KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, July 17, 2016
Chapters: Ecclesiastes 1-4
Message: Being Successful With God
Hello My Friend,
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 Jews, but is addressed to all believers. The purpose of the book provides a description of the quest for life apart from God, to prove that no matter how much one has, it is vanity (worthless) and vexation (distressing) of the spirit if God is not a part of that life. “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. He was taught to love the Lord His God, with all his heart, mind, and soul. Solomon did very well in the beginning of his reign, and loved and fear God and not only became the wisest, but the richest man in the world. The word Ecclesiastes means, the preacher, he wrote this book in his old age after realizing all the mistakes he made, the most valuable lesson he learned was that no amount of possessions or even wisdom satisfies, it all becomes worthless and distressing to the spirit.
“I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.
“For in much wisdom is much grief:” I understand what Solomon is talking about here, too much wisdom gives you a headache, among other things, I wish I did not know some of the things I know because they do bring sorrow. I understand why God when He created Adam and Eve told them not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil because He was trying to keep them from knowing all the things that would bring corruption to them. It is good to know things, we need to never stop learning because that is what keeps us active and alive, but some things are better left not knowing, trust me, I am sure you know something that you wish you did not. Solomon did not stop there, he realized something else, it is also vanity and vexation of the spirit to have and get everything you want.
“And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 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.” – Ecclesiastes 2:10-17.
“Therefore I hated life;” This is so true also, I was never wealthy nor will ever be, but I have been successful and when I wanted something I got it, having everything I wanted turned me into someone that I did not even recognize. Having everything you want makes you hate life rather than enjoy it because life does not come in a perfect package. That job you worked so hard for comes with people that hate you, that person you got turned out to be a nightmare, that house or car you worked so hard for got taken away because you gave up on life. This is why Jesus tells us that unless we hear Him and do what He says, we might as well be building our lives upon the sand.
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” – Matthew 7:24-27.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that good old fashioned hard work does not pay off, God wants us to work, and He wants to bless us according to our work, He just wants to be first on our list. Nothing lasts, but if we have God we know we have Him forever, and as long as we look to Him, everything we do will prosper.
“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. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.” – Ecclesiastes 3:9-16.
“whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever:” The more we work, the more we are going to reap the benefits of our labor, but we must not forget that God is our source for everything. Just as He increases our wealth and earthly possessions by walking with Him, He can decrease them if we lag behind. Keep Him in the center of all that we do and we will increase with more, forget about Him, and we may lose everything. It is not about what we get here on earth that we need to be concerned with, it is what we are doing to get it, we must build everything on Christ, otherwise it will not stand, even Solomon knew that. “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.” – I Corinthians 3:11-14.
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 and the temptation of the oppressed. “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. Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 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.” – Ecclesiastes 4:1-4,9,10.
“but they had no comforter.” Rich or poor, we all need a comforter, someone to help us through good and bad times. 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 all destructible. 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, Jesus 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.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” – Ecclesiastes 3:17. Jesus is Judge of all and He will judge us according to our works.
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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