Don't be overtly righteous or wise nor be overly wicked and foolish. Interesting advice from the Preacher. What could he possibly mean by it. Listen and find out.

What God has preserved in his churches. This morning we will see that the preservation of Doctrine and truth has been preserved in his churches. Second, we have seen that Christian fellowship is preserved in his churches.

...with reference to God's wise and unchangeable counsel and will, to which we must yield in order to learn true patience and tranquility. The defiant nature of man against God cannot and will not render a peaceful life.

I don't know how many times I have heard people tell me that their Pastor preaches right out of the Bible, verse by verse; and they have a very high regard for their Pastor. I believe that Pastor's ought to be highly regarded by those whom they serve, but I also know that many of these men by their good words and fair speeches have deceived the hearts of the simple ones. I also know that you can manipulate the people with the Scripture because of their ignorance of it.

Our being predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ includes our glorification: If God has decreed salvation then he has decreed all things in connection to that salvation even our glorification.

Our perspective is one sided and we don't consider the whole of the thing. i.e. many of us would be dead if it were the good old days, simply because of the advances of modern medicine. We tend to view the simplicity as better and leave off the hardship associated with those "simpler" times. The foolishness of this kind of thinking is summed up in 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. There is no new thing under the sun and all the bad of this day is exactly the same bad of yesteryear and it is repeated throughout history. Things are not any worse in this day than before. We only have a way of putting it into our homes and the hands of our children in an easier fashion

Divorce, is it lawful? What if a man wants to remarry? Divorce is a terrible thing and has great consequences, both physical and spiritual. Marriage is the one thing you want to get right.

The rebuked false teachers claiming he had no knowledge of them or their work and considered them the workers of iniquity. It is not your religion or devotion or sincerity that makes you acceptable in the beloved but a relationship with Jesus Christ.

While we are warned about false teachers, and we know they are purposed in causing division in our churches; but it is also the internal scandals, the sour words, the unforgiving nature of members that destroy our churches from within. We would do well never to listen to or believe anything that is of a accusatory nature towards our brothers and sisters, but rather we should be engaged in their protection from such scandal and rumors unless it be proven otherwise in a godly and proper manner.

The object is 'a thing.' Whatever the thing is, whatever the event is or the course of the event, better is its ending than its beginning. We often react when something happens in our life rather than let the issue fully reveal itself.