Read Ecclesiastes 8

Did you know that there are things about this life that just don't make sense?

You are not old enough yet to understand that you will not make sense out of everything that happens.  Right now it will anger you or make you sad when something unjust happens (at least it should).

Unfortunately, many young adults know more about the vanities of this life than they should have to.  This is unfortunate but not insurmountable in the Lord.

Some all ready know vanity because they asked for it.

Some all ready know vanity because of circumstances beyond their control or choice.

Most (probably all of us) are a combination of both.

Wisdom literature, in our Scripture, is extremely important for you now.  This is the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. 

Fill your mind and heart with Proverbs.

Read the Psalms.

Taste the book of Job.

Hear the cry of Ecclesiastes.

(What an unusual book.  "A living dog is better that a dead lion" (Ecc. 9:4) - Dr. Clearwaters telling about the man who boasted about cutting the tail off a lion.  Why didn't you cut off his head?  Someone had already done that.)

Song of Solomon - well that book is kind of in a class by itself.

YOU NEED WISDOM!

I want to address that part of you that says, bah humbug to that.

Ecclesiastes 8:2 - "Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance."

Some of your generation are already hardened and need to be softened by the grace of God.

Some of you are going to become hardened if you don't hear what the Word of God says to you; especially about gaining wisdom.

All of us go through a process of maturing, not just in our bodies, but in our spiritual walk.

I find salvation.

I grow in my salvation.

I reach levels of maturity in my salvation.

The wisdom Scriptures have this progression within them.  The book of Ecclesiastes is the end.  It is what happens if we don't seek the Lord's wisdom and it also has some keys to help us mature in wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 8:7-8 gives three basic yet profound calls.

I.                    No one of us knows the future - BE WISE (vs. 7).

-         I need to know His Word

-         I need to know His Will

"My times are in your hands" (Psalm 31:15).

James 4:13-16

Philippians 4:8

"Rationalism will eventually lead us to believe very irrational things." (Suffering and the Sovereignty of God).

-         1:17, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel - Not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."

-         2:4-5 (Faith in God's power not man's wisdom; Wisdom from God's Spirit, this is spiritual discernment vs. 14).

Be Wise.

II.                 No one of us knows the day of his death - BE PREPARED (vs. 8).

 Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

III.               No one of us knows the power of the flesh - BE GOOD (vs. 8).

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

-         What is sown will grow

-         What is sown will be reaped

You can back your tractor up to many planters.

One of the worst deceptions that I watch take place is young friends who think that you can plant a field of purposed sin and at anytime that they choose they can get off that planter.

It is not so.

Be good.

Be prepared.

Be wise.

Yesterday, at the home school graduation, I heard Adam Norling say something like this:  "This Bible is so big."  So this should be for the young at heart and the young in body.  But not forever; the Lord wants you to grow.  If you will read and love this Book - it will become smaller . . . and then become immensely deeper.

Right now the Lord calls his young followers in one way; later his call will come in, can I say, a deeper way. 

"Do this and you will live" (younger)

"Do this and you will live" (older)

Fill your mind and heart with Proverbs.

Read the Psalms.

Taste the book of Job.

Hear the cry of Ecclesiastes.

Song of Solomon - well that book is kind of in a class by itself.

YOU NEED WISDOM!

Call out for her.

Seek her.

In the same way that you seek for the silver and the gold - see her!

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me" (Proverbs 8:17).

Malachi 4:13-17  (Remember, God wins!)

God is faithful (I Cor. 1:9).

God is good.

God is love.

God is holy.