Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

Seasons changed but the message remains the same.

What unhappy business are we chasing after?

1 Kings 3:5, 9 English Standard Version

5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

1 Kings 3:10-12 English Standard Version

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

This gift of wisdom was granted to King Solomon to rule over his kingdom and established the greatest earthly kingdom of its time.  Peace existed with his neighbors, trade flourished and all the surrounding nations sought to obtain his blessings.

That wisdom did not extend to his personal life. Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. When Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. When Solomon died, the ten northern tribes refused to submit to his son, Rehoboam, and revolted. From this point on, there would be two kingdoms of Hebrews: in the north – Israel, and in the south – Judah.

Mark 3:24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

The seasons change but the message remains the same. We can seek and obey He who rules in our hearts or we can choose free will to chase after our personal desires. If the wisdom of Solomon did not save his kingdom, why do we think our wisdom will do any better?

• Ecclesiastes 1:2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
• Ecclesiastes 12:8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

The message remains the same no matter how many times we repeat it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 English Standard Version

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

I received this in reply to a recent post from a dear brother in the Lord. It is not correction, it is encouragement.

I was encouraged by a recent sermon and heard “What have you done for me lately?” I thought the message was about those struggling to see God at work in their own life. As it turns out I was wrong, the message was for me.

The answer to struggling is fellowship.

He who is in me is in you. Anyone can be used by God to deliver a message that makes a difference in the life of a brother or sister in the Lord. We are not alone and as such need fellowship in order to receive just as much, if not more so, than to give.

The central command for a disciple is to love one another. The best way to love one another is performed through fellowship. God at work is best seen in fellowship. If we have not seen God blessing us in our lives, then perhaps it is because we have neglected fellowship.

• Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
• Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
• Hebrews 10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
• Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
• Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

If we are to think that Hebrews was written to Christian Jews we are overlooking that fellowship and encouragement is extended to all God’s children no matter what they call themselves.

Allow me to remind you that the only child of God that got it right every time was Jesus Christ.

The rest of us need one another.