I'm Following Jesus – Page 1425 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Saturday, June 20, 2020
Chapters: Ecclesiastes 1-6
Message: A Fools Voice

Hello My Friend,

I have a heavy heart today, and it has been for a while now, but comes and goes over the days. Every time I think that life itself cannot be more precious something comes up that makes it even more of a reminder. There was a quote that I saw that is coming to mind as I read the chapters for today, [You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to tell me what mine must be.] Life is way too precious to tear people apart because you do not agree with their opinion of you. Yes, I said you. People often form an opinion of you based on what they think they know about you. When we do not conform to their image we are the ones who are in the wrong. Let me tell you, there is a time and a purpose for all that we must face in this life that God has given us, it is God’s plan for us, He deals with us His way, and who are we to question His way for others lives.

[Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.]

The Book of Ecclesiastes contains twelve chapters, the timeline is approximately 977 BC. The author of the book is 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 it. Solomon was brought up by David, who was the apple of God’s eye. He was taught to love the Lord with all his heart, mind, and soul no matter what happened in his life. Solomon did very well in the beginning, he truly loved and feared God, and not only became the wisest, but the richest man in the world. Solomon had over eleven hundred women in his life, if that was any indication that he felt he was missing something in life than I do not know what else would. Solomon wrote this book near the end of his life after realizing that knowing too much brings much sorrow.

[Ecclesiastes 1:10-11,13,16-18 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after. 13 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. 16 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. 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.]

[it hath been already of old time,] There is nothing in this world that is happening today that God has not seen. Just imagine what it must have been like before He decided to end the world with the flood the first time. These were wicked people, reprobates, not believers, God will never end the world with even one of believer on it, but He will judge the world for its evil. [For in much wisdom is much grief:] Did you ever find out something that you wish you never did? There are many things I learned that still bring me grief today, and there is a reason why God does not tell us everything, and tells us to keep things to ourselves. I completely understand where Solomon is coming from, the more you know, especially about the things of the world, the more sorrow it brings because you begin to lust for them, without Christ, it is easy for the flesh to succumb to the lusts of the world. Solomon did not stop at wanting to know, he wanted to do, and he succumbed to every lust in his heart.

[Ecclesiastes 2:3,10-12,17 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 10 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. 11 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. 12 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. 17 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.]

[till I might see what was that good for the sons of men,] I am guilty of this, when I was in my late twenties, having never experienced the world, went out into it, and it bit me hard. The only thing I really learned through all of it is how much I needed Jesus in my life, [because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me:] I have had dozens of jobs since I was fifteen years old, out of all of them only one brought me great joy, but then it turned grievous because that was when I found the world. Then I discovered something, my heart was not in it. You see, anything becomes grievous for us when we discover that we are not in God’s will. The highest position anyone could ever have is to be the leader of a country, that was God’s will for Solomon, what was not in God’s will for him was all the women he married of different faiths, it turned his heart away from God. When our heart is not right with God that is when we try everything else to feel the way we did when we were, and it fails. Solomon realized something else, he was oppressed, and had no one to comfort him.

[Ecclesiastes 4:1-3,9-11 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. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 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. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 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. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?]

[but they had no comforter.] Oppressed; Burdened with unreasonable impositions; overpowered; overburdened; depressed. Depression is the number one reason why people fall into a life of sin and away from God. Solomon sought comfort through women, substance, wealth, work, the more he turned to the world for comfort the further away he got from God. [better is he than both they, which hath not yet been,] Death is something that we will never understand, we cannot lose sight of how precious life is when we mourn those who died, nor be afraid of what is to come. Heaven is the best place we can be, if this life of ours should turn into a life of sin, and we lose sight of God, we will die in our sin, but we always have Christ to turn to, He is our Comforter, [Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.]

[but woe to him that is alone when he falleth;] This is why I have been expressing this week the importance of having compassion on people. People mess up, we all mess up, we do not need judgment when we are hurting, we need comfort. Perhaps if we as Christians were not so critical of people when they have fallen, there would not be so many who turn to more sin in order to find comfort? Let me tell you, in all reality our only comfort is Christ, we are not alone when we come to Him. Jesus never condones sin, and He will call us on it, but He loves us, will never leave us, and does not condemn us for life. In fact, He removes that sin, forgives us, and it is forgotten. It is our fellow Christian that never let things go and see fit to condemn us for the rest of our lives. Teaching us and guiding us in the Word of God is not the same as shaming people. Sometimes, it is best to keep silent and let God handle it rather than open our mouths, especially when we do not know the matter.

[Ecclesiastes 5:2-3,6-7 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.]

[and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.] You know those people, the ones who never see their wrong, but seem to point out yours. They never stop talking, pointing out all kinds of Scripture to try to prove to you that you are wrong, they are right, and we better obey them or else? Let me tell you, there is just as much Scripture to prove them wrong, but that makes us no better than them. Why? There is a time to remain silent and a time to speak. Arguing with them will only add fuel to the fire, as they can care less what really happened. [wherefore should God be angry at thy voice] Keep speaking rash words using God and His Word, and see what happens. I will say it again, judge not unless you want to be judged by God yourself, [Matthew 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.]

Let me tell you, those who are quick to get angry when you tell them not to judge you, and tell you the only reason you are angry with them is because your sin was exposed, have much bigger problems than you do. It is not we who admit we have sinned that need to seek forgiveness as we are already forgiven by God when we went to Him confessing our sin. It is those who falsely accuse and shame those who are already forgiven that need to seek forgiveness for the way they treated you, [Matthew 23:23-26 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.]

Today’s Prayer: God, As much as I try to do everything with Your Son guiding me I know I fail miserably at it. I know that without Christ, life truly is vain. 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, and that all things work out for good when I put my faith and trust in You. Lord, Forgive me where I failed You, give me Your power, strength, and guidance to do the work You called me to do. Help me to build everything upon Your foundation so I cannot fall. And if I do fall, pick me back up, let me not look to the world for comfort and direction, but to You who is my comfort. Let me make each day count by filling it with Your love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and compassion on all. And let me never shame anyone into submission, with harsh judgment, rather teach them Your ways, Your way. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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