Toil Is Meaningless - What is the Point.

Toil Is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 (NIV)

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Why do we work and wear ourselves out trying to get more stuff that does not really matter. What really matters, is it stuff or our life. To the one who pleases God he gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness an abundant life. An abundant life is not obtaining money and stuff. This is not an abundant life, but a prison, a prison run by Satan.

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.

It is so simple, so why do we waste our lives with struggle, stress, excess, and in the end a wasted life?

We are at the place in our lives at the present due to the decisions and actions we have taken in the past. We will be at a place in the future due to the decisions and actions we take in the present. Where do we want to be?

Are You Saved?

Matthew 7:13-27 NIV

The Narrow and Wide Gates
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

James 2:17 (NIV)

17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Here is a long video that speaks about the the first passages above, I added the passage from James, because it came to my mind as I heard Paul Washington preach.



This has been in my heart that people profess that they are saved by Jesus, but yet their lives have not changed. I know that I feel tugged by carnal things and do not live as I should. But I do hear a small quiet voice inside me telling me that the things of this world that society holds important are not what God tells us to do. So, that the lifestyles that I see most people living does not represent being saved.

Finally, I do know that only God decides if an individual is saved and not what others or I may think.

Be The Miracle!

I was in a small group discussion and we were talking about Hebrews chapter 13. We started talking about our church and if it is giving us what we need as it pertains to leadership. We complained some and whined a little, but overall we knew that God's hand is acting in our church.

I thought about what we had said and how if something is lacking, why can't we make the change. It seems that everyone, including myself, expect others to see every need and make sure those needs are filled. But I have been feeling that if a need is seen, why not fill it yourself. It doesn't have to start out being a monumental thing but probable should be started small. It could be a loving act of kindness, a small volunteering of time, a gift of money, giving advice, or whatever.

Then the following movie scene from Bruce Almighty was placed in my mind:



So, whatever need that God reveals to me, I will pray to God, take the first step in faith, and "Be the Miracle".

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace Lyrics
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see. (end)

1 Peter 2:9-10 MSG

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

(emphases added)

Isn't it amazing how you can read scripture and it is just words on a page and then another time you read the same passage and the Holy Spirit has the words jump off the page at you.

2 Peter 1:3-9

Making One's Calling and Election Sure

3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, have the following within you:

1) Faith
2) Goodness
3) Knowledge
4) Self-control
5) Perseverance
6) Godliness
7) Brotherly Kindness
8) Love

Remember it is not us who does these things, but it is the Holy Spirit who does these great works in us, all we have to do is ask.

Howard Storm - Heaven and Hell Experience

Howard Storm is a guy who died and went to heaven and hell and come back to chnage his life in a radical way. He was a professor of art at Northern Kentucky University. See link for detailed information and watch the three videos below for his own words about the revelation. His book is also a good read.

It comes down to the two greatest commandments Mark 12:28 NIV:

The Greatest Commandment

28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[f] 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[g]There is no commandment greater than these."

32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Remember Jesus loves us.