As we’re winding down the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells us to enjoy life, but be wise about it. It’s advice for both young and old! Let’s dig in…
Ecclesiastes 11
Send your grain across the seas,
and in time, profits will flow back to you.
2 But divide your investments among many places,
for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
Advice for Young and Old
7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.
8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
9 Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 11 NLT
Points to Ponder
- Here we have basic financial advice.
- Investments take time, so be patient.
- There’s always a risk.
- Diversify – don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
- Plant seeds — wise investments. That’s what I’m doing with this blog and podcast. Planting seeds for the Kingdom. I began this daily endeavor on Jan. 1, 2020. I had no idea what would happen that year (pandemic). I just knew that God wanted me to use my knowledge, talents and marketing skills to promote His Good News to everyone who needs to hear it. I didn’t know who would find it. My purpose was to have this website and podcast be a resource for anyone searching for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here are some statistics:
- In 2020, the blog had over 5,000 visitors who viewed close to 10,000 pages from 124 countries around the world.
- So far, in 2021, as of today, the blog has had 13,000 visitors with over 22,000 page views!
- The podcast just hit 12,000 plays!
- I pray for the over 600 people who’ve viewed the “How to Invite Jesus into Your Heart” page. Lord, please guide them to get closer to You each day. Let them stand firm in your salvation and let them be salt and light to the lost wherever they are. And that they may be planting seeds and harvesting and doing your work in anticipation of Your soon return for us! Amen.
A Parable from Jesus
Jesus told us what to do and what would happen when we sowed seeds in one of His parables…
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’ [Isaiah 6:9-10]16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Matthew 13:3-23 NLT
Which “soil” are you?
A few more thoughts on Ecclesiastes 11
- At the end, he tells us “the light is sweet” and a new day is dawning. That may just be a bit prophetic as John called Jesus the “Light of the World”.
- There will be many dark days. Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble, but that He overcame the world. Thus, we, when we become his born-again followers, we, too, become overcommers!
- He says, don’t worry. So did Jesus.
- He tells the young people to enjoy life, but be careful, because we ALL — believers AND non-believers — will have to stand in front of Him in judgment.
A few years ago, Las Vegas Tourism put out a commercial depicting a man who had died and was standing at the pearly gates in front of a man whom, I guess, is St. Peter. Peter opens this guy’s “book of life” and finds some blank pages. All the other pages were a chronicle of his life. He notes the blank pages and says there are some weekends missing. The guy shrugs and then you see the tag line, “What happens here, stays here.” Here’s the video…
It’s a great advertisement, well done and catchy, but it’s so NOT TRUE!
It is written…
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
Hebrews 4:13 NLT
A sin, is a sin, is a sin. No matter what it is, God saw it, sees it and will see it. And you can try confessing to a priest, as many times as you want, and it will do absolutely NOTHING!
ONLY Jesus can forgive your sins. Through His blood shed on the cross is how we are washed clean and purified. Through His resurrection is how we are guaranteed a one-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven! Folks, purgatory doesn’t exist! It was an invention of the Catholic Church centuries ago to scam people so they could build St. Peter’s Basilica. Don’t be fooled! Salvation is only THROUGH JESUS!
What are you waiting for?
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
