Daily Bible Reading and Prayer, KJV, May 10-Nov 9, 2018, Acts to Hebrews

June 23, Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 KJV
[1] I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
[2] I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
Btw mirth means 'gladness or gaiety usually accompanied by laughter'.
[3] I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
[4] I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
[5] I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
[6] I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
[7] I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
[8] I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
[9] So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
[10] And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
[11] Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
The purpose of life is not to get as many riches and things as you can, some people think that whoever has the most stuff when they die 'wins' but in fact it is all vanity.
[12] And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
[13] Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
[14] The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
[15] Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
No matter how rich or poor, how wise or stupid, how famous or unknown you are, no one can avoid death and their life will have been all vanity if they did not use it to serve God.
[16] For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
[17] Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
[18] Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
[19] And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
[20] Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
[21] For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
[22] For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
[23] For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
[24] There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
God has given us food and drink as a gift so we may enjoy them but we must not turn them into our gods.
[25] For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
[26] For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Dear Lord, You alone are wonderful and powerful. Thank you so much for everything You have given us, thank you for all things You have given to us to enjoy like food and drink. Thank you for life and thank you that we were able to celebrate my brother's 19th birthday yesterday. Please use him and all of us for Your glory and please grant him many more years on this earth if it is Your will. Please help us learn how to make the most out of our lives by serving You and please help us not waste our time on vanities. Please bless everyone in my prayer journal, You alone know all their struggles and needs, thank you for blessing them all as much as You do, in Jesus's name, Amen.