Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Today's Chapters: Ecclesiastes 1-4
Message Title: Taking A Fall

The Book of Ecclesiastes is the twenty-first book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twelve chapters. The timeline is approximately 977 BC. The author of the book is King Solomon and it was first written to the Israelites, but it is for all believers. The purpose of the book was to provide a description of the quest for life apart from God and to prove that life apart from God, no matter how much one has, is vanity (worthless) and vexation (distressing) of the spirit. “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 2:26.

King Solomon was brought up by King David, a man known as the apple of God's eye. Solomon was taught by David to love the Lord His God, with all his heart, mind, and soul. Solomon did very well in the beginning of his reign as king, and because he put God first he prospered greatly. Not only was he the richest man in the world, he was the wisest also, but once he got a taste of the world, he lost his zeal for God. He wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes near the end of his life when we realized all the wisdom and wealth in the world could not replace God. “All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 1:8-10,14.

The word vanity means emptiness; want of substance to satisfy desire, it has no real meaning, vexation of spirit means to irritate. Everything that we labor for loses it's meaning when we begin to focus on the things that we want from it. Yes, we need to work to pay for the things we need, but when what we have is not enough, that is when it becomes meaningless and irritating to our spirit. I often wonder how bad it really had to be when God chose to flood the entire earth, we think that the things we are seeing today are new, but God has already seen them,. The result of what we see today is because we are not content with what God gives us, and get trapped into wanting too many things that are meaningless. Solomon found this our first hand.

“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes2:1,14-17.

The truth is, the more we do without God, the more we seek the things of the world, the more we seek the things of the world, the less grateful we are of what we already have. True happiness is not found in all we can possess, the richest person on earth knows this, but they will never admit it because they fear losing the worldly things that they have. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” - Mark 10:25.

You know the saying, “Less is more.” or “The less you know the better.” When we start to learn things it grieves us because we have to work harder to get the same result. I know there are some things I learned that I would have been better off not knowing, they haven't made my life any easier nor have they increased my riches, all I got was vanity and vexation of my spirit. And let me tell you, without God, the job or life you once loved turns to hate because it's all vanity. “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” - Ecclesiastes 3:9-14.

If you ever wondered why God allows the ungodly to prosper, He does it to try and get them to see that He is the source of their success. If they do not acknowledge Him, they will lose it. Which reminds me of why we must build everything upon the foundation of Christ, if it fails it will not be a total loss. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.

Why do we grieve and start to hate life the more successful we become? We are trying to use our own strength and are miserable at it. Solomon learned a great lesson about team work. “So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” - Ecclesiastes 4:1-3,9-12.

A comforter, someone who will be there to encourage us to keep going, to be the courage we need to get back up when we fall, and to offer the love we need when we have gone astray. There is no other comforter who can do all of these things than the Holy Spirit, who leads us, guides us, teaches us, helps us, and even corrects us when we need it. No matter how strong we think we are we are not Superman, we are all destructible, even Superman had weaknesses. Christ is the strength of every Christian, the Holy Spirit is our Comforter, if we do anything in our own strength we will always fall, but thanks to Jesus, who will get us back up. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:11-13.

Today's Prayer: God, As much as I try to do everything with Your Son guiding me I know I fail miserably at it. Sometimes I think I can handle it on my own and that You do not want to deal with such petty things, but I know that You want to be in every part of my life, even when I am doing simple chores. Lord, give me Your power, strength, and guidance to labor for my work. Help me to build everything upon Your foundation so I cannot fall. If I do fall keep me looking to You and for the blessings that come from my loss. Let me use my knowledge to glorify You so my spirit will not grow to hate the things I love to do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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