The book of Ecclesiastes is King Solomon’s journal. In it he paints the tragic self-portrait of a man filled with regret. For us reading his journal we see his simple message—God is God and we are not.

We’re all born with a depraved heart, which can deteriorate towards evil...if not for the restraining grace of God.

How do we handle the mysteries? What do we do with those unsolved questions? How do we live in the realm of untimely pleasure? Chuck has three suggestions for us.

God gives us wisdom so we can view life with objectivity and handle it with stability. When we place our faith in Christ we have access to wisdom through the Holy Spirit.

Life is exciting! Life is fun! Life is happy! Like Jim Elliot once said, “Wherever you are, be all there.” You’re on the mission field—get at it! Have a ball! Go for it!

Optimism, pessimism, suspicion, and fatalism all fail to present life as it really is. In contrast to these four ways we view life God tells us to live with a perspective characterized by reality, joy, trust, and hope.

The man-made philosophies of materialism, hedonism, humanism, and fatalism are false foundations that will never bring contentment. Examine your lifestyle—are any of these philosophical foundations guiding your decisions?

As leaders we are tempted to see the objective in front of us—of all we must get done. Wise leaders remember objectives can’t be the single drive of our lives; we must build into those who will someday be in leadership.

Jesus says if we build our lives on Him, when the storms of life come, we will stand. We can trust in His wisdom and power.

A wise leader has a cheerful disposition. And no one says it like Solomon, “Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam,” Ecclesiastes 8:1.