For over 30 years I’ve talked with men and women who deeply love God, but struggle to understand the Bible. Some believe that unless you are a Theologian, Pastor, or Christian leader, you really can’t understand it. But this is just not true. I’ve launched this simple podcast to help everyday men and women fall in love with the Word of God. Each day I’ll read a portion of Scriptures from the Old and New Testament, covering the entire Bible in one year. After I’ll give a brief devotional. To support this Podcast or follow my other work, visit my website at www.randygoudeau.com
Welcome to Day 246 of the Bible 365 Podcast! I'm so excited you are joining me on this journey through the entire Bible this year. Reminder that each episode in 2026 will have a brand new devotional.
Today we'll be reading through Ecclesiastes 4-6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 7:1-7; Psalm 47; and Proverbs 22:16. Invite a family member or friend to join you as we grow in our knowledge of God through His Word.
Welcome to day 246 of the Bible 365 podcast. My name is Randy Gudo, and today we're going to be reading through Ecclesiastes chapters 4 through 6, 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 14 through 18, and chapter 7, verses 1 through 7, Psalm chapter 47, and Proverbs chapter 22, verse 16. The translation I'm using throughout this podcast is the Berean Standard Bible, also known as the BSB. Let's read. Ecclesiastes chapter 4. Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter. The power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter. So I admired the dead, who had already died above the living, who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. I saw that all labor and success spring from a man's envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind. Again I saw futility under the sun. There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth. For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment? This too is futile, a miserable task. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up, but pity the one who falls without another to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who no longer knows how to take a warning. For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king. There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because he takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God. If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter. For one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them. The produce of the earth is taken by all, the king himself profits from the fields. He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. When good things increase, so do those who consume them. What then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun, wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost in a failed venture. So when that man has a son, there is nothing to pass on. As a man came from his mother's womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. This too is a grievous affliction. Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting, to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and he has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God, for a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart. Ecclesiastes chapter 6. There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind. God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction. A man may father a hundred children and live for many years, yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity. The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man, even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? All a man's labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied. What advantage then has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others? Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is, but he cannot contend with one stronger than he. For the more words, the more futility, and how does that profit anyone? For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? 2 Corinthians 6 verses 14 through 18. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God has said, I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. And I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 7, verses 1 through 7. Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness and the fear of God. Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you. Great is my confidence in you, great is my pride in you, I am filled with encouragement. In all our troubles my joy overflows. For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction, conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more. Psalm chapter 47. Clap your hands, all you peoples, shout unto God with a voice of triumph. How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth. He subdues nations beneath us and peoples under our feet. He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loves, Selah. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord with the sound of the horn. Sing praises to God, sing praises, sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is King of all the earth. Sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations, God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God, He is highly exalted. Proverbs twenty two, verse sixteen. Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself, or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty. Today's devotional is coming from Ecclesiastes chapter four, verse thirteen, and this is somewhat of a strong verse right here. And you know, I'm getting you know older in life, and so it really speaks to me. Those of you who are business owners, or you are pastors, or you're in any form of leadership, hey, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, listen to this verse. Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning. In the NOT it reads, It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice. What is it that makes this king in this scripture right here foolish? He no longer knows how to take a warning. He refuses all advice. I saw this in the church world because I spent years in the church world. Saw this with some senior pastors that got to a point where they allowed pride to come in. And you know the Puritans would say that pride was the last thing to leave a man and the first thing to come back. They came to a point where they no longer knew how to take any warnings, and they refused all advice. Hey, they've been doing it for a long time. They're not going to listen to somebody younger. It doesn't matter what the Lord might be doing in that younger person's life, they are not on their level. Saw it in business also, where some businesses might collapse because they did not know how to take any warnings, and they refused all the advice of maybe some of their employees that were faithful, loyal, had some great ideas, wanted to expand the business, but didn't matter because the boss, he's in control, he knows what to do. Everything must flow from him. Let's not grow older, because we're all growing older and be that foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning and who refuses all advice. Let's let that same mindset that's in this poor but wise youth stay inside of us through every era and every season of life. Let's pray. Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus, and today I'll lift up all of our listeners, and my prayer is that we would not become like this foolish king that we read about in Ecclesiastes chapter four, verse thirteen, who came to a point where he no longer knew how to take a warning, who refused all advice. Please help us to stay sensitive to other people around us who have great wisdom. Draw us close by the presence of your Holy Spirit and reveal your Son to us. We ask all these things in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Well, I sure hope you enjoyed today's devotional. If you're getting something out of the Bible 365 podcast, consider sharing it with your family and with your friends. Please continue to pray for me. I am praying for you. Have a great day, and I'll see you tomorrow with day two forty seven.
