# Enjoying Life in 2022

Key Passage: Ecclesiastes 2:24
Date: June 7, 2024

Chapter 2, Ecclesiastes chapter 2. What a wonderful song. I hate to say this, but Christmas is over. Oh man, I just got three, you know, rotten tomatoes thrown at me. And I think for the next couple days, there’ll be a lot of thinking, planning, a hope and prayers about the coming new year. And how many of you already have a New Year’s resolution? If you have one, anybody, anybody? All right, we’ve got about, oh, pushing a half. How many of it has to do with a diet in some ways? Come on now, we’ve got a couple of us honest people, you know. I mean, how many do you plan to stick to your diet? We got one, we got two.

I mean, you’re going to make it and you’re going to go off the first day. No. But I do, I think along that line, I felt like the Lord wanted me to preach. I went a lot of different angles and just trying to find out what the Lord wants. For a while, I thought the Lord wanted me just to focus on the love of money is the root of all evil and 2 Timothy, 1st Timothy 6 over there. And that for sure is true. And you don’t always see it. It’s a root. You know, it’s under the ground. But it’s a root of old Eve. He said, how do you know that? Because the Bible said it. That’s not a note.

But along that line, maybe a touch, but a different twist. And I think it may be a little surprising to some. But the title this morning is enjoying life in 2022. Enjoying life in 2022. I don’t plan to be long, but I usually plan that. It doesn’t always happen. Kind of like those diets, you know. So we’ll see what happens.

But Ecclesiastes, it’s a wonderful, wonderful book. I hope you experience this book. It’s awesome about life. And I’ll just say a word about it before we dive into it because I don’t want to go long. But Ecclesiastes, the theme of it is under the sun. I believe it’s 27, 26 times, 12 chapters. He’ll say, “Under the sun,” “under the sun,” “under the sun.” In other words, you take God out of it. And just under the sun, you take eternity out of it, just under the sun. And it doesn’t matter what you have, what you’re doing, or how much you’re known, it’s vanity of vanities, saith the preacher. That’s the theme of it. But in the middle of it all, you can learn so much, and God is speaking to this man Solomon to us. It’s a great book in the Bible. And just this thing of enjoying life in 2022. We’re going to start in Ecclesiastes 2 and verse number 24.

Please ask Jesus 2 in verse number 24. If you’re there, would you say, “Amen”? Good deal. Here we go. There’s nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink. You can say amen right there. I mean, you just gained 10 pounds over the holidays right there. All right. And that he should eat and drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good in all his labor. This also I saw that it was from the hand of God.

Look over in chapter 3, if you would, chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes, and we look at verse number 13, three in verse number 13. And also that every man should eat and drink. Come on now, you’re supposed to say amen right there. And enjoy the good of all this labor. It is the gift of God. Look over in chapter 5, if you would please. Chapter 5, verse number 18. Behold, that which I have seen, it is good and comely for one to eat and drink. Boy, you’re catching on there. Come on, that’s a good deal. And to enjoy the good of all his labor. He hath taken under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him, for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor. This is the gift of God.

Just for a little while, let’s focus on this enjoying life in 2022.

Did you notice that it was in all three passages we just read? We’ll just look at it. Look back chapter 2, verse number 24. Chapter 2 verse number 24. About halfway down there, he says, “and that he should make his soul enjoy.” Did you see that word enjoy? I got that underlined in my Bible. Enjoy. Look in chapter 3, chapter 3. Look at verse number 13 right there, chapter 3 and verse number 13, and also that every man should eat and drink and here it is again. What’s the next word? Enjoy the good of all his labor. Chapter 5, verse number 18. Behold that which I have seen, it is good and comely for one to eat and drink and two. What’s the next word? Enjoy. Enjoy.

Now, can I tell you, this is where America, in my opinion, has made a classic overall mistake. We have made money and careers and nest eggs and financial security, and all these things, we made that our goal when the goal should be enjoying. I know a little bit don’t sound like an independent fundamental Baptist preacher today, but this is Bible.

Enjoyment in couples class we just asked at the beginning of Sunday school class, tell me your favorite thing, favorite thing you got, everything you did, whatever, on Christmas time, and pretty much every person said something. I don’t think anybody said anything about what they got. I joked a little bit about some blankets we got. For the most part, everyone said something about being with family and doing things with people they love and fellowshipping with them.

Now, friend, I’m saying America has bought into this saying that whoever dies with the biggest toys wins. And people get stuck in the rat race of getting more money and more money and more things. And often that’s the detriment to them enjoying.

My lady, let me just say it off the matter. I said so often, but money’s not the root of all evil; the love of money’s root of all evil. But Satan, he’s so crafty, he will dangle in front of you every little bitty thing he can to draw out that love of money. You say, “Well, I don’t have love of money. I don’t have any money.” It doesn’t matter how much money. Many of people, can I say this, many of people that are homeless and they don’t have a dime, they still have a strong love of money. The vast majority of people that have financial problems, they have a strong love of money. That’s the root of all evil, the love of money.

And I’m not saying it’s wrong to have things. I’m not saying that. And can I say this? If someone gets a new car or a new house, whatever, and you give them a hard time, shame on you. You ought to rejoice when they get that. Praise the Lord for God’s blessing on them. You ought to just rejoice. It bothers me. I’ll do it sometime. You hear about somebody getting a bunch of money. Hey, give my address. Forget about your address. Praise the Lord, they got a bunch of money. Rejoice in them getting things. Be happy for them. Most things aren’t bad, but I’m saying we have bought into this saying it’s all about getting. I’ve got to have this. If I would change, to look, I want to enjoy.

Of course, I’m like everybody else. I loved. And I think the older you get, the more you enjoy everybody coming back home. I enjoyed having my son and daughter-in-law and grandson and daughter here. Mom came over and sister and brother-in-law. And I enjoyed all that. As I get older, I think I’m getting where I enjoy it more. But take that out of the picture. You know the thing I enjoyed the most about Christmas? Christmas Day, my wife had made a photo album for our neighbor that had a stroke about six, nine months ago. And he’s in a nursing home. And so me and Sarah just took—all it took was about an hour. We drove down to NHC in Murfreesboro Christmas Day. And I went to this nursing home and you got to sign in and all that stuff. And they shoot you in the forehead. I said 98.6, all right. They didn’t shoot us, but you know what I’m talking about. You know, they do all that stuff. And then we walked down the hallway to where Larry’s room is. At the end of the hallway, there’s a man there in a wheelchair and no legs. And he has a sweater on that says, “Come let us adore him.” I’ve always stopped and talked to him for a while. It was sad in some ways because it looked like he was just staring out that long hallway, hoping someone would take their family with them visiting for Christmas. And I’m wired this way so much—everybody’s a little different—but I just, I’m a needs-based person. It was just such a blessing for me to… We just talked to him a little bit on the way in and way out. And then we walked into Larry. He’s our neighbor for 18, 19 years now. Been in the stroke. Since he’s had the stroke, praise the Lord, he has gotten saved, but I haven’t seen him. I think at the beginning he could not smile because such a massive stroke, but he’s starting to move his left side of his body. But in nine months, we walked into the room, and I think it was the first time I’ve seen him smile. Man, he had an obvious smile. That made Christmas enjoyable for me.

I mean, it’s just, and I say that to say, we’ve spent more money on Christmas than we have ever. Part of that was family being with us and all that, and I’m glad to do it. But money didn’t bring—besides a family part—money didn’t bring the greatest enjoyment. It was just a simple little bit of thing. And we gave him a little photo book my wife had made, and I praise the Lord, she did the work because I could never do that. And then we brought him some magazines. Miss Jenny Fontaine used to bring to him country magazines. Anybody know country for those who live in the country or love the country, whatever. And I had a stack of them. And Larry loves that type of thing. And he’s stuck in a nursing home. So I brought him a stack of magazines and that. Man, that just made my Christmas. I enjoyed that. But I’m saying, if we can rewire our minds away from the media and what all the devil dangles in front of us 24/7 to where we’re learning it’s not about getting all these things, it’s about enjoying.

All three of those verses in other places, he talks about enjoyment. That may be different for you. Everybody’s a little different. And I look at Ms. Barb, and she loves animals, specifically dogs. And she goes to the rescue pause and all that, and she walks dogs and does take care of dogs, and she’s very knowledgeable on it. And I believe, I may be wrong, but I believe that brings her great enjoyment. And praise the Lord for it. But what I’m saying, as you’re making, as you’re making and you’re planning, you’re making your New Year’s resolutions and you’re planning this year, would you try to rewire a little bit from the typical thing that this society’s got us into: things, things, things, things, things, things? And look at enjoyment. Enjoying life. That’s, friend, just that brief—that brief, and it wasn’t, it was an hour. We didn’t miss any meals, amen, on Christmas. We were there eating, but we just took an hour out. We walked out of the nursing home that day, and I was battling. I was battling. You know us men, we never cry. We just go dust in our eye, you know. And I was battling the dust in my eyes a little bit. And I was winning, amen, I was winning the battle. And I looked over and Sarah was just crying away. She’s thinking, girl, made me lose the battle. It’s all her fault.

But it just took an hour. Sarah has made this statement. She said, “You know, it makes you want to go to the nursing homes every single Christmas.” Just make it a tradition. Some of our folks, Brother Bill organized, some of our folks went Christmas caroling last Friday. That was one of the comments on Sunday school. You know, man, we just loved it. They enjoyed going to some seniors of a church. And I didn’t go. I was out of town. And they just went and they just sang. And I heard Brother Kevin was off key a little—okay, a whole lot. He’s probably a lot better than I’d been doing it. I’m joking with it. But those folks have commented much on that. What a joy. Brother Chip, Mr. Tam, and others, you’re there. And what a joy that was. And friends, I’m saying, can you rewire a little bit? Hey, that’s what you’re after. That’s what the Bible there three times is saying: enjoy. Enjoy!

And if we’re not careful, we get stuck. Solomon was so wealthy. I’m not good at all these names—the guy that owns Amazon and eBay and Facebook. I don’t keep up on all that stuff. I got better time to do in some ways, to be honest with you. I keep up a little bit. Solomon was wealthier than them, I believe that, I really do, if you compare. And Solomon in this book is burying his soul. And he’s just kind of bearing. He’s disillusioned because he’s got it all. And he says, under the sun, man, the guy had everything. I mean, money galore. Relationships? Well, man, the guy had 700 wives and 300 porcupines. I call them concubines, all right. I’m joking with you. He literally did. He was so intelligent. You would not want to argue facts with Solomon. You would not want to try to show him your intelligence. He could embarrass you just like that. He had all that. Fame, everybody knew that presidential or queens from other countries were coming to visit him. He was so popular. He had all that. And yet he says, you know what? It’s vain. And bits and pieces, you’ll find it all throughout. We just picked three of them where Solomon talks about, he says, man, enjoy life. He even talks about learning will make you mad. That’s a good thing for some of you college students. You can use that against your teachers in college, you know. Look at there. He’s studying one drive you crazy. And he’s the one.

Would you look back, just trying to share what I believe God would have us look at. Look back at verse number 24, chapter 2, would you please look there? I want you to notice something what he says here. I need this. I can be so driven, if you will, sometimes that I’m not enjoying. And there’s different stages. I understand that. But look at verse number 24. There’s nothing better for man than that he should eat and drink and that he should—what’s the next word? Make his soul enjoy good. Sometimes at some stages, you just got to make yourself stop trying to get to the next level of everything and make yourself enjoy. Can I say this? And I want to be wise about this statement. I wasn’t planning on saying it, but in many ways life is not a destination; it’s a journey. And go on, just enjoy it. Serve the Lord with gladness. Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. I think I want you to enjoy. I think sometimes the elderly people, they’re a little bit ahead of the ballgame. They’ve lived long enough, and they’ve gotten enough, and they’re kind of realizing, and they’re just learning to enjoy life. I like to get there before it gets 98, you know? And sometimes you’ve got to make yourself enjoy. That’s what he’s saying. He says, make it.

Would you keep reading there in verse number 24? Would you there, verse number 24, chapter 2? He says that he should make his soul enjoy good in his—what’s the next word? Labor. Look in chapter 3 in verse number 13, chapter 3, verse number 13, we read this. About halfway down there, chapter 3, verse number 13, “and enjoy the good of all his”—what’s the next word? Labor. It’s actually in chapter 5 too. We won’t take it to take time to look at it. But, friend, I’m not saying set around to do nothing. Okay, you won’t enjoy that in the end. There must be labor involved. There must be. And he said, I want you enjoy the good of your labor. I’m not talking about being a lazy hound dog and let the government pay everything for you. Those are the most miserable people. I’m still talking about working. Whatever your hand finds to do with all your might, the Bible speaks of. But you enjoy it. We’ve got the mindset, even with work and labor—work is not necessarily that eight hours; it’s across the board—but we do have this mindset: work is a bad thing. Whatever happened to the guy, the man that used to enjoy work? I like to go to work. I like to do those things.

My old preacher, he used to talk about his son that he had had the lawnmower. Back in the day we had push mowers and he’d be having the push mower out there, you know, using him. And his son would have the little toy lawnmower rocking along. He said, “I’m looking forward to the day when my son gets old enough, we’ll trade out lawnmowers,” you know. The kids often enjoy labor, and sometimes we’re the ones. Oh, teach them work. It’s a wonderful thing. Even retired people, praise the Lord for retired people, they keep busy. They’re laboring somewhere. I look at Mrs. Louise, and she’s only 39 or so, but she cuts her grass and she does all that, and it’s a lot of grass, and she enjoys it. I’m just saying, I’m not talking about being lazy.

By the way, when the curse came, remember Adam and Eve they sinned and God said, now Adam, He said, “I’m going to curse the ground.” Look over, if you will, please. Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3. I want you just see one little bit of thing here. Genesis 3, like this thing, he says, enjoy the good of your labor. Genesis 3, and when you look in verse number 17, Genesis 3 and verse number 17, when you’re there, would you say amen? Genesis 3:17. Unto Adam, he said, “Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: Cursed is the ground for…” What’s the next two words? Thy sake. I’m doing this, Adam, because it’s going to help you. Yeah. What was it? “In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of life.” And he goes on, you’re going to have to work, you’re going to have to sweat. And God says, Adam, you need that.

I for years worked in a ministry in Chicago. We went to Bible College a little bit south of Chicago. We’d go up to Chicago and have ministry up there. And high rises all over. And the worst high rises were always the ones that the government paid the bills. Always. I can remember literally walking through the hallways of these high rises, these apartments in high rises where the government’s paying the bills, and stepping over drunk people in the hall, just stepping over. And they’re always the worst situation. Why? Because it’s good for man to work. These people that sit at home and if they’re physically able to work, but they’re sitting at home and letting the government pay their bills, shame on them. They’re not going to be happy at the end of the day. They’re going to be miserable. And God made it where you have to work. It’s a good thing for you to work. So I’m not talking about you sit around and we just have a party all the time. Oh, enjoy the good of your labor. You’re working. It’s a good thing.

By the way, shame on the men. Can I just stop there for a second? Shame on the men that they’re able to work and they push your wife out there and make it work all day. By the way, man, you’re the one. The responsibility of providing for the home falls on you, man. You got a wife that wants to help you out? Praise your Lord for that. But friend, friend, you work, man. You work. You’ve got to work three jobs. Work three jobs. That’d be the keeper at the house. Now, I’m not saying it’s a sin for a lady to work. I’m trying to get my work. Why have to get three jobs and she won’t do it? But I am saying, and I’m joking of course, but I am saying our society is out of whack there for it. It’s good for you to work with it, and you enjoy the labor that God should give you to do.

Let me say this. Don’t fall. This is what’s happening so much. Don’t fall for the chasing the money rut. The vast majority of Americans are stuck in that rut, just chasing the green thing, and they’re not happy.

Look in chapter 5 of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. This is some interesting verses. I imagine you’ve said something along this line, maybe never seen in the Bible. There are quotes and phrases out there, but it’s a biblical thing. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse number 10: “He that loveth silver, money, if you will, shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also vanity.”

Here’s the thing. I’m sure you’ve heard something along this line, but people don’t know this in the Bible. Verse number 11: “When goods increase, they are increased that eat them.” Much you make, you always need a little bit more. That’s what he’s saying. “When goods increase, they are increasing, they eat them. And what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes.”

There was a man, a very wealthy man. They were having a meeting. I think it was a family meeting. He was something—I’m not sure; it’s been a while since I read it—I believe it was the sweetest businessman. But he had a meeting, and he was making fun of his sister. They’re grown now. And he was making fun. And years ago, when they were little, he was always the businessman; he always had the money. He had deceived her or tricked her. He said, “Look.” It had a large coin that was very rare with it. And he said, “I’ll let you hold this coin all day long if you watch my sheep all day long.” And he was making fun of his sister years ago when she just held that coin for a day. And she did all that work just for holding the coin for a day. And he said, “I got it back at the end of the day. Can you believe it? She was so dumb. She just held the coin all day. She worked all day long just to hold it.” And the older sister said, “Well, that’s all you’re doing with your money. You’re just holding it for a while. That’s all you ever do for it. Money will never satisfy you.”

I’m not saying it’s wrong, but don’t get caught in the rat race of more money, more money, more money, more money. And Satan’s always—he’ll always have the next gadget. What are we at now on iPhones? What’s the latest, greatest iPhone right now? 13. Is it iPhone 13? Yeah. What about the end? What’s the latest and greatest Android? Help me out some of these young folk. What is it? Google Pixel 6. I’m going to get one of those next month. And if I did, here’s what happened: six months later, the better one would be out. That’s just what it is. But it’s always dangling in front. And it’s different for everybody. Some it’s cars, some it’s clothes, some of its relationships, and some of it’s, you know, guns or this, that, and it’s always dangling that thing. Some along the line, like I said, I’m not chasing after that character. I’m going to stop where I’m at. I’m going to enjoy it where I’m at. Satan will just have you go through life chasing the next.

Isn’t it amazing what kids are like that? The eight-year-old, he wants to be 12, you know? And the junior high, he wants to be senior high. And the senior high, he wants to be in college. And the college wants to be, you know, a young single adult out of college. And then the single adult out of college wants to be married. And then the married… You know, they want kids, and then after a while you want to go backwards, man, maybe we go back to being single again, you know. But you spend our life if we’re not careful, always wanting the next. He’s saying you’re stopping enjoying where you are.

Brother Howes used to always say two ways to be rich: either want—excuse me—get what you want. As soon as you get it, you want more. You’ll spend the rest of your life being just trying to get what you want, or want what you have. I want what I have. Old broken-down VW never runs, but that’s what I want. Amen. I’m joking a little bit, but you want what you have. Be rich. Enjoy.

Just enjoying life, friend, that’s so very, very important. By the way, if you’re going to do that, it’s very important what you have your eyes on. Lamentations 3: “Mine eye affecteth my heart.” Satan’s always—he’s got billboards everywhere you go. You want this, you want this, you want this, and he gets you looking long enough at it. Your eye affects your heart. Well, so-and-so, they have 6,000 or 10,000, 300,000 viewers on their YouTube channel. You know how much money they make? I don’t care how much money they make. They’re probably as miserable as they are. And we bought into that. They’re happy.

I think about years ago in the beginning of our church, believe it or not, in a little bitty daycare church, we had a young couple, very, very wealthy, coming there. And then at first I was like, wow, man, you see their house and everything they had and the Mercedes vans and their trucks and I was, whoa, wow, you know, come on, start tithing, chiching, you know. And then I got to know them. They’re great people. I love them today. Still know them both. But they were fighting all the time. Miserable people. Divorced today. I hadn’t seen him in church in years here. In fact, it’s amazing. He still wasn’t playing on town, but I was over in Sharper Springs Natural Area one day. I just went over there to pray years ago and just happened. I was going to a restroom there to, I think, to put on some boots so I can walk in the woods there and not be freezing half to death, you know. And he just happened to be there. And he says, “It’s amazing.” He said, “I think the divorce was finalized that day or the next day.” And he said, “I can’t believe I’m seeing you here, Pastor Paul.” He said, “I’ve thought about this. If I could trade my life with anybody—so I’ve been thinking—with anybody, you’re the one that I want to trade my life with.” He knew us when we’re in the storefront eating beans and rice all the time. Don’t fall for this thing. Well, they got all these, you know, their video went viral. They got all this money. That doesn’t mean they’re happy for it. Probably half the time, the more you got, the more maintenance requires. Somebody—you ever see a young person? If I get that car, if I get that car. Friend, once you get that car, it’s got to have oil changes, and it needs tires, and brakes, they go out. I’m not saying it’s wrong to have things, but friend, the end result is not about having all these things; it’s about enjoying.

Some people have a greater capacity to enjoy. You know, they need more things to kind of be in their sweet zone there, you know. And some, they don’t need a whole lot. They say, and I don’t know, I’m not saying, this isn’t Bible, but they say the happiest people in the world are middle class. Now, I don’t know where the sweet zone is for you, but you’re not after getting things. You ought to be after enjoyment. That’s what he says. Enjoy.

Now, it’s just the last truth thing. We’re going to be done. I feel like I’ve been rambling a little bit today. But look at a couple of things here. Look back there, chapter 2, verse number 24. Chapter 2 verse number 24. Just the last little truth here. About halfway down there, “and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor.” This also I saw that it was from—the—what’s the next three words? Hand of God. Look in chapter 3, chapter 3, verse number 13. About halfway down, “enjoy the good of all his labor.” It is the—what’s the next three words? Gift of God. Look in chapter 5, if you would please, chapter 5. And look at verse number 19. “Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor.” This is the—what’s next three words? Gift of God.

You can’t enjoy life without God, friend. You can’t. I’ve been saved since I was very young, but there’s been times I’ve just kind of went on my own, you know, and doing my own thing. And, friend, there’s no joy there. There’s not enjoyment there. You might have a little bit of enjoyment or happiness, whatever you want to, you know, use the word for briefly when you get something, but it’s very temporary. God’s the one that makes you where you just enjoy your labor. Enjoy it. God does that.

The days, the days, I say, “All right, all right, God wants me to serve him with gladness. I want to enjoy what I’m doing for the Lord. And Lord, would you help me to enjoy it?” Those are the days when God—you just know God, you’re doing what God wants you to do. It was a good day for me as a younger pastor. I went to a conference, and I had surrendered to the mission field about 457,000 times. I was pastoring here in church, here’s going. And I went to a conference, and it was about missions and money. A great conference, and I remember going down to the altar. And one more time, it was all about missions, saying, “All right, Lord, if you want to be a missionary, I’ll go.” And just seemed like, you know, God doesn’t speak to us audibly. If he did, we’d still be running. You know what I’m talking about? But I remember the Lord speaking to my heart clearly in saying, “Paul, thank you for surrendering again, but quit it. You’re where I want you to be. You’re doing what I want you to do. If I ever want you to go anywhere else, I’ll let you know. Just be happy and get there.”

And, friend, we have a lot of preachers and missionaries come through, and they’re great. Nothing wrong with that. But often they’ll say, “You’ve got to go here, you’ve got to go here, you’ve got to go.” And I’m not against going on mission trips. And I’d like to do that someday if God would allow that. And I’m fine with all that. But I’ll be honest with you, I don’t have to go to the mission field. I know I’m where God wants me to be. And if I’m never this worldwide traveling, preaching all that other stuff, you know, I’m all right with that because I’ve learned this is where God wants me. And there’s joy there. I can enjoy it. I don’t have to worry about, well, so-and-so’s preached over in Zimbabwe a thousand times. Look at all the people they’re saying. Well, praise the Lord for them. But I’m where God wants me. And there’s some peace that comes from that, friend, and some enjoyment where you have leadership from God. This is where God wants, and you’re doing what God wants you to do, and you can just enjoy it. I’m doing what God wants. There’s joy there. That’s the goal in life. Success in life is finding what God wants you to do and doing it. You’re working, yes, not laying around and doing nothing, but you’re working, but you’re enjoying it. You’re just enjoying what God’s called you to do. You’re happy there. You don’t have your eyes on everybody else. You’re just enjoying.

I’ve got to read this. I’ve read it about 100 times. Those of you’ve been around here forever, Miss Mickey knows that it’s story number 18. You know that? Miss Mickey, would you stand up and recite that, please? I’m joking, of course. A hard-driving corporate attorney saw a fisherman he knew from church one afternoon. Legs were dangling off the pier as he helped his two young sons catch crabs. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked. “Because I caught enough fish for today.” “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” “What would I do with it?” asked the fisherman. “You could earn more money and buy better boats so you could go deeper and catch more fish. Then you could buy a fleet of boats. Soon you’d be rich like me.” “What would I do then?” “Well, you could sit down and enjoy life.” “What do you think I’m doing right now?” If I know what God wants you to do and enjoy it, serve it.

When we left that nursing home, right when we left that nursing home, we had to go down the hallways in the lobby there. We’re leaving the lobby, and there was this granny, very older lady in a wheelchair. There’s a lady sitting there on a bench beside her. I took it was her daughter, but you know you’ve got to be careful, so I didn’t say—anyone ever talked to them. The lady in the wheelchair was just beaming. She was just beaming. And we said hi to them on the way out. And the lady in the wheelchair, and I was wearing jeans and a polo type shirt. I wasn’t dressed in preacher attire, you know. And so they didn’t know. And I just went over and said hi to them, you know. And she’s the one, the little old lady in the wheelchair, she’s the one that brought up Jesus. I mean, just, you could tell she wanted to get Jesus in there every chance. Man, she just, and once she started talking about Jesus, she would just light up with joy. And she started talking about Jesus. “You got Jesus? Everything’s all right. You don’t have anything.” And she just, she preached a good message for a while. I was trying to take notes from her, man. It’s good stuff, you know. And she said, this is her daughter. And the daughter started to say, “You know, my mom, she was so good to us kids growing up, and she was good to our dad. He’s been in heaven for a long time.” But not thought about it. She was part of the just joy of that trip. She’s in a wheelchair. She’s in a nursing home. Most of her kids or several of her kids, I can’t remember the numbers, had already passed, but she had so much joy because her life was centered on Jesus. It didn’t take about a half a second to figure that out. She said something going, “Jesus is my savior. I’m not ashamed of him. I’m going to talk about him everywhere I go.” Sweet, happy. She was enjoying being in a wheelchair and a nursing home because she was looking at Jesus.

That’s what I say, enjoy life. Work, yeah, the labor. God’s the only one to give that to you.

Original File: Enjoying Life in 2022 - Sunday am - Pastor Paul Chisgar 122621