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Important Info

• What info do you need the most?
• If you met someone running down the path from the other direction, you would expect them to warn you.
• You would expect this because this is the only knowledge that matters that moment.
• You NEED to hear, "There is a bear in the path!"

Foundation of our Faith

• We must base a faith on 1 basic principle:
• Fear God and Keep His Commandments
• Once we know this important fact, we can concentrate on other things!

Ecclesiastes 12:13, "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Solomon's Conclusion

• At the end of his studies and all he had been through, Solomon concludes that we must fear God and keep His commands.
• Solomon describes this as the "whole duty" of man! Its that important!

"Fear God"

• What does it mean to fear God?
• Proverbs 1:7
• "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
• Without the knowledge of God, all other knowledge is pointless and irrelevant.

"There Is A Real God"

• Before we can impart any helpful knowledge to others, we must first tell them, "There is a real God!"
• Once this realization is met, people will naturally feel some sense of fear. (Bear on the path)
• People must know that there is a God and He is a part of our lives.

What Do You Fear?

Fears Legit?

• Some of our fears are silly?
• But some fears are legit and real.
• Fear of failure for example
• But these aren't the types of fears we are discussing here.
• If we don't fear and respect God and His Word, nothing (worship, church, etc.) else works.

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

• Solomon's metaphor section is a description of how we are basically wasting away.
• Our lives, especially our youth, are short-lived.
• Why do you think Solomon warns about this?
• Why would he bring up how brief our youth is?

Young and Indestructible

• Young people often feel indestructible.
• We think our youth will last forever.
• But we know this not to be true!
• YOLO was once a popular saying.
• This implied you could do whatever you wanted without paying the consequences.
• Real truth is we always pay the consequences!

Consequences

• Bad decisions have a way of coming back to you.
• Many of the consequences that people bring on themselves during high school and college stay with them the rest of their lives!
• What about Solomon? Young, rich, handsome, powerful, unstoppable!
• Who was the downfall of Solomon?

"Carpe Diem"

• "Seize The Day"
• Everyday we live make decisions that we won't look back on and regret.
• God wants the best years of your life.
• Only way to true life fullfilment in through Christ!

Matthew 6:19-21,33