Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, yes He is good. Give Him a heartfelt praise right now. I have shared this sort of message many times over the past twenty years and today seems like a proper time to do it again, so get ready.
Today’s Prayer
…”Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. ~ Zechariah 4:6.Lord, empower us by Your Spirit today. We don’t want to do anything out of vanity or just trying to “climb every mountain” on our own. How we long to be led by Your Spirit, not by human initiative and man-inspired positive thinking. Please help us to be a positive, joyful people, full of Your Spirit, inspired by Your Word, and busy about Your work as we go through daily life. We pray that all we do will glorify You and be evidence of Your power and Your might and Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
The Futility of Wealth
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
8 Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. 9 Even the king milks the land for his own profit!
10 Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! 11 The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
12 People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.
13 There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. 14 Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. 15 We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.
16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.
18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. 20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.
Quote of the Day
Give me a stout heart to bear my own burdens. Give me a willing heart to bear the burdens of others. Give me a believing heart to cast all burdens upon Thee, O Lord. ~John Baillie~