Daily Bible Verse
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. - Revelation 3:20
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to our home on the World Wide Web. Thank you for taking the time to visit our web site and to find out about the Prior Lake Baptist Church and Christian School.
There are several quests that various men throughout history have embarked upon with great fervor and dedication-the search for the Titanic, Noah's Ark, and the Fountain of Youth are but a few memorable examples. These epic adventures have met with many failures and a few successes down through the ages.
I'm on a quest too, and so are you. That quest is for real joy, contentment, and meaning in life. This is one quest that must not end in failure. Therefore, I encourage you to take a few minutes of time to read this letter, as there is great hope for success!
Nearly three thousand years ago, a deep-thinking individual, a man named Solomon, dared to ask some really honest questions about life:
What is life all about?
What things or activities can satisfy the soul?
What can fill the void I feel from time to time?
Can education? Solomon devoted much of his adult life to serious study. He became a world-renowned expert in several disciplines, including literature, music, and the sciences. His conclusion: "What is twisted can not be straightened; what is lacking can not be counted… the more knowledge, the more grief." (Ecclesiastes 1:15, 18)
Can possessions? Solomon tried that route too. He built houses, vineyards, and gardens. He lived in a house that took 13 years to build and was half the length of a football field. His conclusion: "I denied myself nothing my eyes desire; I refused my heart no pleasure. Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11)
Can pleasure? Solomon explored all the so-called pleasures of life… he made a deliberate choice to become the life of the party. "I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly." (Ecclesiastes 2:3) His conclusion: "that also proved meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 2:1)
How about work? Total immersion in one's career… setting and reaching high goals… make a name for one's self in one's chosen profession. Surely that will satisfy the deepest longings of the heart! Well, Solomon tried that too! His conclusion: "This too is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 2:17-26) He ended up hating his life.
Well, maybe you do not hate your life. But is there the growing feeling that there has to be more… that something is missing? We know how you feel. We tried it all too… and we came to the conclusion Solomon came to: "it's meaningless… meaningless… these pursuits leave one feeling empty. They do not satisfy the deep longing of the heart."
Can we share some good news with you?
We found it! Our search for peace, satisfaction and contentment is over.
Actually, we did not find it. We found a person (or should we say, this person found us?)
Let us describe this person to you:
He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.
He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty.
He never traveled two hundred miles from the place he was born.
He never wrote a book or held an office.
He did none of the things usually associated with greatness.
But no one who has ever lived has affected the life of humankind as powerfully as this ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
Who?
Jesus Christ.
Would you like to know more about this person who can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart?
My quest for joy, contentment, and meaning for life has ended in the person of Jesus Christ. As King David of Israel said long ago, "In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11) Your quest for satisfaction can end here too, and I'd love to help you understand more. Feel free to call me at 952-447-2824 if you desire personal assistance. Also, you have an open invitation to attend our church services-Sundays at 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM. May God's grace and blessings be upon you!
Your Friend,
Pastor Ronald Groschel
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