What more could we want in our life, and in the lives of our families than a deep and lasting happiness, peace and contentment?

Most people work hard to earn money, buy lots of expensive gadgets, cars, a house, a holiday, etc. all the while hoping against hope that this is going to make them happy. And doesn't this seem to work for a short time?
Perhaps it may seem to, but how secure is it? What would happen if their house burnt down over-night with their car, and belongings?

In the next few moments, lets take a look at the Bible, and put this happiness to the test.

In Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 we read about a very rich man who had everything this world could offer. He says:

"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." Ecclesiastes 2:4-10

The man who wrote this was a king called Solomon. The Bible says he was wiser than all other men (1 Kings 4:31).
He had everything you would every wish for! He had houses, vineyards, orchards, servants, maidens, great possessions of cattle above everybody else, silver and gold, peculiar treasures of other kings of his province, entertainment etc... In fact, he did whatever he wanted, if he desired something, he got it. And he rejoiced in all his labour.

If riches made one happy, don't you think Solomon would have been the happiest man in the world?
But he says:

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. - Ecclesiastes 2:11

Perhaps he paused for a moment in his busy life as a king, and looked on everything he had done and on his labour, and found that it was all vanity (emptiness) and vexation (or disturbing). And he says that there was no profit under the sun. In other words he had great riches and possessions but he found that there was no real benefit or profit in them.

Why did he say there was no profit in his labours?
Later on he wrote:

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase - Ecclesiastes 5:10

So all Solomon's riches, his silver, his gold etc. didn't bring him real satisfaction or happiness. Perhaps for a short time, he was enjoying himself, but when he stopped and looked at everything he found himself dissatisfied.

You see friends, things in this world do not last very long.
James says:

For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14

Our lives are so short, they just last for a brief moment and then, like a vapour droplet, they vanish away.

If we seek after riches and pleasures of this world, we will never find true satisfaction or happiness. But we will find that these things only last for a very short time.

So what is the real answer?

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it... - Ecclesiastes 3:14

You see, true happiness and lasting satisfaction can come only from God. Because if God does something, it lasts for ever! Everything in our world is temporal, and very insecure, but God is different, He is eternal and He alone can give us something solid and lasting in our lives.

How is this so? How does God give this to us? And what must I do?

Stay tuned, as we will continue to look at this next week.