Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. I'm Darrell Bailey, Servants for Christ. Thank you for tuning us in, for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves, your servants, for Jesus' sake. Here as we continue on in our devotion from Ecclesiastes, wisdom for life's journey. We see some of the biggest questions answered in the book of Ecclesiastes. What's the meaning of life? How can we find contentment in uncertain times? How do we navigate a world full of both beauty and brokenness? Because this devotion gives us some timeless wisdom guiding us toward God's purpose for our lives. Amen. We'll be talking And from Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verses 16 down to verse 20, and our devotion will be entitled, The Blessings of God's Good Gifts. The Blessings of God's Good Gifts. And so, let's open up with a time of prayer. Father, we thank you for the good and perfect gifts that you've poured into our lives and open our eyes to see the beauty in the ordinary and in the blessings you provide daily. You have given me my spouse that loves me, my home, my shoes, my clothes, everything that I have, you gave me. And Lord, I don't deserve any of it, but I'm so thankful that you put the roof over our head. I'm so thankful for the income to get by and to pay our bills. And Lord, that's all because Lord, I'm thankful for all the things, whether they're big or small, that you do in our lives. Thank you for all your provisions that you provide. Teach us to cherish your gifts and to trust you with our longings and guide us in this time of worship and reflection and devotions. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. You know, 15 years ago, a young couple sat by a lake enjoying an evening meal that they could barely afford. I remember Lita and I, we would go on vacation and only when we were on vacation or special times that we would get out of our comfort zone and try to eat a meal that cost more than we could afford. We tried to be frugal in everything that we did over all the times that we went. I'm glad that, fast forward to today, that lake is no longer a part of their evenings. But the joy of raising their children and living a life of purpose is a far greater treasure. Lita and I, every Sunday afternoon, would get out and drive around and look at the neighborhoods and see what everybody else had and what all the fuss was about and all what they had. And we'd just have us a time looking out the window of our automobile, driving all through neighborhoods on Sunday afternoons. This story reflects the truth of Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes as it highlights why wealth and possessions fail to satisfy God's good and perfect gifts bring lasting joy and meaning. And from the beginning, God gives us gifts of food. gifts of work and gifts of companionship and gifts of fellowship that he puts all the friends in our lives that we have all of this wonderful human flourishing that comes from the many people that are around us. And so look with us down to Ecclesiastes chapter 5 Verse 16 the wonderful word of God says and this also is a sore evil that in all points as he came So shall he go and what profit hath he that I? has labored for the wind. Verse 17, all his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. And verse 18, behold, that which I have seen, it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor that he hath taken under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him, for it is his portion In verse 19, every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eat their own and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God. Lastly, in verse 20, for he shall not much remember the days of his life because God answered him in the joy of his heart. The first thing that I see when I look at the blessings of God's good gifts, number one, the source of all good gifts. Every blessing that we enjoy comes directly from God who is unchanging in his goodness. I have a saying that is not good English, but it is the best expression. God's better than me than I am my own self. And that is so true because none of us lack when it comes to ourselves. We're going to do and do and do and do and give and give and buy and buy and buy. But God is better to us than we are our own selves. When we look at the source of all good gifts, we see, first of all, God's generosity in creation. What did I read in verse 19? Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth to rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God. Every sense from the Garden of Eden, God has provided food, he's provided work, he's provided companionship of all of us to enjoy. And so, we see God's generosity in creation. But secondly, the Father of heavenly lights. Because James chapter 1 verse 17 says, You know, God's blessings are consistent and reliable like his nature. And so, we see not only God's generosity in creation and the Father of heavenly lights, but also the gift of purposeful work. Because we read in verse 18, it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. You know, what's done in faithfulness to God becomes a source of joy and fulfillment. And so, when we look firstly, when we see the blessing of God's good gifts, We see the source of all good gifts, amen, and through that we reflect on how that we view the daily gifts in our life, in our work, in the food that we eat, in our relationships that are around us, at school, at work, at home. Do you see them as a burden or as a blessing? And so the pointlessness that we talked about of chasing possessions in our last devotion, and before that, guarding our words and commitments in Ecclesiastes chapter 5, here in these last few verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verses 16 through 20, the blessings of God's good gifts. We see not only about the source of all good gifts, but we see, secondly, the deceptiveness of substitutes, because the world often offers counterfeits to God's perfect gifts, but these fall short all the time. We read in verse 10, he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. What we see is the allurement of material possessions in this world. Accumulating wealth often leads to discontent rather than satisfaction. And so, We see the allurement of those material possessions when we see the deceptiveness of substitute, but secondly, false comforts in a broken world. People seek satisfaction in alcohol, social media, entertainment, excessive work, but these provide only temporary relief. Tim Keller, the big church out of New York, a pastor, says, and I quote, idolatry is the seeking of satisfaction in anything other than God, unquote. And so we see not only the allurement of material possessions in verse 10 and the false comforts in a broken world, but we see also the brokenness of sin because the word of God after the fall Adam and Eve experienced They had toil, they had conflict, and the joy also of God's original gifts. But in Genesis 3, verses 17, 18, and 19, as I paraphrase, it talked about, cursed is the ground for thy sake, and in sorrow shalt thou eat of it. And so, when we look and realize that as we see the blessings of God's good gifts, when we look at the source of all the good gifts, and secondly, the deceptiveness of substitutes, we come and we find that we can evaluate the ways that we cope with life's challenges. Are you relying on temporary fixes instead of seeking God's eternal gifts? And so, We not only see the blessings of God's good gifts, first, by knowing the source of all good gifts, and secondly, the deceptiveness of substitutes, but thirdly, in closing, joy in the mundane, because God calls us to find joy in the ordinary blessings of life, which reflects his generosity and care. When we look at joy in the mundane, We read it in verse 20, it said, for he shall not much remember the days of his life because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. And he's talking about the gift of contentment. Those who recognize God's gifts experience contentment and peace. And not only the joy in the mundane of the gift of contentment, in verse 20, but we see that we can find beauty in simplicity because Paul said in Philippians 4, 11, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. You see the mundane family dinners, the meaningful work time with loved ones is often where God's blessings are the most evident. And so when we look and realize joy in the mundane, the gift of contentment in verse 20, finding beauty in simplicity, but also we see living in gratitude. You know, Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 18, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. He was talking about gratitude transforms the ordinary into extraordinary. When was the last time you were so thankful for everything that God gave you? You got up this morning, and before you got a cup of coffee, you said, God, I want to thank you for this cup of coffee. It is so pleasing. Lord, I don't have to get into the dregs of it like they used to. I don't have to go down to a well and draw my water. I just go to my kitchen, praise the mighty name of Jesus. Glory, hallelujah. Lord, I had heat last night if it was cold. I had cool if it was hot. Lord, I am so blessed. We live in gratitude. And so, I'm glad that when we have the blessing of God's good gifts, when we look back and we realize the source of all those good gifts, the deceptiveness of substitutes that can be out there, and the joy in the mundane, we see that we can look for ways to celebrate the simple gifts in our life. because we can pause and we can thank God for the small daily blessings that are easy to overlook. We go back at verse 17 that talked about how wealth can cause a person to live in a state of bitterness and despair. You know, money can fill us. in so many ways. We can all live in a dark world of gloom and despair, and it's not uncommon to hear of someone out there that is having problems because of bitterness and anger And some of it all comes how money can, as Solomon warned, bring about much unhappiness. And when a person's life revolves around making, hoarding, and protecting money instead of using it for the good of society and the desperate needs of the world that individuals can easily slip into a state of despair. Money is too enticing a bait for most people to turn away. And Solomon, in his wisdom as well as from personal experience, knew all the pitfalls of giving in to such temptation. And so, when we look and realize, remember that our Savior spoke more about money and finances than he did about any other subject more about money than heaven or hell, or about his purpose for coming to earth. That's right. Jesus recognized the emphasis people place on money, and therefore, he warned us repetitively about making money our God. And he spoke in clear terms about an unhealthy and an unbalanced allegiance to money. Luke chapter 16 verse 13, no servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Too often when we count our blessings, we think primarily in terms of money and possessions. Money is a necessity. It is important aspect of life here on earth. But remember this, the greatest blessings of God have absolutely nothing to do with material things. As believers, we must not covet money. We must not fall in love with it. And instead, we must love the one who has given us every good and perfect gift, the Lord Jesus Christ, because the riches of his grace far outweigh anything and everything that this world can ever offer. And so, Matthew chapter 19 verse 24, and again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of an eagle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And so, you know what? When we look, he tells us in verses 18 down to verse 20, guard the wonderful gift of God, the life that he has given us. Solomon is challenging all of us, never lose sight of God's wonderful gift of life. Because people fail to realize how marvelous God has blessed us. Oh my goodness, I got up today. not just with the unique extraordinary things in life, but with the normal day-to-day routines, the opportunities of life that is so easy to become focused on the challenges, the trials, and the frustrations of life that individuals become oblivious to all of the wonderful things God has done for us on a daily basis. And that is what Solomon is talking about. in verses 18, 19, and 20, that we need to realize and open our eyes to the reality of God's abundant blessings. Live day by day, eat and drink, in verse 18. Amen? Our saviors taught us to live day by day. And so, I look at these little old birds, it just touches my heart. They don't worry about nothing. They fly around and whatever. Boy, there's a guy named Chad Thompson at the campus. He puts out these bird feeders. And boy, when you see those little birds come for those seeds, what a blessing. We must guard against negative, destructive attitudes that produce despair and ungratefulness, and we must pray day by day for God to supply our needs. Matthew 611 says, give us this day our daily bread. And remember that as the Israelis journeyed through the wilderness, God gave them bread and manna that only lasted for the day, and it was gathered again. And so, each and every day, God is good to us. Each and every day, He supplies our needs. Each and every day that we awaken and arise to face the world is a gift from God. God desires that we live in daily dependence upon Him and that we delight in Him daily because of His faithfulness and blessings, whether ordinary or extraordinary. We've got to find satisfaction in our hard work, in verse 18, because God gives us only a few days or years to live. Life is not only brief, but it also passes by far too quickly. And so it's important that we spend our days wisely and productively. Amen. To invest our days in work that is beneficial in this life and perhaps even in the life to come is a great source of lasting satisfaction. And so, we should always be grateful for our jobs and for the health that we're able to perform and especially true during difficult economic periods and times of massive unemployment. There's no question that being unemployed can be devastating to every individual as well as to his family or her family. Just as troubling, however, are the shameful situations that can arise out of unemployment. And so, If jobs are available, but a person will not take or consider a position because it's beneath him or her, that individual is guilty of pride. And remember, pride is one of the sins that God despises most. So in addition to choosing not to work, The person is revealing a spirit of self-righteousness. And so, if jobs are available, but a person chooses not to work because a government, social, or charitable organization takes care of that expense for a while, the individual is guilty of theft and deceit. And that person takes what does not rightfully belong to him or her, takes what could be better used for the poor, for the homeless, for the hungry. And once again, the individual chooses not to work, instead to take advantage of a system designed to help those truly in need. God help us. We need to enjoy whatever wealth and possession God gives. Whether much or little, great or small, or an abundance or just enough, your possessions are a gift from God and the reward for your labor. Enjoy them, but if you have little, do not allow Satan. through others to convince you that God has been ungracious toward you. Enjoy what you have. Rejoice that you do not have the burdens that often accompany wealth, because if God has given you much, do not become proud or greedy. Rather, Humble, enjoy God's abundance and share it with others in need and use it for his kingdom and his glory because God is desiring this for you. And accept your lot in life and be happy in your work. Whatever your lot in life, your race, your nationality, your stature, your family, your appearance, your physical attributes, accept your situation. You don't deserve something because of your color. You, just because of your ancestors or something else, listen, you are creating a sin when you use and hide behind those things. Focus on the joy that God will provide rather than the brevity of life of worrying about the future because in verse 20, Every one of us, if you focus on all that God has done for you and given you, you will not be disturbed by the fact that life is short, nor will you be plagued by the worries about what is coming tomorrow. Your heart will be full of joy. The cares of the future will not discourage or distract you. You'll recognize God's faithfulness today. Be confident that God, who is faithful in the present, will be faithful in the future, and there will be no room in your heart for the negative thinking that traps so many in the snare of doubt, that God was faithful yesterday, He's faithful today, and He'll be faithful tomorrow. And whatever it brings, listen, People of faith face life's problems and we can determine with confidence and assurance because Satan seeks to rob us of the joy God intends us to have. The devil's oldest trick is to convince people that God does not really love them, that God is withholding from them many things that would contribute to their happiness and their fulfillment. And so, the lie that the devil effectively uses as he used to trap Eve in the Garden of Eden is being used everywhere. Believers in particular must not fall for Satan's Age, oh ploy, when the devil prompts you to question God's goodness, take an inventory of what the Lord has done for you, even today, and see the faithfulness, enjoy the blessings, and do not be drawn into the net of doubt by questioning the giver of all good things. Let's close out with the blessing of God's good gifts, amen. Lord, we confess that we often chase after things that cannot satisfy. Help us to see the wealth and the possessions apart from you. You are a gift, the good gifts that you give us. Teach us to live as worthy citizens of your kingdom, seeking treasures that last for all eternity. Guide us to use the resources you've given us to bless others and glorify you. In the mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that we pray. Amen. you