No Pleasure In Fools

Ecclesiastes 5:2-4 - Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.

Proverbs 1:7,20-22 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline…Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Application:

· Can I learn? Do I refuse to learn?
· Do I exercise discretion?
· Do I submit to God and His commands? Or, do I hate knowledge, hate correction, am I quarrelsome, angry, complacent, do I trust in myself?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Pleasures Are Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 2:2-12 - "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king's successor do than what has already been done?

Ecclesiastes 8:15 - So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:15,18 - What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted…For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

Application:

· Do I enjoy life?
· Does my wisdom (without God) lead to grief and sorrow?
· Do I accept things the way they are and accept my divinely appointed lot in life?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV