Latest / HBCWestminster / Ecclesiastes Session Four 7.3.19

Transcript

Ecclesiastes Session Four 7.3.19 · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  Last week, Hallie taught about the importance of our steps, our words, and our vows. And I'm just going to recap briefly because I really loved her lesson. In talking about our steps, she used chapter 5, verse 1, which says, guard your steps when you go to the house of God. And she reminded me that coming to church is not about me, but about worshiping God.
• 0:27
  She said, our worship is like an aroma to the Lord. And she spoke about the perfume recipe in Exodus 30. And that was a great way to remind me of my own aroma in worship. Then verse 2 says, be not rash with your mouth, let your words be few. This was a section that Hallie used to remind us that our words in prayer need to be trained by a heart that is right and humble before God.
• 0:58
  I'm reading a book on prayer by Alistair Begg, and he further explains that all that matters may be brought before God, but what we bring before God is not always what matters most. So I'm going to say that again because I thought that was pretty profound. All that matters may be brought before God, but what we bring before God is not always what matters most.
• 1:26
  So he's also saying that our priorities need to be humbly ordered by God when we pray. And then how he spoke about verse 4, which says, pay what you vow. She gave us the wonderful example of Hannah's vow to give her first child to God. If he would only open her womb, God did. And Hannah followed through with her vow, which I think is amazing. Not taking it lightly or changing her mind.
• 1:54
  I don't know about you, but I felt really convicted about the way that I've attempted to bargain with God. And so we come this evening to our passage, which is Ecclesiastes 5.8-6.12. And this section is titled, The Vanity of Wealth and Honor. I've provided an outline on the table. I don't know if there's enough on every table. You can use it if that helps you. If it doesn't help you, just set it aside.
• 2:23
  I'm following Pastor Danny's example. I felt like the Lord was really drawing me to this section because of my own work and life experiences. I worked in the financial industry for over 30 years, and that's a broad way to describe the huge business that is all about money. During that time, I witnessed what power and money could do in this world. Our business dealt with
• 2:54
  Not only wealth accumulation, but how to control it from the grave. The business I worked in was life insurance. But the men that I worked for wouldn't tell you that they sold life insurance. Because when you hear someone say that they're peddling life insurance, you're like, I have enough. Thank you. I'm good. But they knew how to use life insurance for estate planning, to fund your kid's college.
• 3:23
  to accumulate savings for retirement. If you had a business, it could be used for your business needs and help you avoid paying excess taxes or taxes on your estate and provide for your loved ones so they can continue to live in the lifestyle that they're accustomed to. And yes, even control it from the grave. There are ways, and you're probably aware, of how to control who gets how much and when.
• 3:53
  and how it's distributed so that you can reward or withhold reward from your family and relatives. And I just thought that was always so sad because they denied the power of death. They denied the power of God. They weren't even thinking about God. They believed Satan's lie that we are in control of our life and our destiny.
• 4:19
  Many of us believe that money empowers and enables self-sufficient life and therefore brings joy and satisfaction. And I have to admit that the pursuit of abundant money was a temptation for me to leave the God that I love. Haven't you ever felt like it would be easier to pursue something that you can control rather than putting your trust in a God you can't even see? And then there's the trap of never having enough.
• 4:49
  And the uncomfortable feeling when you're around people who have more than you do. I can never be secure in the amount that I've stored up. It has caused me to crave more and yet never be satisfied. So let's pray and read this passage and see if you find me in these verses. Maybe you'll even find yourself. And by the way, I'd like you to be listening to something that maybe the Lord's talking to you about tonight.
• 5:20
  Because we're going to use that later this evening if we have time. You've noticed that there are crayons on your table and paper. And if possible, we're going to get kind of creative. So we'll see how it goes. So pray with me. Oh, Heavenly Father, I don't know what I can pray that is more than what Hallie already prayed. But I do pray, God, that you would keep us in truth, help us to hear your voice.
• 5:51
  And guide us tonight and give us soft hearts. And I ask this in your precious name. Amen. Okay, so Proverbs 8. We're going to move this back because we're getting static. It's not your fault. But if you're in front of the speaker, you get a little static. Is that better? Is that better? Better? Can you hear her better? Hello. Hello. Hello. Okay, so let's read Ecclesiastes 5.8.
• 6:37
  If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. But this is gain for a land in every way, a king committed to cultivated fields. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.
• 7:09
  This is also a vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them. And what advantage has the owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun. Riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture.
• 7:37
  And he is the father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. And he came from his mother's womb. As he came from his mother's womb, he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil. Just as he came, so shall he go. And what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness with much vexation and sickness and anger.
• 8:09
  Behold, I have seen what is good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil, this is the gift of God, for he will not much remember the days of his life.
• 8:38
  because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. There is an evil I've seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind. A man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires. Yet God does not give him the power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity. It's a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years so that his...
• 9:08
  His years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial. I say that a stillborn child is better off than he, for it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he, even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good.
• 9:37
  Do not all go to one place? All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? Better in the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite, this is also a vanity and a striving after the wind. Whatever has come to be already has been named.
• 10:06
  And it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? For who knows what is good for a man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? So I get the feeling of money just slipping through our fingers like water.
• 10:37
  of not being able to hang on to it, of losing it in bad investments and essentially throwing good money after bad. Just for fun, I googled some sayings about money, and there are hundreds of quotes, but here are some of the kind of funnier ones. Money will not bring you happiness, but I'd rather cry in a Mercedes than a bus. They say money doesn't bring happiness, but everyone still wants to prove it for themselves.
• 11:09
  People say that money isn't the key to happiness, but I always figured if you have enough money, you can get a key made. And then there's one from an actress from the 40s. A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend, and a successful woman is the one who can find such a man. And then there was a quote from Billy Graham. He said,
• 11:36
  The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith. That's what I hope that we take away from tonight's scripture. Everyone has the opportunity to be used by God by the example that we live every day. After all, God is a God of relationships, and he created us in his image.
• 12:06
  Therefore, we are all people whose most important legacy is our relationships, not our Mercedes. Now on my outline, I've titled this section of scripture, You Can't Take It With You. Solomon is telling us that we don't bring anything into this world and we can't take it with us when we die. He says in 516, just as he came, so shall he go.
• 12:32
  And then he accentuates the thought by giving us three examples of grievous evils or serious problems of what wealth can do to us while we're here on this earth for a short time. These examples are, first, the person who never has enough and is never satisfied or fulfilled. They're always wanting more. He declares this as vanity, chasing after the wind, or as elusive as chasing after a mist.
• 13:01
  Then, secondly, there's the person who hoards his wealth. He's greedy. This example makes me think of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol or even Gollum in Lord of the Rings. They're so obsessed with guarding their wealth that Solomon says in verse 13, riches were kept by their owner to his hurt. So that's the person who hoards his wealth and is greedy. And then the third example of a grievous evil.
• 13:30
  is of a person who can't enjoy his wealth, his possessions, his honor, but a stranger enjoys them. This reminds me of the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12, 15-21. And let me read it to you. And Jesus said to them, Take care and be on your guard against all covetousness. For one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. And he told them a parable saying,
• 13:57
  The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, What shall I do? I have nowhere to store my crops. And he said, I know. I'll tear down my barns and build larger ones. And there I will store all my grain and goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God says to him, Fool.
• 14:27
  This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? The rich man didn't get to enjoy his wealth and possessions. Instead, that night he died, and everything he prepared was enjoyed by someone else. In the amazing opportunity that I had to travel to Israel a couple of weeks ago, this truth really came home to me. When we were actually standing on...
• 14:55
  and seeing the promises of God to the Israelites which he fulfilled. He told them that he would give them a land on which they had not labored and cities they had not built. They would eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that they did not plant. God brought the Israelites into a land that he allowed others to build up and cultivate for the sole purpose of giving it to his people. This is truly an example of wealth and abundance.
• 15:24
  being enjoyed by someone else. After giving us three examples of grievous evils, Solomon contrasts those three examples with what he found is good and fitting. The first is a person who has sleep and peace of mind. Solomon is saying that a person who may not have enough to eat, but who can sleep peacefully because he's not worried about his investments, taking a dive, is better off than someone who has plenty to eat but cannot sleep.
• 15:56
  Because he's worried about what's happening to his money. Verse 17 describes him as, all his days he eats in darkness, vexation, sickness, and anger. The second person that's an example of something that's good and fitting is a person who finds enjoyment in the work that God has given him to do. Verse 20 says, God keeps them occupied with joy in his heart.
• 16:23
  And then the third example of a good and fitting person is one who enjoys and gives thanks to God for what he has, rather than envying or coveting what someone else possesses. In these examples, Solomon is saying that chasing after wealth robs us of enjoyment, fulfillment, sleep, peace of mind, a right relationship with God. So what if we're crying in a Mercedes rather than a bus?
• 16:53
  The point is, we're crying. We're searching for something that's beyond ourselves and beyond earthly pleasures. When we look at Solomon's life, we see that he rested on David's accomplishments of a long, hard struggle to build a kingdom. In that long, hard struggle, David was forever shouting, rejoice, shout for joy, sing praise to God. But Solomon, who lived in peaceful security,
• 17:24
  on the throne that David had built, and lived in almost fabled luxury, chronicled his search for happiness. He didn't have his father's focus on the only thing that matters, a close relationship to God that can only be developed by purposeful pursuit of the Creator, not the creation. You see, God gave Solomon wisdom and unparalleled opportunity to explore every avenue of earthly life.
• 17:54
  And when he was done, he concluded that there is little solid happiness in life. In fact, he found in his own heart a yearning for something beyond himself, something beyond earthly pleasures. With the coming of Christ, that cry was answered. The vanity of life disappeared and is replaced with joy, peace, and gladness. Do you know that Jesus never used the word vanity?
• 18:32
  Instead, he talked about much joy, even under the shadow of the cross. Christ knew that by the cross he would bring us the fulfillment of our yearning, the desire of all ages, life full and abundant, eternal, glorious life. So, we've looked at the examples of lives lived in pursuit of money instead of pursuit of a right relationship with God.
• 19:09
  Next, let's look at how Solomon, who was so richly blessed, shows us vividly how distraction, through exploring every avenue of earthly life, leads to missteps of discouragement, and discouragement leads to doubt. Doubt that God exists, that he cares for us, and that he gives us meaning in life. Here, Solomon experienced distraction. Distracted from the truth of God, the truth that he alone is the reason,
• 19:38
  creator and giver of everything that we have. We read in 1 Kings 11 that Solomon loved many foreign women from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither they with you. For surely they will turn your heart away after their gods. But Solomon clung to them in love. And the Bible goes on to say,
• 20:06
  When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods, and his heart was not truly, wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. You see, when we take our eyes off of Jesus, when we allow the things of this world to distract us, when we start investing in worldly answers, pleasures and desires,
• 20:34
  we slowly leave the path that God has laid out for us and begin to drift on our own path, full of thickets that we get caught in, thickets like chasing after wealth or addiction, worry, fear, or even that we have everything in control. We're self-sufficient, not God-dependent. This is Satan's oldest trap. He used it in the Garden of Eden, and he still uses it today.
• 21:03
  Successfully, I might add, because we fall for it again and again. Solomon's first misstep was allowing himself to be distracted from God. Once we're distracted, we're no longer anchored to the truth. It's so easy for us to be discouraged. We're easy prey. We can be discouraged with unrealistic expectations. Or we can rely on ourselves or rely on others when we should be turning to God.
• 21:34
  And when we're discouraged, the easiest thing to do is to hide and become unaccountable. We hide from friends, from family, and most importantly, from God. We begin to think, I'm not worthy of his love or help or rescue. I think I need to get my act together first, get things under control, instead of coming back to him and asking for his help. Which naturally leads to the third step, doubt. Doubt that God exists.
• 22:05
  that he's real, that he cares about what you're going through, that he loves me, that he longs to be my everything and satisfy and fulfill me, that he cares about me. And that's what I'm searching for. That's what Solomon searched for, that yearning for something beyond ourselves, something not found in this world. And Solomon should know he searched out everything under the sun. Romans says,
• 22:34
  For what can be known about God is plain because God has shown it. His invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made so that they are without excuse. Although they knew him, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him. But they became futile in their thinking, which I think is they became distracted. And their foolish hearts were darkened.
• 23:04
  which I think is they became discouraged, and claiming to be wise, which I think is doubting God's existence. They became fools and exchanged the glory of God for images. Sounds a little like Solomon, doesn't it? I think God is speaking to all of us in these chapters of Ecclesiastes, showing us that we will never find the answer of our yearning in the ways of the world. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with the tremendous...
• 23:34
  of money. A few months ago, Pastor Danny, in teaching on the hard sayings of Jesus, reminded us about distracted living. The particular distraction he spoke about is the preoccupation with money or wealth. And using that same parable that we talked about earlier of the rich fool, he showed us why the rich fool was so foolish. I'm going to read it just one more time real quick. Jesus said to them, take care and be on your guard against all covetousness.
• 24:06
  For one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. And he told them a parable saying, the land of a rich man produced plentifully. And he thought to himself, what shall I do? For I have nowhere to store my crops. And he said, I'll tear down my barns and I'll build bigger ones. And there I will store all my grain and goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be merry.
• 24:34
  But God said to him, Fool, this night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So the rich fool was foolish because he failed, first of all, to recognize where his wealth came from, which was the land by the grace of God and the blessing of God. The rich man didn't create the land, the seed, the rain, the sun. He didn't make the seed germinate, grow, or produce fruit.
• 25:03
  All he did was reap the benefits of God's blessing and was a fool for not giving God acknowledgement that apart from him, we can do nothing. Secondly, he was foolish because he saw his wealth as security and an opportunity to cease being productive. He said to his soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, and be merry.
• 25:29
  thinking led to distracted self-living, selfish living. His point in saving up for himself was, well, exactly that, for himself. He became useless to God and never acknowledged that yearning. He lifted himself up to equality or even superiority to God. And then third, he was foolish because he presumed that he would possess his wealth in the future. In a different chapter of Luke, chapter 9, Jesus says,
• 26:00
  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits his life? That's what happened to this guy. Wealth has a tendency to influence us away from God. Failing to recognize where my wealth comes from, seeing it as my security and banking, so to speak, or depending on it, leads me away from God, distracts me. I find myself on my own path where I'm self-sufficient, and I have no need of God.
• 26:29
  That is until I lose it all, either in death or in life. So how are we supposed to live in a world that centers on money? How are we to live in the world but not be of the world? I'd like to turn now to the parable of the hidden treasure. It's a twist on all that we've learned in the world. And when you hear it, you'll remember it. In my outline, I'm calling this section the treasure principle.
• 26:57
  And it's just one sentence. It's Matthew 13, 44. It says, Can't you just picture it? A man, probably a traveler, was wandering through a field, maybe gleaning some of the leftover grain, eating it as he's walking. Then suddenly he stumbles on something hard. He falls.
• 27:27
  And he rolls over to pick himself up, and he gets curious about what tripped him. He starts digging and soon uncovers a box. He digs out the box. He opens it, and his eyes get wide as he takes in the treasure. He quickly buries it, looking around, seeing if anybody else saw him, and makes his way home hastily. And then he sells all that he has. He returns and buys that field.
• 27:56
  And now it is his. This treasure is his, the treasure that is worth more than all of his possessions. The parable of the hidden treasure is the parable of exchanging lesser treasures for greater treasures, worldly treasures for heavenly treasures. It's a short-term sacrifice for a long-term gain. Our short lives on this earth for eternal life in heaven.
• 28:23
  It says he goes and sells all that he has. You know, it cost him everything that he owned, but it gained him everything that mattered. Jesus continued the parable by stating in his joy, he sold all that he has and bought that field. He exchanged treasures, not out of dutiful drudgery, but out of joyful exhilaration.
• 28:49
  Jesus is telling us that no matter how great our earthly fortune, it's worthless in eternity. I'm going to say that again because it's so true and it's so hard for us to accept. Jesus is telling us that no matter how great our earthly fortune, it's worthless in eternity. This was made so clear to me when my mom passed away and we were in the process of moving my dad to assisted living.
• 29:18
  We had an estate sale in which everything they accumulated had to be sold or given away or thrown out. And I realized that all of their possessions were meaningless to anyone else. The things they treasured were not treasured by anyone else. They were just heartlessly bargained over. They were of no help in their eternal life. But thankfully, they trusted God for their eternal life. It's just that this was such a lesson for me.
• 29:49
  That earthly treasure is no treasure at all, just temporary. I had to ask myself, am I wasting my life pursuing temporary earthly treasure, or am I reflecting on my spiritual condition? The foundation of this treasure principle is clarified in Matthew 6. It says, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
• 30:17
  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. In fact, Randy Alcorn wrote a short book about this. In it he says that wealth will always be lost. We will always die. But Jesus is giving us the ultimate insider tip.
• 30:46
  And you don't have to be a financial expert to understand it. Here's the tip. The world's currency will be worthless when he returns, or when we die. However, Jesus is the foremost market timer. He's telling us once and for all to switch investment vehicles from earth, which are volatile and ready to take a dive, to heaven, which is dependable, totally insured by God.
• 31:14
  and soon to replace the world's economy. Christ's worldly financial forecast is bleak, but he is super bullish about investing in heaven, where every market indicator is eternally positive. Storing up worldly treasure isn't simply wrong, it's just plain stupid. Jesus doesn't just tell us where not to put our treasure.
• 31:42
  He goes on to give us the best investment advice ever. Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven. Did you catch that? Did he really say store up for myself, for yourself? You might be thinking, well, isn't that kind of selfish? No, because God is commanding it. He is commanding us to act out of enlightened self-interest.
• 32:10
  He wants us to live to his glory, and what is his glory is always for our good. He's talking about gratification, short-term sacrifice for a long-term gain. And joy is present during that short-term sacrifice. It's even present during that short-term sacrifice. So that gratification isn't entirely deferred. Present joy comes from anticipating future joy.
• 32:41
  as well as joy received now in knowing him and being used by him as his investment vehicle, which is reaping the harvest and investing in what has lasting value. Jesus taught his disciples that the Messiah must die and rise again, and he said, whoever loves his life loses it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. He's talking about investing in what?
• 33:11
  has lasting value. Throw away the world now and gain heaven. Gain the yearning that your soul has been longing for. So in this treasure principle, Jesus is in effect saying, you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. He gives us this profound, breathtaking corollary. Anything we hang on to here will be lost, but everything we put into God's hands.
• 33:41
  will be ours for eternity. We should not ask just, how will my investment pay off in three months, or three years, or as the financial planners say, 30 years. But let's consider how it will be paying off in 30 million years. I want to live as if every day is an opportunity to buy up more shares in his kingdom. And the thing is, I don't have to have money to do that.
• 34:12
  You can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. It's a revolutionary concept to most of us. I know it is to me. Jesus is telling us that if we embrace it, it will change our lives. As you store up heavenly treasures, you'll gain an everlasting version of what that man found in the field. He found joy. Don't we equate money with joy? Obviously the world does, and fails to deliver.
• 34:41
  But Jesus turns that upside down by telling us to pursue, invest in, and study treasures in heaven. You know, I can't tell you how this principle of Jesus has rocked my world. Do you know that Jesus spoke about money and possessions more than all his teaching on heaven and hell combined? 15% of everything Jesus said was related to money and possessions. Why?
• 35:13
  Because it's the greatest indicator of our spiritual health. Am I rich toward myself, or am I rich toward God? As I was studying Ecclesiastes, I had verses flooding back to me like, Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you. Shaken down, overflowing. Am I doing this? It's such an overwhelming conviction, followed by an honest answer that I'm not.
• 35:46
  Then God speaks to me in a hymn from my teens. And in mixing a few verses, the hymn said, Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here. He whose name is Counselor and Power, the protection of his child and treasure. To think that I'm his treasure, and the protection of that treasure is a charge that he laid on himself. The hymn goes on to say,
• 36:16
  As thy days thy strength shall be in measure, this the pledge he made to me. Can't I respond to the pledge he made to me? Can't I give him a willing heart to buy up more and more shares in his kingdom? Yes, I can with his help. I can live a life that isn't distracted. I can ask him to help me see the areas of my life that lead me away from him. I can ask him.
• 36:47
  to put me back on his path. Solomon and the Apostle Paul were both used by God to teach us about the treasure principle. Solomon had, as I said, the unparalleled opportunity to explore every avenue of earthly life, and he concluded there is little happiness in life. Because of Solomon's unique opportunity, God has shown us the futility of wealth. We don't have to go down that path to be able to understand.
• 37:18
  how it distracts and disappoints and gains us nothing in fulfilling that yearning that we all have. Paul was used by God to teach us that we can live by the treasure principle. In his letter to the Philippians, he said, I have learned in whatever situation... My hair got in the way. He says in his letter to the Philippians, I have learned in whatever situation...
• 37:50
  I am to be content. I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. And next he tells us the secret. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. And like Paul, I believe we women can be used by God not only to live the treasure principle, but to model it and teach it.
• 38:20
  to younger women. This is one of the biblical characteristics I believe we're called to as women. Are we showing other women by our own lives how to invest in this world, or are we showing them how to invest in the kingdom of God? In his letter to Titus, Paul is writing about women, mentoring women. He says older women are to teach what is good and so train the younger women. Psalm 71, 18 says,
• 38:51
  So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me until I proclaim your might to another generation and power to all those to come. And Deuteronomy 4.9 says, Only take care and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children.
• 39:20
  Please don't dismiss these verses if you don't consider yourself an older woman. No matter what age you are, there's someone younger than you to whom you could open your life, open the word of God, and come alongside. The writer of Hebrews says, remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God, and consider the outcome of the way of their life and imitate their faith. These verses tell us that the main responsibility of a godly mentor
• 39:49
  is to teach and train what is good, to proclaim and repeat often how God has worked in our lives, passing on sound doctrine, being an example by our conduct, speaking the word of God and promoting faith. I kind of went through that quickly. I'll say it one more time. The main responsibility of a godly mentor is to teach and train what is good and proclaim and repeat.
• 40:19
  Often how God has worked in our lives, passing on sound doctrine, being an example by our conduct, and speaking the word of God and promoting faith. Then the main responsibility of someone who's being mentored, even if you have some gray hairs like me, and I cover them up, is to be trainable to follow the examples of your godly mentor in teaching, conduct, aim.
• 40:50
  faith, patience, love, and steadfastness. We need to be trainable as the ones who are being mentored and follow the examples of our mentor. Your goal as a woman is to be able to say, imitate me as I also imitate Christ, which is from 1 Corinthians 11.1. In closing, I'd like to remind you that we can learn from the lessons of Solomon.
• 41:19
  He teaches us that, first, he who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves his wealth with his income. This is also vanity. Why? Because there's a yearning in all of us for something that money can't purchase, the yearning for something beyond ourselves. And that's true joy. And that is what Jesus gives us.
• 41:46
  Secondly, he teaches us that as he came from his mother's womb, he shall go again and take nothing for his toil. We learned that you can't take it with you. Third, there's a grievous evil I've seen under the sun. Riches were kept by their owner to their hurt, and riches were lost in a bad venture. Isn't it exciting to know that we can invest and multiply our gain?
• 42:13
  we can use the things that God has given us to store up treasure in heaven. Fourth, we learn that there is an evil under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind, a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all he desires, yet God does not give him the power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. Remember the parable of the rich fool, who loses it all, and then remember the treasure principle.
• 42:44
  where God commands us to store up treasures, treasures in heaven for ourselves. For this is for God's glory. He wants us to live to his glory, and what is to his glory is always to our good. And then last, we learned, for who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? We know that Jesus can.
• 43:13
  He alone made the vanity of life disappear, and it is replaced with joy, peace, and gladness. In Christ, humanity found the desire of all the ages, eternal life. The lessons from Jesus are how we can live in this world that is centered on money. He flips the idea of investing in the world to the sound doctrine of investing in the kingdom of God. The greatest indictment against me is proof of my spiritual condition.
• 43:44
  Am I rich toward myself or rich toward God? Can I do all things through him who strengthens me? If death for us is actually the end, then all of our achievements, all of our accomplishments mean nothing. But we don't like that idea. That's why many of us have actually embraced all kinds of notions that bear more relationship to Eastern religions.
• 44:11
  than to go to the straightforward message of a risen Savior who has triumphed over death. We don't like stories with unhappy endings. We like stories that end with, and they all lived happily ever after. So how do we live happily ever after? By starting to live now. By believing him who said, I have come that you might have life and have life in its fullness. He said, I am the resurrection and the life.
• 44:41
  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Then he said, Do you believe? So let me ask you, do you believe? I want to read two prayers in response to this question. If you would believe this tonight, then you know that God has softened your heart, and this prayer is for you.
• 45:10
  Lord, I admit I am weaker and more sinful than I know, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt, bearing my sin, and offering forgiveness. I turn from my sin and receive you. Amen. Or, if you're like me, convicted of my distracted living, living for myself, wandering from the fold of God, this prayer is for me and for you.
• 45:40
  Lord, you know my heart, but I am so easily distracted and discouraged, and I find myself doubting your very existence. I long to be like the righteous tree David wrote about, flourishing in the courts of God, planted in the house of the Lord, bearing fruit in old age, ever full of sap and green to declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Amen.
• 46:10
  So earlier tonight I asked you to be listening to what the Lord might be saying to you tonight. I hope there's one concept that stood out to you that took some form in your mind and heart. Mine was that we have two main choices of how to live our lives. We can live as the world does and pursue its gratifications and believe there's no accountability for us when we die. Or we can live as Jesus teaches by investing in him.
• 46:38
  and sharing our lives, our resources, and love with those who need to hear about him. He is our source and satisfaction. With that thought, a picture came to my mind that helped me remember my choices and the consequence or reward. And maybe tonight, whatever came to your mind, you can kind of picture what the Lord is saying to you. I say this because studies have shown that we all learn.
• 47:05
  a little bit better and more thoroughly when we use our creativity to summarize a thought or idea. And so this picture that I had in my mind, and if you want to access the crayons and the paper, do. The picture that came to my mind is of a huge tree planted by the streams of a river. Its leaves are large and green.
• 47:31
  The trunk is huge in diameter, and its roots plunge over into the bank of the river, and its source of life is the river. There are other trees along the bank, large and small, that have roots plunging over into the bank of the water and receiving that water. They're all green and strong. As I look in the distance to the source of the river, there's a golden throne under which is the river's headwaters.
• 48:00
  The river is clear and clean and sparkles as it flows. The bottom is wide and covered with sparkling rocks of gold. The water isn't turbulent, but smooth and deep. As I step back from the scene, I see several trees off to the side, far away from the river. In comparison, they're skinny and dying. The leaves they have are very few, and they're yellowed and falling off.
• 48:28
  Their roots are digging into a stagnant pond, which they grow around. The pond is shallow and drying up, while the roots stretch with great effort to reach what's left of the dirty water. So what I'd like you to do is to take what the Lord spoke to you tonight and draw a picture of it. And I know we're not all artists, and you don't really have to do that, but if you can kind of make a picture in your mind, it would be great. Or you can just talk about it.
• 48:57
  If you're more comfortable around your table, just anything will help you remember. But before we do that, I want to pray again and close, and then I've asked the worship team to come up and do one more song. I need the every hour, and so you've got a separate sheet with that. So let's pray. Father, thank you so much. Thank you for the lessons that Solomon learned, that we are able to learn from them.
• 49:28
  that you care about us so much that you want us to know those lessons. And thank you, God, for asking us, showing us how to invest in heaven, in other lives, in you, Lord. I pray, God, that you would continue teaching us about this principle, this treasure principle, and make it real in our lives. And I pray this in your name. Amen.