A TIME FOR EVERYTHING - Food for thought

[Paxton]

INTRO:
The writing of Ecclesiastes is usually attributed to King Solomon. The book consists of personal or autobiographic references,
at times expressed in maxims with reflections on the meaning of life … the best way of life. 

It proclaims that all the actions of people are inherently vain, futile, empty, meaningless, temporary, transitory, fleeting,
or "mere breath," as the lives of both wise and foolish people end in death. 

One example…

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck that, which is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to destroy and a time to build.
A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather. A time to embrace and a time to be far from embrace.
A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend and a time to sew. A time to keep silence and a time to speak.
A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace...

And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice and to do well in this life…

I saw under the sun in the place of judgment, wickedness: and in the place of justice, inequity.
And I said in my heart both the just and the wicked will be judged, and then shall be the time of every thing…

All things are subject to vanity and all things go to one place. Of earth they were made, and into earth, they return together…

And I have found that nothing is better than for a person to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion...

[solo1]

Ecclesiastes is one of my favorites ever since it was used as the theme in my high school graduation class yearbook in 1946.  Imagine verses from the Bible being quoted in an official publication in a public school today.

[Robert]

Solomon had everything (1 Kings10:1) you could possibly want including the queen of Sheba that was so impressed she came and stayed. You should rejoice in what he says don't be upset. We are eternal beings but we are in the world but not of the world here all things will pass away. We quickly loose sight of the words of Jesus when He said this is not our home. Most dont live lives thinking we are eternal our spirit never dies and will answer for our sins or receive our rewards. If we live in this life to be 100 how long is that compared to eternity,maybe a vapor of smoke? Jesus gave up His life on this earth knowing that He would be with His Father again in Heaven, this is our real home also. So the life here on earth is only our temporary home and when even the richest man dies with all his great works who will remember him? Who will get his riches? Or when the poor man dies who will even notice but God? But when the end comes where will you spend eternity in heaven or in hell? So when men plan their lives it should not be to live like hell or smile and then lie cheat and steal your way to the top why? Because each and every one of us will answer for what we did with our time here on earth. This is the White throne Judgement. Some to rewards some to punishment. How many would live their lives differently if they believed that the rewards or punishments for this life would really be following them when they die. How would it change the importance of things?  Solomon was just saying life is short to enjoy each day and it doesn't count on things, because we will all die and all face judgement and all of what we see will pass away. The only thing that will live on is us as a spirit and we will decide, here, where we will spend the rest of eternity so what is really important now?

Luk 12:19  'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'
Luk 12:20  "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'
Luk 12:21  "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
Luk 12:22  And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.
Luk 12:23  "For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
Luk 12:24  "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!
Luk 12:25  "And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span?
Luk 12:26  "If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?
Luk 12:27  "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
Luk 12:28  "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!
Luk 12:29  "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.
Luk 12:30  "For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.
Luk 12:31  "But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Luk 12:32  "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.


Jas 4:13  Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."
Jas 4:14  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
Jas 4:15  Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
Jas 4:16  But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
Jas 4:17  Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Rev 20:11  Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Rev 20:14  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15  And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
 
Luk 16:20   Lazarus and the rich man interesting read

[Paxton]

Thank you, Robert.

[Robert]

MATTHEW 5:3 "THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT."  Jesus gives us nine proverbs on the way to happiness to draw us into the most electrifying sermon ever preached.  The nine fold way of happiness can be divided into three parts: the 1st four beatitudes are reflective, intensely personal pictures which might be called the inner pathway; "Happy are the poor in spirit", that is, those who know they are poor.  "Happy are those who mourn", those who feel deeply the sense of loss and the pain that goes with it.   

"Happy are the meek", or those who have a sane evaluation of themselves.  "Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness", those who have moved beyond the various false option of this generation and have decided to seek after God's truth and character.  The 2nd group tells of three important lifestyle ingredients. "Happy are the merciful", those who really love people - not those who just say they do - but those whose love is genuine and concrete.  "Happy are the pure in heart", those who have uncluttered their affections, having chosen to obey the righteous will of God.  "Happy are the peacemakers", those who share the health and wholeness of peace with the people around them.  The 3rd part brings Jesus' teaching to a close with two hard and terrifying beatitudes united in poetic parallelism.  "Happy are those who are persecuted because of righteousness."  "Happy are those who are persecuted on Jesus' account."  Jesus is using one of the harshest words in the Greek language: "persecute", which means "to run after, to pursue."  He is teaching that it is possible to find the right pathway even in the midst of a less- than-ideal setting.  A believer can survive within a hostile environment.  We are currently watching this take place in many parts of the world.  I want you to notice the vital theological fact that Jesus has united righteousness with His own personal Lordship: "persecuted because of righteousness...because of me."

[BIG--T]

Great read Robert! 

[Momz]

That Soloman character is plagerizing Bob Dylan.
Just what is this world coming too?

 

[tank_post142]

“Practice giving things away, not just things you don't care about, but things you do like. Remember, it is not the size of a gift, it is its quality and the amount of mental attachment you overcome that count. So don't bankrupt yourself on a momentary positive impulse, only to regret it later. Give thought to giving. Give small things, carefully, and observe the mental processes going along with the act of releasing the little thing you liked."

[mario]

i've been skipping most threads on the general forum but this is a great read guys, thank you for posting.

[billyboy]

just what was that song anyway.

[Robert]

The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn!	powered by Aeva

[billyboy]

WOW!! Thanks man! No that was great just like i kind of rember uhh where was i going?
             

[Skinhead]

I'm really glad those clothes and hair styles didn't catch on.  Shows you how good the drugs were back then.

[Robert]

 "Beatitudes" the Latin Vulgate translates the Greek word for blessed as beati.  The Hebrew word for "blessed" is ashr, which in the Proverbs means to find the right path.  The Old Testament idea of happiness has to do with orientation, perspective and the discovery of what is meaningful in the midst of shallow, superficial options.  The word in the Greek language means "happy," but no single word can capture all that Jesus is communicating here with this term.  He is describing the special favor of God toward His people, both physically and spiritually and the results of living within that favor.

  The one thing the Beatitudes are not is a mild and sentimental collection of platitudes.  THEY ARE A FRONTAL CHALLENGE to almost everything we assume about "the way it is" in the world.  The only way they make sense is if Jesus Himself is able to sustain the blessings He pronounces.  When that fact becomes our fact and when we become convinced that Jesus has the authority to support His promises, then the word "blessed" not only invites us to find the right path but also to welcome it.  We now have the biblical identification of success.  Success is not measured in possessions or by the state of our health.  Success means to be where I am supposed to be-in the right place at the right time and for the right reason-because of the purpose for my life that has its origins in God's love and faithfulness.  Success for those who believe this amazing Sermon on the Mount is a word about relationship with the Shepherd-Lord of the pathway and about our journey on that pathway.

[tank_post142]

“In my heart are the deeds my body has done and my heart has been weighed in the balance.”