eight verses of that chapter and last Wednesday night was was a great lesson for all of us to learn. We looked at the thought of folly and defined it biblically and looked at some things that the Bible says about folly. If you missed that, I encourage you to get one of those study sheets and go on Sermon Audio and listen to it. That thing is still ringing in my spirit. Anyway, we're going to begin tonight in verse number nine in our study, but I just want to read one verse of Scripture from our Bibles tonight, just to give us a thought of what's going on in Ecclesiastes 10, and I want to read the very last verse. And look at that, and then we're going to come back and begin in verse nine and follow on through the end of the chapter. The Word of God says it like this, it says, "'Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, "'and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber, "'for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, "'and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.'" Let's go to the Lord in prayer, and then we'll come back and study this chapter together. Our Father tonight, Lord, we sure do love you and thank you for loving us the way that you do. Lord, you're mighty good to us, Lord, to be able to have this opportunity to freely gather in this place tonight in a comfortable environment with good, great friends, and we're thankful for your blessings upon us tonight. Lord, these people that are here tonight, these are the ones I call my heroes. the ones who pull aside on a Wednesday night, and Lord, I know that they fought their battles all the week, and Lord, they've worked, and here they are tonight, Lord, to gain something from the Word of God. And I pray that, Lord, you please give me what's needed to be able to feed your sheep and feed them well. May the good word of God have free course and be glorified among us tonight. May we realize the power that's in your word and open our hearts to you tonight. And Lord, what you do and what you'll accomplish, we'll give you all the praise and glory and honor for everything. For it's in Jesus' name we pray and ask these things and all of God's people said, amen, amen. Let's look at our study sheets together. The thought of folly was highlighted in our last study. Folly is a foolish way to live life. In every statement, every verse, every thought, and every word of Ecclesiastes, wisdom is exalted to a degree of excellence. Wisdom is compared alongside its counterparts, and there are many things that hinder wisdom from being our guide. Ignorance, thoughtlessness, instability, and other deficits of our character will hinder anyone from using wisdom throughout their life. But the main and number one hindrance of anyone obtaining wisdom is them not knowing they need wisdom. Without any controversy, God's wisdom is the supreme tried and proven wisdom that all men need. Yet multitudes live their entire life without realizing their need for his imparted wisdom. God offers his wisdom to those who will ask. And for them to ask, they must realize they need his wisdom. James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, pointedly expressed this in his opening chapter of his epistle named after him. He said in James 1.5, he said, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that give it to all men liberally and up rate if not, it shall be given him. Realizing our deficiency of wisdom, we are encouraged to ask God for his supply and then promise God will give liberally. Nothing in life is accomplished successfully without obtaining God's wisdom. No matter the situation, God's wisdom is available to those who ask. In the next few verses, Solomon will address some areas of life where God's wisdom is definitely needed. And first, in verses 9 and 10, we're going to consider the dangers of labor. He says it like this, he says, Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. If the iron be blunt and he do not wet the edge, then must he put to more strength, but wisdom is profitable to direct." Solomon now begins making some general statements about things he has observed during his venture of life. He considers how certain things will hurt us as we walk our path of life. The removal of stones will hurt your back, your hands, your legs, and possibly your arms. The weightier the stones, the greater the possibility of harming our bodies when you physically try to move them. But at times, it is absolutely necessary to remove stones. Solomon had already proclaimed that there's a definite purpose in life to either gather stones together, or there are times when stones should be cast away. In any scope of physical labor, there's a possibility of physical harm. Then he looks at cleaving wood. Even with something as simple as splitting wood, the possibilities of chips flying into your eyes or a chunk of wood hitting you is always present. The thought Solomon is trying to impress us with is that even with the simple and necessary labors of life, there are dangers involved. None of us live in a vacuum and life in general has a dangerous element to it. Think of a little child. They see no danger in things that adults know to be dangerous. That is why we try to teach them about the dangers of certain things in life. Living everyday life presents its challenges and dangers. I received a text this morning asking for prayer for a friend of mine who was using a grinder equipped with a wire brush. A half-inch piece of wire broke off and went into his eye and he had to have immediate surgery. Every facet of labor has its dangers. Then Solomon uses an illustration of a dull axe. If someone uses an axe that is dull, then they must swing the axe harder and with more strikes to get the job done. If they would take the time to wet the edge or sharpen the axe head, the job would be easier and be accomplished faster. In context, labor has its dangers and is hard to accomplish at times. Solomon's assessment of labor is that sometimes we need to stop and use wisdom as we work. Wisdom is profitable to direct, he says. That's Solomon's wisdom concerning labor. In other words, sometimes we need wisdom to direct or steer our labor efforts. There could be an easier way or a faster way to accomplish the same thing. Or there could be a safer way to do a job and wisdom is needed to direct our way of working. Over the years, safety concerns have moved companies to offer worker incentives in an effort to curtail accidents on the job. The two verses of our text could be coupled with verse eight, and every verb used is concerning labor. Digging, breaking, removing, cleaving, and sharpening all describe efforts of labor. Every job we approach has its dangers, and we should be approached with wisdom and caution. Then the distraction of lips in verses 11 through 15. He says it like this, he said, Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment, and a babbler is no better. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also is full of words. A man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him. Who can tell him? The laborer, the foolish, wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city." Certainly, everyone should seek wisdom concerning our lips. Solomon begins this section by comparing a biting serpent to a babbler. We've all seen pictures of an Indian sitting cross-legged playing a flute-like instrument called a punjit to enchant or mesmerize a cobra. I was in India back in the 1990s, late 90s, on a mission trip over there. And I got the chance, 14,000 miles over there to India. And Brother Suresh, the Indian I was staying with, took me to an Indian zoo. And I got there and I was wanting to see the cobra. I wanted to see that cobra stand up and fan that hood out, you know, and all. And so we got to this pit, this cement pit, and there was a guy standing there and I told Suresh, I said, I said, man, I want to see some cobras stand up and do their thing. And so he went over there and talked to the guy that was standing there, and talked in Hindi to him, and they said some things, and then the guy said, yah, yah, and went over there and picked a wooden ladder up behind the sign, and went and stuck it down in that pit. The pit was below our level, it was dug deep, And he put that ladder down there and crawled down there in and there was all these gray snakes. There was a tree growing right in the center and branches everywhere and all on those branches were these gray snakes. And I said, what are those? He said, those are cobras. And I said, he's an idiot. And so there he is and he reaches in his back pocket and pulls out a hanky and goes over there and catches a cobra about head high. on a limb and takes that hanky and swats that thing on the tip end of his nose. When he does, that thing comes up and that hood fans out and he starts rocking back and forth. And there were probably 50 snakes, cobras, in that pit. And every one of them had to do the same thing. They were all doing this stuff. And he's just walking around kicking them out of the way and all this stuff. And I told Suresh, I said, the guy, He's dead, he's dead. We're going to have a funeral over here in India." He talked to the guy and the guy had been bitten so many times by a cobra that he had built up an immunity to it and could just put some topical ointment in it if he did get bit. But man, that was the neatest thing. I'll go ahead and tell you this too. They've got a bird over there called a snake buzzard. That's the coolest. He's about this tall. And he's bad. He's bad. And that snake buzzard, I saw him on National Geographic. That snake buzzard will see a cobra, a king cobra now. And that snake buzzard will fly down and just stand there in front of a cobra. and just like, I dare you, you know. And he knows he's bad. And he just stands there in front of that cobra, that king cobra come up and get the swaying and all, and that old snake buzzard does not even bat an eye. And he just waits, and then like a streak of lightning, that snake buzzer to hit that cobra right behind his neck and get him with his talons. And the first thing that he'll do is reach in there while he's got that cobra pinned down, is reach in there with his beak inside of his mouth and defang that thing. and flip them fangs to one side, then he's got his own. He's got a full course meal in front of him then. But man, that was interesting to see. Anyway, back to where we were about these cobras. Where were we at? We've all seen pictures of an Indian sitting cross-legged playing a flute-like instrument called a punji to enchant or mesmerize a cobra. The snake will stand upright in front of the flutist and sway to and fro as he listens to the music. Our verse implies that enchantment will affect a serpent and will cause him not to bite. In the book of Psalms, David made mention of snake charmers. He said in Psalms 58 verse four and five, David wrote these words. He said, their poison is like the poison of a serpent. They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. That would be my luck, placing a deaf snake in front of me and trying to charm it and intend to keep it from biting me. A deaf snake could not hear the music and would strike his victim with or without music. That is what a babbler is like. A babbler is defined as an idle talker, an irrational prattler, a teller of secrets. Someone who tells secrets or discloses things about someone else is injecting a venom that will spread as poison and affect many. We've all done it. We've said things about someone else that was none of our business. Yet for the sake of talking, we tell. We know it should not be said because we will begin our conversation with words now. You need to promise me that you will not tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. Paul warned Timothy of babbling. In 2 Timothy 2.16 he said these words, he said, "...but shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness." Babbling words never end when spoken. They course through the veins of the infected victims and the result will be more ungodliness. The only way to end babbling is to quit the talk. Solomon states that a fool is full of words. When something is full, it has to empty itself. When someone is full of words, it is as though they are continually emptying themselves. My wife was watching someone the other day online and overheard what she was saying. It was by no means anything bad. In fact, she was talking about the Lord and all. It was by no means anything bad, but I told my wife that she probably talked in her sleep. The way she taught was as if she was overflowing with words without a period anywhere in sight. I don't think she ever took a breath. Paul made a statement when writing to Timothy concerning something we need to attend school for. He said in 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 11, he said this, and that she study, to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you. When you study the word study in the Word of God, you learn it only appears five times. In only two of the verses, we are commanded to study something. We're commanded to study the Word of God, 2 Timothy 2.15, the Awana verse. And then we are commanded to study to be quiet. Learning to be quiet must be a great asset in someone's life. Solomon's thought concerning our lips sounds a lot like James' discourse concerning our tongue in his epistle. He said in James 3, 2, he said, For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same as a perfect man is able also to bridle the whole body. And the tongue is a fire. a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." Solomon went on to say that when a person is full of words, you never know what they're going to say. He ends his thoughts concerning our lips by using an illustration of a foolish laborer who wearies other laborers because he does not know how to get to the city. In other words, people doing work get worn out by someone who doesn't know how to work. In the context of babbling lips and foolish words, people are wearied by someone who does not know how to control their lips. Thirdly, let's consider the degree of leaders in verse 16 and 17. He said this, he said, Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning. Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness. Leadership is now highlighted, and especially the leadership of a country. When someone who is childish is running a country, the people they govern can expect woe. The word woe carries the thought of crying or lamentation. A child is prone to be selfish. It is their nature. A child has to be taught to share with others and consider others. When leadership is using the logic of a child, their decisions are based upon selfish desires and not the needs of the ones that govern. We as Americans are seeing this truth borne out in some of our leadership. They spend our money like it grows on trees and they have no concept of reality because they never pay a price for their childish decisions. Thomas Sowell, an American economist, once said this. He said, it is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong. I read that, and I re-read it, and I wrote it down, and I need to memorize it. That is truth, truth, truth right there. We've got a bunch of leadership in this country that they pay no price for being wrong. And they make their decision based on their own thoughts, their own wants, not for the good of the country or the good of the people. You know what I think? I think we do need term limits. I believe we need term limits, and I believe that once their terms are run out, they go back up under the same insurance that we have, and they'd start making laws that they knew would affect them then. Thank you. Amen. I think we need term limits. Anyway, back to where we were. On the other hand, Solomon states that the blessed country is the one who is governed by someone who comes from nobility. The reference to nobles implies someone who understands rank and file or someone who understands the need to wait on their time to govern. The idea of kingly rule is as old as man and settlements. The first mention of kings is found as early as Genesis 14, and many kings are listed who govern different lands. The best king is one who has been groomed for the job and not someone who is, as a child, without wisdom to lead and rule a people. Then he talks about the decay of laziness. In verse 18 he says it like this, By much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. The Bible says a lot about slothfulness and idle hands. Proverbs 24 verses 30 through 34 says it like this, I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding. Lo, it was all grown over with thorns and nettles, had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw and considered it well. I looked upon it and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, so shall thy poverty come, as one that travelleth, and thy womb as an armed man. Proverbs 18, 9 says, He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Then in Proverbs 19.15, slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. Proverbs 21.25, the desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labor. In Proverbs 22.13, the slothful man saith, there's a line without us shall be slain in the streets. And then Proverbs 26, 15, the sloth will hide his hand in his bosom, and it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. Lazy. That's lazy. You put your hand in your coat like this, and it's just, you can't even, I ain't got enough, ring, ring, ring. That's lazy. The Bible is not a lazy man's friend. Preachers of years gone by thought a lazy man could never be saved because he's too lazy. The thought of laziness does not apply only to the physical aspects of life, but also to the spiritual realm also. The writer of Hebrews wrote of God's faithfulness to reward those who were diligent to minister spiritual things. In Hebrews 6, verse 10 through 12, we read these words. It says, for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name, and that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Now watch what he says, "'And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.'" Paul warned Christians about slothfulness in Romans 10, 12 verses 10 and 11. Be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love and honor, preferring one another, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. And finally, Jesus Christ told a parable about a servant who was slothful in his service to his Lord. Matthew 25, 26, the parable ended like this. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant. We should all be busy about our Father's business. If we would, there would be less decay in spiritual matters. In Luke 2, 49, Jesus said this when His parents went to look for Him. When He was only 12 years old, He said, How is it that you sought Me, wished you not, that I must be about My Father's business? We should put everything we've got into serving the Lord. Whatever God gives us to do, we should do it with everything that we've got. Can I get an amen right there? The dues of laughter in verse 19. It says it like this, a feast is made for laughter and wine maketh merry, but money answereth all things. Everything has its proper time and place. Earlier Solomon wrote these words, there's a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, a time to dance. A feast is designed to furnish a lot of food and drink, and the purpose of the feast is to bring joy and happiness to those who are in attendance. While it is enjoyed by all who attend, someone has to pay the price for the furnishings. There's a lot of money or investment involved to ensure the feast fulfills its intent. Applying this wisdom spiritually, salvation is free to all who will come. The Lord has invited everyone, but someone had to pay the price for us to enjoy the feast the Lord has set before us. When you're invited to a feast, you should respect and honor the one who invited you, realizing the cost they incurred to ensure your enjoyment. It cost Jesus Christ everything for us to be saved. Amen. Everything. He paid the price in full. He suffered and died for our sins, realizing the price He paid. We should honor Him with our lives. We are told to keep the feast and respect the wishes or will of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 5, verses 7 and 8, He says, Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened for even Christ. Our Passover is sacrifice for us, therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." In the Bible, leaven is a type of sin. God's work of salvation in us is a purifying work. And the Lord Jesus Christ paid the price in full for us to enjoy the salvation He freely offers. We are admonished to keep this feast, not with our old nature of sin, but in the newness of sincerity and truth. The Lord really wants us to enjoy being saved. I tell you what, I came from a wicked life. At the age of 29, when God saved me, there was a man down here we met Monday. He had to come down here and do some work. He and I were talking about where God brought us from. I shared just a smidgen of my testimony. He stood there and listened, and then he told me his testimony. What God has done for all of us to be saved is enough to make us shout and just appreciate what God has done for us. He did it all. None of us had to do anything to be saved. We came and freely received what Jesus Christ did for us on Calvary. And we need to appreciate that and honor Him with our lives. Then lastly, the very last verse, He talks about the dilemma of loathing. In Ecclesiastes 10 verse 20, he says, Curse not the king, know not thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. Have you ever heard the expression, a little bird told me? We use that expression to describe someone to our knowledge of something we are not supposed to know. How did you know that, someone may ask us, and we reply, a little bird told me. We get that expression from the Bible. The warning before us is to be careful concerning cursing someone. You might say, I would never do that. Yet the word curse means to wish harm upon someone, to call for mischief or injury, to fall upon someone. The warning includes cursing someone and our thoughts are behind closed doors. Even in the private thoughts of our mind, when we wish ill upon someone, The Lord knows. And somehow, in the mysterious ways of God, the person or persons we are cursing in our mind will know. A little bird will tell the matter. When we have evil thoughts toward someone, they will find out. The Lord will make sure of it. Even when someone curses us, we are not to avenge ourselves with the same attitude. Our old nature is to seek revenge, but we are called to a higher standard of living. It is called Christian living. In Romans 12 verse 14, Jesus said this. No, Paul wrote these words. He said, Bless them which persecute you. Bless and curse not. Then Jesus said these words, But I say unto you, Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you and pray for them. That's high living. Can I get a witness right there? That's not our natural nature. We want to get back, we want to hurt back, but Jesus Christ has called us to a higher way of living. He said, Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. For He maketh His Son to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Then in Luke 6 verse 27-28, But I say unto you, Jesus speaking, which hear, Love your enemies. Do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you. And pray for them which despitefully use you. I fall short and I have a lot of learning to do to live the Christian life. Amen. Our prayer list tonight, let's pray especially, let's pray for Sister Bobbie Ransom.