| 1. What is the meaning to life?
After experimenting and analyzing life, Solomon, known as the wisest man who ever lived, wrote: "Here is my final conclusion: fear God and obey his commandments, for this is the entire duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Jesus said: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10).
2. Why is human life valuable?
Human beings have God's stamp of approval: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air; over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:26-27).
3. Why don't people get along?
"What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn't it because there is a whole army of evil desires within you? You want what you don't have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can't afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask you don't get it because your whole aim is wrong - you want only what will give you pleasure." (James 4:1-3).
4. Why is the world in such a mess?
The great theologian and missionary Paul answered this question: "Yes, they knew about him all right, but they wouldn't admit it or worship him or even thank him for all his daily care. And after awhile they began to think up silly ideas of what God was like and what he wanted them to do. The result was that their foolish minds became dark and confused. Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they became utter fools instead. (Romans 1:21-22).
5. How can I get the wisdom I need?
Solomon said go to the Source: "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:6).
And James who agreed wrote: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5).
6. How can I resist temptation?
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians 10:13). Look out for God's way and take it.
7. What is real love?
Here is Paul's classic definition of love: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. And now these three remains: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
John, know as the "apostle of love" adds: "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16).
8. How can I get along with others?
In a letter to the church in Philippi, Paul wrote: "Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing." (Philippians 2:3-4).
9. Where can I turn when I am lonely?
King David knew times of desperate loneliness, but he knew that, "The Lord is fair in everything he does, and full of kindness. He is close to all who call on him sincerely." (Psalm 145:17-18).
10. What can I do about guilt?
"Come, let's talk this over! says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!" (Isaiah 1:18).
"But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. [and it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.] (1 John 1:9).
|