1. THE HUMANIST CYNIC CONTINUES.. (With Occasional Godly Insight)

2. MUSEUM OF PORTAITS as painted by SOLOMON  THE SERIOUS PHILOSOPHER WHO IS BORED AND BEWILDERED  THE CLOWN WHO MAKES US LAUGH  THE PLAYBOY WHO FORGETS ALL RESTRAINT  THE “GOOD TIME” CHARLIE WHO IS LIVING IT UP  THE INDUSTRIOUS WORKER WHO HOPES TO FIND SATISFACTION IN HIS JOB

3. PORTRAITS (CONTINUED)  THE COMMITTED WORSHIPER WHO TRIES TO CONNECT WITH GOD  THE BLUE-COLLAR WORKER WHO LABORS WITHOUT MUCH ANXIETY, YET NOT WITHOUT HIS OWN STRUGGLES  THE ENTREPRENEUR WHO LOSES IT ALL IN BAD INVESTMENTS, WHO TOSSES AND TURNS THROUGH THE NIGHT  THE WEALTHY PERSON, THE “FILTHY RICH” WHO SEEKS TO FIND SATISFACTION IN HIS POSSESSIONS

4. SELF PORTRAIT

5. AS WE WALK THROUGH THE MUSEUM, WE COME TO A CLEAR SELF-PORTRAIT OF THE TROUBLED KING  HE DOESN’T SIGN HIS PORTRAIT, BUT IT BECOMES OBVIOUS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE MAN HIMSELF …..  READ ECCL. 6:1-2  “THERE IS AN EVIL WHICH I HAVE SEEN UNDER THE SUN AND IT IS PREVALENT AMONG MEN – A MAN TO WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN RICHES AND WEALTH AND HONOR SO THAT HIS SOUL LACKS NOTHING OF ALL THAT HE DESIRES, BUT GOD HAS NOT EMPOWERED HIM TO EAT FROM THEM, FOR A FOREIGNER ENJOYS THEM. THIS IS VANITY AND A SORE AFFLICTION.”

6. TODAYS LESSON  I AM GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU  THEN I AM GOING TO TELL YOU  THEN I AM GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I TOLD YOU.  ARE YOU WITH ME? in our Sunday School class

7. NO MATTER HOW MUCH (OR LITTLE) YOU HAVE  “ENJOYMENT” IS A GIFT FROM GOD (INDEPENDENT OF LIFE’S CIRCUMSTANCES)

8. PARADOX  GOD GIFTS SOME WITH RICHES, WEALTH, HONOR AND INFLUENCE….  YET IS SPITE OF THE ENVIABLE DELIGHTS,  THE MAN/WOMEN IS BLOCKED FROM ENJOYING THESE BENEFITS.

9. NEED I AGAIN TELL YOU OF HOWARD HUGHES  FOOD – TWO OF EVERYTHING.. REFRIGERATORS, STOVES, DISHES, UTENCILS. HE WAS PARANOID OVER CATCHING A VIRUS OR BACTERIA (MOST OF THE MOVIES DEPICTING HIS LIFE SHOWS THIS BEHAVIOR) – PAUL KIBLER  HE DID EVEN WANT TO BE IN A ROOM WITH OTHERS … spot on clothes.. Had to remove item  OBVIOUSLY, HE DID NOT ENJOY HIS EXTREME WEALTH … eventually went to 22 cousins  WHY?? ECCL. 6:1-2 GOD GIVES TO SOME THE GIFT TO “ENJOY”

10. HOW ABOUT SOLOMON?  READ 2 CHRON 1:11-12 “BECAUSE YOU HAD THIS IN MIND, AND DID NOT ASK FOR RICHES, WEALTH AND HONOR, OR THE LIFE OF THOSE WHO HATE YOU….. “  …“AND I WILL GIVE YOU RICHES AND WEALTH AND HONOR, SUCH AS NONE WHO WERE BEFORE YOU HAS POSSESSED, NOR.. AFTER”  WHAT WAS IMPLIED?

11. GODS GIVES EACH OF US GIFTS.. MOST DIFFERENT THAT SOLOMON’S  WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HIS GIFTS TO US? OLD TESTAMENT: GOD GAVE MATERIAL BLESSINGS/GIFTS e.g. JOB/ABRAHAM/DAVID/SOLOMON/ ET AL NEW TESTAMENT: SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS/GIFTS/gracious endowment 1 Cor 7:7 “BUT EVERY MAN (WOMAN) HATH HIS/HER PROPER GIFT OF GOD”.. PURPOSE: TO SERVE OTHERS.. (NEVER OURSELVES)

12. IT APPEARS THE “SELF PORTRAIT” OF SOLOMON IS CONFIRMED  HE USES GOD’S IDENTICAL WORDS…  SOLOMON’S HUMANISTIC EVALUATION IS  “THIS IS VANITY AND A SORE AFFLICTION” (ECCL. 6:2)  DO YOU THINK HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE SAME EVALUATION IF HE HAD PURSUED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE… “RIGHTEOUSNESS”?  IS NOT THIS A LESSON FOR US?

13. OTHER “FOREIGNERS”  THAT MAY PREVENT ENJOYMENT (FOR MANY) …  SICKNESS/CANCER/STROKE/POLIO/ET AL  DOMESTIC CONFLICTS/WAR.. INCL FRATRICIDE  NATURAL CALAMITY’S.. EARTHQUAKES/FIRES/FLOODS/TORNADOES/ HURRICANES/BLIZZARDS/ETC.  ACCIDENTS HUMANISTS CALL THESE: “UNFAIR TWISTS/CRUEL IRONY” IS THE BELIEVER SUBJECT TO THESE “FOREIGNERS”? MUST OUR RESPONSE BE THE SAME?

14. REMEMBER RABBI KUSHNER  WROTE THE BOOK: “WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE” … AFTER HIS SON DIED  WRITES:  “LIFE IS NOT FAIR…. THERE IS NO GOD, THE WORLD IS NOTHING BUT CHAOS”  HE STATED THAT GOD IS “SEVERALLY LIMITED”  CLEARLY HIS DEFECTIVE THEOLOGY… IS MUCH OF HIS PROBLEM (AND MANY WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS). HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN A SOVEREIGN GOD.

15. SELF PORTRAIT PAINTED IN VERY DRAB COLORS  SO SOLOMON TRIES OTHER ISSUES TO TRY TO BRIGHTEN UP HIS PICTURE  1. HOW ABOUT IF YOU ADD MANY CHILDREN?  ECCL 6:3 “IF A MAN FATHERS A HUNDRED CHILDREN AND LIVES MANY YEARS, HOWEVER MANY THEY BE, BUT HIS SOUL IS NOT SATISFIED WITH GOOD THINGS AND HE DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A PROPER BURIAL, THIS I SAY, BETTER THE MISCARRIAGE THAN HE” POINT: HAVING MANY MANY CHILDREN WILL NOT MAKE A DEPRESSED LIFE FREE FROM DEPRESSION POINT: HAVING MANY MANY CHILDREN WON’T MAKE A DEPRESSED LIFE FREE FROM DEPRESSION

16. FAMILY REALITY SHOW  TO THE CONTRARY…. LARGE FAMILIES BRING INCREASED AND OFTEN THANKLESS RESPONSIBILITES…  TO CARE FOR  TAKE CARE OF  DEAL WITH  RELATE TO  LOVE AND DISCIPLINE  AFFIRM AND PREPARE FOR LIFE AND RELEASE  DID I FORGET ORTHODONTIST? (WE HAD FOUR)

17. HAVING MORE CHILDREN IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO LIFE’S FRUSTRATION  SOLOMON THEN SUGGESTS THAT PERHAPS IF ONE LIVED MORE YEARS….  MAYBE WHAT IS NEEDED IS A LONGER LIFE  ECCL. 6:6 “Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things … do not all go to one place (wind up in the grave)”

18. WELL?  IF YOUR LIFE IS MARKED BY PAIN AND HARDSHIP AND CALAMITY AND TRAGEDY,  WHAT GOOD IS IT TO ADD A THOUSAND MORE YEARS?  THAT ONLY ADDS A THOUSAND MORE SORROWS  GENERALLY THE HUMANIST WANTS A SHORTER LIFE THAN A LONGER ONE

19. ANOTHER POSSIBLITIY  AH… ITS BECOMING A WORK-AHOLIC  ECCL. 6:7 “ALL A MAN’S LABOR IS FOR HIS MOUTH AND YET THE APPETITE (SOUL) IS NOT SATISFIED” I.E. WORK DOESN’T BRING SATISFACTION TO AN EMPTY LIFE. HARD WORK DOESN’T BRING RELIEF FROM DEPRESSION IF THERE ARE CONFLICTS THAT FEED THE SOUL WITH DISCOURAGEMENT.

20. SINCE NONE OF THESE THINGS HELP, MAYBE WE SHOULD ADD A:  SHARP MIND,  WISDOM,  …. A GOOD EDUCATION, YET…  ECCL. 6:8 “FOR WHAT ADVANTAGE DOES THE WISE MAN HAVE OVER THE FOOL? WHAT ADVANTAGE DOES THE POOR MAN HAVE, KNOWING HOW TO WALK BEFORE THE LIVING?”

21. SOLOMON SEEMS TO BE SHOUTING AT HIMSELF!  STOP DREAMING/FANTACISING>>>>  STOP THINKING YOU CAN ADD A FEW DETAILS THAT WILL PUT SOME COLOR INTO YOUR DRAB LIFE? … MANY CHILDREN (WHO ARE YOU KIDDING?).. MANY WIVES? MORE YEARS? LONGER HOURS? MORE EDUCATION? SHARPER MIND?  NO, 1000 TIMES NO, IT WON’T WORK!

22. ARE YOU LIVING IN A DREAM WORLD?  IF I JUST HAD A 3 OR 4 CAR GARAGE,  IF I JUST HAD ONE MORE LONG CRUISE  IF I JUST DIDN’T HAVE ALL THESE WRINKLES  IF MY BODY WOULD JUST WORK THE WAY IT USED TO  IF I WAS JUST MARRIED TO …  IF I COULD JUST LOSE … POUNDS  IF I COULD JUST OBTAIN AN ADDITIONAL $ PER MONTH …

23. SO  WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?  ECCL. 6: 9 “WHAT THE EYE’S SEE IS BETTER THAN WHAT THE SOUL DESIRES”  E.G. (A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH)  IN AND OF LIFE IS UNIQUELY A GIFT FROM ENJOYMENT GOD  “HAVING IT ALL”, OR MANY CHILDREN OR A LONG LIFE … IS NOT IN ITSELF THE WAY TO HAPPINESS

24. “BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE”.. WHAT YOUR EYE SEE’S  “WITH GODLINESS IS GREAT GAIN” (PSALM 37:16, I TIM 6:6)  SAINTS SHOULD EXHIBIT CONTENTMENT:  IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CALLINGS (I COR 7:20)  WITH APPOINTED WAGES (LUKE 3:14)  WITH WHAT THINGS YOU HAVE (HEB 1:35)  WITH FOOD AND CLOTHES (1 TIM 6:8)  BECAUSE OF GOD’S PROMISES (HEB 13:5)  ITS WHAT SOLOMON (HUMANISTS) DESIRE  (ISA 5:8; ECCL 6)  WORTH REPEATING…..

25. SOLOMON’S OBSERVATION NO.1  “WHATEVER EXISTS HAS ALREADY BEEN NAMED” (VS 10)  GOD IS SOVEREIGN (IS GOD IN CHARGE OR IS HE NOT?)  IS GOD IN PANIC OVER HIS SAINTS FINANCIAL LOSS?  IS GOD IN PANIC OVER THE POLITICAL MESS?  DID YOU HEAR GOD SAY “OOPS”?

26. SOLOMON’S OBSERVATION NO. 2  WE ARE NOT SOVEREIGN  ECCL. 6:10B “AND IT IS KNOWN WHAT MAN IS”  GOD IS THE POTTER, WE ARE THE CLAY..  GOD IS INFINITE, WE ARE FINITE..  GOD IS ALL POWERFUL, WE ARE SO LIMITED IN STRENGTH AND ABILITY  GOD IS FAITHFUL, WE ARE SO INCONSISTENT..  IRRESPONSIBLE, FRACTURED, AND OFTEN CONFUSED

27. QUIT TRYING TO TELL GOD HOW TO RUN YOUR LIFE  ECCL 6:10-11 “FOR HE CANNOT DISPUTE WITH HIM WHO IS STRONGER THAN HE IS. For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man?”  READ ISAIAH 45: 9-12,  READ DANIEL 4:35  GOD IS SOVEREIGN.. HE DOES AS HE PLEASES

28. SO LONG AS I FIGHT/DISPUTE THE HAND OF GOD, I WILL NOT LEARN THE LESSONS HE HAS BEFORE ME  “EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES ME COMES THROUGH THE HAND OF MY HEAVENLY FATHER WHO CONTINUES TO LOVE ME (AND FORGIVE ME), WHO CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF MY LIFE, WHO CONTIUES TO BE TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MY LIFE AS HE DOES WITH ALL HIS CREATED THINGS… THAT’S WHY HE IS GOD”..  C. SWINDOLL

29. WANT TO REDUCE YOUR ANXIETY LEVEL?  COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT SOLOMON IS SAYING…  PUT TO REST YOUR FRUSTRATION, YOUR FANTICIZING, YOUR ARGUING WITH GOD  YOUR TRYING TO REPLACE WHO IS ON THE THRONE.. (WITH YOUR OWN WILL/DEMANDS)

30. BUT WHAT ABOUT NOW… AND THE FUTURE?  ECCL. 6:12 “FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD FOR A MAN DURING HIS LIFETIME, DURING THE FEW YEARS OF HIS FUTILE LIFE? HE WILL SPEND THEM LIKE A SHADOW. FOR WHO CAN TELL A MAN WHAT WILL BE AFTER HIM UNDER THE SUN?  DOES LIFE SEEM FUTILE?  GOD IS SAYING, “I AM WORKING ON YOUR LIFE, QUIT FIGHTING ME”  ARE YOU FEARFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE

31. IS THIS HOW YOU SEE THE FUTURE?

32. SOLOMON’S FOCUS: SELF PORTRAIT

33. GOD’S FOCUS  HIS AWESOME PICTURE OF JESUS CHRIST IN O.T.: THE TABERNACLE  PREEMINENT ARTICLE OF FURNITURE IS ARK depicting JESUS CHRISTS TWO natures  A WOODEN CHEST (HUMANITY)  COVERED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WITH GOLD (DIVINE) …. NEVER MIXED  ALL OTHER ARTICLES (6) OF FURNITURE POINTED TO CHRIST’S WORK (OR ITS EFFECTS)

34. BUT THE ARK SPOKE OF HIS PERSON  THE “SIX “ SPOKE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE, THIS (THE ARK) SPOKE OF WHAT HE IS.  IT IS THE BLESSED PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST THAT GIVES VALUE TO HIS WORK

35. ARTHUR PINK  “TODAY IN GOOD BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCHES EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON WHAT THE SAVIOR HAS DONE FOR US, RATHER THAN WHAT HE IS IN HIMSELF”  SCRIPTURE REVERSES THIS ORDER”

36. NOTE THE CONSISTENT SEQUENCE  JOHN THE BAPTIST: “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD (FIRST HIS PERSON) WHICH TAKETH AWAY (SECOND, HIS WORK) THE SIN OF THE WORLD.. John 1: 29  APOSTLE PAUL: “I DETERMINED NOT TO KNOW ANYTHING AMONG YOU SAVE JESUS CHRIST (HIS PERSON) AND HIM CRUCIFIED (HIS WORK)”.. I COR 2:2  APOSTLE JOHN: “I BEHELD … AND IN THE MIDST OF THE ELDERS, STOOD A LAMB (HIS PERSON) AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN (HIS WORK)..REV 5:6

37. AGAIN, IN TABERNACLE (EXOD 25)  FIRST THE ARK…. WHICH TELLS OF JESUS CHRIST PERSON, THEN THE MERCY SEAT, WHICH POINTS TO HIS WORK.

38. SHOULD WE NOT BE FOCUSED WHERE GOD THE FATHER IS FOCUSED?  MEDIATE ON HIS NAMES (approx. 100)  SURETY OF A BETTER COVENANT (HEB 7:23)  MEDIATE ON THE THREE ITEMS IN THE ARK  MEDIATE UPON THE MAJESTY OF HIS BEING  MEDIATE ON HIM BEING THE “BREAD OF LIFE”  MEDIATE ON HIM BEING THE “LIGHT OF THE WORLD”

39. then  PRAISE HIM FOR EACH ATTRIBUTE  PRAY TO GOD THROUGH HIM  THANK HIM FOR EACH ATTRIBUTE  BE CONTENT/SATISFIED IN HIM  SERVE HIM WITH JOYFULNESS  LIFE WILL BECOME ENJOYABLE  ( THAT’S WHAT SOLOMON DID NOT HAVE)  BUT YOU CAN ………. AMEN

40. What is your Worldly footprint?