you
This is your foundation Baptist Church Wednesday night service running a skeleton crew tonight. Hopefully you know the music will go
Well
If it's not then it's not my fault. So
Turn your song turn your song book came no to number
215
Heaven came down and glory fill my soul song 215
on the first oh what a wonderful wonderful day day i will never forget
after i wandering darkness away jesus my savior i met
Shadows dispelling with joy, I am telling He made all the darkness depart.
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.
My saints were washed away, and my knife was turned today.
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.
Oh, born of the spirit with life above,
Just if I fully threw Calvary's love, Oh, what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made, When as a singer I came,
Took of the offer of grace, he did proffer, He'd say, me, oh, praise, he's dear,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul When I the cross, the Saviour made me whole
My sin were washed away And my night was turned
Now I hope that we'll surely endure
After the passing of time
I have a future in heaven for sure
There ain't those mansions sublime
And it's because of that wonderful day
When at the cross I believe
Blessing, Sir Perno, from his precious, thy receipt.
Heaven came down, and glory fill my soul,
when I the cross, the Savior, made me whole,
the way and my night was turned today heaven came down and glory filled my
soul all right let's open the service with the world of prayer thank you
look for this day the prayer of blessed service and the blessed to sing and the
preaching of your word and I'm pretty soon Jesus name amen
Now let's turn to our song 129 rock of ages song 129
On the first rock of ages clap for me. Let me hide myself in thee
Save from wrath that made me pure
Coup my tears for ever flow
Coup my zeal, no lung or no
Deceitful sin, coup not aton
Thou must save and Thou alone
Simply to thy cross I cling While I draw this fleeting breath
When my eye shall close in death When I rise to worlds anum
All right, good saying.
Now it's time to go over the bulletin.
And I think the first song, Heaven came down
and glorified my soul, we are holding the six beat.
Maybe, maybe I'm wrong, but we'll figure out in heaven,
I guess.
So the verse of the week is Matthew chapter five verse 16.
The Bible says, let your life so shine before man
that they may see your good works and glorify your father,
which is in heaven.
That's a great verse here.
We are on YouTube, Facebook, Rambo, and X, so please give us a follow, service times
on the morning at 11, from the afternoon service at 4, and Wednesday night Bible
study at 7 p.m. Tonight we will be in Ecclesiastes chapter number 9, so you know
three more chapters to go, 10, 11, and 12, and we'll be done, and you can see the
So in time this Saturday at 10 30 will still have a local so in time if you are staying but most of us will be in
The Detroit area and then Sunday afternoon so many at 1 30 p.m
Again this Friday and Saturday is the Detroit so many marathon. So
you know, please RSVP if you haven't down so and
Once we are there, I will invite you to a separate WhatsApp group just for the
Detroit event. So again, it's this Friday and Saturday. We'll still have our normal services on Sunday
So and then winter wonderland so many marathon is December 27
So, yeah, I think that's all the announcement. So today is Miss Linda's birthday. So please wish her a happy
Birthday. So with that being said, let's sing one more song sound 325 trust and obey
Psalm 325 on the first when we walk with the Lord in the light of his word what a glory he shed on our way while we do his good
with us still and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey for there's no
can rise, not a cloud in the skies, but his smile quickly drives it away, not a doubt
or a fear, not a sign or a tear, can abide while we try.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus.
But to trust and obey, not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toll.
Not a grieve nor a loss, not a frown or a cross, but is blessed if we trust.
can prove the delight of his love. Until on the altar we lay, for the favor he shows,
and the joy of his life.
there's no other way to be trapped be in Jesus but to trust and obey
He says we will do, where he sent we will go.
Never feel only trust and obey, trust and obey,
for there's no.
All right ushers, please come forth to take up the offering for the mac would you pray for the offering?
All right, we'll be in Ecclesiastes chapter 9 this evening if need a Bible where's hand and usher will revive one for you
Ecclesiastes chapter 9
While you turn there, I'll begin reading the chapter
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God
No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them all things come like to all
There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean
To him that's sacrifices and to him that sacrifices not as the good
So is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that fear
and oath. This is an evil among all things that are done on the sun, that there is one
event unto all, yea also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil and manness is
in their heart while they live. And after that they go to the dead.
For to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion, for the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
ever, and anything that is done under the sun.
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth
thy works.
Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head lack no ointment, with joyfully with
the wife, 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 thy portion in this life, and thy labor which thou takest under the sun."
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,
whether thou goest. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,
neither yet bred to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill,
but time and chance
happeneth to them all.
For man also knoweth not his time, as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds
that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time.
When it falleth suddenly upon them, this wisdom hath I seen also under the sun, and it seemed
great unto me."
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.
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city, yet
no man remembered that same poor man.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength.
Nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
The words of wise men are heard and quiet more than the cry of him that ruleeth among fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroyeth much good. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, I just prayed for evangelist Zong Ward.
You, I just filmed with the Holy Spirit Ward
and that he preached us a message ward
that is truth and from the Bible ward.
And you would open our hearts
for it to be receptive towards this message.
In your name, Jesus Christ, and in prayer, amen.
Once in a while we're going through the book of Egliseastes one chapter a week tonight
We are in chapter number nine and a title of the sermon tonight is called the
Uncertainty of life the uncertainty of life and I don't think it's a coincidence that I'm hitting on those
You know topics concerning the recent event in fact, I'll be preaching the similar topic this coming Sunday, okay?
So the uncertainty of life and point number one is we are all gonna die
So it's a very positive sermon. Okay, we are all gonna die. Look at verse number one.
For all this, I consider in my heart, even to
declare all this, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the
hand of God. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
Now, first of all, I think it's good to know that we
are in the hand of God, okay? If you have saved tonight,
then no man is able to plug you out of the Father's hand.
John 10 verse 28 says this and I gave unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plug them out of my
Hand my father which which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to plug them out of my father's hand
So when you are saved Jesus Christ is holding your hand and God the father is holding your hand as well
Okay, no man shall be able to plug you out of the hand of of God the father now people say I can just give the
bag I can just let go but you know based on the Bible no man is able to
including yourself okay are you a man are you a woman you know if you are a
person that you can never lose your salvation because God is holding on to
your hand you cannot even let go if you want to right because you're not stronger
than God
But I do think the primary emphasis in verse number one is to say that God is in control, okay?
You know, the righteous, the wise, and the works are in the hand of God, in the sense that God knows everything that's going on.
You know, God has a purpose in everything.
Then he says, you know, no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
No man can really tell whether God loves a person or favors a person or hates a person
by what happens to that person. Let me explain. Looking at, you know, just life in general,
we see prosperity, health, hardship, the loss of loved ones, and we cannot always conclude
whether the things are a proof of God's love
or God's hatred, because sometimes wicked people prosper
and the righteous people suffer, okay?
Because the appearances are not
a reliable indicator of God's favor, right?
Sometimes people get rich.
That does not mean God's favor is on that person, okay?
No man know it, either love or hatred
by all that is before then.
Job's suffering was not the proof of God's hatred, right?
Job's suffering is a test within God's plan.
Hebrews 12.6 says,
For whom the Lord loveth, he chastenedeth,
and scourges to every sound whom he receiveth.
When God punishes us, it's not pleasant,
and it may look like that God may hate us,
or God may be despising us,
but in reality,
he loves us, right? That's why he's chastising us, okay? So we cannot, you know, judge, you know,
whether someone has God's favor, God's hatred, God's love, just merely by, you know, what's
happening to them, just because someone is rich, doesn't mean that he has favor with the Lord.
But the point of like verse one is, at the end of the day, God is in control, he knows what he's
They are all in the hand of God, you know, not in a Calvinistic God, you know, the point is, you know, God has the foreknowledge, God knows everything, and God has a plan for everything.
Look at verse number two.
All things come alike to all. There's one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifices not, as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that's with, as see that fear and oath.
who reached their Bible, but there's one event that's going to happen to all of you, and that event is death.
Look at verse number 3.
This is an evil, talking about this event, talking about death.
This is an evil, among all things, down under the sun,
that there is one event that happened to all,
yet also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil,
and man is in their heart while they live,
and after that they go to the dead, okay?
People inherently are sinners and nobody can do good.
of themselves, right? That's why the Bible says the heart of the sons of men is full of evil,
okay? All men are sinners. Now, keep replacing this book. Go if you go to Romans chapter 3.
We use Romans 3 in our soul warning just to make a point that all men are sinners
But I wanted to focus on the verses leading up to that Romans chapter 3 look at verse number 9 Romans 3 verse 9
The Bible says
What then are we better than they?
No in no wise for we have before prove both Jews and Gentiles that that they are all
under sin
As it is written, there's none righteous, no, not one.
There's none that understandeth.
There's none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way.
They all together become unprofitable.
There's none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open, separate curb.
With their tongues, they have used the seat.
The poison of asps is under their lips,
whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Now this passage,
It's mainly geared toward the unsafe.
Opposites say people can do that.
But the point is, all have sinned.
We all need God.
But verse 14 is, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
We've seen plenty of that in the past weeks.
Look at verse 15.
Their feet are swept to shed blood.
People praising murder.
People praising innocent, blubbing shed.
abortion and just all these things look at verse number 16.
Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known
There's no fear of God before their eyes. Okay in general all men are sinners and
I just say the world is capable of doing those things right cursing bareness, you know
Shedding shedding blood destruction misery, you know
They want to do it with law and order and they want to overthrow justice. They don't even care about
justice, okay? That's how, you know, we all are without God, okay? Without God, we are all capable
of doing things, even, you know, even save people if they are walking after the flesh,
they can, you know, they can, they can be cursing, they can be full of bitterness,
and even perverting justice, okay? Now, turn the Bible back to Ecclesiastes chapter number nine.
Isaiah 64 verse 6 says, but we we are all as an unclean thing and all our
righteousness are as filthy rags and we all do faith as a
Leaf the point is the heart of the sons of man is full of evil
Okay, you know, but no matter how righteous you are and how evil you are
There's an evil that's not compound us all and that is death. Okay, so all men women children
You know, we will die physically one day, obviously, until Christ comes back in our lifetime.
Look at verse number 4.
Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 4, it says,
For to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Remember earlier in this book Solomon praised the dead more than the living
because the dead did not have to go through life's miseries, okay? Obviously he
was saying that with an earthly perspective in mind because you know he
said in chapter number four, wherefore I praise the dead which are already dead
more than the living which are yet alive, okay? But here in chapter nine verse
Solomon says that being alive is still better than being dead, okay?
So again, it is not a contradiction because in chapter number four, you know,
he is saying that with an earthly perspective in mind that a dead person is better because a dead
person does not have to go through the miseries of this world. But at the end of the day, being alive
Samuel chapter 17. First Samuel chapter 117.
And so I might even use some kind of extreme illustration that a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Here's the thing, dogs are not a good animal in the Bible.
Dogs may be tasty, but they are not a good animal.
Let me just show you some verses about dogs.
We're referring to some lower class, some menial things.
First Samuel 17, look at verse 43.
First Samuel 17 verse 43, the Bible says.
And the Philistine, that's talking about Goliath.
And the Philistine said unto David, am I a dog?
That thou comest to me with staves.
And the Philistine cursed David by his gods, okay?
So here we have Goliath was saying
that David was treating him as a dog.
They say it's a lower class person,
that someone who is perverse, low, things like that.
Until your second Samuel chapter 9 second Samuel chapter 9
Obviously we have, you know, the statement from Christ that give not that which is holy unto the dogs, okay?
And then Philippians said beware of dogs. Those are the false prophets. Those are the sodomites.
2nd Samuel chapter 9, look at verse number 6. 2nd Samuel chapter 9 verse 6, the Bible says,
Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face and did reverence.
And David said, Mephibosheth, and he answered, Behold thy servant, and David said unto him, Fear not, for I will surely show the kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
And he bowed himself and said, What is thy servant? That thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am.
Mephibosheth is the son of Jonathan, who is the son of Saul, and David promised to take care of him, right?
But then Mephibosheth was humbled to be taken care of by David.
So he humbled himself by saying that, hey, why do you look upon such a dead dog like me?
I don't really...
deserve your favors. He's basically condescending himself, right? Locking himself as a dead dog.
Okay, go to chapter 16. Second Samuel chapter 16. Look at verse number seven. Second Samuel 16, verse number seven.
The Bible says, and this says, Shimei, when he cursed, Shimei was cursing David, come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou manabilio, okay?
So Shimei was accusing, you know, really against David, calling him the son of the devil. Look at verse number 8.
had returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul,
in whose stead thou hast reigned,
and the Lord had delivered the kingdom
into the hand of Absalom by some.
And behold, thou art taking in thy mischief,
because thou art a bloody man.
Then said Abishai, the son of Zariah, unto the king,
why should this dead dog, Kang Baoshimi,
I curse my Lord the king?
Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off.
his head, okay? So Ebishai did not like the fact that Shimei was cursing David. So then, you know,
Ebishai was calling Shimei a dead dog, basically saying that he is a very low-class person.
You know, he's not a very moral person. So the point is, dogs are not a really good animal, but being
But even a living dog, which is a bad animal, is still better than a lion that is dead, okay?
So he's making a point that you know
When you are dead you cannot do anything on the on this earth, right? Your labor will cease on this earth
That's why even a dog
If it's alive, it's better than something that is dead. Okay, when you're dead
If you are not saved you are down right you will be going to hell
But if you are saved when you are dead your impact on this earth is down as well, okay?
So being alive at least means you can still do something for God.
Now, turn the Bible back to Ecclesiastes chapter 9.
Ecclesiastes chapter 9.
Look at verse number 5.
Chapter 9 verse 5, the Bible says,
For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything.
Neither have they any more a reward for the memory of them is forgotten.
If you are saved, when you are dead, then you're not able to win anyone to Christ anymore.
You're not able to influence this world anymore, right?
You will not be able to earn any reward anymore, right?
That's why the Bible says, neither have they any more a reward.
Because the living is better, because the living know that they shall die.
That's why, you know, that's why it should provoke the living to do something for God.
the memory of them is forgotten. Look at verse number six also their love and
their hatred and their envy is not perished neither have they any more a
portion forever in anything that is down under some when people not when people
died there's no portion or part for them in this life
The time of their influence is over, okay?
They can be loving, they can be hateful, they can be envious.
It's all gone. Their portion is gone.
So the moral of the story is that, you know, if you'll die anyway,
why don't you serve God when you're still alive?
Because even a dog, when it's alive,
it's still better than a bad line, okay?
So the real question is, why don't we...
be more vocal about what we believe, right?
Why don't we preach harder against sin,
knowing that we will die anyway,
and after we die, there's no more portion.
There's no more part for us.
That's why we should try influencing the world
as much as possible right now.
And many people will be afraid
because recently,
You know, based on the recent event, people are afraid that when you are public about
your belief, you may die, right?
You may get shot, like Charlie Kirk.
But the thing is, you will die anyway.
Will you die as a coward or you know where you'll die being a faithful servant of the Lord?
Okay, you will die anyway
So why you are why you are why you are afraid of being public about what you believe, okay?
Now I don't agree with Charlie Kirk on everything
But one thing I do admire him is that he is very vocal about what he believes and he is you know turning the heart of the youth to you know
traditional family values, right?
I mean, especially being a young person, I mean, he's only 31 years old, I mean, it's rare to find such a young person, at least, you know, holding some Christian values, right, and his vocal about it, he's not afraid of it.
So I think more Baptist preachers should be, you know, like him, not afraid of preaching what they believe, okay?
Because you will die anyway while you're hiding your sermons behind the paywall.
While you're doing those things, you know, people will hate you anyway.
Charlie Kirk is nicer to those people than I will ever be.
So if they kill him, they will kill you too if you don't say anything.
So just saying.
So I said point number one, we are all going to die.
Point number two, the portion of the living, the portion of the living.
Nassau means going to give us some practical advice to, you know, how to be alive, okay?
So point number one is we are all going to die, but now he's going to tell us how to be alive.
What should we do when we are still alive?
So number one is that we should enjoy God's blessing.
Look at verse number seven.
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepted thy works
so God
Approves us if we enjoy God's blessing
Rightly and with a thankful heart because God gives us richly all things to enjoy. Okay. I mean I talked about it last week
I don't want to talk too much about it did
Tonight but God wants us to live a joyful life right God wants us to enjoy what we have and God wants us to enjoy the blessing
That he has given us as long as we are thankful
You know eat eat our bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart
Okay, so there's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing wrong with enjoying life
So number one is enjoy God's blessing, but number two is be pure look at verse number eight
Let thy garments be always white and let thy head lack no ointment
Now the color white symbolizes salvation
But also it symbolizes righteousness, right? We have we have God's righteousness on us when we are saved
so actually to level to
Revelation chapter number one
Keep a place in the book of a disaster go to
revelation chapter one
Isaiah 1-18 says, come now and let us reason together, say to the Lord, though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool.
There's a pretty verse talking about, you know, we are covered by the blood of Christ,
Obviously, when Christ was transfigured at the amount of transfiguration, the Bible says that his raiment was white as the light.
I mean, it pictures purity, pictures righteousness.
Revelation 1, look at verse number 14.
Here's a description of the glorified Jesus.
In verse 14, his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire.
Again, white pictures, the purity, white pictures, righteousness.
Go to chapter 3, look at verse number 4.
The Bible says that has a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are
Worthy again pictures purity. That's why in that's why in Jude the Bible says that we should hate the garments spotted by the flesh
Right talking about in purity. We should symbolically, you know having white garments
Okay, so so here we have those people in Sardis
They have not defiled their garments look at verse number five. He that overcome it
That's you know talking about saved he that is saved the same shall be clothed in white
Raymond, okay, we will be given white Raymond in heaven picturing
Singlessness right not that we are singless, but crisis singless good good chapter number four
Robin chapter four verse four
And I will says, and round about the throne were four and 20 seats, and upon the seats
I saw four and 20 elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads
crowns of gold.
Here we have 24 elders in heaven.
You know, I believe these are the dead saints who are in heaven right now, and they are
already clothed in white raiment.
7, rubble in chapter 7, look at verse number 9, rubble in chapter 7 verse 9.
Obviously, when Christ comes back during the Battle of Armageddon, he is sitting on a white horse, right?
And the armies that follow him, you know, they were clothing fine linen, white and clean.
Again, pictures righteousness. Revelation 7, look at verse number 9.
And kindred and people in town stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands
This is about the rapture
After the great tribulation that the saints were clothed with white robes, okay
So the whole point of showing you this is white is a picture of purity white is a picture of
righteousness, so when Solomon says that
You know, let the garments be always white. He's saying that, you know, live a pure life, right?
Live a holy life. Don't let your life be defiled with sin. Okay? Now, turn the Bible back to
Ecclesiastes chapter 9.
We should have, you know, all of our clothes should be white, symbolically speaking.
What we do, what we say, what we wear, should all be pure, right?
Because God wants us to live a pure and sanctified life on this earth.
Not to keep being saved, not to get saved, but simply to please Christ.
If you love God, you should keep His commandments, right?
And you should not feel grievous to keep His commandments if your heart is right.
So the Bible says in verse ready led that garments be always white and let I had lack no ointment
Ointment is a picture of God's blessing and joy
You know, you know the famous Psalm
Psalm says
Thou, you know, thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies, thou anointest
my head with oil, my cup runneth over, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
So here we have the oil is picturing goodness and mercy, okay?
So
So what's the portion of the living number one enjoy God's blessing number two stay pure number three
Enjoy life with your wife
Enjoy life with your wife or your spouse. Okay, or your husband look at version of nine
The Bible says live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life
All the days of the life of divinity, which he had given the end of the psalm, all the days of divinity, for that is the portion in this life, and in thy labor, in which thou takeest the end of the psalm.
So he is saying that life can be vain and miserable, right?
the vanity that you have. So just enjoy life with your wife. Life is marriageable
anyway. You know, the days are like vanities anyway. So just enjoy life
with your wife. Because God gave your wife to you, right? And you made a
covenant before God. Notice the Bible says, which he had given thee under the
So, live joyfully with them, right?
Be happy, life is miserable anyway,
enjoy the relationship, okay?
Now when I read this, I mean, I couldn't help asking
because Solomon said, live joyfully with a wife
whom thou lovest, which one, Solomon?
Because he is singular, right?
Live joyfully with the wife, okay?
So I have no idea which wife
Solomon was talking about.
Anyway, that's besides the point, but I guess we can ask him I guess we can ask him in heaven
Okay, so because he because he didn't say live joefully with the wives and the cockingbines
You know anyway, but
Proverbs 5, 18 says, Let thy fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let her be as a loving hind and pleasant roll.
Let her breast satisfy thee at all times and be thou ravished always with her love.
Basically enjoying the relationship with the wife and live joyfully with them.
We should enjoy the relationships that God has given us period like your friends people at your church
Cherish the moment be kind be nice to them because you know the outside world is vain right people are rude
We are living in a miserable world. So, you know just be nice to some godly
Relationships that we have okay, so
Number one is
Enjoy God's blessing, number two, be pure, number three, enjoy life with your wife, number
four, do everything for God's glory, look at verse number ten, whatsoever thy hand
find it to do, do it with thy might, four, there's no work, no device, no knowledge,
nor wisdom in the grave, where do thou goest?
So do things with your might right now, because when you go to the grave, you can't work
There's no more wisdom. You can't import on people when you go to the grave. There's no knowledge that you can teach people
Okay, Christ said I must work the works of him that sent me while
While it is day the night cometh when no man can work when you die you cannot work anymore
Paul said whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God
whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men, okay?
So while you are still alive, do everything with your might, honor God with your might,
because when you are dead, you cannot do anything. There's no more, you know, work that you can do for God.
So what's the portion of the living?
Life is short, so live joyfully with God's blessing, stay pure, enjoying,
The relationship that God has given you and do everything for God's glory. Okay, because you are all gonna die anyway
So just do everything for God right now. So so I said point number one
We're all gonna die point number two the portion of the living point number three the uncertainty of
Life look at verse from 11
The Bible says, I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bred to the wise, nor yet bridges to men of understanding, nor a favor to the men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all.
So verse 11 gives us a principle that life is uncertain.
you can be a fast runner but still lose the race if you didn't rest well the
night before you can be a strong boxer but can still lose the fight if that's
just just not your day right you can be a wise and have you can be wise and have
college degree but still struggle to find a job
You can be a well, you can be well versed in business, but still not able to make a lot of money
You can be skillful in a certain trade
But not gaining any extra wealth
Here's the thing success is not guaranteed in life. Okay, because the race is not to the swift
sometimes a slow runner may actually win the race for you know
For some other reason, okay? We see the weak overcoming the strong in you know many battles in history
Right because success is not guaranteed now to about what you jams chapter number four jams chapter number four
James chapter number four
The smart people don't always
Have a lot have a lot of have a lot of riches
The skillful people may now gain favor of men because time and chance haven't to all
James chapter 4 look at verse number 13 the Bible says
Go to now be that say today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and
Continue there a year and buy and sell and get game
So here, we have an instance of people are making plans.
Today or tomorrow, we will go to the city and buy and sell and just make money, okay?
Nothing wrong with planning.
We can have plans for tomorrow or the following year.
But look at the next verse.
Verse 14 says, whereas, you know, now what shall be on the moral for what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appeared for a little time and then banished away
So so if you read verse 14 in a context of verse number 13
We can all have plans in life. Nothing wrong with plans. In fact, we should be organized, right?
Let's know nothing wrong with plans, but we need to realize that tomorrow is not guaranteed
Okay, that's why look at verse number 15 the Bible says for that you ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do
This or that
Because life is not guaranteed success is not guaranteed
That's why sometimes we say the phrase Lord willing if the Lord will we shall live and do this and that
That's a biblical concept right Lord willing. That's what people are saying that because tomorrow is not guaranteed
If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that
Hey, law-willing I'll be going to Detroit, okay, because tomorrow is not, you know, tomorrow is not promised
So law-willing is not a cliche phrase. That that is a biblical concept and I think we should be using it
Just so we don't make some, you know, weird promise that we cannot even keep, okay?
So go back to go go back to Ecclesiastes chat chat from the night
Ecclesiastes chapter 9, look at verse number 12, the Bible says for no man also for men
also know not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the
birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of man snare in an evil
time when it falls suddenly upon them
Man knows not his time. Death comes suddenly like a snare or a snare, okay?
So I think, you know, it's pretty interesting that the Bible says death falls suddenly upon them,
because we don't know when our life is going to end. It can come suddenly, okay?
That's why, you know, in the book of Ephesians, the Bible says that we should be redeeming the time because the days are evil,
evil days. We don't know what evil is gonna, you know, get hold of us and take our life and take the life of our family.
That's why I just don't be, don't be unwise, but
but understanding what the will of the Lord is and be filled with the Holy Spirit, you know.
That's what Paul said in the Book of Ephesians,
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give thee light.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools,
but as wise redeeming the time.
So don't live with foolish thoughts, foolish actions,
believe with God's wisdom,
and know what the will of the Lord is,
because the days are evil.
Because that can come suddenly like a net or snare and you know to be honest nobody knows when they will die
okay, so
Point number one. I said that we are all gonna die point number two the portions of the living point number three
The uncertainty of life lastly point number four
The value of wisdom the value of wisdom
Okay, verse number 13
The Bible says this wisdom have I seen also under the sun and it seemed great down to me
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
Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdom
Delivered the city yet. No man remembered the same poor men
So, I want to show you a concept that wisdom is not a respecter of persons.
Because in this passage, verse 13 to verse 15, even a poor person can have wisdom.
Because here we have a poor wise man deliver the city against a great king.
Wisdom is not a respecter of persons, even an unlearned fisherman can have the wisdom
That's the same thing that people said to Peter and John that they were unlearned and
just being ignorant men.
But they marveled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus because they
have the knowledge and wisdom of Christ regardless of their earthly education.
Just like we don't have to go to the Bible college to have the wisdom of God, right?
We don't have to have a college degree to obtain wisdom.
In fact, people should be getting out of college because college is a scam.
No matter how you put it, because we all have taken classes that we don't really need, right?
You know, like, you know, African, South African gender study.
Fitchell major of construction or something like that anyway
so
But then he says that no man
remembered that same poor man. Why is that look at verse number 16
Then said I wisdom is better than strength
Nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard
So, first of all, wisdom is better than strength.
The Bible says in Proverbs 24, verse number 5, a wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge
increases strength.
Having wisdom is better than having mere strength.
But then he says, a poor man's wisdom is despised.
So the question is, why is that?
Why do people despise this poor man's wisdom?
Why do no man remember this same poor man who has helped them fight against a great king?
I think...
You know, that happens maybe because of social bias
Because people tend to despise the words of people who are poor
People who may have some menial jobs, right?
Maybe people who are genitors
They think, you know, they are not smart
Just by, like, default, okay?
But that should not be the case
Because a person's social status
Has nothing to do with whether he's wise or not
You know in general right because if a beggar is preaching the word of God, then that's wisdom
Doesn't matter who that person is
Now the person may you know have made some bad choices that you know lead up to their jobs
But if anyone is preaching the word of God
Expand the word of God that is saved then that's wisdom. Okay?
So in the same way that we should not despise what someone says or does solely due to their age
Now in the social status, but age as well. That's why Paul told Timothy let no man despise thy youth
Okay, I will even say this that even a child
If he is if a child is speaking the truth from the Bible then we can learn from that
Right, even the child if that child is speaking, you know
God's wisdom then we can learn from that because we've been summoning and we have people asking us constantly
How old are you?
I've been in churches my whole life.
I'm 60 years old, right?
We've heard people telling us that, but how does that,
why does that even matter?
Why does age even matter?
You know, what doesn't even matter how old we are, we are bringing you the gospel from the Bible, right?
You know, the Bible, you know, the God's wisdom is not a respecter of persons.
It's not a respecter of ages, okay?
Anyone can have God's wisdom with the Holy Spirit.
So, go to James chapter 2. Go to James chapter 2.
James, chapter number two, and people who despise the wisdom of the Bible think they are better off without it.
But those are, you know, prideful people, ignorant people.
James chapter two, look at verse number one, James chapter two verse one, the Bible says,
for if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold rain in goodly apparel and they're coming also a poor man in
Vile raiment and you have respect to him that we're at the gay clothing and say unto him
Sit sit out here in a good place and say to the poor stand out there or sit here under my foestal
So here we have us. We have a scenario of people judging people unrighteously
Based on what they are wearing right, you know a gay gay apparel like the one I wore on Sunday
You know the Filipino garment and then we have the vile garment
You know, you know people are treating others differently based on what they are wearing look at look at verse number four
Are you now than partial in yourselves and I've become judges of evil thoughts
Harking my beloved brethren have now got chosen the poor of this world. Don't miss this rich in faith
and the heirs of the kingdom which which he had promised to them that love him
so it doesn't really matter how rich or poor you are
if you have faith, if God loves you
then you should not be partial right because we are
we're all one in Christ Jesus rich poor
men women you know barbarians Greeks
If you are saved then we are all wanting to cry Jesus and if anyone any age
Preaches the truth from the Word of God then there is wisdom, okay?
Let's go back to
Ecclesiastes chapter 9
Look at verse number 17
Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse number 17
The Bible says, the words of the wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
That's a good principle as well because people who are wise are not very loud.
But in contrast, people who are fools tend to shout their stupidity, right?
That's you know, that's what verse 17 is done
But the words of the wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruled them on fools
You know fool foolish people they cry they want everyone to know that they are foolish
Obviously, that's not what they think but you know, we can all see that right?
You know Proverbs 29 11 says a fool other with all his mind, but the wise man keepeth it in till afterwards
Okay
Don't say everything that comes across your mind, because we need to learn when to speak,
what to speak, and how to say certain things, okay?
Version 18, wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Wisdom can be a powerful tool.
But it doesn't matter how powerful it is, one wicked person, one sinner, can undo what
you have done, right?
You know, we have a general principle that a little leaven of the whole lump.
to commit accounting fraud and get a company shut down, right?
One sinner destroyed it much good.
A single person acting in rebellion, folly,
wickedness can undo years of hard work.
Think about the history of Israel.
We have the sin of Akin, right?
One man's sin brought defeat to the entire nation of Israel.
King Saul, he's like disobedience,
rejection from God even though Israel had the victories under him but one bad
act brought God's curse brought God's punishment upon the nation. Judas one
man's betrayal led to Christ's arrest right and if we think about leadership
But one person's sin can damage the testimony of a whole congregation, right?
Because the unity of the ministry is, you know, takes hard labor to build, but one sinner
can, you know, undo years of hard work.
In families, if a father or a mother
acts foolishly, then that can bring years of hardship to the entire family.
The kids may struggle, the marriage will struggle, one sin, one wickedness can undo all the previous successes.
In personal life, years of good Christian testimonies can be damaged by one sinful act.
Wisdom is good. Wisdom is a powerful tool.
is a powerful tool, and wisdom is better than strength,
it's better than weapons of war,
but one wickedness, one sinner, or one sin,
can undo what you have done.
So, I think what Solomon is trying to get at is
that we should pursue wisdom even when,
even when it goes unrecognized, right?
Because a poor man's wisdom is despised in general,
in this world, because people don't like wisdom.
But we should pursue wisdom,
even when nobody notices us,
because wisdom has lasting value before God, right?
But also keep yourselves in the wisdom of God and just always be on guard
Not to let one sinner or one sin destroy years of hard work, right?
So
So I said point number one. We are all gonna die
Live for God right now point number two the portion of the living, you know, stay pure enjoy God's blessing and
Just do everything with your might
Number three I said the uncertainty of life. No man knows when he's gonna die.
That's why, you know, we should cherish life. Number four, the value of wisdom.
Wisdom is great. Have wisdom. Wisdom is the principal thing. Embrace wisdom. Get wisdom.
But don't let your wickedness undo years of hard work, right?
Don't let one sin destroy your family, destroy your testimony, destroy this ministry.
Because we only live one life on this earth, right?
Make it count and pursue wisdom and keep it.
Let's close in with a prayer.
Thank you all for this chapter.
For the prayer that will realize the uncertainty of life.
So that we can do more for you
help us
Reflect on this sobering thought that we are all gonna die
Well, I pray that what we do on this earth will count
for for some eternal purpose and the prettiest in Jesus name. Amen
All right, let's sing one more song song number 44
So the fitting song will work till Jesus comes.
Song number 44 will work till Jesus comes.
On the first.
O land of rest for the high sun
When will the moment come?
I shall lay my armor, grow in peace at home.
We'll work till Jesus comes, we'll work till Jesus comes,
we'll work till Jesus comes and we'll be gathered.
To Jesus Christ I fled for rest, He bathed me, seized to Rome, and bling for succour
on His breast till He conduct me home.
will work till Jesus comes and will be gathered home I sought at once my
Saviour's side no more my steps shall roll with him I'll brave death
Till Jesus comes, we'll work, till Jesus comes, we'll work, till Jesus comes and we'll be
gathered at home.
Brother Rashid, could you pray us out please?