I please God to bless us together
this evening as we consider his word. Let us turn to the book
of the Ecclesiastes, chapter 9, and reading verse 10. The book of the Ecclesiastes,
chapter 9, and reading verse 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to
do, do it with thy might. For there is no work, nor device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest." Surely this verse can really
be summed up by another verse in scripture. which tells us
redeeming the time because the days are evil. And surely it is very easy for
all of us to settle down into a condition and make the assumption
that things will never get any better and therefore it is very
easy for us to, as it were, virtually give up. but there are many words
in the Word of God to encourage us in our spiritual life and
up to a certain extent also in our natural life. The writer,
King Solomon, he had all at his disposal in order to endeavour
to find something or situations which could suit and please and
make him happy and he tells us he was king over Israel in Jerusalem
he gave my heart to seek and to search by wisdom concerning
all things that are undone under heaven this saw travel hath God
given to the sons of man to be exercised thereby I've seen all
the works that are done under the sun And behold, all is vanity
and vexation of spirit." Well, although that was in the first
chapter, it was really a summary of those things which the man
of God was able to search out and to declare. And so as we
read this book of Ecclesiastes, which is very instructive to
all of us, with regard to our natural, with regard to our spiritual
life. And we should be found often
taking these things to heart and to be concerned that we follow
in a right way in accordance with the instruction received
in the Word of God. And so, Solomon comes down and
as we read this verse here tonight, he says, whatsoever Thy hand
findeth a dew, do it with all thy might." And he gives the
reason, or at least a reason, it's a very positive reason.
He says really because when we're dead, we can't do anything. And we don't want to come down
to the day of our death and have many regrets. Many regrets perhaps
because we have not done things wholeheartedly. We've done things
half-heartedly. And yet here we're told whatever
our hands find us to do, do it with all our might. That means
with all the ability that God gives us. We're not to slack. We're not to Take it easy. We should always remember, we're
just on a journey. We're passing through this world. As it were, we're a pilgrim,
we're a stranger, it's not our home, and we're travelling through
it. And therefore, we should be continually
concerned to be occupied in the things that the Lord will have
us do. And so we have this very clear
instruction that whatever we find to do, we'll do it with
our might. Those words are very appropriate
in the word of God, that we are to do everything Well, we are
to do good unto all men, and especially unto the household
of God. And that means what it says.
We're not to separate. Often we do, don't we? And we
perhaps ignore certain situations and certain people. Perhaps sometimes
we need to be reminded of what the Lord Jesus Christ said in
answer to that question, who is my neighbour? You see, the
truth was the Lord had told him that he was to love the Lord
his God with all his heart and with all his strength and his
neighbour as himself. And the question was, well, who
is my neighbour? And the Lord very quickly and
positively showed to him who his neighbour was. A person,
perhaps, that we wouldn't want to be associated with. And yet,
you see, we have that wonderful example of that good Samaritan. The religious people, they passed
by on the other side. They didn't want to get their
hands dirty. He didn't want to get involved.
We're told the Good Samaritan, he came where he was. And very
clearly, in that situation, he did that which is written here. He found it and he did it with
his might. He didn't hold anything back,
did he? He did everything that was within his power to help
that man. He didn't expect any reward.
He didn't expect any pat on the back. No one saw what he was
doing. But you see, God sees all that
we do and all that we say. So how necessary and how important
it is that we are found hearing such a word as this in everything
in our life. Amen, especially to the household
of faith. It's good, isn't it, if we can
be continually concerned as we find things. And I suppose every
day, really, in our life, we find things, don't we? And we're
told, whatever our hand finds to do, do it with thy might. I believe that has a very clear
double expression, expression to do good naturally to those
we meet with and also to speak a spiritual word, a word in season,
perhaps, which may be far more difficult for us than doing something
naturally. The devil doesn't want us to
speak. The devil wants to shut our mouth. So here we have this
exhortation. This is a very gracious exhortation. It's comprehensive, isn't it?
It doesn't highlight one thing more than another. And therefore we shouldn't put
one thing above another. It says here, whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. And we are to do it
while we have the ability to do it, while we have the strength
to do it, while we have the knowledge to do it. Because it is today. We don't know whether we'll be
able to tomorrow. But when it is today, we should
be concerned about such a word as this. Now, we must realise
that we need the help of the Holy Spirit to do this. But again,
one of the great blessings and great concerns should be to come
to our God in prayer. Again, the Lord enables us to
do it with our might. How many reasons and how many
excuses there may be. Sometimes we may think we have
legitimate excuses. We may think, well, this has
got to be done and that's got to be done, and of course it
has. but I'm often reminded of those in days past, those eminent
men and women, especially in the Puritan age, who used to
spend hours before their God in prayer for help and for understanding
and for blessing. And surely The Lord did hear
and honour those prayers. Well, they found the opportunity
to pray. And as God helped them, they
did it with all their might. It was a priority with them. I hope it is a priority with
us. But it may be not. Perhaps in quite that way that
we should do it with all our might. We know that we need the Spirit
of God to help us. And we read together in that
8th chapter, a very singular verse, I thought. There is no
man with power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit. You see, we cannot, in and of
ourselves, retain the Spirit. We may wish, perhaps, that we
could. But we have to prove that God
is the one that gives us this strength and this ability. But
may our desire be along these lines to do his will and his
purpose. Neither hath he power in a day
of death. That means that we can't bring
the day of our death back, we can't put it back and we can't
bring it forward really. And there is no discharge in
that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given
to it." It's wonderful really in the
Word of God what we see and we find sometimes some very relevant
and important verses which direct us clearly to the sovereignty
of God and also point us to those things that we should do and
how we should do them and how we should be concerned to do
them. whatsoever thy hand findeth a doer, do it with all thy might,
remembering there is no possibility of doing anything then when we
are in the grave. My friends, the Lord has called
us today, you and me, to live on this earth at this particular
time. Your life and my life has caused
us to be here at this particular time, and we should therefore
be concerned that we are diligent in the things of God. The Lord
has shone his light into our hearts, or how important it is
that we should be diligent. Paul, you know, when he wrote
to the Romans He said, be kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love, in honour, preferring one another. And then he says,
not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. We are called to serve the Lord. in whatever station in life the
Lord has placed us, we are called to serve the Lord. We should
not think that because of the position that we're in, we're
not called to serve the Lord or it's not possible to serve
the Lord where we are. Well of course it is possible
and it's possible in this very way. Whatever our hand finds
us to do, let us do it with all our might. And of course the
whole perspective must be not for self-gratification, not for
self-glory, but for the honour and glory of God, and for the
salvation of never-dying souls. For the most part, We live in
an age where there seems to be a lack of concern with regard
to the lost, those going headlong to a lost eternity. Really, we're like the Republican
and the Levi, we turn aside and go on the other side, as it were,
get as far away as we can, because we recognise As they did, if
they were to get involved, it might be costly. They might be
criticised, and it would occupy time, and therefore they might
be reluctant to have done it. So, we find in our own lives
all manner of reasons why we should not follow the word of
God. And the trouble is, very often
we tend to listen to our own heart. We listen to our own reasoning. Very easy, isn't it? To listen
to our own reasoning. The great important aspect is
as to whether we listen to God reasoning with us. Remember what
he said in Isaiah, come now and let us reason together. Come now and let us reason together. My friends, when God reasons
with us, we can't put up any defence. We have to bow down before the
Lord God, because we know that what He says is right, and what
we think can often be wrong, because it does not come and
bring honour and glory to our God, we know that that which
the Lord causes us to hear and to do will bring honour and glory
to his grace and holy name. Well, it would be a favour if
we are found serving the Lord. How necessary it is that the
Lord graciously comes and blesses us with that continual concern
to do his will Continual concern not to be left to ourselves. When the Apostle wrote to the
Philippians, the Apostle Paul, and remember the Apostle Paul,
he had some wonderful teaching, and wonderful instruction, and
blessed with a wonderful spirit, and that was brought about in
an instant when the Lord came to him on that Damascus road. And the Lord spoke to him. And the Apostle was struck down,
wasn't he? To the ground. And what did he
say? He said this. He, trembling and astonished,
said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? He thought he'd been
doing God's will. He thought he'd been a good Pharisee. And when the Lord came then in
this way, and said to him, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest,
it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. The Lord graciously
spoke to the apostle. And the reaction was, he trembled
and he was astonished. All his own self-righteousness
disappeared, didn't it? And he was there in this willing
position, Lord, what will thou have me to do? The Lord told
him, the Lord told him, arise and go into the city. and it
shall be told thee what thou must do." And Saul arose from the earth
and when his eyes were opened he saw no man. They led him by
the hand and brought him unto Damascus. And there was of course
a wonderful change in the life of the apostle. He was then found
serving the Lord. And he's able then to speak from
his heart. He had that personal experience.
And he comes, when he wrote to the Philippians, he said, wherefore
my beloved, note how he addresses the church, wherefore my beloved,
as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now,
much more in my absence, Work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to
will and to do of His good pleasure." He was addressing, remember,
the Church, those who were believers. He speaks of them in this way,
beloved, And then he comes and he says, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. I believe what that really means
is to be in that place where we are established, where we
have the wonderful evidence that the Lord has called us and the
Lord has died for us. The Lord has put away all our
sins. The concern is here to work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling. You see, people can be satisfied
with just a nominal religion. Just, as it were, a very simple
thing. There's nothing wrong in simple
things. are not really concerned to truly grow spiritually, to
grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ. Here we have a gracious word
of exhortation. See, whatever our hand finds
to do, to do it with our might, to work out our own salvation. And this will be done in a right
way. Fear. Godly fear and trembling. Trembling that we won't be cut
off. Trembling that the Lord will
look upon us. It's really a humble boldness,
isn't it? Coming in this way. And yet to work it out. But it does tell us very clearly,
we can't rely on our own strength. It is God which worketh in you. both to will and to do of his
good pleasure. Well, what a blessing it is if
the Lord gives us that desire and that concern to be blessed
with that confirmation, blessed with that assurance that we are
a child of God, that we do possess the life of God in our soul.
The concern is to search it out, to examine ourselves, to seek
and see what we think of ourselves, and what we think of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and what has been revealed to us of ourselves,
and what has been revealed to us of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we're able then to come and
to ponder these things, to remember these things, Seek after them. It's a good position and it's
that which the Apostle advocates here as he writes to the Philippians
that there might be this real concern really to know more of
the wonder of the salvation of our souls. It's a great blessing if the
Holy Spirit directs us in this way because it directs us to
the Lord Jesus Christ. And what is the result? He is lifted up. What is the
result? He is honoured and glorified
as we are able to understand and to observe what He has done
for us in His great love toward us. Well, that was the apostles
concern was it not and may it be our concern therefore to be
found truly following the words that the Apostle sets before
us the words that Solomon sets before us and remember what the
Apostle again says he says know you not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of
God, and you are not your own. Let's never forget, if we are
called by God's grace, we are a sinner saved. We are one for
whom the Saviour shed his precious blood. We are not our own. And the Apostle tells us, for
ye are bought with a price. What a price that was. Such a valuable price, wasn't
it? Our soul is valuable. The price was high. It was very
costly. It was the death. It was the
shedding of the blood. of the dear Redeemer himself. So, ye are bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are God's. Surely, that correlates
with these words here. Whatsoever thy hand findeth ado,
do it. with thy might. Do it with thy
might, because in so doing may it truly bring honour and glory
to our God. Let us not forget that we are
not on our own. How easily we can fall into the
trap and go about following our own way, our own inclination,
forgetting how good, how gracious and how kind that the Lord is. Glorify God in your body. The Apostle speaks many words
in the Corinthians, many words of exhortation. The Apostle Paul
highlights the favour he enjoyed. He says, for I am the least of
the apostles that are not made to be called an apostle, because
I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God, I am
what I am." And that is true of every child of God. By the
grace of God, we are what we are. And he comes and says, and
his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain. Not in vain, but I laboured more
abundantly and they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which
was with me." And so we have the picture here that the Apostle
realised it was God's grace, but on the face of it, it appeared
that it was the Apostle. And he laboured. He laboured. And he did labour, didn't he?
Night and day, the Apostle, never weary of going from one place
to another to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. He tells us,
you see, God had given him grace. It was bestowed upon him. My
friends, it wasn't wasted. It wasn't discarded. He was concerned,
therefore, to do that which he was able to do. And he said,
I laboured more abundantly than they all. Yet not I. Therefore, whether it were I
or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. Well, what a blessing
it is. Then if there are those who come
to a saving knowledge, through the preaching of the gospel,
or perhaps through a word that may be spoken, There's no greater favour than
to be used in the conversion of souls. No greater favour,
no greater blessing. I think the Lord has permitted
us to be involved in his great work. Those who are less than
the least of all saints. So we have this Word this evening, whatsoever. I don't want to go
away from that word whatsoever, because it does include everything.
And don't think that there's an excuse. Don't think that there's
a line that you can get away with. Whatsoever thy hand findeth
to do, do it with thy might. You see, the Apostle Paul was
always concerned to do God's will for every opportunity. He
laboured, didn't he? Night and day. Never wearied. He was tired. He was weary. Never weary of the work. Never
weary of being involved in God's service. whatsoever thy hand findeth to
do, do it with thy might." Well, the Apostle Peter, gracious man
that he was, wasn't he? The Lord graciously blessed him,
wonderfully favoured him, and is able to tell us in his
life He said, wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence, very
similar words, to make your calling and election sure, for if ye
do these things ye shall never fall. It does seem, as I ponder these
words, that There are people who seem satisfied with, what
shall we say, a very mediocre religion. They seem satisfied
to settle down without really knowing the blessing of the Lord. Well, there are many encouragements
for us to strive. We are told to run the race. We are not told to dawdle. We
are not told to sit down. We are told to run the race that
is set before us. We are told how to do it, looking
under Jesus. We are not told to sit down,
we are told to run the race. So here the apostle says, for wherefore the rather brethren
give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you
do these things you shall never fall. For so an entrance shall
be ministered answer you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If the Lord gives us
of His Spirit to be diligent in these things, there's not
room then for other things to creep in. That's why it's a wonderful
blessing to have the Word of God and the wonderful instruction
that it contains. that we might indeed be diligent.
And here we have this wonderful promise, for so an entrance shall
be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore, I will not
be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things,
though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Well the
Apostle realised that those he was writing to were aware of
these things. But it wasn't a question of being
aware of them. It was a question really of doing
them. Because he then goes on to say,
yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir
you up by putting you in remembrance. and how necessary it is, isn't
it, for us to be stood up, lest we settle down. Settle down in
this poor old world. That's what the devil wants,
doesn't he? He wants you and me to be settled down. The Word
of God tells us to be settled on our knees. Yes, just in a
very lukewarm condition, and not emptied. from vessel to vessel. When good wine is made, it has
to be emptied from vessel to vessel, so that that which is
not good is drained off, as it were. It's only the good wine
which is taken from vessel to vessel, and gradually it becomes
purer as good wine. Well, it would be a blessing
if you and I are emptied from vessel to vessel so that we lose
some of that which is not good. And so he says, yes, he thinks
it necessary, as long as I'm in this tabernacle, to stir you
up by putting you in remembrance. And of course, his concern was
to put the people in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. That was his great concern. And
to be spiritually alive and spiritually fruitful in the things of God. Surely this comes about as you
and I are given that grace to follow these words. Whatsoever thy hand findeth ado,
do it with thy might. We don't know how much longer
you and I have got to live on this earth. My friends, may we
live our life as unto the Lord and not unto ourselves. Let us be found searching. Let us be found praying. Let
us be found reading the word. Let us be concerned about searching
these things out. that we may have the evidence
of the blessing of the Lord in our own souls and be encouraged
by it as we do search the word and as we are found in prayer
and indeed in wrestling prayer. It's one of the great failures
in the day and age in which we live. Wrestling, pervading prayer. whatsoever thy hand findeth to
do it, do it with thy might. I'm not forgetting, of course,
we need the Spirit's aid, as I've already mentioned. But,
my friends, may we be concerned and plead with the Spirit that
we may be blessed with this true favour of doing everything to
the best of our ability, with all our might, That's a tremendous
statement, isn't it? With all our might. There's no
room, is there, really, for anything less. All our might. Whatever the Lord brings into
our path. Whatever concern He brings before
us. We should not cast it away. We should not try and avoid it.
But we should be concerned. that our lives may show forth
the praises of our God. More and more in this age in
which we live, show forth the love of God, that love the Lord
has given to us, that there may be that returning love, and that
may be evident in our lives. Why should we be doing these
things? Unto the Lord. Unto the Lord. That should be our great aim,
our great concern. And the real reason is because
of what Christ has done for us. Never forget His amazing love. Never forget His wonderful grace. Never forget the tremendous mercy
the Lord has had toward us as unworthy sinners. Know that as
we may consider this more and more, again if we concentrate
if we were on those three elements, His grace, His love, His mercy, as we searched it out more and
more. I believe we should be more and
more amazed that he should have ever looked upon such an unworthy
sinner of the earth and caused us to hear his great and glorious
voice. So may we never forget the debt
that we owe and may we continually be granted that grace to walk
in the words of Solomon here, whatsoever thy hand findeth it
do, do it with thy might. Amen.