He Speaks to Me

Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 NASB  10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. 11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. No matter how much money we earn, we tend to be left wanting more. The more money we receive, the more our burdens increase. Even the miserly millionaire has tons of worries. He worries how to make more money that he'll refuse to spend, or whether his investments are growing or shrinking. With these worries come bigger expenses. It cost money to make money.  Sometimes the love of money takes grasp of a heart and puts it into a choke hold. All that is important is gaining another dollar. It can become an addiction, or adrenaline rush. It's not just the poor and pove...

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 NASB 13 A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. 14 For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. No matter what we have, we are never content. Even the Christmas gifts we've just received, won't make us happy for long. Think of the child who received a certain toy after begging for months, only to end up playing make believe with the box Christmas afternoon. Or, those who feel the need to upgrade an expensive cell phone because the latest and greatest version has just been released. Most of our discontentment occurs because we listen to others. Friends brag about...

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 I said to myself, "Come now, let's give pleasure a try. Let's look for the `good things' in life." But I found that this, too, was meaningless. 2 "It is silly to be laughing all the time," I said. "What good does it do to seek only pleasure?" 3 After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. 4 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. 7 I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned great herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who lived in Jerusalem before me. 8 I collected great sums of sil...