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October 07, 2007
The Circle of Life
Thank you for being here today and thank you for all your prayers. I have been forgetting to announce that we have a lot of new members from all over the world; this ministry is reaching Muslim countries and many are being saved because of it, I can tell by their testimony, their sincerity. I pray for all of you.
Much of today's teaching is from the book of Ecclesiastes, not so much things you don't already know but things that are indeed Wisdom; After carefully reading this book, and the book of Songs, I have come to the conclusion that it is written by King Solomon himself.
Ecc. 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, King of Jerusalem. 2. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. Verse 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever. Verse 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
(Why? Because God has set the boundaries of the sea and it cannot pass it. Also he has set the winds in motion and all (living) things on earth are self reproducing and replenishing.)
Verse 9 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.
(Since I have studied the Bible, I have seen this to be true, it is perhaps the way it has always been and always will be, it is an endless cycle, a self fulfilling, self regenerating) cycle set in motion by the Lord Jesus Christ. (God created all things, by Jesus Christ) There is no beginning and no end, that which has been done and will be, already have been, it seems, I`ll show you later.)
Verse 10 Is there anything 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 come after.
(The Lord will cut off the names of the idols and they shall no more be remembered in the regeneration.) Neither you nor Israel will remember anything unless God deems it so.
Verse 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: yes 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 is also vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
(How true! In much wisdom is much grief, this is from a Man that had more wisdom than any before him and had more riches than all before him, yet listen to his heart while you read the words he speaks .)
Ecc 2:10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not mine heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was the 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.
(How sad, mind you, these are words of wisdom from a man, a King who had it all and nothing withheld from him, yet, all is vanity why? Below)
Ecc 2:12 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 already been done. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also one event happenth to them all. 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happenth to the fool, so it happenth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
Ecc 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other: yea, they all have one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above the beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit that goeth downward to the earth? (This is why I believe animals have a spirit of some kind and I also believe they can see spirits. As in the story of Balaam.)
3:22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Ecc 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them:
Ecc: 5:16 As he came forth of his mother`s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away with his hand.
Ecc 5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Ecc 9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. 8 Let thy garments always be white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is the portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest.
(I want to give you a study here, as I write these next few verses, can you tell me who this man is? You can go to join and put his name in there, I will see it and see how many of you know the Bible.)
Ecc 9:13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: 14 there was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.16 Then said I, wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man`s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Who is this Man?
In closing today I want to point out one more thing in Ecclesiastes 12:6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.
(There is a silver cord connected to you from the time you are conceived and I believe it is somehow attached to the Lord, you can see it or feel it but if it is ever broken, Thant's the end for you.
I would like each of you today to accept that Jesus Christ died for your sins, and that all is vanity upon this earth where we live and someday we will be taken out of here, I hope you are not one of those that are left behind, because you will surely go back to the dust to await your judgment "Because you believed not the love of the truth that you might be saved."
michael
Posted by michael at October 7, 2007 07:49 PM