we have to prepare our hearts and to prepare the way of the Lord. We have to cleanse our hearts from the things that God hates and cannot look upon.
The following verses from the Scripture reveal the principle of preparation the way of the Lord.
«In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.’”» (Mathew, 3:1-3).
Today I would like to talk to you about the preparation of the way of the Lord. The preparation of the way precedes the coming of the Lord. Our readiness to meet God determines the actual experience with God. If we are not ready, we will be left outside of what God is doing. But if we are adequately prepared, we will be qualified to experience the visitation of the Lord. Let’s look the Scripture.
Today I would like to complete our discussion about searching for a goal of our life, and how we can find true happiness under the sun. We observed Solomon who measured long and burdensome way looking for his happiness and satisfaction.
Thanks God for having it written for us, so that we can avoid the mistakes Solomon mentions in the book of Proverbs. Solomon has understood that life without God is an absolute illusion, but happiness without God is a mirage. This is what he writes as a conclusion to his book:
«This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgement, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.» (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
The story of Solomon is a lesson to all of us; it tells us that the meaning of life, happiness and satisfaction cannot be found anywhere but in God alone. So we need to develop and strengthen personal relationships with God.
Today we will talk about how Solomon tried to find happiness and satisfaction in family life. «Life joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun» (Ecclesiastes, 9:9).
After Solomon forsook God for a season, he tried to find happiness and satisfaction in different things and activities. We see that Solomon made several attempts which all lead to disappointment. For a wise person Solomon’s experience can become good lesson in what the wrong ways to happiness are. We mentioned that Solomon sought happiness in education and knowledge, in fun and pleasures, in beauty, in works of men’s hands. Afterwards he came to a conclusion that despite the fact that all these things are important and necessary for living, none of them can make us happy, if God is excluded from our life. Solomon said that everything under the sun is vanity and grasping for the wind. Solomon’s conclusion was that everything that happens under the sun is vanity and grasping for the wind – if apart from God.
Peace and grace from the Lord may be multiplied in your life this day! We are still talking about the search for the meaning of life and happiness under heaven. Solomon showed us what path we should not take when we talk about the search of the meaning of life, happiness and satisfaction. When we take this wrong path, we will be disappointed and frustrated and it will lead us to total failure.
Today we will look at Solomon’s attempt to find happiness and satisfaction in fun and pleasures of life.
Let’s look at the steps that Solomon took in order to find the meaning of life. We will see what conclusions Solomon came to. The first thing Solomon turned to was acquiring of wisdom and knowledge. «I communed with my heart, saying, „Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow» (Ecclesiastes, 1:16-18).
