Ecclesiastes 9:17 (KJV) Listen to the Quiet

 

Ecclesiastes 9:17 (KJV)

The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

This verse is a part of an observation the preacher made. It includes verses 13-18.[1] The lesson, at least in part, is this, wisdom is seldom found in the loudest voice.

This accounts, I believe, for many of the problems we find in our world, even in our churches. We are prone to listen most attentively to those voices with the biggest platform. Something in us says wisdom must be stored in those who are most successful. That is errant on a couple of counts

First, we are making a judgment about what is and isn’t successful. 

Therefore, our attention is mainly upon those we deem successful. We have by default limited any wisdom we may receive to what we have previously determined is wise. By our own judgment, we might restrict ourselves from ever hearing true wisdom.

Second, the Bible is very clear. Wisdom is better than strength.
We must be cautious to seek out and lean on wisdom. Our nature would rather lean upon strength. Wisdom and strength are seldom found together. God’s wisdom is foolishness to this world, and He is strong in our weakness. That means, without abandoning all our own reasoning and trusting only what the Bible says, we will utterly miss His wisdom. We will mistake something worldly for something wise.

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[1] Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 (KJV)
This wisdom have 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 in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
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Ecclesiastes 9:17 (KJV) Listen to the Quiet

Ecclesiastes 7:4 (KJV) It’ll Make Your Heart Better

 Ecclesiastes 7:4 (KJV)

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

I doubt I will ever forget it. Shortly after I surrendered my life to be a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I went to my pastor for advice. He told me to attend all the funerals I could. As a young man, it seemed morbid and strange to me. It was the last thing I wanted to do. It seemed like the farthest thing from what the ministry is all about.

Over the years, I grew to see the wisdom of his counsel.
First of all, a preacher is likely to be asked to officiate at funerals.
He will be more prepared to do a professional and dignified service, having attended many. But unfortunately, I’ve seen some that were far from that.

Secondly, it is an excellent opportunity to minister to the relatives of the deceased.
I am thankful for the opportunity to help people in any way I can during their grief.

But there is something more than ministry in mind. I would go so far as to say the minister is not in mind in this passage.

It is a shame that people tend more and more to avoid funerals in our day. When they do have them, they like to call it a “celebration of life.” The problem is that they are avoiding the matter of the heart. They attempt to turn even the occasion of death into a time of feasting and laughter and thereby skirt the issue of their own heart.

The preacher said the wise go to the house of mourning, and fools go to the place of mirth. Sadness of countenance makes the heart better. Or at least it can if we face it.

The preacher in Ecclesiastes agrees with my pastor. Attend as many funerals as you are able. While there, let God make your heart better.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
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Ecclesiastes 7:4 (KJV) It’ll Make Your Heart Better

Ecclesiastes 5:7 (KJV) Preach!

 

Ecclesiastes 5:7 (KJV)

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

It seems to me that Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, and possibly also verse 8, could have been divided out as its own chapter. It could be titled, “How to Behave in the House of God.” It corresponds well, it seems to me, to 1 Corinthians 12-14, especially chapter 14.

We don’t need many voices in the house of the Lord. We need orderly, prayed over, and well-prepared messages that come directly from the Word of God and that tend to lead us toward the fear of the Lord. 

Liberty is a blessing from the Holy Spirit upon those who properly fear God. Our world does not need more encouragement toward liberty. The flesh leans toward that all on its own. Given the opportunity, liberty turns to licentious living. 

• Preach the Word of God 
• Preach the holiness of God 
• Preach the fear of God 

and the perfect law of liberty will reign down from heaven.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Ecclesiastes 5:7 (KJV) Preach!

Ecclesiastes 1:13 (KJV) I Know That…

 Ecclesiastes 3:12-14 (KJV)

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

As I’m reading Ecclesiastes through this time, I’m thinking of the preacher as being a type of scientist. Though he has a supernatural wisdom he is on a quest for knowledge. Like modern scientists he makes two mistakes:

• He sets down the Word of God in favor of something he can discover on his own.
• He fails to recognize certain moral lines a man must not cross

In the end he comes to a right conclusion Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this isthe whole dutyof man.

In this quest for knowledge, he declares two things he does know.

First, he knows that good does not reside in man
The best any man can do in this life is to

• Rejoice (I believe this to be rejoicing in God)
• Do good and
• Enjoy the fruit of his labor

Second, he knows that God and His work is immutable and unchangeable. 
A very wise man fears the Lord and leans on His immutability.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Ecclesiastes 1:13 (KJV)  I Know That…

Ecclesiastes 1:13 (KJV) The Conundrums of Life

 

Ecclesiastes 1:13 (KJV)

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Regardless of the wisdom God gave Solomon, he still faced the same conundrums of life of which we all struggle. Life on this planet doesn’t seem to make sense. As intelligent as humanity is, as thoughtful as we are capable. Still, there is evil, darkness, and despair. The potential of man is obvious, but achieving that potential is always just beyond our grasp. We make what appears to be great strides in living standards, but that only seems to be outweighed by the advancement of ways to harm one another. And then, overshadowing it all was this greatest of incongruities; how is it possible that such potential eventually dies?

Solomon was wise enough to see all of that.

And so, he engaged in what I imagine was a great science experiment. He tested all the theories. Both good and bad. As in modern science, his quest for learning failed to recognize the line over which a man must not cross. Like scientists of today, he put down the Word of God in favor of his own quest to know good and evil.

I’m getting ahead of myself, but I’ve read the end of the book. When it is all said and done, the preacher will conclude Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The wisest thing any man will ever do is skip all the experiments and land smack dap in that verse.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
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Ecclesiastes 1:13 (KJV) The Conundrums of Life

Proverbs 30:1-3 (KJV) Humble in Attitude and Application

 

Proverbs 30:1-3 (KJV)

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

Sometimes the most interesting meditations upon Scripture come from those passages we only see through the darkest part of the glass. We then look at possibilities. While the possibilities ought not to be held too dogmatically, there are some good lessons.

Here is one of those passages. We have no solid information who Agur is. At least a few students believe this to be Solomon. That possibility has some very intriguing considerations. Consider Solomon claiming:

• I am more Brutish than any man
• I have not the understanding of man
• I neither learned wisdom
• I have not the knowledge of the holy

We know in fact that Solomon was wealthy, established, endowed with God-given wisdom, and had multiple answers to prayer. Of course, we also know of his sins, but I believe he finally repented of them.

Proverbs 30 has some of the most beautifully written truths in it. These, written by a man who claimed little understanding, wisdom, or knowledge.

Here is my observation. The most valuable people are those who have taken the time to learn, invested in their soul and spirit to know God, but then remain humble in attitude and application of their faith.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Proverbs 30:1-3 (KJV) Humble in Attitude and Application

Proverbs 29:2 (KJV) SOTU

 Proverbs 29:2 (KJV)

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

I am writing this the day after President Joe Biden’s first state of the union address. I did not see the entire speech, only about three-quarters of it. Since then, I have watched several of the many analyses and responses. There were responses from multiple interests, including several of the President’s own party. As much as he tried to present a front of unity, there is no unity today, even among his party.

Some of the responses were obviously biased. One of them, in my mind, was even petty. They put together a string of his stutters and stammers and made it a laughing issue. Then they tried to claim that the purpose of the sound clips was the more serious issue of his sounding weak. This is small minded and petty of them. Jefferson was noted as being a poor speaker. He was certainly not a weak leader.

I will say that what I heard in the SOTU was inconsistent with what we have witnessed the last year. Some called it lying. I think they are correct. He claimed we are going to build back better and buy American. This, while we are financing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine through purchasing their oil after he closed our own oil pipeline. Let’s not forget that they have foisted upon the American public this illusion that we have to be tested for COVID-19 every time we feel under the weather. The government will even give us the tests. Those tests were purchased by our government from China. 

As I said, I did not see the final quarter of the address, but I understand that he did not conclude by saying anything like, “God bless America.” That is telling to say the least. He doesn’t even feign to have faith in God.

Proverbs, chapters 28-29 make strong statements concerning the sort of leaders that give the people a reason to rejoice. Unfortunately, the current Administration, and those in his party, are not of that sort.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
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Proverbs 29:2 (KJV) SOTU

Proverbs 27:11 (KJV) My Son

 

Proverbs 27:11 (KJV)

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

It is incredibly significant how much of the Proverbs reference how a child reflects the parents. Children, I am convinced, especially adult children, are either a reflection of blessing or shame upon their mom and dad.

It leads me to think that we likely don’t invest anywhere near enough of ourselves into our children. It seems like fathers especially tend to focus on providing for the family, finding success in their work, and realizing their satisfaction in their promotions while expecting that their kids will almost automatically grow up fine. And I think that’s in the best families. The worst ones are practically negligent of their children.

If we focus our attention on this verse and the spiritual significance, I see David as the godly man he was, challenged on so many sides.

• He had spiritual enemies among the Gentile nations
• He had spiritual enemies among the northern tribes
• He had spiritual enemies among some of his officers
• He even had spiritual enemies among his children

See him as he instructs Solomon, perhaps during those final days when they transitioned from David’s throne to Solomon’s. Or perhaps at an earlier time when David may have been sharing his thoughts for the Temple. At some point, David looks at his son and says, I’m asking you to be wise. It will cheer my heart. But it will do more than that; it will vindicate and reinforce my psalms and the faith I have declared to those around me.

Is this why Solomon prayed for wisdom? 

I know that my sons cheer my heart so often as I see them walking wisely before the Lord. And I know that their wise faith, to this day, strengthens me to continue preaching and to walk with the Lord.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5600 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Proverbs 27:11 (KJV) My Son