to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king ecxept what has already been done? And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.' For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!' So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Our human frailty is that whether wise or foolish, we will all die one day. Even a rich person who stores up their treasures on earth will not be able to take any of

Death is a tragic ending especially when one hasn't lived out their life to the fullest. A legacy which includes loving the Lord and living for Him is the best legacy we could ever leave behind. But some are unexpectedly taken due to an accident or an illness and others like Anna Nicole Smith chose to give hers up. On the outside, she exuded beauty, and wealth and fame. She portrayed to be a woman who had it all. She was the spokes model for a gym and proved that anyone could look sexy and appealing. She was in the limelight for so many things. She had married a multi millionaire who was twice her age. She swore it was love, and perhaps it was. She never was awarded his estate. Her mother said on the news that it was Anna's goal in life to be rich no matter what the cost. She certainly attained that goal. But tragedy hit home for her last year when her son died the same time she gave birth to a baby girl. This is bitter sweet for anyone. I can only imagine that even with all the money you could ever want, depression would set in heavily and if you don't know how to release this in a proper way, your whole life will be in vain. Now as a result, she is like a candle in the wind who's life has been snuffed out way before it's time and a baby daughter without a mother. It's like it was all for nothing.

I want to look again in Ecclesiastes about living life for pleasure and possessions without inviting God to be in the middle of it. King Solomon tried and realized it was senseless. It only goes to prove God's Word as truth one more time. No one is exempt from His laws, not even the most wealthiest person on earth, which Solomon was when he went in search of this truth. If it were not for God's Word, I know I would be so very lost. But, when I read and understand Scripture and apply it to my own life, it then gives my existence here on earth true meaning. I only wish that Anna Nicole Smith believed that as well. Depression is a major weapon that Satan uses to cut us off from our Heavenly Father.

In Ecclesiastes chapter 2, Solomon digs in deeper on the futility of gaining pleasures and material things just for the sake of having them. He isn't saying that pleasure is necessarily evil, but like human wisdom, certainly has its shortcomings. When we try to find pleasure by merely human expectations, it will leave us empty. No satisfaction will be gained by it.

"I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.' And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, 'It is madness', and of pleasure, 'What does it accomplish?' I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives." Ecclesiastes 2:1-3

Solomon expressly lets us know that our human gratification can not be fulfilled at God's expense or His glory. Solomon tested everything "under the sun" and not above the heavens. Earthly gratification results in lusting after one's own human wants and God does not enter into it. Voila, a void.

"Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon recognized the vanity, the futility of gaining satisfaction and nothing enduring in working to please himself. Just because someone may be wise in business, is no guarantee it will be satisfying, even when they accomplish a lot in life. To expend our God-given resources in exchange for human accomplishments alone is empty. None of it will mean anything. I believe we saw this in the 'Christmas Carol' starring Ebenezer Scrooge. He did eventually learn his lesson.

"So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king ecxept what has already been done? And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.' For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!' So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Our human frailty is that whether wise or foolish, we will all die one day. Even a rich person who stores up their treasures on earth will not be able to take any of

gine that even with all the money you could ever want, depression would set in heavily and if you don't know how to release this in a proper way, your whole life will be in vain. Now as a result, she is like a candle in the wind who's life has been snuffed out way before it's time and a baby daughter without a mother. It's like it was all for nothing.

I want to look again in Ecclesiastes about living life for pleasure and possessions without inviting God to be in the middle of it. King Solomon tried and realized it was senseless. It only goes to prove God's Word as truth one more time. No one is exempt from His laws, not even the most wealthiest person on earth, which Solomon was when he went in search of this truth. If it were not for God's Word, I know I would be so very lost. But, when I read and understand Scripture and apply it to my own life, it then gives my existence here on earth true meaning. I only wish that Anna Nicole Smith believed that as well. Depression is a major weapon that Satan uses to cut us off from our Heavenly Father.

In Ecclesiastes chapter 2, Solomon digs in deeper on the futility of gaining pleasures and material things just for the sake of having them. He isn't saying that pleasure is necessarily evil, but like human wisdom, certainly has its shortcomings. When we try to find pleasure by merely human expectations, it will leave us empty. No satisfaction will be gained by it.

"I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.' And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, 'It is madness', and of pleasure, 'What does it accomplish?' I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives." Ecclesiastes 2:1-3

Solomon expressly lets us know that our human gratification can not be fulfilled at God's expense or His glory. Solomon tested everything "under the sun" and not above the heavens. Earthly gratification results in lusting after one's own human wants and God does not enter into it. Voila, a void.

"Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon recognized the vanity, the futility of gaining satisfaction and nothing enduring in working to please himself. Just because someone may be wise in business, is no guarantee it will be satisfying, even when they accomplish a lot in life. To expend our God-given resources in exchange for human accomplishments alone is empty. None of it will mean anything. I believe we saw this in the 'Christmas Carol' starring Ebenezer Scrooge. He did eventually learn his lesson.

"So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king ecxept what has already been done? And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.' For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!' So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Our human frailty is that whether wise or foolish, we will all die one day. Even a rich person who stores up their treasures on earth will not be able to take any of

at as well. Depression is a major weapon that Satan uses to cut us off from our Heavenly Father.

In Ecclesiastes chapter 2, Solomon digs in deeper on the futility of gaining pleasures and material things just for the sake of having them. He isn't saying that pleasure is necessarily evil, but like human wisdom, certainly has its shortcomings. When we try to find pleasure by merely human expectations, it will leave us empty. No satisfaction will be gained by it.

"I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.' And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, 'It is madness', and of pleasure, 'What does it accomplish?' I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives." Ecclesiastes 2:1-3

Solomon expressly lets us know that our human gratification can not be fulfilled at God's expense or His glory. Solomon tested everything "under the sun" and not above the heavens. Earthly gratification results in lusting after one's own human wants and God does not enter into it. Voila, a void.

"Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon recognized the vanity, the futility of gaining satisfaction and nothing enduring in working to please himself. Just because someone may be wise in business, is no guarantee it will be satisfying, even when they accomplish a lot in life. To expend our God-given resources in exchange for human accomplishments alone is empty. None of it will mean anything. I believe we saw this in the 'Christmas Carol' starring Ebenezer Scrooge. He did eventually learn his lesson.

"So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king ecxept what has already been done? And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.' For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!' So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Our human frailty is that whether wise or foolish, we will all die one day. Even a rich person who stores up their treasures on earth will not be able to take any of

ur human gratification can not be fulfilled at God's expense or His glory. Solomon tested everything "under the sun" and not above the heavens. Earthly gratification results in lusting after one's own human wants and God does not enter into it. Voila, a void.

"Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon recognized the vanity, the futility of gaining satisfaction and nothing enduring in working to please himself. Just because someone may be wise in business, is no guarantee it will be satisfying, even when they accomplish a lot in life. To expend our God-given resources in exchange for human accomplishments alone is empty. None of it will mean anything. I believe we saw this in the 'Christmas Carol' starring Ebenezer Scrooge. He did eventually learn his lesson.

"So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king ecxept what has already been done? And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.' For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!' So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Our human frailty is that whether wise or foolish, we will all die one day. Even a rich person who stores up their treasures on earth will not be able to take any of

to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king ecxept what has already been done? And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, 'As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?' So I said to myself, 'This too is vanity.' For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die!' So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Our human frailty is that whether wise or foolish, we will all die one day. Even a rich person who stores up their treasures on earth will not be able to take any of it with them. Solomon realized this great shortcoming. He said that even the great rewards for his labor was a source of his pain. It grieved Solomon to think of leaving all his wealth behind for those who would squander it.

"When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil." Ecclesiastes 2:21

Our legacy is the portion of one's life that we leaves behind at death. This is what really matters. Material wealth will be forgotten. So Solomon concludes that humanity with all its limitations of this present life, should rejoice in its temporal goodness given from the hand of God. Solomon recognized God's sovereignty and it should bring us comfort especially knowing what a life in a cursed world really means.

"There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?" Ecclesiastes 2:24,25

Solomon ends the second chapter with this conclusion of living a life of pleasure and possessions without God with this statement;

"For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collection so that he may give to one who is good in God's sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind." Ecclesiastes 2:26

In other words, why do people fight a losing battle where God is concerned? Whatever one does with his life, God sees it. Being in His sight is the main prerogative of the standard of living. Just because we can't see Him, doesn't mean He can't see us. Whatever we do in the dark will eventually be brought out in the light. If God is not our main focus for everything we do then our lives are all for nothing.

For someone like Anna Nicole Smith, it is unfortunate that everything she worked to gain will not be what she leaves behind as her legacy. Will anyone remember her for furthering God's kingdom? But most importantly, I do pray that she was saved, and I extend consolation to her family at this time. Death is very real no matter who you are. But living for God, should be everyone's prerogative in life. How do you want to be remembered? A life that was like a candle in the wind or a torch that could not be extinguished?

A wise person knows God's limits, but a fool knows no bounds.