Episode 39

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Published on:

13th Apr 2026

39 | The Sound Mind Series: Ecclesiastes Chpt. 4 & 5 - AUDIO ONLY

Join me as we read through and decipher King Solomons words in the book of Ecclesiastes; chapters 4 and 5.

Transcript
Speaker:

All right everyone.

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Welcome back to another

episode of I Can't He Can.

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Today we are going to be reading

through chapter four and chapter five

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of Ecclesiastes as we continue on in

the Sound Mind series, and I am so

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excited, honestly, to be reading this

as I always am, not just because we're

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gonna be going through what I learned as

I was studying this for the fourth time.

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I read it three or four times, um, but

just because this is the first time

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in a few months that I actually get to

record during the week, and also because

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I'm doing video, normally it's audio.

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So this is basically a

double whammy for me and.

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So relieved, so happy that I

got the opportunity to do this.

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So I'll glory to God that I

have the time and the want.

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Um, because, you know, I don't like doing

things if it doesn't feel right to me.

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Um, but that I have both of

those things to make this happen.

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So, um, as I always say, I am reading

from the new King James version.

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I'm reading straight from here.

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I have my notes as well

that I have already.

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Take in.

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As you guys can see, I have so many,

so many things, but I'm going to fully

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read chapter four that I'm gonna go

back and just kind of touch on the

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things that really stood out to me.

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Um, and then I'm going to read

chapter five, do the same thing.

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I don't think I'm going to read

verse by verse, um, in explaining

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how I usually do, just because I

feel like Ecclesiastes is getting.

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Easier to interpret because we already

know King Solomon's state of mind.

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Um, and just as a brief reminder, um,

as we read through these chapters,

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king Solomon is writing from a point of

view of when he was younger to all the

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things that he tried to do as he was

growing up and is now at a later stage.

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Um, in his life.

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You know, you can say older, um,

gentleman, older, older man, and is

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now looking back on all the things

that you kind of have some regrets on.

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So keeping that in mind, um, we're gonna

start here, chapter four and chapter five.

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And I do have a few things also

for chapter five, but again,

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I'm not gonna read line by line

explaining every single thing.

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So I hope that you guys have

your Bibles in hand, as always.

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Read on your own.

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Do not take my word for

everything that I'm saying.

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This is all my opinion.

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What I understood and like

I have mentioned many times,

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the Bible is a living word.

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So just because I am reading something

and I studied it a few weeks ago as

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I was having my, uh, bvu infusion,

maybe now as I'm reading it again,

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I'm going to get something else.

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And that's just, that's just

how this goes sometimes.

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Okay you guys, so please, please,

please, always read for yourself.

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Can't believe I'm doing this midweek.

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But anyway, here we are.

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That's just how the Lord works.

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So thank you God.

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Thank you for this.

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Alright, so we're going to start

Ecclesiastes chapter four, verse one.

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Then I returned and considered all the

oppression that is done under the sun.

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And look the tears of the oppressed,

but they have no comforter on

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the side of their oppressors.

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There is power, but

they have no comforter.

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Verse two.

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Therefore, I praise the dead

who were already dead more than

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the living who are still alive.

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Verse three, yet better than both, is he

who has never existed, who has not seen

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the evil work that is done under the sun.

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Verse four.

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Again, I saw that for all toil

and every skillful worker, a

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man is envied by his neighbor.

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This is also vanity and

grasping for the wind.

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Verse five, the full folds, his

hands and consumes his own flesh.

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Verse six, better.

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A handful with quietness than

both hands full together with

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toil and grasping for the wind.

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Verse seven.

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Then I returned and I

saw vanity under the sun.

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Verse eight.

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There is one alone without companion.

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He has neither son nor brother yet.

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There is no end to all his labors,

nor is his eye satisfied with riches,

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but he never asks for whom do I

toil and deprive myself of good.

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This is also vanity

and a grave misfortune.

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Verse nine, two are better

than one because they have a

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good reward for their labor.

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Verse 10, for if they fall, one

will lift up his companion, but woe

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to him who is alone when he falls

for he has no one to help him up.

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Verse 11 again, if two lie down

together, then they will keep warm.

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But how can one be warm alone?

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Verse 12, the one may be

overpowered by another two can

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withstand him, and a threefold

cord is not quite quickly broken.

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Verse 13, better a poor and wise

youth than an old and foolish king

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who will be admonished no more.

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Verse 14, for he comes out of

prison to be king, although he

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was born poor in his kingdom.

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Verse 15, I saw all the

living who walk under the sun.

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They were with a second youth who

stands in his place, verse 16.

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There was no end of all people over

whom he was made king, yet those who

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come afterward will not rejoice in him.

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Surely this is also vanity

and grasping for the wind.

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I think I'm gonna continue reading

through chapter five and then go

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back and just recap everything.

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I don't, I, I don't, I don't wanna,

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I just have a feeling I

don't wanna interrupt it.

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Ecclesiastes, chapter five, verse one.

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Walk prudently when you go to the house

of God and draw near to here rather

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than to give the sacrifice of fools

for they do not know that they do evil.

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Verse two, do not be rashed with

your mouth and let not your heart

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utter anything hastily before God.

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For God is in heaven and you on earth.

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Therefore, let your words be few.

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Verse three, for a dream comes

through much activity and a fool's

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voice is known by his many words.

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Verse four, when you make a vow to God, do

not delay to pay it for he has no pleasure

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and fools pay what you have vowed.

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Verse five, better not to

vow than to vow and not pay.

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Verse six.

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Do not let your mouth cause your

flesh to sin, nor say before the

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messenger of God that it was an error.

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Why should God be angry at your excuse

and destroy the work of your hands?

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For in the multitude of dreams and many

words, there is also vanity, but fear God.

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Verse eight.

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If you see the oppression of the poor

and the violent perversion of justice

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and righteousness in a province, do

not marvel at the matter for high

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official watches over high official,

and higher officials are over them.

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Verse nine.

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Moreover, the profit

of the land is for all.

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Even the king is served from the field.

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Verse 10.

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He who loves silver will not be

satisfied with silver, nor he who

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loves abundance with increase.

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This is also vanity.

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Verse 11.

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When good increases, they

increase who eat them.

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So what profit have the owners

except to see them with their eyes?

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Verse 12, the sleep of

a laboring man is sweet.

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Whether he eats little or much,

but the abundance of the rich

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will not permit him to sleep.

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Verse 13, there is a severe evil,

which I have seen under the sun.

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Rich is kept for their owner to his hurt.

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Verse 14, but those richest

perish through misfortune.

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When he be begets a son,

there is nothing in his hand.

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Verse 15, as he became his mother's womb

naked, shall he return to go as he came?

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And he shall take nothing for his labor,

which he may carry away in his hand.

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Verse 16.

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And this is also severe evil,

just exactly as he came.

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So shall he go.

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And what prophet has he who

has labored for the wind?

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Verse 17.

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All his days.

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He also eats in darkness and he has

much sorrow and much sickness and anger.

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Verse 18, here is what I have seen.

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It is good and fitting for one to eat and

drink and to enjoy the good of all his

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labor in which he toils under the sun.

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All the days of his life, which God

gives him for it is his heritage.

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Verse 19.

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As for every man to whom God has

given riches and wealth and given

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him power to eat of it, to receive

his heritage and rejoice in his

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labor, this is the gift of God.

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Verse 20, for he will not dwell unduly

on the days of his life because God

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keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

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There's a lot to unpack.

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An Ecclesiastes four, Ecclesiastes

five, they're quick reads.

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So as always, I encourage you guys

to please read this on your own.

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But the main points that

I took from both of these

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people can be a little selfish,

maybe a lot selfish, um, people also.

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Are selfish where they

look over their friends.

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Um, and then sometimes that

can lead people to not have any

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friends or not have people in

their life that they can count on.

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Um, people should also not forget

that when you make a promise, you

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kind of have to, you know, stick

by it, stick by your promise.

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You have to be a man and a woman

of your word, especially when you

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say you're going to do something

and it's involving the Lord.

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And then there's also, um, the point here

that says the vanity of gain and honor.

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Sometimes we're just wanting

to do more and more and more.

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Um, and we are willing to just run over

whoever it is, even people that help us

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get our riches, you know, quote unquote,

um, who help us get to where we wanna

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go, who help us make us successful.

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For example, I'm a paralegal.

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Um, if I were to take my legal assistant

for granted, then that is in part vanity,

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um, that I am committing, or, you know, I,

I guess you can say in the terms of what

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Solomon would use because I am not giving

them the credit that they are also due.

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And I'm just saying that all

of this work is because of me.

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No, there are moving parts to everything.

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Um, so anyway, we'll get more to,

to that when we get to chapter five.

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But there's a lot of different

points that Solomon is making

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here in chapter four and five.

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Um, but some of the main things that

really, really, really stuck out

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to me, um, is when he says here in,

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uh, chapter four verse four, it

says, again, I saw that for all

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tolio and every skillful work,

a man is envied by his labor.

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And I just have like a little like,

um, arrow on the side and I put sin.

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Envy is one of the sins.

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Coveting covetousness.

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Those are things that, um, if we

don't watch our hearts and how we

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feel about what others have, then

we are directly, you know, sinning

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against God because we should not

be envying or coveting anything.

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But it's saying that everyone.

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Envys everyone essentially is what

it kind of, what I'm taking here.

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Every skillful work, a man

is envied by his neighbor.

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So if there's something you're really

good at, it's most likely that someone

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en boos you in some way, shape or form.

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Then verse five says, the full folds

his hands and consumes his own flesh.

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And then I put a little side note on there

and it says, talking about being lazy.

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So if you fold your hands.

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And you consume your own flesh, are

you just kind of like sitting back and

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watching what other people are doing?

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Um, it's really hard to tell, for

me, in my opinion, you know, what

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soleman can be referring to here.

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But if you're just kind of folding your

hands and sitting back, is it because

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you're watching the people around you

and what they're doing or because you are

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just letting people do the work for you

and then going to take the credit for it?

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Um, either or.

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I think it's still a very good point.

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Um, and when I read that, it really

just left me with more of a question.

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Um, it those two questions rather.

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Uh, but I think it's, it's

really good to analyze that.

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Are you coveting someone because

of the skill that they have?

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So, question, where are you right now?

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Where are you in your skill,

in your job, in your life?

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Stop envying, stop coveting things.

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Maybe work on yourself a little

bit more so that you can get there.

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Or are you on the other end of the

spectrum where you are a person who has

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a job that requires other people to help

you and to make you more successful?

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How are you treating them?

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How are you handling the way

that you speak, the way that

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you celebrate your successes?

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Because at the end of the day.

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Even the king eats from the

crop or something to, to that

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form that, that it said on here.

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Um, and I'll get to that in a,

in a few minutes when I look down

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here in chapter five, but it's

essentially that when you reap what

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you sow, was it all you're doing?

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Is there someone that

deserves that due credit?

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So the fool folds his hands

and consumes his own flesh.

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Are you, are you sinning in that aspect?

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Are you just sitting back and not

even realize that you're sinning?

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Are you consuming your own flesh?

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Are you allowing your earthly ways to get

the best of you in any of those aspects?

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Anyway, I digress.

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Just food for thought there.

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And then I had another side

note here on verse six.

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Better A handful with quietness

than both hands full together

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with toil and grasping.

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For the wind, I put better.

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Have nothing than problems.

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It was very true.

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So better to have a handful with

quietness than both hands full together

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with toil and grasping for the wind.

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So.

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Again, it's plain as day, honestly.

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Like now, as I'm like reading it

back, I was like, it's plain as day.

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It's better to have nothing.

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Sometimes it's better to

not have the big flashy job.

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Um, all these people surrounding you

asking you questions because you'll have

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quietness sometimes the less you have.

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The easier life is, less is

more, sometimes less problems.

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Alright, moving on to verse nine.

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I had it circled and oh, this is

where I started talking about friends.

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So analyze how many friends you

guys have in your life right now.

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Are they very important friends?

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Is it your best friend?

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Are these just people that you go have

brunch with and hang out and party,

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or whatever you guys call it nowadays?

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Um, so analyze what kind of

people you have surrounding you.

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And Solomon here says in verse nine and

verse ten two are better than one because

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they have a good reward for their labor.

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Verse 10 for if they fall, one

will lift up his companion, but woe

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to him who is alone when he falls

for, he has no one to help him up.

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Okay.

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Again, I go back to my question.

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Analyze who you have around you.

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Are they people that you just,

again, vanity, the vanity of friends,

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people that you just go out with,

hang out, drink, party, whatever.

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Are they those kind of friends or

are they friends that you can call?

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Is it just one friend?

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Is it one friend that you can call

and say, Hey, I feel like this.

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I feel like that, um, I'm

not having a good day.

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I need someone to talk to.

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Can you pray for me?

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There's a huge, a huge significant

difference in having a friendship

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like that versus having a friend

that says, Hey, let's go downtown and

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let's, you know, let's go have some

drinks, or let's go to this party.

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Listen, been there, done that.

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Um, will I go out to have a drink

with my best friend or maybe one

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day on a date with David and.

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Or with, you know, like, mad,

um, or even my sisters one day.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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Why?

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Because I enjoy that.

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I enjoy that.

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But I also know the limitations.

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Um, know the limitations that will keep me

from being un sin, for example, of being

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inebriated, getting drunk, uh, nothing.

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Good comes out of being

drunk or even tipsy.

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Okay?

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Now, that's not to say that can't

ever happen, you know, never say

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never, but uh, when you are walking

with Christ, you definitely have

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those boundaries because you wanna

remain closer to Christ, not farther.

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And let me tell you, no amount of alcohol

or anything of that sort, nothing is

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worth being separated from Christ.

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In my opinion.

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So going back to the point of

this in verse nine and 10, what

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kind of friends do you have?

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Do you have a big group of friends

that you can't really count on,

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or maybe you can count on one or

two, or is it just one good friend?

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And from what I'm understanding

here, Solomon is saying to have

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at least that one, it's better

to have one, A good one because

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you'll be rewarded for your labors.

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So, and.

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You know, obviously different times,

um, maybe you don't work with your

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friend, but it's good to have that

companion because they will help you up.

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Um, and it's very true.

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Past week I have had many conversations,

um, with Brandy and with Dara, um, just

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about life and just things going on and

how I feel about different situations,

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and that happens that you need a person.

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Of course you go first to, to Jesus

and you pray about it, um, and,

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and you talk to Christ about it.

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But at the end of the day, even,

even in the scriptures, it is

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suggested that two is better than one.

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And how great is it to have?

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A friend that can be there

for you and can help you up.

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And can help you through a situation.

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So long, so long, they are still

leading you closer to Christ.

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That's the key anyway.

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Oh.

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Wow.

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I just, man, I truly love this.

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Verse 13.

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I have a few things circled here, and

it says, verse 13, better a poor and

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wise youth than an old and foolish

king who will be admonished know more.

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And I have underlined poor and

wise, and then old and foolish,

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and I have a little side note that

says Better exclamation point.

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And of course, I would much

rather be poor and wise.

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Then be old and foolish, and I'm,

I'm not even gonna get too into that,

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but I, I'll just pose a question.

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How many people know a person who is old

and they're like, you just look at them

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and you just kind of like, roll your eyes,

but we shouldn't, but you've done it,

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you've rolled your eyes and you're like,

oh my gosh, I can't deal with this person.

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But then sometimes they're

your boss or they're.

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A public figure, um, which I can name

a very prominent figure nowadays where

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we're just like, you foolish man.

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What are you doing?

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But you know what?

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We just gotta pray.

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We just gotta pray for these people

and gotta pray that hopefully they'll

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have the wisdom to do the right thing.

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And

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yeah, I'm not gonna get too into that.

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Like I said, porn and wise.

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Porn and wise is much better

than old and foolish anyway.

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And the last note that I had here

for chapter four was on verse 16.

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There was no end of all people over

whom he was made king, yet those who

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come afterward will not rejoice in him.

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And my little side note on there says

people won't care or celebrate you.

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Um, I had mentioned in the.

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A Spanish version of the

Sound Mind series, uh, for,

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uh, I think it's episode 35.

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Um, in Ecclesiastes one.

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One of the things that I had talked about

was how younger generations, when we

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are gone, they're not gonna remember us.

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We also do not remember past generations

and what they did, what they went

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through for the most part, not

speaking for everyone, but it's true.

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How many of us can actually talk about.

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Two generations back, what they

did, what they went through,

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what their life was like.

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I wanna say probably like 75%

of people do not remember.

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Um, and that's something that

Solomon keeps talking about, that

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we are working so hard and we are

putting so much stress and energy.

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Well not in those words, but I'm

understanding that, that we are putting

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so much energy and so much time into.

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Our labor, the things that we are doing

here on earth, when in reality, when

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we're gone, it's not gonna matter.

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So again, food for thought.

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A lot of things that we need

to really take into account

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and analyze in our lives.

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And thank you, Solomon, for those words.

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Well, thank you God for

giving Solomon those words and

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putting them in the Holy Book.

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Moving on to chapter five of Ecclesiastes.

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The notes that I have on here,

man, there's just, oh, I'm so good.

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I love it.

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I know Dog Matter's.

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Probably gonna watch this, and she's

gonna be like, I told you, Ecclesiastes

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my favorite book in the Bible.

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I can hear her already.

380

:

Anyway, so here, let me see.

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:

Oh yeah, verse two, man, let

me tell you, I feel like it

382

:

just gets better and better.

383

:

Chapter five.

384

:

Chapter five started very strong.

385

:

Let me read verse oh one through

three again, 'cause these three

386

:

are, I have little notes for these.

387

:

So verse one, walk prudently when

you go to the house of God and draw

388

:

near to here, rather key word rather.

389

:

Instead of, rather than to give

the sacrifice of fools for, they

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:

do not know that they do evil.

391

:

Okay, so walk prudently, walk carefully

when you go to the house of God.

392

:

So it doesn't necessarily have to mean in

church, but when you are in your secret

393

:

place with God and you are praying and you

are talking to him, draw near to listen.

394

:

One of the huge problems that I have

had, um, in my walk with Christ, just

395

:

listening, being still being patient.

396

:

Near to here, rather than to give

the sacrifice of fools for they

397

:

do not know that they do evil.

398

:

Me, for example, I have really struggled

with hearing God's voice, and sometimes

399

:

God's voice is not a literal word or him

uttering something to us, but just our

400

:

discernment, listening to the guidance of

the Holy Spirit, what he wants us to do.

401

:

Sometimes silence is an answer too, right?

402

:

However.

403

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Instead of acting, just draw near

and here, you don't have to always

404

:

make a decision on the spot or

just say, okay, well I'm gonna try

405

:

this and let's see how it goes.

406

:

You're gonna easily deviate from what

God probably wants you to really do if

407

:

you just kind of sit back, relax, and

just allow him to do the work in life.

408

:

Anyway.

409

:

Verse two.

410

:

Do not be rash with your mouth

and let not your heart utter

411

:

anything hastily before God.

412

:

Okay, hold on.

413

:

There's more For God is in

heaven and you on earth.

414

:

Therefore, let your words be few.

415

:

If you guys know me.

416

:

First of all, I don't think

I have ever cursed at God.

417

:

Have I been angry with God?

418

:

Yes.

419

:

Especially when my daughter's

hair was like falling out and

420

:

the whole alopecia situation.

421

:

I was angry.

422

:

Did I ever curse God?

423

:

Did I ever deny God?

424

:

Absolutely not.

425

:

However, looking at this in another

way, which this is directly re

426

:

referencing to God, like how we speak

to him, but I, I do wanna say that.

427

:

I know there are a lot of people who

have done this, but myself personally,

428

:

how I utter words and how I respond.

429

:

Speaking rashly, you know, that that has

been me, my literal 35 years of life.

430

:

Um, it's getting better.

431

:

By the grace of God, by his strength,

by his mind, he is helping me and

432

:

he knows that my patience and my.

433

:

Selection of words is really improving.

434

:

Um, so I pray that none of you are

speaking rationally towards God

435

:

and denying him and, and yelling at

him because at the end of the day,

436

:

he loves you more than anything.

437

:

And anything that he allows, um, is for

your own good because he's righteous.

438

:

He is sovereign.

439

:

He knows best.

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:

He knows you more than you know you.

441

:

Okay?

442

:

So I really hope that none of

you are speaking like this to

443

:

God, but also analyze how are

you speaking to other people?

444

:

Because not only does it matter

how you speak to God, it obviously

445

:

matters how you are speaking to

people, and I am so grateful.

446

:

All glory to the Lord that in that area

I truly am trying to make a change and,

447

:

and only he, only he can really,

um, make those changes in us.

448

:

So I am so grateful.

449

:

Let's move on before the tears starts,

swelling, verse three, for a dream

450

:

comes through much activity and a

fool's voice is known by his many words.

451

:

When you say too much, you

just come off as foolish.

452

:

I'm a rambler, and again, I

need to learn from my own.

453

:

Doing less is more

454

:

O All right, man.

455

:

I really got emotional

there on that verse two.

456

:

Anyway.

457

:

Uh, moving on to verse five.

458

:

Better not to vow than to vow and not

pay Again, verse four and five are

459

:

talking about if you make a promise,

especially to God, you better keep it.

460

:

You better keep it.

461

:

'cause he is listening.

462

:

He is keep track.

463

:

He's keeping notes and.

464

:

If you make a vow, you have to

keep it, first of all, but it's

465

:

better to not even vow anything.

466

:

If you know in your heart, you're not

going to stand by your word, so be a

467

:

woman and a man of your word at all times.

468

:

And I also put a little side

note here, next to five wisdom.

469

:

This is very wise, just

in general for life.

470

:

Like as, as a golden standard,

a golden rule, even things that

471

:

you can teach your children.

472

:

Practice what you preach.

473

:

Be a person of your word, have

integrity, and you need to have that

474

:

integrity, especially with the Lord.

475

:

Also, side note, how can you

476

:

make a promise and not keep it, but then

expect God to deliver on what you are

477

:

petitioning what you are praying for.

478

:

Saints for, for churches and

for, for, for your finances.

479

:

How are you going to say, Lord, bless me.

480

:

Bless me.

481

:

Bless me Lord.

482

:

I want people to come to my church,

but you are not being a good steward.

483

:

Verse five, better not vow

than to vow and not pay that.

484

:

That's that right there.

485

:

Just be a good steward.

486

:

Even, even in your vows.

487

:

In every way, shape, or form of

your life, be a, a, a good, a good

488

:

steward of everything, of your vows,

of your money, of your relationships,

489

:

of your work, of your reading.

490

:

If you say you're gonna read

the Bible, read the Bible.

491

:

Anyway, I just really thought, you

see, I, none of that was written

492

:

on here and I just thought of that.

493

:

So thank you, Lord.

494

:

Thank you Lord for that.

495

:

A little

496

:

nugget that you gave me anyway.

497

:

Moving on verse six, I have your mouth

circled and I put here don't lie.

498

:

Verse six says, do not let your mouth

cause your flesh to sin, nor say before

499

:

the messenger of God that it was an error.

500

:

Why should God be angry at your excuse

and destroy the work of your hands?

501

:

For in the multitude of dreams and

many words, there is also vanity,

502

:

but fear God in a nutshell, kind of

like what I was saying, how are you

503

:

gonna expect God to not be mad if you

are not doing what you said you were

504

:

gonna do, or basically, that's a lie.

505

:

So do not lie.

506

:

Keep your vows.

507

:

Don't let your mouth get you into trouble.

508

:

Don't let your mouth cause

your flesh to sin, man.

509

:

Mm-hmm.

510

:

These things right here, these

things right here are a problem, so

511

:

keep the reigns tight there.

512

:

Verse nine.

513

:

Moreover, the prophet of the

land is for all, even the

514

:

king is served from the field.

515

:

That's what I mentioned earlier

before I started doing the, you

516

:

know, what I got from all this?

517

:

That even the king benefits

from the crops, um, the

518

:

king prophets from the land.

519

:

So how is the king going to treat the

people that were giving him the food,

520

:

the crops, you know, whatever it is.

521

:

How, how is the king going

to treat these people badly?

522

:

He should be gracious and thankful

for these people because the king

523

:

is profiting from the land and who

is getting all that stuff from the

524

:

land surrounding, not the king.

525

:

So just like myself, how am

I going to treat the people

526

:

that are helping me do my job?

527

:

Or maybe not do all of my job, but

do parts of my job that are very

528

:

important, that make me successful?

529

:

How?

530

:

How am I gonna treat them bad?

531

:

Not to say that I am, I absolutely am not.

532

:

However, there are many people that I know

and have dealt with that that is the case.

533

:

Gosh, I've had horrible bosses.

534

:

Horrible bosses, and you just get,

you know, thrown around left and right

535

:

and, and that that doesn't feel good.

536

:

And the Bible very clearly, at least for

me, in that one verse, verse nine, says.

537

:

Moreover, the prophet of the

land is for all, even the

538

:

king is served from the field.

539

:

So even the people that are higher up

are served from the work of the field.

540

:

And you can see the field as an actual

field or see the field as people

541

:

that are helping you get those crops.

542

:

Anyway, not gonna get too into that.

543

:

Um, you know, I just

start rambling you guys.

544

:

Verse 10, he who loves silver will

not be satisfied with silver, nor he

545

:

who loves abundance with increase.

546

:

This is also vanity, and I just

put next to that verse, greedy sin.

547

:

So of course that is a sin.

548

:

The more and more and more you get,

the more and more and more you want.

549

:

So do not fall into those things because

at the end of the day, we are leaving

550

:

the earth the same way we came, and

all these things are going to stay

551

:

behind for the generations to come.

552

:

And verse skipping to verse

12, I put here, is it worth it?

553

:

That's my question.

554

:

And verse 12 says, the sleep of a

laboring man is sweet, whether he eats

555

:

little or much, but the abundance of

the rich will not permit him to sleep.

556

:

That's why I put, is it worth it?

557

:

So if you have that business, yeah,

you're gonna have a good, fancy rich life.

558

:

Depending how you, you live or

how you choose to live, but is

559

:

all that abundance worth it?

560

:

If it's gonna take away your peace, your

sleep, if it's gonna give you stress,

561

:

just ask yourself, is it worth it?

562

:

And to close out.

563

:

We're skipping all the way to verse 18.

564

:

And it says here, here is what I've seen.

565

:

It is good and fitting

for me to eat and drink.

566

:

Sorry, guys.

567

:

Every day at four o'clock on the

dock, this dog starts barking.

568

:

Oh my gosh.

569

:

I really can't concentrate

570

:

anyway.

571

:

I'm not gonna allow any distractions.

572

:

My apologies.

573

:

So verse 18, which is the last thing?

574

:

Um, oh, actually, no,

there's two more things.

575

:

One of the last things that

I wanna discuss, verse 18,

576

:

here's what I have seen.

577

:

It is good and fitting for one to eat

and drink and to enjoy the good of all

578

:

his labor in which he toils under the

sun all the days of his life, which

579

:

God gives him for it is his heritage.

580

:

So verse 18, I guess the conclusion

that Solomon is making here is that.

581

:

These things are a gift of God.

582

:

Our heritage from God is that it's

good and it's fitting for one to eat

583

:

and drink of their labor so you can

enjoy the things that you're doing.

584

:

Remember, not everything

in life is God-given, so.

585

:

It's okay to just be a mom and enjoy

your children and enjoy and like just

586

:

rejoice in the fact that you're a great

mom, that your kids love you, that

587

:

you have that time with your kids.

588

:

You don't need to have a business to

enjoy life, to feel blessed by God.

589

:

No analyze, really analyze that.

590

:

Maybe the stillness that you

have in your life or the.

591

:

In some people's opinion, lack of

abundance is what God wants for you,

592

:

and you can still find enjoyment

and fulfillment in those things.

593

:

So it is good and fitting for

one to eat and drink and to

594

:

enjoy the good of all his labor.

595

:

What is your labor?

596

:

Ask yourself, what is your labor?

597

:

Is it really the God-given

labor or is it the labor that

598

:

you have chosen for yourself?

599

:

And is it causing you to lose that sleep?

600

:

Is it causing you to not be

still and have all that stress?

601

:

The last thing that I have circled

on here is verse 20, and I put

602

:

here, it's written sideways.

603

:

What is from God brings peace and joy.

604

:

Amen.

605

:

Verse 20, for He will not dwell unduly

on the days of his life because God

606

:

keeps him busy with joy of his heart.

607

:

So yes, yes.

608

:

If it is from God, if it is from

the Lord, if it is his will, if

609

:

it is written out for you from

the moment that he created you.

610

:

It will come with peace

and it will come with joy

611

:

just like this.

612

:

This right here gives me peace and joy.

613

:

But you know what, guys?

614

:

I really hope that you guys continue

to read Ecclesiastes on your

615

:

own, as I always ask you to do.

616

:

Read it on your own so that I

can speak to you in different

617

:

ways that it is speaking to me.

618

:

Um, but I do pray that you

guys are enjoying this.

619

:

I pray that you guys are being

blessed by this series, by this

620

:

book, and I really can't wait

to see you guys again next week.

621

:

Thank you so much for tuning in.

622

:

Until next time, take care.

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About the Podcast

I Can't (HE Can)
All things life, love, Christ.
Hello, everyone!! Welcome to I Can't (He Can) - a down to Earth and honest podcast about life's high's, lows, and everything in between.

From childhood experiences, love, raising kids, a career, walking with Christ - to unpacking (very personal) daily struggles... Join me as I share my journey through life and how I discovered that when, "I can't... He can."

Each episode is rooted in the Word of God and how it gave me the strength (and the hope) to endure all parts of life. So - if you're not sure where your faith lies or if you're looking to grow closer to Jesus, while finding encouragement for your own walk, this is the space for you.

About your host

Profile picture for Sarai Collado

Sarai Collado

To whoever reads this:
I'm glad you're here and I hope you stay a while. There is something I need to give back to the world - and to you.

That 'something' is my story, my life and my words that were once marked by pain, but are now marked by love and a new found faith in Christ. But hold it right there! Do not be quick to judge. While the root of all my talks are founded in the Bible - do not mistake what I have to say for 'unremarkable' or 'not relatable'.

My story is different than yours. However, if there is one thing we 100% have in common, it's that God has always been with us. If you agree - stick around. If you DON'T agree - stick around too. Let me show the unbeliever, the doubter, and the unsure person, how God has always been there.