Introduction

Greetings, everyone. Today, we continue with our series. This is a highly critical subject, and we have already reached our fifth sermon. Today, I present the fifth thesis in our series on Wisdom, Folly, and Madness: To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness.

You must understand that many things in life require empirical testing. King Solomon conducted a monumental experiment. Just as modern scientists run experiments, record data, and publish papers, Solomon documented his findings. But here lies the problem with modern research: when the data does not fit, some resort to falsification.

They fabricate data, hoping to secure a prestigious fellowship in the Academy of Sciences. But then, an academic whistleblower—someone who did not even complete his PhD—comes along. Armed with artificial intelligence, he scans these papers and exposes the fraud. Several academicians and outstanding young scholars are brought down. It is a remarkable feat.

Falsifying data may bring temporary gratification, but the subsequent disgrace is absolute. How do you recover from that? You cannot simply go back and redo your doctorate. It is a dead end. This is the reality of the matter.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, we must understand that true science requires empirical integrity. If you fabricate data, it is no longer science. It is a sham.

Solomon conducted a grand experiment and recorded his findings in the Book of Ecclesiastes. His core thesis is this: To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness. Solomon denied himself nothing his eyes desired or his heart lusted after.

Yet, once he attained everything, he realized—as many of you might have—that it was utterly meaningless. He wrote it down himself: all was vanity and a striving after wind. True joy is found only in God. He ran the experiment so we do not have to.

The reality is that you and I do not have the resources to replicate Solomon's experiment on such a grand scale. But we can observe it in our own modest lives. You will find that acquiring material things ultimately yields no lasting satisfaction.

Yesterday, I met two PhDs in biology—scholars from the East. When I made a point, their immediate response was: "Where is your experiment? Where is your control group?" For instance, I suggested that physical exercise does not necessarily guarantee longevity.

I argued: look at flies and mosquitoes. They exert immense energy flapping their wings constantly, yet their lifespans are extremely short. Conversely, the tortoise moves slowly, almost like practicing Tai Chi, yet it lives for centuries. The scientists immediately dismissed this as pseudo-science.

I admitted I am no scientist; it was merely an intuitive observation. They corrected me, explaining how a proper scientific control works: you must take a thousand flies, let them fly, and take another thousand, confine them in tiny boxes so they cannot move, and then compare their lifespans.

I had to concede their scientific rigor. I proposed other theories, but they insisted on empirical proof. Without a controlled experiment, my ideas carried no weight in their eyes.

In the presence of scientists, without peer-reviewed papers, empirical data, or control groups, you have no standing. It was a humbling exchange. But I do not argue fruitlessly. When proven wrong, I capitulate immediately. It is far more practical.

Yet, I have conducted my own modest research on human existence. Consider cancer patients. They are often deeply unhappy because they are rigidly convinced of their own righteousness. When the scientists challenged me, I did not argue. I yielded. It is like punching cotton—no one gets hurt.

I value Solomon's experiment, but I have also gathered my own data. Over the years, I have ministered to numerous cancer patients. The common denominator is that they all perceive themselves as good people, yet they harbor deep resentment, believing the world has treated them unfairly.

The scientists correctly identified the core issue: it is not merely their self-righteousness, but the internal friction and bitterness they carry. If a person does not insist on their own righteousness, they would not harbor such bitterness. They would not feel aggrieved by the world's response.

But when you believe you are righteous, you constantly ask, "Why has the world wronged me?" This breeds misery. My sample size is small, but the conclusion is clear: this is the "cancer personality." It robs a person of joy.

Upon close observation, I realized much of life is vanity. I understood this even in my youth. People wonder why I live so lightheartedly. It is because I do not insist on my own way.

I do not demand my rights, nor do I insist on my own righteousness. When misery knocks, I cast it out. I do not, like some, systematically destroy my own joy. My thesis is simple: life is defined by your state of mind.

Every week, I deliver a sermon—this is my ongoing thesis. When a man lies in his coffin, can he say, "I have lived a full and joyful life from birth to death"? That is the ultimate test. To find joy in one's toil is a gift from God.

Others spend their lives in perpetual anxiety, dying with their eyes wide open in unresolved regret. What a tragedy. My teachings are not empty rhetoric; they are forged through personal practice. I practice what I preach.

Who can rob me of my joy? Of course, I face difficult moments, but I conquer them. I do not allow circumstances to extinguish my joy. We must never forget the purpose of living: to live joyfully. God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him. Without wisdom, joy is impossible.

Consider the businessman who forgets his starting point. Initially, as a beggar, a ten-dollar bowl of noodles brought him immense joy. He worked hard to make money, but forgot that joy does not scale with wealth. Once rich, that same ten-dollar bowl of noodles no longer satisfies him.

They get caught up in networking, customer acquisition, and market expansion. The anxiety consumes them, and they lose their joy. Even when they profit, they are not happy; when they lose, they are devastated. Eventually, they work themselves into cancer. Scripture says: "To the sinner, God gives the task of gathering and storing up." How true.

They fit the description perfectly. The sinner sits in the seat of anxiety and misery. Without wisdom, joy is an impossibility. They make their business their god, only to forfeit their lives for it. What does it profit a man?

Someone once told me, "Pastor Liu, we must scale up and grow stronger." I thought to myself: scaling up often leads to prison. I prefer to preserve my joy. I will not walk blindly into traps or climb ladders that can be pulled out from under me. I choose joy.

Some build churches only to end up deeply anxious. I do not comprehend this. Why should ministry produce misery? Some even test me, asking, "Pastor Liu, what will happen to the Chinese Mingding Doctrine after you die?" I do not concern myself with that. God is in control. My focus is to find joy in my toil.

To worry about what happens after my death is a futile exercise. Who can surpass me in joy? I do not need worldly indulgences to be happy; those are vanity. I am an observer of my own internal state.

In the early 1990s, when I did not own a car, I imagined how wonderful it would be to have one—to go on picnics and road trips. So, I ran an experiment.

Three days after getting my license, I bought a used car, a tent, a picnic table, and cooking gear. I bought into the lifestyle marketed by the sellers. It looked beautiful on video.

I used them twice and never went back. Pitching and packing a muddy tent was exhausting. I realized that drinking coffee by the beach felt no different from drinking it at home. Eventually, the gear was thrown out as rubbish. It was meaningless.

Before you own something, you romanticize it. But the reality is different. I rarely drove the car; it sat depreciating outside my window. However, I made sure the purchase was economically viable. I used it to transport materials for DIY projects, saving significant costs on home renovations.

People think decorating a house with plants and flowers will bring lasting happiness. But within three months, the novelty fades, and it becomes a chore. The peak of happiness is actually during the process of creation and labor. Joy in toil is indeed a gift from God.

The greatest satisfaction comes from solving problems and completing a task. The church must teach people how to live joyfully. This is a profound science. Run your own small-scale experiments. You will find that whenever you replace God with anything else, your sorrow will inevitably multiply—whether it is your business, your money, or your family.

If love is your god, and you chase after some grand, passionate romance, you end up like Romeo and Juliet. Others chase the same illusion and end up like Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. It is a mercy they never married. Had they married, the romance would have died, and the story would lose its charm. So, let us be clear: what is the purpose of your life? Have you understood this fundamental point?

If your boss gives you a challenging task, do it with joy. If he gives you a mundane task, do it with joy as well. Is that clear? If you have to clean toilets, clean them with joy. If you have to sweep the floor, sweep it with joy. If you are an engineer, be a joyful engineer. If you are a scientist, be a joyful scientist. Why? Because this is a gift from God. Is it not?

You must acquire wisdom—specifically, the wisdom of joy. Brothers and sisters, this is crucial. Let me tell you this: God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him. The key, therefore, is to be a person who pleases God. One of my co-workers once said to me, "Pastor, we must never provoke God's anger. At all costs, we must please Him. Our very survival depends on pleasing God."

Do you understand? Do not forget to throw yourselves completely into joy. You might think "throwing yourself into it" only applies to hard labor, but I say apply it to joy. How do you find this joy? By the Word of God. Is that not so? Keep and obey His commandments. Does God delight in burnt offerings and peace offerings as much as in obedience to His Word? I tell you, if you strictly obey God's Word, you will please Him. And when you please Him, you will surely receive wisdom, knowledge, and joy.

I thank God that I have my own clear logic when building a church. Why? Because I have seen too many people build churches only to end up in a complete mess. There is constant infighting—power struggles within the church. What is the point of that? Is that God's command? Absolutely not. Therefore, we must please God. If we are to build a church, we must build one that is holy, united, and filled with God's glory, strictly according to His Word.

So here I am, throwing myself into joy. Joy in everything I do. You might say I have a natural talent for ministry. When I was a student, I was joyful and carefree. When I worked, I was joyful and carefree. After believing in the Lord, I became immensely joyful. To know God and to believe in Him wholeheartedly—what could be better?

Let me tell you, some people live such conflicted lives after believing in the Lord. They attend services as if they are doing the pastor a favor. I am not like that. For decades, I have never missed a single Sunday service. Is that not remarkable? Why did I do it? To please God. And when I pleased God, I received wisdom, knowledge, and joy. And guess what? I became an executive before I was forty—in my thirties. It was excellent, was it not?

Even if you do not care for the executive title, surely you like the salary. It was a high salary, which made life very comfortable. Later, when I lost my job, I still had my God. I remained joyful, and things were perfectly fine. Do not forget, brothers and sisters, the ultimate experience of life is joy. Do not ruin yourselves with misery.

Scripture

Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can have enjoyment, more than I? For God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26)

Prayer

God, today let us, as brothers and sisters, rejoice together in You. God, let us resolve to be people who please You—our sole focus must be to please You. God, grant us wisdom, knowledge, and joy from Your hand. Deliver us from the bondage of sinners and from all this futile labor. Help us see the true essence of life and realize that we need You to survive and thrive. God, lead us to victory and utterly destroy those dark forces that seek to rob us of our inner joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Background of the Scripture

Let me tell you, today's message is excellent. I particularly enjoy preaching on joy. Do you think Solomon built those palaces simply because he liked building them? No, he was conducting a grand experiment. My personal view—though he did not state it explicitly—is that after he finished building God's temple and established order in his kingdom, he decided to write Ecclesiastes in his old age. He wanted to run a systematic experiment: to acquire everything his eyes desired and his heart fancied, just to see if it brought true joy. But he warned himself to keep a clear head. He guided his heart with wisdom, knowing he was the experimenter, not the subject to be consumed by the experiment. Solomon kept his wits about him.

What was his first experiment? Alcohol. He drank. Whether it was cheap spirits or premium liquor like Maotai, he tried it all. He said wine cheered his heart. But what happened after the buzz faded? It was just temporary comfort.

Then he moved to the next experiment: massive infrastructure. He built grand houses for himself. But let us be realistic: how much space does a man actually need? Whether you live in a hundred square meters or a six-hundred-square-meter mansion, you can only occupy one room at a time. If you gave me an entire building with over a hundred rooms, I would be terrified. Who is living in the other rooms? I am not running a hotel. It is absurd.

But Solomon had a massive household. He embarked on mega-projects. He built, landscaped, planted vineyards, grew orchards, and constructed reservoirs for irrigation. He acquired a vast number of servants because maintaining such estates requires manpower. Money was no object; Solomon was immensely wealthy.

He accumulated herds of cattle and sheep. But let us look at the practical reality: livestock must be fed. If they are hungry, they make a racket. Dealing with living creatures is a massive headache. If you do not feed them, they starve. It is like having a pet dog today; when you travel, you have to find a pet hotel. It is a constant worry. Solomon had to manage all these servants and constantly ask, "Have the cattle been fed?" It was exhausting.

Then he amassed silver, gold, and treasures. He collected precious stones, jade, antiques, ivory carvings, and fine art. He gathered male and female singers, and many concubines. He denied himself nothing his eyes desired. He took pleasure in all his work, and this was his reward.

But in the quiet of the night, after experiencing all the luxury the world could offer, what happens? Imagine someone showing off a priceless treasure—like a legendary night-shining pearl. People boast about their collections, saying, "Look at this stamp, it is worth two million dollars."

But when the guests leave and you lie in bed, you ask yourself: "What am I doing?" You exhaust yourself. To collect treasures, you must study connoisseurship. If you buy a fake, you become a laughingstock. It is a stressful business. Many collectors today are utterly exhausted by this.

Look at me: I travel with just two suitcases—a small carry-on and a larger one for all seasons. Why accumulate so much clutter? If you have treasures, let me look at them, and I will give you a thumbs-up. But I do not want to own them and become their servant. Connoisseurship is hard work. I prefer to let others do the worrying while I simply appreciate it.

Solomon lay in bed thinking, "What am I doing? I am exhausted. Who will inherit all this?" It was all vanity. He had everything a man could want, yet he felt a profound emptiness. What was the net gain?

He realized his own vanity. He had shown off his prized possessions to boast. It was foolish and arrogant. He turned his mind to understand wisdom, madness, and folly. What can the man do who comes after the king? No one could replicate his achievements. It was pure arrogance.

Then Solomon fell into despair. Let me tell you, reaching the pinnacle of success and fame is a heavy burden. Once you are famous, you are constantly scrutinized and judged. It is highly uncomfortable. Solomon's despair lay in this realization: "As it happens to the fool, it also happens to me. Why was I then more wise?" In other words, both the wise man and the fool must die. If I cannot live forever, what is the point of amassing all this wealth? Solomon's great experiment proved that even with absolute abundance, life without God is utter vanity.

We all die the same way. When your time is up, you close your eyes and that is the end of it. Neither the wise nor the fool will be remembered forever. Who will remember you, and for what purpose? Fortunately, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes so we can learn from his experiment today.

Had he not written it, his life would have no relevance to us. Why should we care about his collections? It is all meaningless under the sun.

When I was an executive, I mingled with wealthy board members. They had private chefs, massive luxury apartments, and private lifts. But they all die the same way. When you realize that death is the ultimate equalizer, everything under the sun becomes vanity and a striving after the wind. Solomon said, "Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind."

He hated all his labor because he had to leave it to his successor, who might be a wise man or a fool. Yet that person would control all the fruits of his wisdom. This is vanity. If you place ultimate value on material things, the realization of death will drive you to despair.

Why work so hard? Why suffer anxiety and sleepless nights? You worry about thieves stealing your priceless treasures. You cannot trust anyone. It is an exhausting way to live.

You lie awake wondering if your servants are plotting to steal your treasures. This is the reality of material obsession. But Solomon woke up to the truth: "I am conducting an experiment. I must not fall into this trap. I must share the results: enjoy your labor, please God, and receive His wisdom, knowledge, and joy." Do not live as a sinner enslaved by material things.

Why labor in vain? This is a wake-up call. Your business is not your god. Your possessions must not be your god. If they are, your sorrow will only multiply. If you marry a beauty solely for her looks, you will live in constant fear of losing her to someone wealthier. You cannot win that game.

Do you understand this? This is how the upper echelons of society live. In the end, Solomon concluded: there is nothing better for a man than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in his hard work. This, I see, is from the hand of God. For who can eat or find enjoyment apart from Him? Do you grasp the logic here? Under the sun, we must eat well. Eating brings joy. We must find satisfaction in our labor.

Do not lose your way in the midst of your labor. Do not make the mistake of treating material possessions as your ultimate treasure. If you do, what do you become? A mere security guard for your own wealth. The truth is, you are far more valuable than any possession. You are created by God; you possess inherent dignity. Your worth does not come from material things. I do not become honorable because of a small suitcase.

Our dignity comes from God. Solomon understood this well. Do not wait until you are bedridden, unable to taste or enjoy anything, when visitors come and say, "Eat whatever you like." What can you eat then? Everything has lost its flavor. What will you do at that point? God has designed a marvelous mechanism—our ability to taste and enjoy good food.

There is nothing better than to eat and drink. Do not wait until your senses are dulled to realize this. When people ask what you want to eat, you should be able to say, "I have tasted it all. I have enjoyed my breakfast, my lunch, my dinner, and my celebrations." I have found joy in my labor. I did not live as a sinner in anxiety and toil, only to leave my hard-earned wealth to others.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, let me impart a fundamental concept to you: be a person who pleases God. To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness. With wisdom, you see through the illusions of life. While you still have the capacity, eat, drink, and work with joy. When the time comes for you to close your eyes and expire, you can say with confidence: "I lived a good life. I pleased God, and I received wisdom, knowledge, and joy." We must prioritize joy. Let me tell you plainly: without wisdom, joy is impossible.

Test and Prove It

You must investigate this thoroughly. Do not dismiss this by saying, "You don't understand how challenging my job is; try being joyful in my position." To that, I answer with the rigor of a scientist: if you have not run the experiment, if you have not tested the hypothesis, your opinion is worthless. You cannot rely on mere assumptions. You must test it; you must prove it.

Do not argue with me on this. I have tested and proven it. Life is lived through our experiences, but these experiences are deeply spiritual. If you complain of bloating, I tell you it is a spirit of bloating. If you feel tension in your back, it is a spirit of self-righteousness. This is not wild speculation or mere theory. I have demonstrated this through practical results.

A lack of joy is a severe problem. Therefore, let us choose to be joyful, invulnerable to external circumstances. No one should be able to rob you of your inner joy. If your boss tells you that you have made a mistake, do not get defensive. Simply ask, "What is the correct way?" Once you know, correct it. Say, "Yes, boss, I will rectify this immediately."

Do not immediately offer excuses or shift the blame. If you play the blame game, others will play it back at you. It leads to endless friction and zero joy. Such behavior is completely devoid of wisdom—it is certainly not the wisdom of God. You must examine this. I want you to investigate thoroughly. Compare God's Word with your own ideas. Test them both, and see which produces a better life.

Your own cognitive level is substandard. It is primitive. God's cognition is on an entirely different plane—as high as the heavens are above the earth. To say your understanding is on the ground is a compliment; in reality, it is buried deep underground.

Hold Fast to Wisdom, Remember Your Purpose

Solomon understood that his life was an experiment. He knew he had to hold fast to wisdom. Whenever he strayed, he corrected himself: "Solomon, do not be foolish. Return to wisdom." He experienced struggles and despair, but he always returned to wisdom.

Do not forget why you are here on this earth. Did you come here to be miserable, to suffer, or to be consumed by sickness? What is your purpose? Remember, humanity is part of God's grand design. God wants to save us and give us wisdom. He does not want to rob us of joy or our capacity for reason. He wants to prevent our corruption so that we may reflect His image. Look back at the last few decades—they passed in the blink of an eye. The next few decades will pass just as quickly. How many decades do you have left? Not many. Therefore, you must hold fast to wisdom.

This wisdom is critical. The Word of God, recorded in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes by Solomon, is the essence of wisdom. If you desire wisdom, study these books. Recently, a co-worker pointed out the biblical term "scoffer." Scripture warns us not to sit in the seat of scoffers. A wise person knows his purpose: did you come to live as a sinner, or to manifest the image of God?

Examine Your Pursuits: Are They Your True Goal?

Consider the United States in the 1920s, right after the First World War. The American economy boomed, much like our own rapid development in recent decades. It was an era of the nouveau riche. Prominent writers emerged, such as Ernest Hemingway, who wrote The Old Man and the Sea.

It was the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties. Another famous work from that era is The Great Gatsby. Gatsby was a classic upstart, exhausting himself his entire life in pursuit of wealth and status. And what was the outcome? He was shot dead because of a woman, and his funeral was empty. It was a meaningless end.

We must examine ourselves. Are we living like Gatsby, or like the old man in Hemingway's novel? What is our ultimate objective? Personally, I have no desire for mere wealth, fame, or status. My objective is simple: to be a joyful person. That is a worthy goal.

How do I achieve this? I do not want my life to be a tragedy like The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Old Man and the Sea, or The Great Gatsby. I want to live with joy as an ordinary citizen. To achieve this, I must please God. Solomon pleased God by building the Temple. I please God by building His glorious Church. When God is pleased with me, He grants me wisdom, knowledge, and joy. External circumstances cannot rob me of this joy, because my purpose is to live in the image of Jesus Christ.

Some might ask, "What is the point of that? Others are building massive conglomerates like Evergrande, while you build nothing of the sort." I do not care for such things. God holds all resources in His hands. Christ is my ultimate treasure. Serving Him is my lifelong destiny. This is the core of the Mingding Doctrine.

When I am finally laid to rest, my spirit will testify that I lived a life of joy—joy in my labor, joy in my service, and joy in building the Church. Some might ask, "How can you be joyful without money?" That is a logical fallacy. If I please God, will He leave me in poverty? God has unlimited resources. Building His glorious Church will never lack funding. Your logic is flawed if you think otherwise.

We must re-examine our objectives. Why are you here? If your goal is to raise a family, that is perfectly fine. But you must work hard at it. If you fail to please God, you fall into the category of a sinner, and God will subject you to meaningless toil. If your life is nothing but painful struggle, there is a fundamental problem.

Build your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ. That is the only viable objective. Never treat God as a tool for financial gain. God is awesome and to be feared. Our ultimate purpose is to return to Him and to live out the design He intended for us.

Pleasing God is the Key

The logic is simple: if you please God, He is with you. If you do not, you invite demonic presence. Can you prosper under demonic influence? When you complain of chest tightness, throat pain, or spinal issues, it is a spiritual problem.

Why do these afflictions occur? Because of demonic presence. And why are they present? Because you lack wisdom. You do not know your purpose. You live aimlessly, falling into sin, and God subjects sinners to painful toil. If you choose to toil for your own selfish desires, that is your choice. But I refuse to live that way.

Everything I have comes from God. It is not the mere result of my own striving, but the result of pleasing Him. God's presence brings blessing; demonic presence brings a curse. How do we secure God's presence? By obeying His commands and understanding His laws. This is the core message of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine: know God and obey His decrees.

God Gives Wisdom, Knowledge, and Joy to Those Who Please Him

If you possess true joy, you will remain unshakable even in times of trouble. You will be strong because God dwells within you. You will receive wisdom. Without wisdom, your life will be miserable.

Look at our crowded hospitals. Someone once told me that Singapore's healthcare system is lagging behind China's because China has a vast volume of clinical cases and highly experienced doctors. Singapore, being small, does not have that scale of patients.

But let us look at the root cause. Sickness is often a reflection of a cluttered, impure mind. Why choose to displease God? Pleasing God is far more effective than any insurance policy. Insurance only pays out after you fall ill; God keeps you in good health so that you do not need a payout in the first place.

Before this sermon, when we prayed, many were healed. Think of the cost-benefit analysis: dedicating your life to God prevents years of being bedridden, suffering from dementia, or living in misery. Is that not a highly profitable transaction? It is common sense.

This is why you must study diligently and take precise notes. You must understand what pleases God. You must discover your destiny and build His Church. Solomon did exactly this. Did he lack anything? Nothing at all. God gave him wisdom and knowledge. If you have wisdom and knowledge, you will never lack resources. He will also grant you joy, health, and everything you require.

Amen. May God bless you all.