Ecc 5:8-6:12 (2)

In God We Trust

The earliest recorded usage of the motto in English was in January 1748, when The Pennsylvania Gazette reported on the colours of Associators regiments, namely that of Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania militia

The precise phrase, “In God We Trust” is also found in a publication of Isaac Watts’ Psalter which was revised and printed in America in 1785. Watts had translated Psalm 115:9-11 with the words, “Britain, trust the Lord.”

Psalm 115:9–11 “O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.”

"In God We Trust" (also rendered as "In God we trust") is the official motto of the United States[1][2][3] as well as the motto of the U.S. state of Florida, along with the nation of Nicaragua (Spanish: En Dios confiamos).[4][5] It was adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1956, replacing E pluribus unum ("Out of many, one"), which had been the de facto motto since the initial design of the Great Seal of the United States.

But in the bible there has always been a tension between God and money. Is it “In God We Trust” or “In Money We Trust”? Which one is it for you? So ironic that this motto is on our money because Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Seems pretty simple to me…do you love God and hate money, or do you love money and hate God? Are you devoted to God and despise money, or are you devoted to money and despise God? You cannot serve them both.

It is my argument this evening, along with Solomon, that you should hate money, that you should despise it, that you should give it all to me! No just kidding…we know what Jesus is talking about, he is talking about mastery, mastery of the heart. If you have been saved by grace, God is your master, God is your father, and God is who you serve with your life. So you must trust in God and be mastered by him and not money. Trusting in wealth, money, and possessions is like trusting in a counterfeit $100 bill.

I worked in the casino industry for a long time, we saw counterfeit money almost weekly, even counterfeit chips sometimes. The cheaters are always caught, the counterfeit money is always taken and destroyed. It works for a little while but eventually, counterfeit currency gets exposed for what it truly is…vanity.

In the same way, if you are putting all of your trust in counterfeit contentment, money, wealth, and possessions, eventually, they too will be exposed for what they truly are…vanity. And so Solomon helps you to understand all of the nuances of the vanity of wealth and what (who) you should really be trusting in and putting all of your faith in for true contentment.

Introduction:

Trusting in the counterfeit contentment of wealth…

Plural Noun Proposition: In Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12, Solomon lists for you SIX results that come from trusting God.

I. Trust God and Rest (vv 8-12)

Ecclesiastes 5:8–12 “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; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their 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.”

Solomon begins this section about trusting in the counterfeit contentment of wealth by contrasting the lives of the oppressed poor with the lives of wealthy owners. He begins with telling the readers to not be amazed when you see oppression because that’s not amazing, what’s amazing is if you don’t see oppression.

“If” you see, really means “when you see” in a kingdom, the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter

Oppression, when you see the extortion, the violence, the injury, the exploitation, the tyranny, and the brutality of the poor…do not be amazed

Violation of justice and righteousness, literally the robbery of court, corruption of righteousness…do not be amazed…WHY? Because this is what Israel asked for…remember…

1 Samuel 8:7–9 “And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.””

To be ruled by an earthly king like earthly pagans is what Israel wanted.

The biblical theology of both the OT and NT honours the poor and oppressed and rebukes the believing community’s denigration, at least, if not exploitation, of its weakest members. The position of the wisdom literature is that God has created both the rich and poor, the powerful and the weak, and he will vindicate them even if he does not always immediately deliver them (Prov. 22:2; 29:13).

Proverbs 22:2 “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.”

Proverbs 29:13 “The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.”

Yet God’s chosen people desired a king and a government, and although they are oppressed by rulers, they are ultimately protected by their king

So Solomon says, do not be amazed

He continues…the high officials are watched by higher, and there are higher ones over them

This is clearly the king looking at those he has put in place to govern the land and seeing how they are all corrupt and oppressive

But this is gain for a land in every way, but this is what matters for his people

In other words, this is an advantage to all the people of the kingdom…a king committed or devoted to the riches of his land

You see the poor, although oppressed, are fed by the same land that the king is fed from

Although, the king isn’t out there tilling and farming, he is dependent upon his servants for food from his precious land

So the king defends the land, defends the kingdom, and defends his oppressed servants.

But, Solomon continues,

He who loves money, or silver, will not be satisfied with money, this also is vanity

The word satisfied here means satiated, like how you feel after eating a slice of perfectly salted and roasted beef Picaña from a Brazilian steakhouse. You can’t grill silver and you can’t eat it either. It will never satisfy you

Nor will those who love wealth with his income

The wealth Solomon is talking about here is about a wealth of crops, from the land, the owner will not ever be satisfied with his harvest. Why?

Because when his goods or harvest increases, the more people eat them, and what advantage is that?

The more he grows, the more he harvests, the more that eat them, the more he has to work to grow more crops all over again. It’s a vicious cycle that never ends for the poor laborer nor does it end for the owner of the land. So the only good for the owner is to look out over his vast acreage, like some of you do, and see the bounty of what he has grown…for a moment, before it all disappears and vanishes from his sight.

But when you trust God, you can rest…Solomon continues

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

After a canceled flight in Wichita, driving to OKC, flying to ATL, canceled flight to MIA, flying to Sao Paulo instead of directly to Fortaleza, delayed flight to Fortaleza in Sao Paulo, stand-by for 2 flights, and 5 lost bags and totes, we finally arrived in Fortaleza after about 36 hours of horrible sleep and travel…and empty stomachs. But the night we finally were able to lay down and sleep…oh how sweet it was, it didn’t matter that we were hungry and dirty, lost luggage didn’t matter, compared to the sweet sleep we got that night. We were thankful to the Lord for safely getting us there to labor for him and his church…and that was enough.

Can you imagine though for a second? A rich man on a private jet, the best food, a full stomach, the plane all to himself, arrives on time at his destination, only to lay down in 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton bed sheets…and not be able to sleep because he’s worried about his wealth, his money, his investments, his stuff. Only thoughts about serving himself rob him of rest? Is that you? It’s never enough is it?

Spurgeon says there is no sleep in hell.

What a horrifying thought that is, to think that those that love money more than God so much that they don’t sleep here in life and they won’t sleep for eternity either in death.

Your fragile body and mind needs sleep friend. Don’t let the zero’s in your bank account replace the Z’s on your pillow.

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Don’t let the oppression you see in the world or even the oppression against yourself cause you to forget to give thanks to God the Father. Don’t let your labor trouble you. And if you have been granted by God to be an owner that has employees or laborers, don’t let your wealth become what troubles you, don’t let money become your source of contentment. It is counterfeit contentment and will never eternally satisfy you, it won’t help you sleep. So whether you are rich or poor, whatever lot in life God has given you, trust him and Rest.

II. Trust God and Release (vv 13-17)

Ecclesiastes 5:13–17 “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. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 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 in much vexation and sickness and anger.”

Solomon continues this section by describing a grievous evil that causes man to pursue his satisfaction in counterfeit contentment…specifically here in trying to invest money and wealth to get more and more…only to lose his riches and lose his hope and satisfaction in life.

The Hebrew word for “bad venture” could also include just simply starting and investing in a business that fails…

But sometimes the loss of wealth is outside of mans control. It is God’s will that directs our steps and our circumstances

1 Samuel 2:6–8 “The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.”

If you believe that God is sovereign and ultimately in control of the circumstances in your life, then be content with whatever lot he gives you. Whether that be wealth and investments that fill your bank account, or the loss of your home equity and your 401k tanks, you lose your job, will you trust God and release your grip on this world?

Solomon says the father has nothing in his hand to leave for his son, as he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked, and everything that you have worked for your entire life, you can’t take it with you in your hands to heaven.

Luke 12:13–21 “Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he 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, “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 will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my 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 said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.””

So how should we think about this? Of course enjoy what God has given you, but don’t place your eternal confidence and contentment in those things by holding on to them instead of Jesus. Jesus and Solomon are talking about what masters your heart

Matthew 19:21 “Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.””

Jesus was talking to the Rich Young Ruler and not necessarily all believers, because what he was wanting the Rich Young Ruler to see is the death-grip that money had on his heart. He couldn’t follow him. Yet, quoting Pastor Bart, has the golden handcuffs of the American life restricted you from following Jesus in another way he commands? By denying yourself, picking up your cross and following him?

It’s easy to deny yourself when it costs you nothing, your daily cross seems lighter today, and your following Jesus but your careful not to get any scars.

Be careful friends, that the golden handcuffs don’t cause you trust in things that were never created to be trusted, they are wind, they will only cause frustration…and Solomon says

This is a grievous evil…If you toil after the wind and live everyday of your life like v17, Ecclesiastes 5:17 “Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation (irritation) and sickness (weakness/suffering) and anger.”

You know that used to be me. Irritated all the time, weak spiritually, and angry at the world. Yet from the world’s standards I was doing pretty good for myself and my family. But even though I had more than enough, I was irritated that I didn’t have more than enough. Somehow I could easily play the victim and defend myself by believing I actually deserved more than enough. Somehow I was angry at what my life looked like because no matter how much I obtained and bought, I was never satisfied, never content. I know now, because money was never meant to be our treasure.

Matthew 6:19–21 ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 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 be also.”

Let me ask you this, where is your heart? Jesus says it’s where your treasure is. Is your heart in your business, is it in your bank account, is it in your new truck?

Or is your heart where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal? Is your heart in heaven? Is Jesus your treasure?

Trust God and release your hopeless death-grip in the counterfeit contentment this world offers and hold fast to Jesus…your treasure and your hope.

III. Trust God and Rejoice (vv 18-20)

Ecclesiastes 5:18–20 “Behold, what I have seen to be 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 because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.”

Solomon continues, so instead of living with an irritated, dark, angry heart, rejoice in what God gives you for your toil.

This seems to be an underlying theme running throughout the book of Ecclesiastes…enjoy the gifts that God gives you here on earth.

Ecclesiastes 2:24 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,”

Ecclesiastes 3:12–13 “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.”

Ecclesiastes 3:22 “So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?”

Ecclesiastes 8:15 “And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.”

Ecclesiastes 9:7 “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.”

Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

If God allows, as you rejoice in the good gifts he has given you, you also have to remember that you are responsible for how you enjoy those gifts

1 Timothy 6:17–19 “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

All the Toil here means hard circumstances, tremendous trouble, wearisome labor, grievous work, and unrelenting anguish. Remember work was good and came before the fall but the curse made work punishing

Genesis 3:17–19 “And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.””

But Solomon says the one who toils will not remember these harsh days of his life because God has granted to him to be occupied with joy in his heart! What a gift!

There may be joy in God when there is little joy from God.

Stephen Charnock (English Puritan Theologian)

Your joy then is found in the same place your treasure is…in your beloved Savior’s hands. Don’t let yourself become drowned in the agony here and thinking about what you don’t have…but swim in the promise of the reward to come. Everlasting love with your Creator. If you endure and if you Trust God…then rejoice and enjoy the gifts God has given you.

IV. Trust God and Repent (vv6:1-6)

Ecclesiastes 6:1–6 “There is an evil that I have 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 power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of 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—do not all go to the one place?”

Psalm 62:9 “Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.” Low or high, rich or poor, we will all go to the one place…death then judgment

The beginning of this Chapter 6, is similar to Ecc 5:13-17, where we saw that we should Trust God and release our grip on the counterfeit contentment found in the world. But there, God allowed for the man to lose his riches in a bad venture, never enjoying them. Here God allows the man to retain wealth, possessions, and honor, yet God doesn’t give him the power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys those riches.

I think this touches on what was said by Solomon back in Ecclesiastes 2:18 “I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me,” Which was his son Rehoboam.

You see God had blessed Solomon early on in

2 Chronicles 1:11–12 “God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.””

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Overview

The major accomplishments of his reign include the construction of the temple in Jerusalem and the establishment of relations with foreign nations.

Israel’s wealth and economy flourished under King Solomon. He was wise and just in his dealings with people.

But we read in 1 Kings 11:4 “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

1 Kings 11:9–13 “And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.”

I don’t know if Solomon was talking about himself specifically here, but you can see Solomon was given riches and wisdom by God, there are 3 recorded children, maybe more. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, so some commentators believe he may have had at least 100 children. He also lived a long life and yet his son, Rehoboam, who he left his kingdom enjoyed his father’s wealth, possessions, and honor but eventually turned away from the Lord

2 Chronicles 12:1 “When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.”

1 Kings 14:22 “And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done.”

War and death and trials were given to Solomon and Rehoboam, so that there was no way that they could enjoy the prosperity that God had given them, and it was a result of a judgment for their own sin.

But is it only sin that keeps you from enjoying God’s good gifts, or God’s judgment on your sin? It could be the circumstances of life and the suffering of this fallen world that are out of your control. Either way, you must turn to God for help and for rescue.

So Solomon’s point here is that if you live and don’t enjoy God’s gifts, or the Lord doesn’t allow you to enjoy his gifts or whether you die before birth and never even see gifts from God, we all eventually go to one place…the grave. He does point out though that to never be born is more restful than to be born and be unable to enjoy life’s good things. Because that it is just a miserable life. That is vanity and such a waste of your life.

Have you met someone that is a downer all the time? You say, man I love springtime, they say, yeah but the mosquitos! Or you say, my heart desires to take the gospel to an unreached people as a missionary and they say, yeah but isn’t it safer here?

But if you are in Christ, you don’t need safety, you don’t need wealth, possession, and honor, you don’t need everything your selfish heart desires, you don’t need to live thousands of years…what you need is to enjoy God himself. The Westminster Confession of Faith tells us the answer to #1 What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

So you must trust God and repent from a joyless heart. Trust God, glorify him and enjoy him forever.

V. Trust God and be Replete (vv 7-9)

Ecclesiastes 6:7–9 “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 is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.”

All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied

Solomon continues the theme of dissatisfaction of man’s appetite. No matter how much you labor to feed yourself, you will always be hungry tomorrow. But this proverb teaches that appetite is what drives man, but it is never satisfied.

Luke 6:21 ““Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”

God shows his compassion and understanding of the true hunger of mankind’s soul:

Isaiah 55:1–2 ““Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.”

God is offering a satisfaction that money can’t buy, that bread can’t fill, that water can’t quench…it is salvation and it costs you nothing…but it does cost…the cost is the blood of Christ

He is the bread of life and he is the living water, trust in him and you will be 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 is the sight of eyes than the wandering of the appetite:

This completes the ultimate thought of our verses this evening, the futility of human achievement and the meaninglessness found in counterfeit contentment.

The meaning of this section is that you will never, this side of heaven, be satisfied with earthly things. And so this final section is about being content, not with counterfeit contentment like food, drinks, money, wealth, possessions, and power. See wise or foolish, poor or rich, it’s best to enjoy and be content with what you have in your hands, with what God has given you, with what you can see with your own two eyes. It’s best to be thankful with what God has blessed you with and when you do that you will find the satisfaction and contentment that nothing on earth can provide.

What more could you possibly desire than Christ? Trust God friends and be replete, be fully satisfied in Christ alone.

VI. Trust God With What Remains (vv 10-12)

Ecclesiastes 6:10–12 “Whatever has come to be has already been named, 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 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?”

We come to the end of our text this evening with Solomon reminding you, his readers, that God is sovereign with what has been and with what will be.

Whatever has come before has already been named

Literally, has already been appointed

In the ancient world it was understood that whoever ‘named’ someone or something was sovereign over it

God ‘named’ day and night, heaven and man. He is sovereign over all things

And it is known what man is

What is man? I think Job nails it in Job 14:1–2 ““Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.”

God has appointed everything before you existed and has already appointed what will be after you, you on the other hand are but a shadow.

You are unable to dispute with one stronger than you

There is nothing to dispute with Solomon’s great wisdom here. And definitely nothing to dispute with God, he is stronger, he is holy, and he is sovereign.

Paul in Roman’s addresses the folly with trying to dispute or question God’s sovereignty

Romans 9:19–20 “You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?””

You cannot know what is best for you…why? Because you don’t know what the future holds. And the more words you try to use to convince yourself that you know better than God is of no advantage to your vain life.

I’ve always remembered this old joke, if you want to make God laugh, tell him what you have planned.

Sometimes I’ll be sitting on the couch with my wife, kids are asleep, and we’ll start talking about the good ‘ol days. And we’ll eventually ask each other could you have ever pictured us 10 years ago living in Hutchinson, ks, you—housewife, canning pig fat, raising pigs, homeschooling, me, school bus driver then truck driver, serving the local church, loving strangers, loving Christ, desiring to serve the Lord with what remains of my shattered life, praying for missionaries and revivals around the world, teaching God’s word with the hopes that it pierces hearts and transforms minds…the answer is no. But God knew, for only God knows what is to come for you and what will be after you.

So enjoy and be content with what God has blessed you with and what he has decided is best for you right now in your life. And trust God with what remains of your short temporary life here and with the glorious life to come.

So, Trust God and remember these wise words from Solomon but also Trust God and remember who you are believer. You are blessed by the Lord and the Lord will remember you.

We began tonight in Psalm 115, reminding those that fear the Lord to trust God, and so let’s end with Psalm 115 reminding us that if we trust, he will bless

Psalm 115:12–18 “The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth! The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!”

VII. Conclusion

Eternity is coming quickly friends, so let go of your trust in this vain counterfeit world, trust God, praise him, and remember, he is coming for you to take you away from here, and to take you to where he is. And where is he? Oh he is not far friends…he’s only one last exhale away. And immediately with your next inhale, you will breathe in the all satisfying air of heaven and praise will fill your lungs. Do you trust him friends?