Church Of Christ Lagos Island

18/03/2019

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE

The Difference between Christian Liberty and Worldly Liberty* (Part 2)

The place of freedom in our existence is huge but we must choose the type of freedom we want. _*Is it the form of liberty that we can glean from the Bible or the one that's built on an ever-changing secular framework?*_ There are huge differences between the two and here are some of these differences:

▪Christian liberty is first, *freedom from the shackles of sins*. It is freedom bought with the redemptive blood of Christ. However, the form of liberty the world preaches and practice is *freedom to sin*; to indulge in different proclivities not minding their bitter consequences.

▪Christian liberty has its foundation in God's unchanging word, the Bible. This is why our freedom is within the confines of what the Bible allows. Secular liberty is rooted in the laws of the land which is ever-changing and dependent on the character of the people and their leadership.

▪With Christian liberty one surrenders to the sovereignty of God and willing to do only what He says. On the contrary, the kind of liberty the world craves for today is that which shut God out and make "self" the God of self. It's selfish.

▪More often than not, *worldly liberty is an excuse to sin.* Meanwhile, Christian liberty is a reason not to sin. Galatians 5:13.

▪Happiness seems to be the sole aim of secular freedom but *pleasing God is the focus of those who operate within Christian liberty.*

▪The perspective to life of those who push for worldly liberty is short. They are only concerned about enjoying all they can in this life because _"this is the only life they've got"._ However, those who live within Christian liberty, strongly affirm their belief in and pursuit for eternity with God.

From the above, it's easy to see why many whose hearts are yet to be circumcised and see Christian liberty to be obnoxiously restrictive. However, *those who understand what it meant to be slaves of the Devil and their own passion before redemption by Christ will forever celebrate the freedom He gives within His word.*
...To be continued.

Written by Eric Okomado
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11/02/2019

WHAT’S RIGHT WITH THE CHURCH?

TEXT: I Timothy 3:14-16

All too often we hear the question asked about what is wrong with the church. Lets turn it around and ask, "What’s right with the church?



I. THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS THE RIGHT FOUNDATION.

� Christ promised to build His church. Matthew 16:18

� Christ died so the church could come into existence.

� The foundation message of the church was the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Acts 2:ff

� Christ is the foundation stone. Acts 4:12

� Peter declared Jesus to be the "Chief Cornerstone". I Pet. 2:4-8

II. THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS THE RIGHT STRUCTURE.

� If Jesus is the foundation then we are the rest of the building.

� Each part of the building has its function. I Cor. 12 & Eph. 4

� All parts of the building have to function in the right way.

III. THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS THE RIGHT HEART.

� The church should have a loving heart. John 13:35

� The church should have a dedicated heart.

� The church should have a generous heart. (Acts 6)

IV. THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS THE RIGHT EFFECT.

� The church is the "salt of the earth." Matthew 5:13

� The church is the "light of the world." Matthew 5:14

� The church is the "Bearer of Good news." Romans 1:16

V. THE TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS THE RIGHT TERMS OF ENTRY

� Since the church is the vestibule of heaven, we must enter through the proper steps. Any other entry requirements are those that are planned by man and are not necessary.

04/02/2019

Handing Down Your Faith

We are first introduced to Timothy’s family in Acts 16. His mother was a believer. His father was not. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 1.5 that Timothy’s early spiritual training came from his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois. They taught him the word of God from the earliest of days. Later, Paul speaks of the result of this teaching: Timothy had become wise for salvation and did much for the Lord. This teaching blossomed into a faith that spanned at least three generations.

How can we do the same? We need a convincing faith. This is the type of faith that is not just talk, but touches life in every dimension. This is a real, authentic faith that moves without hypocrisy. It is the type of faith that is revealed in the total structure of who we are. It can be seen in our devotion to daily prayer, our resolute trust in God, and in our love demonstrated to those around us. We will never hand down our faith to the younger generations if we first haven’t convinced ourselves of the need to truly serve God. Is your faith convincing? We need a consistent faith. When speaking of Lois, Eunice, and Timothy, Paul said faith dwelt in them. “Dwelt” is significant. Paul used that word throughout his writings to describe what it means to be a Christian.

Christians are like a building whose inhabitant is faith. When faith dwells in us, it is alive. It has staying power and performance. It will remain in our heart, regardless of the circumstances. Our children learn about our faith in good times and bad. But it is during bad times that the test will come to see if we have a lasting faith. Is the faith we talk about real? We must not let faith come and go instead of allowing it to dwell in us. We need a contagious faith. Timothy’s family had a passion about God. As soon as Timothy was old enough to understand, they began pumping faith into him. Our faith must be just as contagious. We need to be eager to share our faith with our children. When we are excited about Jesus we can convey a spiritual commitment to our kids that they cannot possibly ignore. We need to always learn to look for open doors to speak about Jesus. We need to look for spontaneous moments to relate the commonalities of life to God. When we do this, we make faith real to our kids. We need a confident faith. Faith is the “promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,” 2 Timothy 1.1.

This is the type of life that is centered in Jesus and lived on the promise of heaven. Faith was never meant to be just a mental assertion, but a living faith. If we are not sure what we believe, how will we make anyone else certain? How can we pass it on to someone else? The confidence of God’s people is in Jesus Christ. What God has promised is true. He wants us in heaven. When we live by God’s promises day by day we will possess a confident and optimistic faith that will speak volumes to our children. Project yourself into the future. Go past your children and your grandchildren. What do you see? Will your faith survive your children? Is your faith convincing, consistent, contagious, and confident? Allow the beauty of Jesus shine in your life and you will leave a spiritual legacy for the younger generations to follow.

30/01/2019

Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King

We read of many great characters in the Bible. We read of David, the king of Israel and the prophet of the Lord (II Sam.23:2). We read of Samuel, both prophet and priest (I Samuel). We even come across Melchisedec, who was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God (Gen.14:17ff). As great as these characters are, none has ever claimed the titles of prophet, priest, and king simultaneously. However, one Bible character claimed the titles, and performed the duties required of each office–Jesus Christ.
The Hebrews writer argues that Jesus Christ is superior to all the prophets (Heb.1:1-3). God at one time revealed Himself to the people through the medium of the prophets. However, in these last days (the Christian age), God has revealed Himself through His Son. This is God’s final revelation to man. There will be no second chance for one who rejects this revelation, for there is more revelation to come (see Jude 3; II Peter 1:3). Since this is the final revelation of God to man, we need to heed the superior message of the Son (Hebrews 2:1-4).
God provided a way for man to approach Him in giving the laws concerning the Levitical priesthood. This system was perfect for its intended purpose, never having been designed to take away sins. However, this system pointed out some things which showed man he needed something greater. The Levitical high priest first had to offer sacrifices for his own sins before he could offer sacrifices for the people. He was also offering animal sacrifices, which were typical of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, with the exception that they could not take away sin (Heb.10:4). Jesus offered himself for the sins of the world once and for all (Heb.9:28). No longer does man have to offer sacrifices for sin daily, because the blood of Christ is able to purge the conscience (Heb.10:1-3). Christ offered no sacrifice for himself because he did no sin (I Pet.2:22).
When Jesus offered himself as the sacrificial Lamb (Jn.1:29), he was also given a kingdom over which to reign (Dan.7:13,14; Acts 20:28). This kingdom is the church (Mt.16:16-19). As king, Jesus exercises complete control over his kingdom. Therefore, his subjects must look to him for authority concerning the affairs of his kingdom (Col.3:17). Just like any kingdom, the kingdom of Jesus Christ has its terms of admission (Jn.3:5). And just like any kingdom, the kingdom of Jesus Christ has rules which must be obeyed in order to remain in good standing with those that rule (II Jn.9-11). But unlike all other kingdoms and all other kings, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the King of kings (I Tim.6:15), will never be brought down (Dan.2:44).
Thankfully, God has provided us with a better prophet, priest, and king–Jesus Christ. He brings a superior message, offered a superior sacrifice, and rules over his superior kingdom. Since Jesus is the superior prophet, priest, and king, we must submit to him, for there is nothing to follow which can supercede his word (Jn.12:48), his sacrifice (Heb.10:14), or his authority (Mt.28:18). Let us heed his message, take full advantage of his sacrifice, and yield ourselves to his authority before the opportunity to do so is gone.

Patrick Morrison

24/01/2019

The Church Jesus Built

The church that Jesus built is a special and unique body of believers. Yet, unlike many modern denominations, one can identify the true church of Jesus through the Bible. In the Bible, God tells us the when, where, and who of the true church. Notice these identifying marks of Christ’s church.

When: The Roman Period. In Daniel 2:36-44, Daniel prophesied that during the time of the four kingdoms (Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman) God would set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed. During the first three kingdoms, God did not establish His kingdom. However, during the Roman period Jesus said His kingdom would be set up (Mk. 9:1). The Church of Jesus Christ was established during the Roman period in A. D. 30. as believers were added daily to the church (Acts 2:47).

Where: In Jerusalem. In Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah proclaimed that the Lord’s house would be set up in Jerusalem. In 1 Timothy 3:14-15, Paul tells us that the church is the House of God. Therefore, we can know that God’s church had to be established in Jerusalem. This is in complete harmony with Acts 2. In Acts 2, Peter preaches the first gospel sermon, and believers are baptized into the church of Christ for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38, 47).

Who: Jesus Christ. The Bible also tells us who would establish and be the head of the church. Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). Paul declared that Jesus was the head of the church, which is His body (Eph. 1:21-23). Christ is the one who bought the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). Therefore, Jesus must be the founder and head of the New Testament church.

We must realize Jesus’ church has identifying marks. Please remember, most of our modern denominations began in the America’s, around, or after 1500 A. D. and were started by men not Christ. We must help others search the Scriptures and make sure they are a part of the church that Jesus built!

18/01/2019

The Lord's Day or Sabbath Day?

Sunday is the Christian day of worship. A careful study of the Bible shows (1) that the seventh day Sabbath was given only to the Hebrews (Deuteronomy 5:2-15). It was given about 1500 B.C. When God delivered them from Egypt. (2). The Sabbath was part of the Ten Commandments of the Law of Moses. The New Testament tells us the Law of Moses with its Ten Commandments was abolished by Christ death (Ephesians 2:14-15; Colossians 2:14-16).

Why the First Day is the Christian's Day of Worship:

· Christ was resurrected "on the first day of the week" (Mark 16:9).

· On the first day He taught two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:1-13-27).

· After His resurrection, He twice met with the apostles and blessed them on the first day (John 20:19-26).

· The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and empowered them on the Day of Pentecost, which always came of the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-4; Lev. 23:15-16).

· The first sermon proclaiming Christ as the resurrected Lord was preached on Pentecost.
Jews who had rejected Christ, accepted him and were baptized.

· The church was established, thus the Christian age began that day.

· The New Covenant of Christ went into effect.

· The early church worshipped, communed and gave their offerings on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2).

· Early Christian writers such as Barnabas, Ignatius and Justin Martyr of the second century, tell us they worshipped on the first day of the week.

Acceptable worship must by offered in faith. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). But faith comes from hearing the word of Christ (Romans10:17). The word of Christ nowhere instructs us to observe the Sabbath, but it does teach us to worship him on the first day of the week. God said, "This is my beloved son... hear ye him" (Mathew 17:5).

Faithful Christians obey Christ by worshiping Him on the First Day.

JOHN WADDEY

14/01/2019

Must we give thanks if we are in difficult circumstances?

By Bob Prichard

When the world seems to be closing in on us, or when we feel like we have our backs up against the wall, giving thanks may be the last thing we would ever think of doing. We may reason, “If I am in difficult circumstances, then I have no responsibility or need to be thankful. After all, we are to be thankful for blessings, not difficult circumstances.” This reasoning is not correct, however, because all of God’s children need to be thankful.

To be thankful in the midst of difficult times is very hard, yet Paul said, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). How is this possible? Sometimes when we think the situation cannot get any worse, it does! But we must remember that when we belong to and serve God, no situation is hopeless. God’s children can count on His providential care, and His never ending love. In the midst of our difficulties, we sometimes have a sort of “spiritual amnesia.” We forget all that God has done for us, and the difficulties He has helped us through. The psalmist reminded Israel of “his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (Psalm 78:4-7).

The difficulties most of us have faced pale into insignificance compared to the pain and suffering Job faced. His response to the loss of all of his possessions, and all ten of his children was to worship God. “Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:20-21). Job was able to do this because he was a man totally devoted to God. God described him as being “a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil” (Job 1:8). When the difficult times came, Job was ready to trust in the Lord. He did not understand why he was suffering as he was, but He knew that God is worthy to be praised, even in the midst of the most trying times.

The “attitude of gratitude,” the spirit of gratefulness, must mark those who would follow the Lord. As Paul and Silas sat in the depths of the jail at Philippi, their feet in the stocks, having been beaten for their testimony of Christ, they “prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). They would not allow the circumstances to keep them from offering praise to God. In the midst of so many things we cannot understand or do not like, we must thank Him for those things we can understand, and the blessings He so richly gives us. Looking back, we should thank Him. Looking ahead, we should trust Him. Looking around, we should serve Him. He is worthy of all the praise and thanksgiving we can give Him
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01/01/2019

10 Guidelines for the New Year

IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH . . .

GOD: Be prayerful. Remember dependence and helplessness in your relationship with God are prerequisites for spiritual health. How about a thorough spiritual check-up this year? (2 Corinthians 13:5).

OTHERS: Be helpful. Make a commitment to show love and encouragement to someone everyday (Romans 14:19-22). Challenge yourself to be kind and helpful especially to those who least expect it (Ephesians 4:32).

YOUR MIND: Read and think about something noble and creative every day (Philippians 4:8). Start the day with the Bible. Let the words of life fill your heart and mind before anything else gets to them!

FEELINGS: Express them with love and honesty. Whether fear, guilt, grief, rage, shame, or anxiety, express your feelings to God, self, and a trusted friend (Proverbs 27:5; 1 Peter 3:7).

ACTIONS: Be generous. Without thought of reward or praise be extravagant in your giving to others (2 Corinthians 9:7). Give freely of your love, time, money, spirit, creativity, encouragement, and praise. Don’t be stingy with the most important and powerful gifts in your possession, let your actions reflect the startling love of God!

SUCCESSES: Be thankful (Colossians 3:15). Most if not all of our successes are the result of God’s grace not our cleverness or hard work. Count your blessings regularly.

TROUBLES: Be trustful. For some mysterious reason, many times, God has chosen to make us mature through trials and hardships (Hebrews 12:6-10). Look for the hand of God in every circumstance and trust His guidance in the highs and lows of life.

HEART: Be careful (Proverbs 23:7). Focus your love on the Father and Savior who reside within you. Be careful what you allow to creep in to this sacred space which belongs to God.

WORSHIP: Be still (Psalm 46:10). Expressing your love and adoration to God isn’t reserved for Sundays only. Don’t get too busy throughout the week to make continual offerings of praise to God. Jesus is Lord of every day!

SIN: Be repentant. Don’t let any sin harden your heart or break the connection between you and God. Confess your sins to the Father every day (1 John 1:6-10). Claim His promises that forgive you and make you pure and clean by the Blood of Jesus!—Dean Fitch

17/12/2018

Count Your Blessings
Bible study on blessings and happiness.

A secret to happiness is prayerfully counting your blessings, while offering thanks to God.

When you're having a bad day, take a few minutes and start thanking God for all the blessings He's given to you. You'll find that your focus turns from things that make you sad, to things that make you happy.

Rejoice In The Lord
The Lord commands us to rejoice all the time.

Paul says, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 3:1). And later in the same epistle he says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice" (Phil 4:4)!

God wants you to be a happy, rejoicing person. Although you'll suffer as Christians, and life isn't always going to be perfect (2 Tim. 3:12), God wants you to rejoice.

Rejoice By Praying All The Time
The key to rejoicing all the time is praying all the time. Paul communicates this principle to the Thessalonians, saying, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing" (1 Th. 5:16-17).

The first step toward rejoicing all the time is praying all the time, constantly talking to God throughout the day. Sometimes you may pause to pray in a formal way, and other times you might speak to God in a single sentence while hurriedly moving from one task to another.

Pray About Everything That Bothers You
Of course, there are things that bother us. We're concerned for the spiritual and physical well-being of others. And we're personally concerned about our jobs, health, finances, family, etc.

Although it's good to be concerned about the things that effect our lives, we shouldn't be anxious. We're not to have undue worldly care about the things of this life -- we can't let worldly care control us.

To accomplish this, Paul tells us to, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7).

And Peter, communicating these things in a different manner, says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Pet. 5:6-7).

God wants us to pray about the things that bother us. But, He also wants us to deal with these things in a manner that's befitting of Christians, who place their trust in Him.

We continually pray about the things that bother us, entrusting them into God's hands, depending on Him to deal with them according to His will. Like Jesus, who suffered for you, leaving you an example when He was treated harshly and crucified, "entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Pet. 2:23).

If you prayerfully entrust yourself to God, you'll rejoice while experiencing the difficulties of life.

In Everything Give Thanks
As you communicate with God, make a large part of your prayers the giving of thanks. Paul says, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Th. 5:16-18).

Not only can you incorporate thanksgiving into your prayers as you express your desires and concerns to God, you can also offer up prayers wherein all you do is offer thanks.

When I'm going through my day, and especially when things go right, I constantly offer up one sentence prayers to thank God. If it's a really good day, I might thank God close to a hundred times. And even if it's a really bad day, I still thank God several times a day for giving me a great life, and blessing us so much.

Prayerfully casting your cares on God while offering thanks for your blessings, results in a happy and joyful life -- you'll rejoice in the Lord.

Count Your Blessings
The song, Count Your Many Blessings, sums up these thoughts:

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

So, amid the conflicts, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

It Really Works
I encourage you to count your blessings, specifically, one by one. It helps you focus on the good things, and put the bad things in proper perspective.

If you've not counted your blessings lately, try it. It really works! You'll feel better, trust God more, be happier, and rejoice in the Lord.

07/12/2018

FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF?
Jimmy Ferguson

Everyone has had problems at one time or another. Unfortunately, some have allowed their problems to pull them away from God. They quit attending services, lose interest in Bible study and prayer and being around the people of God has no appeal to them anymore. Seems I’ve read in the Old Testament of a man who also had problems. In fact, most of us will probably never have problems to the extent that he had. His name is Job. James writes of him in James 5:11, “Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” Put yourself in Job’s shoes for a moment.

1. HE LOST HIS WEALTH. In rapid succession three messengers came telling Job of the destruction of his property and servants by bands of robbers and by lightning.
2. HE LOST HIS FAMILY. A fourth messenger came telling of the death of all of Job’s children. Seven sons and three daughters were crushed in a moment when the house fell.
3. HE LOST HIS HEALTH. Job was smitten from head to foot with loathsome boils. He was constrained to sit down among the ashes and scrape himself with a potsherd.
4. HE LOST HIS FRIENDS. His servants turned their backs on him. The children in the streets despised and mocked him. His friends told him that his sufferings were because of sin. And his wife urged him to curse God and die.

If you take any of these trials separately they would be great, but view them all together and one is almost overwhelmed. But even in the midst of calamity, “Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20).
And when his world fell down around him, he learned that the Lord is very “compassionate and merciful.”

GOD IS GREATER THAN ANY PROBLEM YOU NOW HAVE OR EVER WILL HAVE!

28/11/2018

*THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS*

The Old Testament contains 39 books, written in Hebrew language, designed for the Jews only (Mal.4:4).
The Old Testament provides the basis of the present day Judeo-Christian faith. It talks about the history of how the world was created, exodus of Israelites, and the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God, and also, includes real life stories.

The function of this text is to teach people through the experiences of people throughout history. Old Testament is the first division of the Christian Bible. The Old Testament was preparatory, temporary, and limited. Moses and the prophets had their signatures on all instructions from God.

On the other hand, the New Testament contains 27 books Written in Greek and designed for all men (Matt.28:18-20). The New Testament focuses more on the life and teachings of Jesus and the Christian church. The stories are narrated through gospels and emphasize the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus. *The function of the New Testament is to lead people to follow the example of Jesus more closely*.
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian Bible. The New is complete, eternal, and universal. Jesus and the Apostles are the directors of instructions here.

In the second part of this topic, we shall examine some technical issues emanating from these differences between the Old Testament and New Testament. Stay tuned.

Make conscious effort to locate church of Christ near you and be refreshed with sound Bible based teaching that will point you to the Savior, Jesus Christ.
We will like to hear from you. Share your thoughts with us at [email protected]
Mike Udam wrote the script and you can download it at

Evangelism Portal will always keep you updated with latest news around here and also you will have full access to all our events

24/11/2018

Enjoyment without God?

Denny Petrillo

“For who can eat and can have enjoyment without Him?” (Ecclesiastes 2:25). Certainly men do eat, enjoying food in abundance. Men today are pleasure men, enjoying the fruits of unparalleled wealth. So what was Solomon’s point?

First, true enjoyment of the blessings of life is not possible, in the ultimate sense, without God. While some may feel that alcohol with a meal is “the good life,” such is, in reality, shallow and empty. Why? Because one sadly believes that his enjoyment comes purely because of his own efforts and hisown abilities. Thus, there is no gratitude. It is a failure to recognize that if God didn’t send blessings to the righteous and unrighteous they wouldn’t have anything at all (Matthew 5:44).

Second, recognizing the hand of God in one’s blessings heightens enjoyment, even in the simplest of blessings. We don’t need to live in mansions, to drive a nice car or to have fancy clothes to be happy. Paul said that “if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8). He also penned, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” How can one successfully do this? The key is, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13). Solomon, who was blessed with considerable wealth, recognized that having all that one could ever want (see his list in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11) was “vanity and striving after wind.” Why? Because true, lasting enjoyment is not found in things or worldly pleasures.

Having God in one’s life provides a “peace that surpasses understanding” (Philippians 4:6), and allows one to rejoice and appreciate all of God’s wonderful blessings. So, what is the answer to our question? Can one have enjoyment without God? No, not true enjoyment. Only when we have God in our lives can we fully enjoy all that this life has to offer.