Learning the Hard Way or the Better Way

Since worldly possessions is the belief that you have power.

These gifts are like Christmas. These are gifts you unwrap, only to discover that batteries are sold. What separate notice verse 19 everyone. Also, to whom God has given wealth and possessions and noticed power to enjoy their power comes lacked for nothing when it came to wealth and possessions. But as Stephen said a moment ago Solomon had to learn power to enjoy what he had came separately from the possessions themselves sometimes important lessons in life are learned the hard way when you go through trial, don't you love it when you find someone already been there who can give you guidance.

They learned the hard way so that you can learn the right way. Solomon learned many things the hard way and Ecclesiastes is full of advice on how we can find contentment the right way. Here Stephen Davey with today's message from God's word that what Solomon does is about to do in our study is introduce spyware inspiration to some lessons where we can learn either the hard way by experience or better way by belief in the truth, as described to highlight the difference in I can learn what Solomon does is provide two case studies for our observation back and Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and will call the first case study simply selfishness and insecurity. Lot of other words we can use that will stick with those two case study number one selfishness and insecurity.

We left off in verse 13 notes pick it up there. There is a previous evil that I have seen under the sun reaches were kept by an owner to his hurt and those riches were lost in a bad venture. Solomon says now let me tell you about something I've seen down here under the sun down here during my lifetime on this planet. I gotta tell you, this literally turns my stomach to work. Greediest can be rendered sickening. This is something that sours your stomach. This is something that troubles your heart, your mind and what is it that he saw.

He describes here a man who Is riches that were As the nuance of guarding your clutching or forwarding care for what is insecure. He's afraid I'll lose it. He doesn't let anybody enjoy. The implication is be able to father's day you can have it in the meantime, there's this bad venture Hebrew can be rendered simply enough bad business to invest in some bad business venture and loses everything now.

The implication in this study.

This case study is that he he had enough. He could have kept his riches. He didn't need more but he wanted more. He empties his bank account. The goals everything on a business deal that goes south, and he loses it all. Let me give you the lesson will look a little bit deeper. If you risk what you have to give more than you need, you won't enjoy what you have been you might lose what you need the description here is that this man has become self-centered, somewhat isolated, though he's wealthy using enjoying his riches. Solomon right his garden.

He's clutching it means he isn't sharing. He certainly is giving any of it away. He's evidently worried about it. You get the idea. His family is in enjoying any of it either, but then some kind of opportunity. Solomon doesn't describe it comes along now for a person like this to buy it must've had nothing less than the money back guarantee that it's going to be doubled or tripled or quadrupled. It'll be more than he could even imagine he's already read it all. Just imagine how rich I'll be. So he goes all in on this guaranteed venture. Solomon similar records in verse 14, without any commentary and those riches were lost. Gone.

How much did you lose Solomon describes it here in terms of being strict naked notice verse 15 as he described a case study number one. As he came from his mother's womb, he shall go again. Naked as he came shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.

This is this is a gut wrenching scene previous evil, just as he came. So Shelley and what game is there to him who toils for the wind. In the meantime between coming and going. What is he really profiting he's toiling for the wind he's chasing after more party learners gloving just saying already. When you chase after more, is like chasing after the wind capture now sponsor just about whether something is biblical about getting involved in a business venture. There's nothing wrong with sacrificing to start some enterprise. What we refer to selling the family farm and starting a business. The case study here though is of a man who is doing this not because he has needs are even he wants more to give away if he wants to have more.

The clutch he wants more to store away. He is risking what he has in order to get something he really doesn't need it. In the meantime is not enjoying what he has and he's about to lose everything. It's possible for all of us to miss the value of what we have. We set our sights on having more. I found this illustrated perfectly. The irony of someone missing the value of what he had because all he could think of was getting more this news report of a young man at Ottawa Canada robbed the bank. He held up a teller with his pistol and demanded all the cash she had little bank small, but she a Peter till under gunpoint.

He ran out of the bank with $6000 so his pistol waving in the air ran out $6000 richer. He was later caught and sentenced to six years in jail, but his pistol, which had been confiscated.

Ended up being auctioning off this young man's pistol was a rare cold semi automatic made by the Ross rifle company in 1918, worth $100,000 using $100,000 pistol. He is $6000 and five in jail.

He had no idea what he had. He missed the value of something he already had, and desiring more. That's learning a lesson the hard Solomon is this case study by telling us what happened to this greedy insecure man who lost it all, things didn't get better. Look at verse 17.

Moreover, that is now look he eats in darkness and much fixation and sickness and anger.

Darkness is a word that symbolizes his misery. You could translate it obscurity look at him. He's isolated he always picture the lights are out. He can't take power more. He's eating his meals in his greedy misery isolated from everyone. The work fixation is a word refers to frustration and mental anguish. The word for sickness is a Hebrew word that includes both physical and mental digression here. You have this mysterious mix of psychosomatic illnesses that just eat away at him just eat away and listed last.

Here is his anger is rage. You could translate that wrath. He's infuriated over his loss. He lashes out anybody who will listen. There has the nuance of this word of some kind of righteous indignation. He's he's better than those people are ripped them off. They should never tell you about the deal went about the business and and even though he was foolish to do what he did. It was all there called and this is all he can talk about. No wonder he's eating alone is lost in his ambition, scheming. No one dares come near him and and II think that this is the kind of visual who will never enjoy another meal business man's ego. The biggest ones was defined by what he had what he possessed and when he lost it would not restrict the way he lost any reason for being, and that that's reflected in his spirit and his disposition and his attitude and his obscurity he he he he loses any reason for Karen Orlov thing or serve, take away everything from someone and you will discover who they are.

You strip away their stuff and you discover the reason for being. Do they care about others that they love.

There's not a lot of it's all about that.

If it's all about that if you take away what's there for everybody. I couldn't help but think as I was working through this case study of our Lord.

Look at him when everything is stripped away, look at him hanging on the cross is going to die. Naked just as he was born naked.

His dignity is stripped away that loincloth and paintings is an artistic addition out of sensitivity Roman crucifixions were humiliating in every possible everything is taken away from him is taunted by the crowd. These mocked, spit upon curse. He owns nothing but the tunic that now lay at the bottom, thereby his feet. The soldiers are gambling to his best friends have run away from him in fear and look how he acts listen to what he says. Imagine there with everything stripped away as a lost his reason for being on his goal or purpose. He speaks with compassion, giving his mother to John for safekeeping the auditors that amazing prayer father forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. He cares about them. There's this thief hanging next him and and what is he thinking is thinking about himself and somebody came to the Lord and he believed the fact that the Lord was indeed to get what he saying to the Lord, would you remember me now when you have everything stripped away. You don't really care about what other people need Jesus as I will.

This is the perfect cotton Redeemer was, to make away from Earth to heaven. Look at how we ask relates even when everything is taken away while we have every reason to believe in this case study the this man lost both earth and heaven which is the most practicable, as believers, we don't live earth possessions. Although we will one day according to Matthew chapter 5 in verse five the Lord's own promise of the coming kingdom. We will one day as the redeemed inherent the earth. This newly created earth is part of your inheritance.

This will be your plan will look for it. We look for heaven. I think CS Lewis, put it well when he wrote aim at heaven and you'll get earth thrown it aim at her and you will get neither case study number one selfishness and insecurity. Now Solomon presents case study number two is observed a different kind of person will call this acceptance and enjoyment. Look at verse 18 just the first part will hold what I have seen to be good and fitting so so now we show you some of the outflow.

There is a contrast is okay study for some lessons here. This was good fitting door fitting could be translated beautiful. This is attractive.

This is something you want to pursue. This is a life worthy of living and what is it notice further to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil, with which one toils under the sun. The few days of his life that God is given for this is his lot. Everyone also God's given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil.

This is the gift of God. If you been with us in our study recognize immediately that this is one of the most God saturated texts entries we come across the inventions God over and over again and what he does is he refers to God over and over again. In fact, he refers before different gifts come from God for gifts which he points out, we could easily miss them as we read rapidly slows go back and take a closer look first gift from you. Give it to you the first gift is the ability to even be alive. Verse 18 eating and drinking and fighting enjoyment of your toil on the sun for the few days of your life. God has given your life is a gift from God. If you ever get up in the morning believer is a you know God hasn't given me anything lately.

Take one more breath what you know that was a gift. It's easy to overlook. God created you. He measured out her days with you have a few or were many. It is gift to you.

In fact, if he had given you the gift of this life and the gift of faith to believe in the sun you will have eternal life, and imagine that missing that this is just a brief prelude because of his gift of life is given us. Now enjoyment will have by the exercise of faith in his son and eternal life the future the ability to be alive.

You're alive because it's God's purpose you're alive because it's God's plan. You're alive because God wants you alive.

He wants you here is a purpose many of for you. Secondly, there's another gift. The ability to enjoy what you have knowledge and watches carefully. It isn't the ability to have but the ability to enjoy the things you have. Solomon writes the power to in joy that is an interesting thought and never really struck me like it did when I'm rehearsing these gifts and studying these gifts that the, the enjoyment, he saying isn't in. But there's another gift that allows you to enjoy the gift. So think of it this way.

These gifts are like Christmas gifts. These are gifts you unwrap, only to discover that batteries are sold. What separate so you to tears of that box.

You know that that remote control car and can do nothing with it. Why because it needs 87 batteries, you only got to figure ransacked the cover.

Find out why because without the batteries. You can enjoy the gift you have to have something empowering to give to allow you to enjoy. This is the idea here, not just gifts, but the power to enjoy them. Notice verse 19 everyone.

Also, to whom God has given wealth and possessions and noticed power to enjoy their power comes separate the power to enjoy them is separate from the gifts that he been given and you think about it. Unbelievers of food unbelievers a provision. Unbelievers are welcome. Believers have pressed more than you. Here's this unique, distinctive to those relating to God the power to enjoy them come separately and it's a gift from God and by the way Solomon knew this really he learned the lesson the hard you're with us in our last study. Remember Solomon learn this lesson because he has everything imaginable is worth $2.3 trillion. Remember what he's been miserable is out of fellowship with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He knows how boring the new possession garden indeed knows how tasteless meal. Debbie even when you're eating it off off solid gold plate, so why you did enjoy a meal paper plate better than gold. If you're in relationship with God, who gives you the gift to enjoy that me satisfaction is sold separately the ability to accept where you are in the middle part of verse 19 God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot. Solomon's use that expression already in this paragraph is used before in his journal that refers to your personal allotment that is your assignment. Your placement in life. This is another way of reminding us that we will never really fully muster up consistently contentment. There are times when will never be able to consistently perfectly convince ourselves that where we have been assigned in life is a gift. You might say to me, Mike Pulliam was a Stephen United talked about assignments of lightning to give a limit to where I don't look like a gift. It is, and accepting that lot is a gift from God comes from relationship trusting, and surrendering to the goodness of God and the kindness of his his will and the intention of his will to do a work in you, which is good, which ultimately conformed you to the image of his son. Romans 828 20 90. This is Lord your lot for me this is your assignment. This is a gift from you. Help me see it and maximize not only is acceptance of your lot in life the gift of submission and surrendering trust Solomon as 1/4 gift that's the ability to enjoy what you do get a verse 19 the end of it to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil is labor's were all of that is bundled up in what Solomon writes next this all of this is the gift of God, you'll never really Van here's the lesson the hard way or the better accepting the truth will never really enjoy your job until you realize it is a gift from God.

You mean the job I got right now.

Yes, you minorities assigned me right now. Yes, well, can I change jobs. Maybe give you wisdom to make that clear.

But right where you are right now what we're facing tomorrow morning as you drive.

The last thing on your mind might be wow what a gift from God. Man I can't wait innocent people in here have easier, better even better paying jobs. Anything that I can smile smile is going to work anything. I smile when I leave for work around people like that didn't wait till the weekend I get this you enjoy your labor when you recognize it's part of God's gift. At this point in time in your life which a perspective on that the gift of accepting where you are, where you've been assigned.

Maybe today you need to ask the Lord to help you finally unpack the suitcases in your heart say okay you placed me for the stuff for your purpose. The gift of enjoying what you do in life. Imagine that Dean gift card for glory make the most of them thing God for honor God with anticipate the day when redemption is finally complete. You are finally home.

Taking the advice of someone who's gone before is a way to learn the right way. That's the title of Stephen Davies lesson today. Learning the hard way or the better way. This is wisdom for the heart and Stevens working his way through a series from Ecclesiastes called surviving evil under the sun.

This series will continue the next time work together, but between now and then we'd love to hear from you. For example, do you have a question about the Bible or the Christian faith. Stephen has a page on our website where he answers questions that have come in from listeners. You might be interested in going online and seeing what others have asked or you might have a question of your own, and if you do send it to info@wisdomonline.org once again, that's info@wisdomonline.org if you like to have access of the previous questions that Stephen's been asked there under the teaching tab on our website. Wisdom online.org. Of course, if you prefer, you can write to us here in our offices. Send your card or letter to wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297 Raleigh, NC 27627 it's wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. We'd love to hear from you. Our phone number is 86 648 Bible.

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