#Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

[jesus-is-lord-and-savior]

13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, ESV)

[bojackson54]

A Bonfire of Vanity: Advice From the Wisest Man Who Ever Lived

Tom Wolfe (who wrote, “The Bonfire of the Vanities”) said, “The surest cure for vanity is loneliness.” Another person who understood vanity was (an older and somewhat jaded) King Solomon. After living a life of wealth and achievement, and after marrying hundreds of wives and keeping dozens of concubines, he wrote this: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and…

[drshermaines-wisdomnuggets]

"THERE'S DANGER IN TWISTING SCRIPTURE!"

Deuteronomy 4:2, “Now listen, Israel, listen carefully to the rules and regulations that I am teaching you to follow so that you may live and enter and take possession of the land that God, the God-of-Your-Fathers, is giving to you. DON’T ADD A WORD TO WHAT I COMMAND YOU, AND DON’T REMOVE A WORD FROM IT. Keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you.” (MSG) Ecclesiastes 3:14-15,…

[simmyfrobby]

— [Again and again, even though we know love’s landscape], Rainer Maria Rilke (trans. Edward Snow)

Ecclesiastes 1:9 by WolfSpider

Hockey Poetry Post ?/?

img. links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

[girlbloggercher]

how to read the Bible

this is in order!

1. John

2. Mark

3. Matthew

4. Luke

5. Genesis

6. Exodus

7. Leviticus

8. Numbers

9. Dueteronomy

10. Romans

11. Galatians

12. Colossians

13. Proverbs

14. Ecclesiastes

15. Job

16. 1 Peter

17. 1 Corinthians

18. 2 Corinthians

19. Ephesians

20. Philippians

21. 1 Thessalonians

22. 2 Thessalonians

23. 1 Timothy

24. 2 Timothy

25. James

26. 2 Peter

27. 1 John

28. 2 John

29. 3 John

30. Jude

31. Psalms

32. Joshua

33. Judges

34. 1 Samuel

35. 2 Samuel

36. 1 Kings

37. 2 Kings

38. 1 Chronicles

39. 2 Chronicles

40. Ezra

41. Nehemiah

42. Jeremiah

43. Lamentations

44. Ezekiel

45. Joel

46. Amos

47. Obadiah

48. Nahum

49. Habakkuk

50. Zephaniah

51. Haggai

52. Zechariah

53. Malachi

54. Micah

55. Hosea

56. Luke

57. Esther

58. Jonah

59. Song of Solomon

60. Acts

61. Titus

62. Philemon

63. Hebrew

64. Isaiah

65. Daniel

66. Revelation

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Approaching God with Awe

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.

3 As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messengera that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

The Futility of Wealth (Psalm 49:1–20)

8 If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. 9 The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. 11 When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?

12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

13 There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, 14 or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

15 As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. 16 This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.

19 Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God. 20 For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. — Ecclesiastes 5 | Berean Standard Bible (BSB) The Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Exodus 3:5; Exodus 23:25; Exodus 30:18; Leviticus 4:2; Leviticus 4:22; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 12:7; Deuteronomy 12:18; Deuteronomy 23:21; Judges 11:35; 2 Chronicles 1:12; Job 1:21; Job 11:2; Job 20:20; Psalm 39:6; Psalm 127:2; Proverbs 3:24; Proverbs 10:19; Proverbs 15:2; Proverbs 22:16; Ecclesiastes 1:3; Ecclesiastes 1:8; Ecclesiastes 2:9,10 and 11; Ecclesiastes 2:23; Ecclesiastes 3:13-14; Ecclesiastes 6:1-2; Ecclesiastes 7:18; Matthew 6:7; Acts 5:4; 1 Corinthians 16:16; 1 Timothy 6:7; 1 Peter 4:12

Ecclesiastes 5 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (concise)

Key Passages in Ecclesiastes 5

1. vanities in divine service 8. in murmuring against oppression 9. and in riches 18. Joy in riches is the gift of God.

[living-for-jesus-and-telenovelas]

What’s the Point? There once lived a king whose experience exploring and grappling with life’s perplexities was recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes. What’s interesting is that this king—likely King Solomon—reigned in Israel during some of the best years in its history. From the world’s standards, he had more power, prestige, and wealth than any other person before him. Yet, still, he summarized his luxuries with one depressing word: Meaningless! “Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) “Everything is wearisome beyond description.” (Ecclesiastes 1:8) “Nothing under the sun is truly new.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14) Though written thousands of years ago, this bleak analysis still resonates with our own restless yearning for more. We want more than meaningless stuff. We want more than surface-level connections and ambitions. We want more than a seemingly thriving, yet secretly unsatisfied life. We want more—but what we want doesn’t typically satisfy us. Like the author of Ecclesiastes, we might find ourselves asking: “What is the point of life?” By the end of the book, “the Teacher” has tried to find meaning in everything under the sun, and he concludes his reflections with these powerful words… “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV We can chase after everything this world has to offer and it might bring temporary pleasure. But in the end, pursuing those things apart from God will always leave us empty. The great news is, there’s a God in heaven who created and loves us, and He understands what we really need. He knows that life is best when we follow His design for life. He is worthy of our awe, our honor, and our worship. So, fear God and keep His commandments. Love Him with everything in you and love your neighbor as yourself. That is the point. Only then will life no longer be meaningless.

[hiswordsarekisses]

“Hailed as the wisest King in history, we might question that, just based on his 1000 wives story!

But it’s a tender story, this King Solomon.

His father, the adored King David, had made one of his greatest mistakes.

He had committed adultery and had the woman’s husband killed.

Not a bright shining moment for anyone, let alone a king. A child was born from that adultery and little Daniel died. Solomon was born next.

Scripture says something about Solomon, it doesn’t say about any other baby.

…..”She bore a son, and called his name Solomon; and the Lord loved him.” (2 Samuel 12:24b)

Solomon is a derivative of the Hebrew word “Shalom” which means Peace.

God had said Solomon would be a man of peace, so he could build the Temple.

A place of God’s Presence.

While we may see our spiritual life as warfare here, let is always be mindful that the Presence of God is Peace.

Solomon was so special to God, that God sent a word to his parents that His nickname for Solomon was “Jedidiah” which means: “Beloved of the Lord”. Isn’t that beautiful?

Solomon was incredibly wise, unbelievably wealthy, and did remarkable things for his country. He was admired and respected

far beyond his kingdom. He wrote like his father, so we have many songs and proverbs from him, a book about life, and even a book on spiritual romance.

He did complete a fine palace for him and those wives, and of course, he built that glorious Temple. He reigned 40 years and actually died quite young at 55 years old.

But Solomon’s greatest battle as a man of peace, was the very thing God specifically warned him about early on.

Unbelieving ungodly wives.

God still tells us not to be unequally yoked. A Believer must marry a Believer.

That is still Scriptural today:

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship does righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:13)

But like many people, Solomon did not obey God in that area of his life.

You can tell from his proverbs he learned a lot from those experiences.

While I believe Solomon left God for a season, I believe he’s also in heaven today, because of the last verse in his book, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14:

“This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

He concluded his book with full recognition of understanding the fear of God, that he would answer to God.

Solomon teaches all of us that no matter how wise, wealthy, or powerful

we may be, we can still make major mistakes in our personal devotion to Christ. We can still choose things and people who will take us away from God. We can still want the excess of sin. Maybe it’s not in every area of our lives, but maybe in one. Maybe it’s secret. Maybe it went viral.

Because God loved Solomon so much, I believe God loves us so much. No matter where we fail Him, and we all have our places, He still waits for us to recognize thd truth.

No matter where our greatest place of learning may be, God still desires the beauty of holiness, purity and purpose.

The sin I battle most, might not be an issue for you at all. What tempts you, may not be a glimpse for me. But we have to look at each other with grace and love, knowing God’s purpose for us all, is bigger than our sin.

Even though Solomon was very wise, he still made stupid mistakes. Remember that, when you want to hate yourself or somebody else for that really dumb sin.

It’s not wisdom or wealth or position that keep us from falling into sin. It’s our walk with God. Our remaining in Christ.

We all may struggle remaining at times. We can’t hate another person, just because their sin is different than ours. God perfects that which concerns us,

is what He says. We don’t have to do the perfecting of each other.

To know Christ and make Him known gives us a purpose like no other. May we live with grace and purpose, firmly remaining in Christ.”

~AnnStewartPorter

[christianhomemaker]

Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.

For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

[apocrypals]

Previously, on Apocrypals part 5: The Fifth One

As we begin our sixth (!) calendar year of Apocrypals, here is a list of the texts we have covered so far on the show in case you want to read along or catch up. They’re arranged in a way that appeases my systematic nature.  

Tanakh/Old Testament:

Genesis (episodes 16-20)

Exodus (episodes 33 and 35)

Leviticus (episode 59)

Numbers (episode 62)

Deuteronomy (episode 65)

Joshua (episode 73)

Judges (episode 80)

Ruth (episode 45)

1 Samuel (episode 89)

2 Samuel (episode 90-91)

1 Kings (episode 99)

2 Kings (episode 106)

Esther (episode 37)

Job (episode 101)

Ecclesiastes (episode 52)

Song of Songs (episode 34)

Isaiah (episode 4)

Jeremiah (episode 43-44)

Lamentations (episode 48)

Ezekiel (episode 55-56)

Daniel (episode 2)

Hosea (episode 108)

Jonah (episode 31)

Micah (episode 74)

Nahum (episode 74)

Deuterocanon/capital-A Apocrypha:

Tobit (episode 13)

Judith (episode 22)

Greek Additions to Esther (episode 37)

1 Maccabees (episode 27)

2 Maccabees (episode 28)

3 Maccabees (episode 53)

4 Maccabees (episode 78)

The Prayer of Azariah aka the Song of the Three Holy Children (episode 2)

Susanna (episode 2)

Bel and the Dragon (episode 2)

The Prayer of Manasseh (episode 6)

New Testament:

Matthew (episodes 8-9)

Mark (episode 7)

Luke (episode 10)

John (episode 11-12)

Acts of the Apostles (episode 1)

Romans (episode 5)

1 Corinthians (episode 25)

2 Corinthians (episode 42)

Galatians (episode 72)

Ephesians (episode 81)

Hebrews (episode 104)

1 John (episode 49)

2 John (episode 49)

3 John (episode 49)

Revelation (episode 50)

Pseudepigrapha (Jewish apocrypha):

The Testament of Solomon (episode 24)

The Story of Ahikar (episode 14)

The Ascension of Isaiah (episode 6)

1 Enoch (episode 39-40)

2 Enoch (episode 61)

3 Enoch (episode 86-87)

Jubilees (episodes 82 and 83)

The Letter of Aristeas (episode 70)

The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness (episode 71)

Joseph and Aseneth (episode 93)

New Testament apocrypha:

The Protevangelium aka Infancy Gospel of James (episode 29)

The Acts of Pilate/Gospel of Nicodemus (episode 23)

Mors Pilati/Death of Pilate (episode 23)

The Acts of Paul and Thecla (episode 22)

The Acts of Peter (episode 3)

The Acts of Peter and Paul (episode 3)

The Acts of Andrew and Matthias (episode 60)

The Acts of Thomas and His Wonderworking Skin (episode 66)

The Life of Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca (episode 57)

Questions of Bartholomew (episode 41)

Resurrection of Jesus Christ by Bartholomew (episode 41)

The Book of Bartholomew (episode 67)

Acts of John (episode 46)

The Acts of Andrew (episode 97)

Syriac Infancy Gospel (episode 47)

Infancy Gospel of Thomas (episode 54)

Infancy Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew (episode 79)

The Adoration of the Magi (2020 Christmas bonus episode)

The History of Joseph the Carpenter (episode 103)

The First Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Second Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Third Apocryphal Apocalypse of John (episode 68)

The Apocalypse of Peter (episode 75)

The Apocalypse of Paul (episode 95)

The Gospel of Philip (episode 92)

The Gospel of Mary (episode 92)

The Gospel of Jesus’s Wife (episode 92)

The Gospel of Judas (episode 100)

The Greater Questions of Mary (episode Secret 69)

The Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine:

The Life of Saint Nicholas (episode 26)

The Life of Saint Lucy (episode 26)

The Life of Saint Christopher (episode 15)

The Life of Saint Benedict (episode 15)

excerpts from The Passion of the Lord (episode 23)

The Life of Saint Sebastian (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Blaise (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Agatha (episode 58)

The Life of Saint Roch (episode 63)

The Life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (episode 77)

The Life of Saint Barbara (episode 77)

The Life of Saint Dunstan (episode 85)

The Life of Mary Magdalene (episode 94)

The Life of Saint Martha of Bethany (episode 102)

The Life of Saint Margaret of Antioch (episode 102)

Other:

Historia Trium Regum/The Legend of the Three Kings by John of Hildesheim (episode 30)

Muirchu’s Life of Saint Patrick (episode 36)

The Life of Saint Guinefort (episode 63)

The Life of Saint Mary of Egypt (episode 69)

The Life of Saint Pelagia (episode 69)

The Life of Saint Martin by Sulpicius Severus (episode 76)

The Life of Saint Columba (episode 84)

The Life of Saint Wilgefortis (episode 94)

Lives of cephalophoric saints (bonus episode cephalo4)

Stories of the Baal Shem Tov from The Golden Mountain (episode 96)

More stories of the Baal Shem Tov from The Golden Mountain (episode 107)

Solomon and Ashmedai (bonus episode double chai)

Listener questions (episode 32)

Bible trivia questions (episode 38)

Halloween-themed Chick tracts (episode 51)

Christmas-themed Chick tracts (episode 98)

Bible Adventures and the Wisdom Tree catalogue of video games (episode 64)

The Da Vinci Code, the movie (episode 88)

Guess the Bible character from Persona 5 (bonus episode Persona 5)

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (episode 105)

You can find links to all these episodes with show notes and more on the Apocrypals wiki

[rainyfunction]

"The meaning of life"

I have yet to find a more direct statement on the true meaning of life than from the book of Ecclesiastes. The meaning of human life was the reason it was written; it was a man’s search for value, purpose, and meaning. He searches for meaning in pleasure, in knowledge, in personal achievements and wealth, and finds all these to be empty. In this end, this is what he says:

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments,     for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment,     including every hidden thing,     whether it is good or evil.”

-Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

But what does this mean to fear God and keep his commandments? Is there a list of rules we have to follow to find meaning? No, not quite. Fearing God and keeping His commandments is not about rules, but it’s about a position of an individual’s heart, and the lifestyle that follows. This can be introduced through three principles: Faith, hope, and love.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

-John 3:16

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

-John 6:28-29

I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

-Acts 24:15

...the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

-John 5:28a-29

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

-John 11:25-26

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

-Matthew 22:35-40

We love Him because He first loved us.

-1 John 4:19

And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

-1 John 4:21-1 John 5:5

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

-1 Corinthians 13

To have faith, hope, and love, this is the fear of God, this is keeping His commandments, this is the meaning of life.

[lionofthegoldsun]

[How are two better than one]

Two are better than one in a work setting because a pair of laborers can accomplish more than a person working alone. Difficult jobs become easier with four hands and the doubled strength of two people working together. Even though profits are divided, two laborers have a better return for their efforts—they achieve more—than one person alone. Two individuals also bring a more varied skill set to the table and offer different strengths to complement and encourage one another.

Two are better than one because, “If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble,” says Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NLT). Sometimes we fall down physically and need help getting up, but the maxim has even greater emotional and spiritual implications. When we stumble in our spiritual walk or are downtrodden with emotional burdens, it’s vital to have a friend or mentor who can come alongside us and help restore us to wholeness in our relationship with God. Paul told the Galatians, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1–2, NLT).

If you’ve ever spent a night out in the freezing elements, you know that two are better than one because “two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:11, NLT). Not only is it harder to stay warm traveling alone at night, but it’s more dangerous: “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NLT).

We need Christian friends for emotional, practical, and spiritual support through life’s hardships. If we nurture relationships with other believers, we will always have someone to help us stay on track and lift us back up when we fall. God’s people are not meant to live in isolation but walk this road together (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:44). In the earliest days of the church, Christians “worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity” (Acts 2:46, NLT).

Jesus prayed for His followers to be united as one, just as He and the Father were one (John 17:21). This sort of unity and cooperation in the body of Christ binds believers together “in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:12–14, NLT), allowing God’s love to be “brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4:12, NLT). The body of Christ is stronger and more protected as we care for one another through adversity and celebrate life’s victories together. As we work together and walk together in the strength of unity, we accomplish more for God’s kingdom (John 13:35).

When Solomon said, “Two are better than one,” he acknowledged that true, godly friends are a comfort in need, a help in trouble, a companion in toil, and a protective guard against danger.

[raypca]

What’s the Point?

There once lived a king whose experience exploring and grappling with life’s perplexities was recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes.

What’s interesting is that this king—likely King Solomon—reigned in Israel during some of the best years in its history. From the world’s standards, he had more power, prestige, and wealth than any other person before him. Yet, still, he summarized his luxuries with one depressing word: Meaningless!

“Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) “Everything is wearisome beyond description.” (Ecclesiastes 1:8) “Nothing under the sun is truly new.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14)

Though written thousands of years ago, this bleak analysis still resonates with our own restless yearning for more. We want more than meaningless stuff. We want more than surface-level connections and ambitions. We want more than a seemingly thriving, yet secretly unsatisfied life. We want more—but what we want doesn’t typically satisfy us.

Like the author of Ecclesiastes, we might find ourselves asking: “What is the point of life?”

By the end of the book, “the Teacher” has tried to find meaning in everything under the sun, and he concludes his reflections with these powerful words…

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

We can chase after everything this world has to offer and it might bring temporary pleasure. But in the end, pursuing those things apart from God will always leave us empty.

The great news is, there’s a God in heaven who created and loves us, and He understands what we really need. He knows that life is best when we follow His design for life. He is worthy of our awe, our honor, and our worship.

So, fear God and keep His commandments. Love Him with everything in you and love your neighbor as yourself. That is the point. Only then will life no longer be meaningless.

[pistol247]

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV

[13] Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. [14] For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

https://bible.com/bible/114/ecc.12.13-14.NKJV

[creativewaygrace]

Bible Verses on Laziness

Colossians 3:17- And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:23- Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.

Ecclesiastes 9:10- Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

1 Timothy 5:8- But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Genesis 2:15- The Lord took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work on it and watch over it.

Luke 16:10- Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

Proverbs 10:4- Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.

Proverbs 10:5- The son who gathers during summer is prudent: the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.

Proverbs 12:11- The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.

Proverbs 12:24- The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor.

Proverbs 13:4- The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but endless talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 14:23- There is profit in all hard work, but endless talks leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 19:13- Laziness induces deep sleep, and a lazy person will go hungry.

Proverbs 20:4- The slacker does not plow during planting season, at harvest time he looks, and there is nothing.

Proverbs 6:6- Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.

Proverbs 26:15- The slacker buries his hand in the bowl, he is too wary to bring it to his mouth.

Ephesians 5:15-17- Pay careful attention to how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Proverbs 6:9-11- How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10- Who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. For this, I was appointed a herald an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument. Also, the women are to dress themselves in modest clothing, with decency and good sense, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold pearls, or expensive apparel, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.

Proverbs 24:30-34- I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of one lacking sense. Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone was ruined. I saw and took it to heart, I looked and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need, like a bandit.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Lord Has Told You

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? — Micah 6:8 | New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible; New King James Version®. Copyright �� 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 5:22; Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 30:15; Proverbs 21:3; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Isaiah 56:1; Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 66:2; Jeremiah 22:3; Ezekiel 33:14; Hosea 6:6; Hosea 12:6; Amos 5:24; Micah 6:9; Zechariah 7:9; Luke 12:14