Ecclesiastes 7:1-6
Many people avoid thinking about death, refuse to face it, and are reluctant to attend funerals. Solomon is not encouraging us to think morbidly, but he knows that it is helpful to think clearly about death. It reminds us that we still have time to change, time to examine the direction of our lives, and time to confess our sins and find forgiveness from God. Because everyone will eventually die, it makes sense to plan ahead to experience God’s mercy rather than his justice.
7:6 crackling of thorns. The “laughter of fools” is likened to a noisy, but short-lived.
EMBRACE EACH PIECE WITH FAITH
LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU’LL GET
1) LEARN TO ENJOY THE PIECE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU NOW!
James 1:2-4 NLT
[2] Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. [3] For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4 MSG
[2-4] Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James doesn’t say if trouble comes your way but when it does. He assumes that we will have troubles and that it is possible to profit from them.
The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain but to have a positive outlook (“consider it an opportunity for great joy”) because of what troubles can produce in our life. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance. For other passages dealing with perseverance (also called patience and steadfastness), explain trying to pick the piece you like. My favorite was the one’s with the vanilla creme, I hated the cherry filled ones. Now they put a chart to what each piece is and where its placed. Not so with God. He purposely doesn’t let you know what piece of chocolate your going to receive from him. But He does expect you trust that it’s exactly what piece you need in your life to learn to develop your character. ROMANS 5:1-5
With God we still don’t know what we are going to get from each day, month, year, decade ect. PSALM 139:13-18
Psalm 139:13-16 MSG
[13-16] Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God-you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration-what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
Verse 18: “But when we awake each day God says he is still with you”
GOD IS WITH YOU!
2) CHOOSE GOD NOT FEAR!
TRUST or FEAR YOUR DESTINY! You have no other choice!
The brain makes two choices. Fear or Trust!
We have been empowered with choice: Footnote Psalm 139:16 “All the Days Ordained” The span of life, your life, and my life and its events are Sovereignly determined. “IN the BOOK GOD has written ” – IS THE HEAVENLY ROYAL REGISTER OF GOD’S DECISIONS”
Sovereignly means “A person who has supreme power or Authority”
Footnote verse 17 say’s “or how amazing are your thoughts concerning me.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV
[19] This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live [20] and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians.
3) EMBRACE YOUR PRIDE TO LEARN OBEDIENCE
NUMBERS 22:21-41
The donkey saved Balaam’s life but made him look foolish in the process, so Balaam lashed out at the donkey. We sometimes strike out at blameless people who get in our way because we are embarrassed or our pride is hurt. Lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us. Don’t allow your own hurt pride to lead you to hurt others.
Donkeys were all-purpose vehicles used for transportation, carrying loads, grinding grain, and plowing fields. They were usually highly dependable, which explains why Balaam became so angry when his donkey refused to move.
Psalm 56:8-13
A Christian can lose their faith when they are faced with tremendous pain. Footnote for verse 8 “Put my tears in your wineskin” Basically we want to make sure God is aware of the pain we are going through.
Mark 8:34-38
Don’t drop your cross.
2 Kings 17:14-15
Embrace your pain with God, not an Idol!
Exodus 19:5-6 NIV
[5] Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, [6] you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
1 Peter 1:3-9 vs 7 “these have come”
NOT ONLY IS THE FAITH ITSELF PRECIOUS, BUT PETER’S WORDS INDICATE THAT THE TRIAL OF FAITH IS ALSO VALUABLE – WE SHARE IN THE PRAISE, GLORY AND HONOR OF GOD.
HEBREWS 12:1-12.
Run the race God has marked out for you
We are all the recipients of letters written on the battle front. The Apostle Paul writes to us of being whipped, harassed, beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and eventually martyred for the cause of Jesus.
Are YOU a spectator or participant in this spiritual battle?
DOES YOUR LIFE DEMONSTRATE THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH A GAPE LOVE, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND OBEDIENCE or does your life express a selfishness that comes first?
Even when Paul’s battles are within his Christian communities, we can remain disconnected from our responsibility to enter in. Paul, the letter writing apostle, writes to his brothers and sisters all over the Middle East and addresses pride, church splits, jealousy, control issues in relationships, People falling away, backbiting, gossip, and so much more and we should be in awe on how he stays committed to shepherd and heal the sinful issues in the church. Yet when it pops its head up in our midst some want our Leadership or someone else to deal with it and not get involved at times. Let me tell you something we all need to be involved. We need to stay and fight for the Church family we are in and not run because the that part of the body isn’t living up to your expectations. We’re in the same boat, paddling the same direction, sometimes one us won’t be doing our share of the paddling. Don’t start paddling in a different direction
2 CORINTHIANS 11:23-30
ARE YOU IN THE BATTLE AND FEEL THE GODLY PRESSURE TO HELP GOD’S PEOPLE?Is your heart stingy or generous in giving to build Gods Kingdom?
Galatians 5:25-26 MSG
[25-26] Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Will God’s plan for your life be your story ? I challenge those who need to repent of sin to do it today! Others to study the Bible and listen to God’s voice that you heard today!
“This world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows, it’s a very mean and nasty place it will beat you to your knees if you let it! Me, you, ain’t nobody hit as hard as life does…..But it ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward! That’s how winning is done!” – Rocky Balboa
1 Corinthians 9:26-27 MSG
[26-27] I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. “APOSTLE PAUL”
Push yourself beyond what your mind tells you, and you will experience new horizons!
From an Unworthy servant,
Chris Chloupek
Lead Evangelist