Print Article
BookMark Article
Vanity Leads To Insanity
Author : Ann Doupont
In the book of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher said “vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” With all the riches bestowed on him by God, he still was not happy. He began to see the meaninglessness of his life as he thought about it and the lives of others.
I noticed that he didn’t have a correct understanding of the hereafter (Eccl. 3:19-21), so of course his thoughts about life would not be as they should be. This story, about King Solomon, was before Jesus came to restore all things. Many things changed from the Old Testament rules and regulations at that time 2000 years ago.
We see this change in the book of Acts (as well as throughout the epistles) when the Holy Spirit came upon the people and they were no longer the same. These new creatures in Christ not only spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4) but they were witnesses for Jesus (Acts 1:8).
They were all empowered to do the work of the Kingdom as the Spirit spoke through them, giving them utterance. A man and his wife (Ananias and Sapphira) decided to lie about their finances to a man of God and were stricken dead in front of others. (See Acts 5.)
These New Testament stories were recorded and placed in the Bible for our understanding, and growth, in our walks with the Lord. There are few who seem to understand the need of the hour in which they are living.
Many want to prophesy or speak for God, but only the pure in heart are really hearing Him clearly. In reading Jeremiah 23, we find how displeased God is when a person says “God said” when it wasn’t God speaking.
We can’t spend hours watching television and expect to hear clearly from God. That will pervert our thinking, and at least part of our words will be based on what we saw and heard from other sources.
Humility is dependence on our Lord, knowing Him, reliance on His help. Unless the Lord builds the house (or life), they that build it build in vain (Psalm 127:1). His sheep know His voice (John 10:4). When the Lord is our Shepherd, it is then (and only then) that we shall have no wants, according to Psalm 23:1. Many are away from the Shepherd of their souls (1 Peter 2:25) and it’s time for a turning to, or returning to, Him.
Without Jesus, we can do nothing. With Him, all things are possible.
I saw first hand where my vanity led me…to insanity, becoming hospitalized 5 times in mental institutions. Romans 1 tells us that those who don’t like to retain the knowledge of God will be turned over to a reprobate mind (insanity, alone with one’s own thoughts, a scary place to be).
Repentance from pride, no longer being conformed to the world’s way of thinking, and seeking God for His thoughts instead, is the road we’re to be on. A transformed thought life brings peace, truth, and the presence of the Lord along with the accompaniment of joy.
Your choice and mine. Vanity, or repentance from all pride.
I have chosen the higher walk and the freedom that it brings. So can you.
Free in Him,
Ann Doupont
Author of “God Can Heal Anything!”
(If you are in the USA, you can have a copy of this book by sending $13 to me at P.O. Box 44903, Boise, ID 83711. By sending $50, you will receive all 4 of my books and 6 booklets. For more info regarding them, please either write to me or visit my website at www.anndoupont.org.)
Author's Resource Box
Ann Doupont is an author, intercessor for her country and a preacher of righteousness. See www.anndoupont.org to learn more about her.
Article Source:
Christian Articles Resource
