The Sermon Opportunity by Brad Price
Jun 12, 2011
Opportunity (25:56)
Referenced Scriptures: Psalm 88; Ecclesiastes 8:1-9; Luke 6; Ecclesiastes 9:7-12; Matthew 13:44
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Psalm 88
1) Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
2) Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry.
3) For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol.
4) I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,
5) Set apart among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand.
6) You have laid me in the lowest pit, In the darkest depths.
7) Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.
8) You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can‘t escape.
9) My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to you.
10) Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Selah.
11) Is your lovingkindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?
12) Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13) But to you, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you.
14) Yahweh, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me?
15) I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
16) Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off.
17) They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me.
18) You have put lover and friend far from me, And my friends into darkness. Psalm 89 A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.
Ecclesiastes 8:1-9
1) Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man‘s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
2) I say, "Keep the king‘s command!" because of the oath to God.
3) Don‘t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don‘t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,
4) for the king‘s word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"
5) Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.
6) For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.
7) For he doesn‘t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?
8) There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practices it.
9) All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.
Luke 6
1) Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first, that he was going through the grain fields, and his disciples plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands.
2) But some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?"
3) Jesus, answering them, said, "Haven‘t you read this, what David did, when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him;
4) how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?"
5) He said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
6) It also happened on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
7) The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.
8) But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up, and stand in the middle." He arose and stood.
9) Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?"
10) He looked around at them all, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.
11) But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.
12) It happened in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
13) When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:
14) Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;
15) Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot;
16) Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.
17) He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18) also those who were troubled with unclean spirits, and they were being healed.
19) All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came forth from him, and healed them all.
20) He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21) "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22) "Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from them and reproach you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man‘s sake.
23) Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.
24) "But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.
25) "Woe to you, you who are full now! For you will be hungry. "Woe to you, you who laugh now! For you will mourn and weep.
26) "Woe, when men will speak well of you! For their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.
27) But I tell you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28) bless them who curse you, and pray for those who insult you.
29) To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don‘t withhold your coat also.
30) Give to everyone who asks you, and don‘t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.
31) "As you desire that men should do to you, likewise do to them also.
32) If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33) If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34) If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
35) But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
36) Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
37) Don‘t judge, and you will not be judged. Don‘t condemn, and you will not be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.
38) Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they give into your bosom. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."
39) He spoke a parable to them. "Can the blind guide the blind? Won‘t they both fall into a pit?
40) A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41) Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother‘s eye, but don‘t consider the beam that is in your own eye?
42) Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,‘ when you yourself don‘t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother‘s eye.
43) For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.
44) For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don‘t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45) The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
46) Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,‘ and don‘t do the things which I say?
47) Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.
48) He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.
49) But he who hears, and doesn‘t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
Ecclesiastes 9:7-12
7) Go your way -- eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.
8) Let your garments be always white, and don‘t let your head lack oil.
9) Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.
10) Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.
11) I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
12) For man also doesn‘t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.
Matthew 13:44
44) "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
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This really is part of my sermon about my wife and what she's been through. Think about how injury and illness such as, and not. I'm sure that as many people in this room understand is how important it is that we stand together and encourage each other because there are so many things on it. It is any, is even though he doesn't think uncle anymore. Little did you know never was a good thing. You know when he was fine with you all started older kids rescan your light switch when her little and you blow it, the light to turn the light switch off this unit are eliminated and what guided turn of the Navy to think lights out and now you can find interested that one last week. I'm kidding. I have gone back to my earlier file, which will have it many but Boucher have it is amazing how injury drastic illness and even the loss of someone sometimes can relate isolators from others. Because people don't want to say that he is capable. They feel they don't have the right words for you know it's it's it's it's it's awkward, sometimes but that is why you when God says his ways are higher than ours, and why God called together as people to be networked together. God understands what he is doing because in so doing friends. We bring healing to each other. God designed that way when we evidence God 's love. God 's mercy and God 's concern is our job violated on an August and so proud to be part of this fellowship in this body because I I see here and I know your your pastor and his wife certainly do, and really fallen off your leadership doesn't mean, is there anybody in this room that wouldn't you know, take their oath or whatever on the fact that David and Rhonda McGee care. You know that it does, it trickles down from leadership, and I'm excited that this lame unabridged about this morning. Sorry, that was just a thought that breeze through my head and the lifecycle the morning about opportunity and luckily a long sermon, committee, a men's on that one. I often belonged sermon, but hopefully I have something years to share what you do with a bad situation. What you do with that situation. I just want to talk briefly about opportunity. Now listen, I have a big one here is Psalm chapter eighty eight thing you mind you don't mind. Some is an arm: no, I don't know. Okay him lovingly read the original just radiate. Now I don't actually own a message Bible. The pastor does from what I have the message translation of their own read from new King James, who should work together enough that you can understand even turn on your own but an Bible is closer translation song, chapter eighty eight and am this can be agreed always doing rewriting it one last drink water. Muriel a Lord God of my salvation. I've cried out day and night before you let my prayer come before you incline your ear to my cry for my soul is full of troubles in my life draws near to the grave, I encountered with those who go down to the pit. I like a man who has no strength address among the dead, like the slain. The grave and remember no more. And who are cut off from your hand, you have laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the depths your wrath lies heavy upon me give afflicted me with all your waves you put away my acquaintances far away from me, you have made me an abomination to them. I'm shut up and I cannot get out while I waste away because affliction, or live call daily upon you. I stretched out my hands to you. We work wonders for the dead shall the dead arise and praise you shut your lovingkindness be declared in the grave for your faithfulness in place of destruction shall your wonders be known in the dark and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness, but to you. I've cried out of Lord and in the morning my prayer comes before you board while you cast off my soul. Why do you hide your face from me. I've been afflicted and ready to dive from my youth. I suffer your tears and I'm distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me your tears and cut me off. They came around me all day long like water. They golf me altogether loved one, friend, your foot far away from me and my acquaintances into darkness. There are times in our lives worse we have been, and we feel alone and we feel alone. I know we've all felt that it happens. There's times when young people feel alone at times when young adults feel alone at times as adults and the elderly. We all have moments when we feel isolation and feel that we are cut off from the rest normally turn somewhere else in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter eight. Read some more verses from Ecclesiastes chapter in it was like a wise man, and who knows the interpretation of something immense wisdom makes his face shine and the sternness of his face changed my understanding we have Ecclesiastes chapter eight, verses one through nine in what the radar. There's nothing better than being wise knowing how to interpret the meaning of life with important light in the eyes and gives Jonas to words and manner verse two through what you're getting commands you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don't worry worryingly that rolls off the tongue second-guess your orders were trotted back out when the task is unpleasant. Your serving his pleasure serving his pleasure, not yours. Excuse me, the King has the last word who dares to say to him, what are you doing carrying out orders will hurt you a bit. The wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there is a right time and way for everything even though unfortunately we missed it for the most part, ensure that no one knows what's going to happen or when it was around to tell us no one can control the wind or locked in a box. No one has any say so regarding the day of death. No one can stop a battle of track no one who does evil can be saved by evil. All this I observed as I tried my best to understand all this going on in this world and this was what really hit me as long as men and women have the power to hurt each other. This is the way it is as long as people have the power to hurt each other. This is the way it is. There is hope in this life, and we experience moments of her whether or something. It touches us submit such as a loved one. Somebody in our family situation in a community, there are times and places where her occur that Anita gets her serious this morning, but this really has been on my heart and administration myself this morning. I don't know, but hopefully there's something here that we can all gain God 's word is powerful enough now with chapter six. You have the general plan of attack here, but it would make sense with the six chapter, I have that for you on the computer chapter six, starting with verse forty six Jesus said, but why call me lord, Lord, and not do the things I say whoever comes to me and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you who he is like he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat the heavily against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock, but he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a how a mirror without a foundation against which the stream beat me, heavenly, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great. Jesus pointed and compared those who listen those who did Jesus was talking about people who listen to his works okay. Specifically, his teachings so in the preceding chapters of the machine preceding chapter, and chapters we have here the scenario is Jesus is teaching what we call the Beatitudes. Those who are blessed the sermon on the Mount, if you will is famous sermon he gave Jesus was sharing works at the additives in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus was talking about certain things. He was talking about not judging by the smart Jesus talk about loving enemies and not being sucked in the battles that we have no part of Jesus talked a lot about leaving and laughing. Okay, there's two shovels today and I would've brought my state shovel that even was doing a task set before him by his mother and to remind those unbreakable tools, thereby in unbreakable phone is not true. Ethan broke the state shovel handle it. I don't know how I don't know how he busted it, but it works great. Joanne and anyhow, but the shovels that we have is what Jesus is talking about here two shovels and the owner thought for developing and only shovel and on the other shoveled out back are performing. It's the only shovel yourself a whole, with the only, if only I would than this if only we would've done that and we wind up beating ourselves with that shovel and not only do we say in the holder we dig with you only shovel how well if only I had gone: only I'd paid more attention in class. If only I been smarter about a certain thing, if only I had done this if I hadn't told this lie if I hadn't shown this pride if only I would've done more to protect mortising, we want up in ourselves. This big giant hole with the if only shovel and you can hear it only as I'll think am the only one of the holes with the only shovel. Okay nine doing that when we dig ourselves a hole with it within reach up with a shovel starport burden ourselves to Wikia foamy shovel, but now I read Ecclesiastes eight one two nine now Emma, I think you have their pleas. Yes, these chapter nine verse seven to twelve business is talking about the good things when people both good and evil and her seven how to enjoy the good of this life go eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart for God 's Re: set your works here that God is already separate your works. Let your garments always be white and let your head like no oil. The idea of white garments being the significance of the clean clean by our own hand. No clean because of God, and the idea of the head, lacking the loyal, obviously. Back then, they did not have the salons that we have been all the what is the professional work product, I think, is that the right word to press the only all the product you know me early Islamic am very little distracted here could have all their care products back in the day. Okay, so watching. Ditto on what they did for so bit about the best shot they had for cleaning their hair was using some kind of oil usually olive oil or something to clean dirt and dust on a note and we can imagine because it oh how disgusting that would be right now that was the best they had that was the idea of the whole idea of being cleansed and if you get your member that second part of verse seven flight like this for God is already executor works listen, there's nothing we do to create our righteousness. The only righteous. We had comes from Jesus. They understand that's morning right. The only righteousness that I have being made right in God 's eyes, not by any works that I have because if you start every good thing I've done it doesn't amount the Philippines, but because of what Jesus has done for me. I'm washed clean. It's okay, right. So first time. Live joyfully with the wife whom you love at all is your wife which has given you under this another little bit of the writer of Ecclesiastes is a little bit snarky here, and obviously, and in similar terms. The terms he uses in a in all the days of your vain life which is given you under the sun. All your days of vanity for that is important in life and in the labor would you perform under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your mind. There is no worker device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going, there is no going verse eleven I returned install under the sun that the race is not swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all for man also does not know his time like fish taken in accrual net like birds caught in a snare. So the sons of men are snared in an evil time when it falls suddenly upon them. We don't know what this life holds. We serve a God in heaven who does know. But we don't know what this life holds. And so, if we dig with a dangerous shovel of if only we dig ourselves into a pit from which we can escape. Okay, but I want to talk about one other shovel this morning. Emma, whatever one more shovel what it what we used this phrase as a shovel to dig another type of whole okay him asking questions. Six. Jesus said the person who hears words, lessons applies as a person who does what they found the and does what once he dug deep is like a mandatory house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the wrong and when the flood arose, so with adversity in life with trouble with struggle that we face. We can either use via phone. The shovel enjoyed ourselves. We can take another shovel. I want to consider for a moment what it drank what it would work for now going back to what Jesus was talking about and not an in lieu took six UBS is one for now. What if were hungry now. Okay, what am hungry now you know the old saying, give a man a fish needs per day. Teach a person to fish they eat for a lifetime and the Bible compares to the analogy of sowing seed. I was one of Panthers best sermons I think pastor said what we do as Christians we have seen so would we do the seed we plan it. We eat it. Now what happens. We need for now but then we start, but if we so are seen and make use of God gives us has something to eat later. Okay, now what hungry now what if we are marked and made fun of. Now what if we made fun of for what we believe it will do that in the workplace make fun of Christians. It happens not usually so much, overtly as behind someone's back. Christians can oftentimes be treated as his weak minded or a school about things or what school Christians get made fun of the remark percent you believe what we're marked for something that we profess. If you want to questions. What if we gave it all away right now. Everything we have, what if we didn't judge right now as Jesus said, and in the Beatitudes about not judging what if we love people who treated us nasty now what we did that those who talk about us, those who slanders those markets. What if we love them now. It didn't pass judgment on what if we gave now what if we sowed the seed that we have now so we can do with that shovel is, we can either dig ourselves a hole and bury ourselves or we can dig ourselves a hole and start a foundation to build upon that is not to be wrecked and is not going to ruin whatever the storm cuts lose the user about running out and the way, every one of us in this place. In short, some point has been put in a lonely mindset and all in all, you'll read the feel rejection and it's an honest and valid feeling, but what we do with that. Okay, so back to Ecclesiastes chapter nine verse seven through twelve. He gives us ideas of what to do. We go on, and we use the shovel of what you okay so what if, what if we apply ourselves to opportunities that we have right now. What if it were raining the waterborne hazard. What if, what if we lived joyfully in this life that we have, what if we didn't worry about every last thing that would scented worry about okay what if we use the shovel and dug a foundation down through the hurts and disappointments of life to start a foundation is built on the ideas set forth by Jesus that he said he talked about forgiving, loving, sacrificing, giving finding healing and living now. You know, it's like I picked the sermon back a year or two ago and I don't have and give them of course, but become a really quick number to be done. It's Matthew chapter thirteen, verse forty four Matthew thirteen forty four results like this again thinking of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found in head for the joy over it. He goes and sells all that he has advised that the amount of memory to all were not the guy was revealed he finds very treasury doesn't want to steal it because it honest man, so he varies again in the Bible says he went and took sold everything that he had given all way it all up by the field so he could have treasure in thing is, he found joy when he was able to give it all away her resentment confusion and when were tempted to dig ourselves a hole with if only shovel were to do that resistant big hole, but ask what if so, really, when one wanted to drive it here this morning and this place was. I would like for us to consider in the next few months, asking your self and asking God and asking each other what if here in this church. Okay, and in your own personal life to a want you to ask the question what if, and I'll let you finish the rest of the question or statement saying what you think about the question what it don't big yourself to hold if only we had done this in this place, or if only we done that, or if only I had done this, but in this moment. Give yourself opportunity and give your God opportunity by asking what you and how that could apply to this house into this family game. So let's start digging a hole. But let's level the dirt in ourselves was a big hole for the foundationThis really is part of my sermon about my wife and what she's been through. Think about how injury and illness such as, and not. I'm sure that as many people in this room understand is how important it is that we stand together and encourage each other because there are so many things on it. It is any, is even though he doesn't think uncle anymore. Little did you know never was a good thing. You know when he was fine with you all started older kids rescan your light switch when her little and you blow it, the light to turn the light switch off this unit are eliminated and what guided turn of the Navy to think lights out and now you can find interested that one last week. I'm kidding. I have gone back to my earlier file, which will have it many but Boucher have it is amazing how injury drastic illness and even the loss of someone sometimes can relate isolators from others. Because people don't want to say that he is capable. They feel they don't have the right words for you know it's it's it's it's it's awkward, sometimes but that is why you when God says his ways are higher than ours, and why God called together as people to be networked together. God understands what he is doing because in so doing friends. We bring healing to each other. God designed that way when we evidence God 's love. God 's mercy and God 's concern is our job violated on an August and so proud to be part of this fellowship in this body because I I see here and I know your your pastor and his wife certainly do, and really fallen off your leadership doesn't mean, is there anybody in this room that wouldn't you know, take their oath or whatever on the fact that David and Rhonda McGee care. You know that it does, it trickles down from leadership, and I'm excited that this lame unabridged about this morning. Sorry, that was just a thought that breeze through my head and the lifecycle the morning about opportunity and luckily a long sermon, committee, a men's on that one. I often belonged sermon, but hopefully I have something years to share what you do with a bad situation. What you do with that situation. I just want to talk briefly about opportunity. Now listen, I have a big one here is Psalm chapter eighty eight thing you mind you don't mind. Some is an arm: no, I don't know. Okay him lovingly read the original just radiate. Now I don't actually own a message Bible. The pastor does from what I have the message translation of their own read from new King James, who should work together enough that you can understand even turn on your own but an Bible is closer translation song, chapter eighty eight and am this can be agreed always doing rewriting it one last drink water. Muriel a Lord God of my salvation. I've cried out day and night before you let my prayer come before you incline your ear to my cry for my soul is full of troubles in my life draws near to the grave, I encountered with those who go down to the pit. I like a man who has no strength address among the dead, like the slain. The grave and remember no more. And who are cut off from your hand, you have laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the depths your wrath lies heavy upon me give afflicted me with all your waves you put away my acquaintances far away from me, you have made me an abomination to them. I'm shut up and I cannot get out while I waste away because affliction, or live call daily upon you. I stretched out my hands to you. We work wonders for the dead shall the dead arise and praise you shut your lovingkindness be declared in the grave for your faithfulness in place of destruction shall your wonders be known in the dark and your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness, but to you. I've cried out of Lord and in the morning my prayer comes before you board while you cast off my soul. Why do you hide your face from me. I've been afflicted and ready to dive from my youth. I suffer your tears and I'm distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me your tears and cut me off. They came around me all day long like water. They golf me altogether loved one, friend, your foot far away from me and my acquaintances into darkness. There are times in our lives worse we have been, and we feel alone and we feel alone. I know we've all felt that it happens. There's times when young people feel alone at times when young adults feel alone at times as adults and the elderly. We all have moments when we feel isolation and feel that we are cut off from the rest normally turn somewhere else in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter eight. Read some more verses from Ecclesiastes chapter in it was like a wise man, and who knows the interpretation of something immense wisdom makes his face shine and the sternness of his face changed my understanding we have Ecclesiastes chapter eight, verses one through nine in what the radar. There's nothing better than being wise knowing how to interpret the meaning of life with important light in the eyes and gives Jonas to words and manner verse two through what you're getting commands you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don't worry worryingly that rolls off the tongue second-guess your orders were trotted back out when the task is unpleasant. Your serving his pleasure serving his pleasure, not yours. Excuse me, the King has the last word who dares to say to him, what are you doing carrying out orders will hurt you a bit. The wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there is a right time and way for everything even though unfortunately we missed it for the most part, ensure that no one knows what's going to happen or when it was around to tell us no one can control the wind or locked in a box. No one has any say so regarding the day of death. No one can stop a battle of track no one who does evil can be saved by evil. All this I observed as I tried my best to understand all this going on in this world and this was what really hit me as long as men and women have the power to hurt each other. This is the way it is as long as people have the power to hurt each other. This is the way it is. There is hope in this life, and we experience moments of her whether or something. It touches us submit such as a loved one. Somebody in our family situation in a community, there are times and places where her occur that Anita gets her serious this morning, but this really has been on my heart and administration myself this morning. I don't know, but hopefully there's something here that we can all gain God 's word is powerful enough now with chapter six. You have the general plan of attack here, but it would make sense with the six chapter, I have that for you on the computer chapter six, starting with verse forty six Jesus said, but why call me lord, Lord, and not do the things I say whoever comes to me and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you who he is like he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat the heavily against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock, but he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a how a mirror without a foundation against which the stream beat me, heavenly, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great. Jesus pointed and compared those who listen those who did Jesus was talking about people who listen to his works okay. Specifically, his teachings so in the preceding chapters of the machine preceding chapter, and chapters we have here the scenario is Jesus is teaching what we call the Beatitudes. Those who are blessed the sermon on the Mount, if you will is famous sermon he gave Jesus was sharing works at the additives in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus was talking about certain things. He was talking about not judging by the smart Jesus talk about loving enemies and not being sucked in the battles that we have no part of Jesus talked a lot about leaving and laughing. Okay, there's two shovels today and I would've brought my state shovel that even was doing a task set before him by his mother and to remind those unbreakable tools, thereby in unbreakable phone is not true. Ethan broke the state shovel handle it. I don't know how I don't know how he busted it, but it works great. Joanne and anyhow, but the shovels that we have is what Jesus is talking about here two shovels and the owner thought for developing and only shovel and on the other shoveled out back are performing. It's the only shovel yourself a whole, with the only, if only I would than this if only we would've done that and we wind up beating ourselves with that shovel and not only do we say in the holder we dig with you only shovel how well if only I had gone: only I'd paid more attention in class. If only I been smarter about a certain thing, if only I had done this if I hadn't told this lie if I hadn't shown this pride if only I would've done more to protect mortising, we want up in ourselves. This big giant hole with the if only shovel and you can hear it only as I'll think am the only one of the holes with the only shovel. Okay nine doing that when we dig ourselves a hole with it within reach up with a shovel starport burden ourselves to Wikia foamy shovel, but now I read Ecclesiastes eight one two nine now Emma, I think you have their pleas. Yes, these chapter nine verse seven to twelve business is talking about the good things when people both good and evil and her seven how to enjoy the good of this life go eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart for God 's Re: set your works here that God is already separate your works. Let your garments always be white and let your head like no oil. The idea of white garments being the significance of the clean clean by our own hand. No clean because of God, and the idea of the head, lacking the loyal, obviously. Back then, they did not have the salons that we have been all the what is the professional work product, I think, is that the right word to press the only all the product you know me early Islamic am very little distracted here could have all their care products back in the day. Okay, so watching. Ditto on what they did for so bit about the best shot they had for cleaning their hair was using some kind of oil usually olive oil or something to clean dirt and dust on a note and we can imagine because it oh how disgusting that would be right now that was the best they had that was the idea of the whole idea of being cleansed and if you get your member that second part of verse seven flight like this for God is already executor works listen, there's nothing we do to create our righteousness. The only righteous. We had comes from Jesus. They understand that's morning right. The only righteousness that I have being made right in God 's eyes, not by any works that I have because if you start every good thing I've done it doesn't amount the Philippines, but because of what Jesus has done for me. I'm washed clean. It's okay, right. So first time. Live joyfully with the wife whom you love at all is your wife which has given you under this another little bit of the writer of Ecclesiastes is a little bit snarky here, and obviously, and in similar terms. The terms he uses in a in all the days of your vain life which is given you under the sun. All your days of vanity for that is important in life and in the labor would you perform under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your mind. There is no worker device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going, there is no going verse eleven I returned install under the sun that the race is not swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all for man also does not know his time like fish taken in accrual net like birds caught in a snare. So the sons of men are snared in an evil time when it falls suddenly upon them. We don't know what this life holds. We serve a God in heaven who does know. But we don't know what this life holds. And so, if we dig with a dangerous shovel of if only we dig ourselves into a pit from which we can escape. Okay, but I want to talk about one other shovel this morning. Emma, whatever one more shovel what it what we used this phrase as a shovel to dig another type of whole okay him asking questions. Six. Jesus said the person who hears words, lessons applies as a person who does what they found the and does what once he dug deep is like a mandatory house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the wrong and when the flood arose, so with adversity in life with trouble with struggle that we face. We can either use via phone. The shovel enjoyed ourselves. We can take another shovel. I want to consider for a moment what it drank what it would work for now going back to what Jesus was talking about and not an in lieu took six UBS is one for now. What if were hungry now. Okay, what am hungry now you know the old saying, give a man a fish needs per day. Teach a person to fish they eat for a lifetime and the Bible compares to the analogy of sowing seed. I was one of Panthers best sermons I think pastor said what we do as Christians we have seen so would we do the seed we plan it. We eat it. Now what happens. We need for now but then we start, but if we so are seen and make use of God gives us has something to eat later. Okay, now what hungry now what if we are marked and made fun of. Now what if we made fun of for what we believe it will do that in the workplace make fun of Christians. It happens not usually so much, overtly as behind someone's back. Christians can oftentimes be treated as his weak minded or a school about things or what school Christians get made fun of the remark percent you believe what we're marked for something that we profess. If you want to questions. What if we gave it all away right now. Everything we have, what if we didn't judge right now as Jesus said, and in the Beatitudes about not judging what if we love people who treated us nasty now what we did that those who talk about us, those who slanders those markets. What if we love them now. It didn't pass judgment on what if we gave now what if we sowed the seed that we have now so we can do with that shovel is, we can either dig ourselves a hole and bury ourselves or we can dig ourselves a hole and start a foundation to build upon that is not to be wrecked and is not going to ruin whatever the storm cuts lose the user about running out and the way, every one of us in this place. In short, some point has been put in a lonely mindset and all in all, you'll read the feel rejection and it's an honest and valid feeling, but what we do with that. Okay, so back to Ecclesiastes chapter nine verse seven through twelve. He gives us ideas of what to do. We go on, and we use the shovel of what you okay so what if, what if we apply ourselves to opportunities that we have right now. What if it were raining the waterborne hazard. What if, what if we lived joyfully in this life that we have, what if we didn't worry about every last thing that would scented worry about okay what if we use the shovel and dug a foundation down through the hurts and disappointments of life to start a foundation is built on the ideas set forth by Jesus that he said he talked about forgiving, loving, sacrificing, giving finding healing and living now. You know, it's like I picked the sermon back a year or two ago and I don't have and give them of course, but become a really quick number to be done. It's Matthew chapter thirteen, verse forty four Matthew thirteen forty four results like this again thinking of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found in head for the joy over it. He goes and sells all that he has advised that the amount of memory to all were not the guy was revealed he finds very treasury doesn't want to steal it because it honest man, so he varies again in the Bible says he went and took sold everything that he had given all way it all up by the field so he could have treasure in thing is, he found joy when he was able to give it all away her resentment confusion and when were tempted to dig ourselves a hole with if only shovel were to do that resistant big hole, but ask what if so, really, when one wanted to drive it here this morning and this place was. I would like for us to consider in the next few months, asking your self and asking God and asking each other what if here in this church. Okay, and in your own personal life to a want you to ask the question what if, and I'll let you finish the rest of the question or statement saying what you think about the question what it don't big yourself to hold if only we had done this in this place, or if only we done that, or if only I had done this, but in this moment. Give yourself opportunity and give your God opportunity by asking what you and how that could apply to this house into this family game. So let's start digging a hole. But let's level the dirt in ourselves was a big hole for the foundation