THE VANITY OF WORLDLY PURSUITS Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?”. From dictionary meaning, the word “world” has so many places where it can be applied as concerned to human being. It is defined as the planet earth, human race, area of activity, earth and everything on it, place of earth where man dwells, etc. Now considering the topic before us, I will be considering more on “areas of activities”, in inner meaning of the word world, example is the world of fashion, religion, academics, wealth, all the activities and the people involved, the Bible says all is vanity. Just as the sun rises and finally set and withdrew back to its origin, so are all the activities of man on this planet earth. “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever”. Mans works on earth are as in a circuit where it rotate round, in perfection of God’s plan for the creation of his soul. These works continue in man, generation after generation they continue to improve, until the time when God will bring everything to a final stop, and the scripture gives us idea when He will begin to round up the activities of man on earth; “the last days”. God will end His plan which He had in creating souls in the righteousness of His Word; He will finally separate the saved souls from the unsaved, and reward them according to their work as He has promised in His word. After that He will destroy all the physical works of man by fire and create new heaven and earth where only righteousness in His Word dwells forever. 2 Peter3:7 “but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”. Vanity is a state of being futile, worthless, or empty of significance. Worldly things are all vanity when it is viewed with the heavenly eyes, in which all are spiritual. Worldly things cannot stand the test of time not minding how precious it appears in the sight of man, everything that man can see or possess physically on earth is absolutely vanity because it cannot last forever. The Spirit of God inspired King Solomon to write the book of Ecclesiastes after he had searched and couldn’t find any worldly pressure to fill the test in his heart, but found that it is only in God that real satisfaction could be found. Finally in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, he says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil”. With my little life experience, I can still bear the same testimony with King Solomon that everything on earth is vanity. The duty of every man on earth is just to fear God and to keep His commandment, for God is the giver of all things, He renders to every man according to his work on earth. Matthew6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. The first thing every man needs is the salvation of his soul, followed by the righteousness of God before any other addition. God knows how to add to every man who has found Him and strive to abide in His word, those additions needed for the perfection of his soul. These additions are just provided to enable man pass the process of creation only, which after that all will be removed. This is what I have proved while striving to walk with God. As a child I had a burning desire to excel on earthly things, being born in a poor family, I never wanted to remain poor; rather I strove with all my strength and ideas available with me to overcome these challenges. But instead of me to overcoming them through those efforts, I saw myself rising and falling, sometimes into more difficult situation of life. Little did I know that God allowed it to prove to me that all those thing were vanity that cannot be trusted, but were made to enable me fit into His eternal plan. For instance, I had a business relationship with someone that travelled oversea some time ago. In the course of this business, oral agreement was made but in due time it was altered, and full assurance was given to me to run the business under faithfulness to God. This I did and a lot of promises were made to me, but at the time I was supposed to receive these promises, the opposite occurred to me. It was denied completely and I lost out, both my reputation as a manager of the company and all the people under me were withdrawn in a moment. Then I was moved to fight in other to recover back my effort, but God spoke to me, asking me to allow him to take all, for all is vanity, but instead I should pray for salvation of his soul for the devil has desired it in place of those vanities. I withdrew back, after sometime God opened another way for me, but as I struggle to get it established in other to prove that I am innocent of what happened to me, He allowed it to collapsed again. These happened for two times, then it was clear to me what God really wanted me to understand was the vanity of all the worldly pursuit. Ecclesiastes 2:26, says, “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit”. Though I may not narrate to you what eventually happened to the first place where I was before, but the main lesson I have learnt and will equally like you to note here is this, I finally realised from both sides that everything is vanity. On my own side, though I passed through many persecutions which are not as a result of my sin, although God was still rewarding me from time to time. But On all these physical rewards, none of them lasted long, but I noticed one thing in my Life that nothing could remove from me accept by my wish , this is the salvation of my soul which I received from Jesus Christ through faith. The joy and my eternal hope of final salvation was constant with me all this while, any time I want to derail, the spirit of God still reminds me that everything on earth is vanity accept the salvation of my soul, and through His grace these Joy and peace of God abides with me even when all other things around me is lost. In the world today, there are worldliness everywhere; worldliness in religion, social life, fashions, which their major contribution to man is evil. Being worldly is to love the earthly things more than the word of God, the true love that God has shown through Jesus Christ. Romans 1:24-25, says “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen”. God is never happy with man who after he has know the truth of Him, goes back to exchange them with things He has created or those who worship them. Worldly things are not sin, but to lust after it above the knowledge of God which is given to man is sin, and the devil uses it to open many ways of destruction against man’s soul. Because of the vanity and evil the lust might bring upon man, God through the Bible gives us a lot of advice and command to enable us find the reality of life which at the end will help in saving our souls. For whatsoever that can be seen is temporal, but those that is unseen endures forever. 1 John2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”. Jesus says in Luke12:4-5, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him”. Because fear contributes much to worldly live, it can make people to love things of this life, more than God. God is saying fear no other thing above me, Love me with all your heart and mind that you might be free from these worldly vanities and save your soul. The love for this worldly pleasure more than God permits the devil to use man at his will, because no man can serve two masters at a time. For to whom we yield ourselves servant to obey, he becomes our master, God wants us to put Him first in everything in our life. Devil has used the love for earthly pleasure to put many people into bondage of fear and now there are being drag to the Judgement seat of Christ .Many believers fear their leaders more than the word of God, fear of what tomorrow will be, fear of death, and fear because of majority, even when it is obvious that the judgement is on them, they still fear to confess their sins and be set free. God is warning all of us to liberate our life from all sorts of fear which is due to our love on the gods of mammon, more than the true God who creates everything for us. 1Timothy 6:6-10, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”. Another thing that has made many people to drift away from godliness is the love for money, the root of every evil work. Money has made many people to subdue their fellow human beings in wickedness, which is not the plan of God. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”. God wants us to deny them by confessing and repenting from all our sins first, loving Him above every other thing on earth, that will enable us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, and effect the change designed for our generation. But we cannot love God or be free from fear except we have genuine salvation of our soul, and continue to abide in Christ. For even after we are saved, Jesus is still saying ,“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. It is written, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. When we are born again, we must continue with Christ and live righteous life.1John3:8- 10, says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother”. Sin is the transgression of the laws of God. For us to live above the vanity of worldly pursuit, we must be born again and be rooted in divine love of God, we must focus on the thing above more than the worldly pleasures. God is calling on us now to denounce all worldliness in our life and live godly, for now is the time for harvest, let us free ourselves from every evil work for the accuser of the brethren is cast down . What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and losses his own soul? What shall a man give for the exchange to his soul? The answer to these questions is no substitute . Nothing on earth can be replaced in the place of man’s soul, no man can save his own soul or serve as a ransom for the souls of his brother. Jesus Christ has died for our sins, all we need is to yield our life completely in obedience to His word, and He will save us. We must approach God with a broken spirit and truthful heart, we must confess our sins and forsake them, we must believe in the sacrifices which Christ has offered for all mankind. When we have done this, the spirit of God must bear wittiness in our heart that we are now a new creature in God. Perhaps you’ve not have this wonderful experience, why not now ?, this is a golden opportunity for you, Christ has come to begin the harvest of the earth, open your heart and He will come in to save your soul and free you from judgement. The good shepherd is moving; calling all the lost sheep to come back to the fold that He might shed them from the cold. Why not you brother, why not you sister, see Christ pleading to your, see Him knocking at your door, why don’t you allow Him in? The world is full of vanity and vexation of spirit, therefore come to Him not minding your past sins , He will forgive and forget, He will give you a new heart and plant His seed inside your heart. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”. Perhaps, you’ve been saved before now, but the enemy has deceived you back into sin again, maybe you are under the captivity of the prince of Babylon now. Don’t fear again, there is a hope for you, if only you can humble yourself and obey the voice of Jesus Christ, who is now on earth to free man from the sixth beast. Now here the voice of Christ saying, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine”. Arise up from wherever you have fallen, and the master will receive you back to himself, don’t fear for He is merciful and will not cast you out if you will come to Him now. He says again, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again”. Jesus Christ has come to unit back His church, as it is written, “having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,....”. This is the perfect will of God, which now is to gather together everything under Christ, as He begins the harvest of this earth now through Him. Run back to Him and you will be free from judgement, it is time to open every secret on earth, open your own before Him in truth and in spirit and He will set you free. For who shall abide in this days of His judgement, Jesus Christ gives us the answer in Psalm15:2-5 “ He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved”. God is willing to save all people now, but we must be willing to obey Him and serve Him in truth and in spirit. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe”. My prayer to God for you and all men on earth is that we all should be wise in the wisdom of God, that we should humble ourselves to God now and be saved. May all glory and honour be unto our lord Jesus Christ, who has come now to save us and perfect us in the righteousness of His word. Amen. God bless you
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:37:27 +0000
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