
August 21st & 25th
Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over. Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends. The body is put back in the same ground it came from. The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.
—Ecclesiastes 12:7 MSG
Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That’s what the Quester says.] There’s nothing to anything—it’s all smoke.
—Ecclesiastes 1:2 MSG
It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke. The Quester says that everything’s smoke.
—Ecclesiastes 12:8 MSG
Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air].
—James 4:14 AMP
Intentionality
You may think it is not going to matter but it does.
7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.8 When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless. 9 Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.
—Ecclesiastes 11:7-9 NLT
10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless. 1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”
—Ecclesiastes 11:10 - 12:1 NLT
Invincible
You may think you will be young forever but you won’t.
2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.
4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. 5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.
6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
—Ecclesiastes 12:2-7 NLT
Inevitable
You may think many people will receive it but many won’t.
“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”
—Ecclesiastes 12:8 NLT
9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly. 11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep.
—Ecclesiastes 12:9-11 NLT
13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
—Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT
But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
—Ecclesiastes 12:12 NLT
“The queen of Sheba will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
—Luke 11:31 NLT
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Next Steps:
1. Today, I make a decision to start following Jesus for the first time.
2. I am smoke and I am deciding to be more intentional with my life.
3. I am interested in serving in the new 5 yr. Old-1st grade kids environment this fall.
4. I will invite my 5 and share the Fall Kickoff invite post on the Heritage Facebook page.