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Lessons from Ecclesiastes

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Young people have a lot of decisions ahead, big and small, all of which can significantly affect us. When Mr. Elliot was our age, he was also trying to figure out what to do with his life, what kind of education to get, and what job to pursue. In his recent forum, Mr. Elliot went through one book, Ecclesiastes, which gives advice on finding happiness and the secret to life. 

The twenty-first book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, was written by King Solomon as “He was trying to find things that made him happy, and he thought that this would give him happiness and give him meaning in his life.” As Solomon did, we wrestle with questions such as “What am I spending my time on? What have I achieved in my life? What’s the value in life?” This thought comes naturally once we realize life is fleeting. Life is more than material wealth, which never fulfills us, as Ecclesiastes 2:1 and 5:13 both point out. Life can be fulfilling and enjoyable if we look to God and have the proper perspective. 

King Solomon realized that life is short. We must make the most of it now because every day is a gift from God. We need to live our lives enjoying it in the present and obeying God because our eternal salvation, our future, depends on it. The day of our death will be better than the day of our birth because our next waking moment will be in the kingdom of God if we have been faithful (Ecc 7:1). We want to be remembered as a person who walked according to His ways and stayed strong even amid trials that He might allow us to go through.

God intended for our short time on earth to be enjoyable, and He provided the Bible to help us avoid the pitfalls that hinder this. We need to learn the Bible and live by what it says.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

Hobbies and cultivating a “T-shaped” life

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This past Thursday, Mr. Alex Pomicter shared aspects of life he researched and tried himself. In this forum, he presented the importance and value of hobbies and the ideology of living a “T-shaped” life. 

Mr. Pomicter informed us of the benefits of having a wide array of hobbies. Taking the time to do things we like can help reduce stress, foster social connections, boost self-esteem, enhance creativity, and lead a healthier lifestyle. Hobbies can drastically impact our lives by allowing us to learn more skills, bringing us in contact with new people, and keeping us physically active.

Mr. Pomicter introduced the idea of living in the shape of a T by showing us inspirational people from history and how they can fit this lifestyle. The “T-shape” is based upon “Breadth of Knowledge,” making up the cross-section, and “Depth of Mastery,” making up for the post. It is essential to have a wide range from which to gather knowledge to live this way of life, not simply to be a jack of all trades and master of none but master of one. He used Ernest Hemingway, Leonardo da Vinci, and Thomas Jefferson to help us better understand the importance of having an extensive collection of interests. Hemingway was an author, outdoorsman, and war reporter. Da Vinci was an artist, architect, and engineer. Jefferson was the third president, botanist, and scholar.  We need to be rooted in one specific area; we should become a master in one particular thing while branching out and gaining experience to better ourselves. 

Certain benefits can come from living this way, such as being ready for future jobs, gaining new insight into your area of expertise, and making life more interesting. There are also perks regarding hiring, which include flexibility, better communication and collaboration skills, and hard and soft skills. This may seem like a new ideology, but the principles and effects have been tried and tested, as he brought out with examples of Thomas Jefferson. 

Mr. Pomicter listed some helpful keys to developing a “T-shaped” life. Start with mastering one skill, always remaining curious, reading broadly, actively dabbling in what we see and learn, and finally, increasing empathy. Empathy allows us to see a problem from a different point of view and find new ways to solve it. We must adapt and overcome difficulties, whether in academics, work, or even everyday life. As we end our time here at Living-Ed, we will be putting in the effort to expand our breadth of knowledge while continuing to grow our depth of mastery. 

Selling The Truth: Are You Buying?  

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Living a way of life opposite to this world is challenging, yet this is precisely what the Living Education students have decided to do. They have chosen to buy into the way of life—the Truth from the Bible—that the Church is selling them.  

At Living Education, the students experience many opportunities that help them internalize and promote the values and way of life the Church teaches. The students learn to serve during Friday-night dinners, cooperate as they live in dorms, and have opportunities to volunteer at youth camps during the summer as well. As the students buy into and internalize God’s truth, they become a mechanism for spreading these values back in their home congregations. Mr. Weston encouraged them to live God’s way of life for their whole life, not just while in the Living Education program. The students are not just to learn the Truth for themselves but to be ambassadors for Christ wherever they go.  

Mr. Weston gave several examples of how students living the way of life the Church promotes always matters. Students develop a strong work ethic, show outgoing concern by taking others on dates, and build trust by consistently acting according to their values. Even female-male relationships and how we behave towards those of the opposite sex matter—the students’ conduct determines their reputation and the Living Education program’s reputation.   

Living Education is a tool the Church uses to promote the biblical way of life to young adults. The students participating in the program can immerse themselves in true values and the responsibility to promote them through how they live the rest of their lives. The students have decided to buy into the Truth—what about you?  

Why Are You Here?

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Mr. Dexter Wakefield started his forum with a sentence we often hear:  “Why are you here?” He asked us to consider why we are members of the Church and why others leave. He then stressed the importance of distinguishing between primary and secondary reasons for being in the Living Church of God. 

He began by providing some of the secondary reasons he has heard throughout his years in the ministry for being in the Church while also pointing out the weaknesses held by all of these if they are our foundational reasons. One common reason Mr. Wakefield says he has heard from church members is that they “grew up” in the church. That is all fine and good, yet what would happen if your family was led out of the church? Would they have solid enough footing to hold onto the truth, or would they leave with their family? Another typical response is that people simply want to avoid the lake of fire. They are part of the Church more out of fear than connection with God.  We, as His people, are to obey from the heart. To have the choice to choose the other way of life, yet desire to please God. 

Mr. Wakefield transitioned from decent reasons he’s heard to what we should be holding onto, our primary reasons for being in the Church. We can see in Matthew 6 that we must first seek the kingdom of God and all His righteousness! We need to seek the truth of God and hold onto it for dear life. Taking what we are learning in the Parables of Christ class, God’s truth and the kingdom of God are like great treasures that, when found, we need to give all that we have willingly to obtain. God’s truth is that precious thing we must never let go of. Mr. Wakefield asked us, “Are any of these other reasons greater or of more importance than the truth of God?” The answer is… absolutely not!

Mr. Wakefield left us pondering the real reason we were here. Do we have a solid enough foundation to stand by the truth? We left this forum discussing how we could each personally better rely on God’s truth and desire to be in His kingdom as our firm foundation for our belief. Why will you stay here?

Guarding Against Marxism

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This past Thursday, Mr. Michael Brown, a minister serving eight congregations in Canada and North Dakota, presented the Living Education forum. He warned of the dangers in our world today, especially regarding media and entertainment.

Mr. Brown shared how the ideology of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, the third best-selling textbook in the Western world, has infiltrated our society. He showed how Marxist beliefs are the basis for why we should examine the present dangers in our world. He quoted Mr. Armstrong, who said the Soviet Union first started World War III by attacking our minds and spirit. We were questioned, if that was the case many years ago, how would it affect us decades later? Mr. Brown quoted Mr. Weston from a recent article that shows us how insidious these beliefs are in our current culture, “It is from Hollywood that the love of communism and the seed of hatred for good came.”

Mr. Brown encouraged us to push back on what is constantly forced down our throats and instead focus on what is good and true. Always be on guard because Satan is the god of this world and is said to come as the angel of light. He makes what is evil seem good and what is holy seem bad. We can see in Proverbs fourteen that the simple believe every word, but the prudent consider all. Mr. Brown said we need to be highly cautious of two main things in the world today: the media and Hollywood.

Media

Mr. Brown asked us how many had heard Google saying China had rigid censoring. But this is only one side of the argument. A quote from a Chinese journal explained that Google left China because of censorship. But what China censored was pornography and pro-LGBT propaganda; Google report left out this information. He asked, “Are we any better here in the West?” Tomorrow’s World Programs get censored because they are considered offensive to Western ideology. Censoring to impose cultural ideology is just a systemic issue, and we need not have an emotional reaction to it. 

Hollywood

Mr. Brown encouraged us to avoid exposing ourselves to entertainment that overly normalizes sinful behaviors. When looking at Hollywood productions, our sympathy is intentionally directed toward individuals who commit sinful behavior. Movies and shows attempt to challenge any good Christian values. Even the original Star Wars trilogy gave good values, such as order and discipline, to the “evil” Empire and negative values, such as disheveledness and poor leadership, to the “good” Rebels. Intentionally flipping right and wrong puts us in moral predicaments, demanding us to bend our beliefs. 

Mr. Brown concluded his forum by challenging us to fill our minds with real things about this world instead of the virtual. He encouraged us to learn physical skills from real people. Real people have their own interesting stories. It takes time to extract these fascinating stories, but it is well worth it. We left the forum better aware of Satan’s presence trying to pull us away and more appreciative of the situation we are in at Living Education to learn from so many people here.

Seven Laws of Success: “Setting the Right Goal”

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In a recent forum, Dr. Douglas Winnail expanded on the first law of success, “Set the right goal.” First, we must identify what success means to set the right goal. Thus, Dr. Winnail’s first question was, “What is success?” What are the identifying markers of success? Maybe it’s a job, traveling, buying a house, or even getting married. We were then asked, “What does the Bible identify as success?” Dr. Winnail turned to Matthew 6:33, which states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Christians, first and foremost, are to seek the kingdom of God. We should look to God’s guidance through His commandments, which are righteousness. 

Dr. Winnail then focused on developing what God looks for in His people. The Bible shows us that the poor, mourners, meek, merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers are all blessed. Those with these traits are humble and more willing to learn and change. There are many scriptures on the characteristics God seeks and expects of His people. By looking at scripture, anyone can see what characteristics God is looking for, and this is the start of the right goal. We read in Proverbs 4:26-27, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” This means we should choose our goals and follow the path.  

When considering the path of a Christian, one should strive to have Godly characteristics and continue to grow and develop these character traits. As Living Education Students or Christians, we should always ask, “What can I do to help?” One way Dr. Winnail recommended was to always apply servant leadership in Living Education and throughout our lives. 

God chose us, but Christians must ask how they fit into the puzzle. Dr. Winnail continued by reminding us that we all have different gifts and skills in various situations. As Christians, we must look to God and ask Him for guidance and help choosing the right goals. We must ask for God’s involvement in our lives. Thus, we must stay close to God and set the right goals. 

“What Color is Your Parachute?” Some practical, professional lessons

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Thursday, Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka taught the students lessons he had learned from his professional work experience before being hired by the Church. He began with an overview of Richard Nelson Bolles’s book What Color is Your Parachute?, which Mr. Jonathan McNair had recently covered and asked Mr. Ciesielka to follow up. The first emphasis was the importance of the seven-petal flower diagram, which demands a person to complete a self-evaluation that assists one throughout their career. The petals are—compatibility with people, workplace conditions, skills, purpose, knowledge, money, and location. He explained that we should pray and meditate on these. Although it sounds simple, understanding oneself is essential as we begin our search for a job. A successful salesman needs to have a firm grasp on the product he is selling, and that is what we do when seeking a job. We “sell” who we are to potential employers. 

Continue Learning

Mr. Ciesielka reminded the Living Education students of the need to continue their education through college with certificates, licenses, or simply independent studies. A report from The US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that, after several years in the workforce, individuals over the age of 25 without a high school degree make on average $38,000 per year, compared to those with a master’s degree or higher who average making $240,000 per year. The Bible discusses how both women and men can continue learning. Proverbs 24:27 especially exhorts men to prepare for their jobs or careers before beginning a family. Proverbs 31:16 and 26 discuss that the virtuous wife is also educated and capable. She is competent, and her husband trusts her to purchase a field and make a profit. When she opens her mouth, wisdom and kindness ensue. The model wife from the Bible showcases the importance of knowledge and gaining insight, not just for men to provide better.

Another part of learning is through failure. Mr. Ciesielka read a quote about failure from Mr. Bolles’s book, “After each rejection, just know that you are one no closer to a yes.” While failure is frightening and challenging, he shared how it meant one “no” while working in sales would allow his subsequent call to be one closer to a sale. It is like the old saying: it is not how many times one falls but how many times one gets back up.

Believe in the job

Mr. Ciesielka said that even though the students’ jobs shouldn’t define who they are, work would take up a large portion of the student’s life, so it is helpful to believe in their work. He gave an example from his professional life right after September 11th, 2001. The tech company he worked for chose to offer around-the-clock tech support to their customers who lost employees that day instead of seeing the opportunity to sell them new software or support. They put sales on hold to serve those struggling after the attack. While people must work to provide for themselves and others, the work should be rewarding. 

Final Thoughts

Mr. Ciesielka touched on other career advice from the book as well, such as using a networking strategy to create job referrals, the importance of “cleaning up your social media,” “preparing a couple of good elevator pitches,” and points about customizing your cover letter and resume.  He concluded by reminding everyone to seek professional counsel, but most importantly to seek Godly counsel, and to always remember Matthew 6:33. The students were grateful for the knowledge Mr. Ciesielka passed on from his years of experience in the corporate world. First as a software salesperson, then in sales manager roles, and eventually vice president roles. As the students approach the end of their time at Living Education, the lessons Mr. McNair covered from the book, “What Color is Your Parachute,” combined with some of what Mr. Ciesielka covered, will significantly assist them with their transition into the workforce.

Focus Plan on Obtaining a Job.

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This Tuesday, Mr. Mike DeSimone spoke to the Living Education students about three major points on how to get a job—the three absolute keys to getting the job. Mr. DeSimone said many of these keys he has seen work but are laid out in the book, “48 Days to the Work You Love,” by Dan Miller.

The first key was titled “How to Get the Interview”

 Start by identifying thirty to forty companies within the industry where you want to work. There’s no need to worry if you get a job and find out it’s not the industry or job for you. That is okay – you can always move to another. You are the driver of the sector in which you want to work. The key to this point is to be proactive. Do not wait for an ad for a job to show itself – most of the time, it is already too late once the ad is out. Plus, about eighty percent of jobs do not advertise that they are hiring. Once you have thirty to forty companies listed, start sending out letters of introduction by groupings of fifteen. This will help build recognition and get your name out there. You want three points of connection with your name. The second step is to start sending out your cover letters and resumes one week after the letter of introduction. The cover letter and resume should be addressed to someone specific, and hard copies, something you know, will be in a particular person’s hand. The third step is to follow up with a call. Many people miss this step, and only approximately one or two job hunters will follow this through. Calling the person you sent your resume can put you at the top of the list as their attention is now on you as you have contacted them. 

The second key is Mastering the Interview. Do not just wing the interview; this is a sure way to fail the interview. Mr. DeSimone listed some fatal flaws in an interview. The first fatal flaw was the lack of enthusiasm. Do not come in looking like you are dragging or lacking energy. Confidence and boldness are the keys to looking enthusiastic about being at the company. The second fatal flaw is going in with the attitude of “what’s in it for me.” The third fatal flaw was having unclear job goals. That is where you can apply Godly principles by having a serving attitude. Be clear with the company on what you are looking for and how you can help them. The fourth fatal flaw is having a poor personal appearance. Do not come in with a baseball cap. Companies are looking to hire a person, not credentials. Plan to dress one level up from your desired position. The last fatal flaw mentioned was not selling yourself. After an interview, immediately follow up with a thank you note; this shows your character and what you can present to the company. Wait three to four days before making a follow-up call. Don’t be afraid to touch bases.

The third key is Negotiating Compensation. Regarding this part of the hiring process, the company does not need to know the pay of your last job, nor do you need to talk about pay until the right time. The right time to talk about compensation is when you know what the job requires, they have decided they want you, and you have decided you want them. Do not bring up the topic; if you feel the company is bringing up the topic of compensation early, redirect the conversation. Ask to discuss the job itself further. Before the negotiations, make sure you have researched the positions and the position’s pay range. Let the company make the first offer; this is to your advantage. 

The Living Education students took away three keys to obtaining a job and having a plan for getting one. The first key is how to get the interview, get things moving in their favor, and get their name out into the workforce. The second key is mastering the interview, specifically what not to do. The third key is negotiating your compensation and when to bring up compensation.

The Act of Taking a Risk

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Mr. Tyler Wayne is a serial entrepreneur who has had successes and failures. This past Thursday, he shared with us how being an entrepreneur has taught him to take risks and how we can apply these principles to ourselves.

Mr. Wayne has started four companies and has run his family’s demolition business for years. He began by explaining three common entrepreneurial risks.

  1. Operating Errors
  • Equipment malfunctions 
  • Accidents and Mistakes 
  1. Incorrect Bids
  • Estimating = Gambling. It is a risk
  • Missed Project Scope
  • Under or Over 
  1. Customer Satisfaction 
  • Withholding Payment 
  • Missed Expectations 

He said to handle risk, we need to assess and mitigate it. To reduce the risk of anything, but especially in being an entrepreneur, we need to:

  • Research

We must go out and gain insight into what we plan to do, whether by reading, studying, or talking to experts.

  • Plan

We need to create contingencies and locate points of failure. 

  • Start Small

When we start small, the risk results are also smaller.

  • Learn to Deal With Setbacks 

Even through failure and setbacks, we can learn. We can learn what went well and what didn’t to better prepare for the next thing. Mr. Wayne did not want to scare us but shared what he called the 99% rule. It is the belief that if we had a 99% chance of success, 1 time out of 100, we would fail. He said these were excellent odds, and we must take them. Even if we fail, THAT IS OKAY!

How do we get started? Mr. Wayne clarified that it’s wise to stay small. This way, we can get our feet wet and not drown in the ocean. He also recommended work in an area that interests us. Too many people study something in college that is of no interest to them just because they like the hypothetical paycheck. While it is wise to go into something profitable, our work needs to satisfy us even if we lose money. He also said we need to be getting contacts. Having people in our field whom we can turn to will significantly assist us. The final step is to jump in and practice simply.

Mr. Wayne shared how he enjoys mountaineering. However, he went out and gained some practice before ever trying anything extreme. He started hiking in the Smoky Mountains before moving to the Rockies in Colorado. Because of the practice, jumping in, and doing it, he could eventually enjoy an extreme winter hike in Argentina.

In closing, Mr. Wayne reminded us that everything we do or don’t do has a cost. We always take risks, whether we like it or not. Since everything is a risk, Mr. Wayne told us, “GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING!”

Mr. Wayne’s forum gave us insight into how taking risks in life is an occupational hazard that, if managed well, can lead to a rewarding life. We should not allow risks to stop us from chasing opportunities and trying new things. While we may face failure, and life is full of ups and downs, we should grow close to God so He can advocate for us. 

Did Jesus Rise?

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On Thursday, Mr. Wallace Smith followed up on his previous forum on establishing pillars. He explained that after that forum, he received questions concerning why he placed Jesus Christ as the Son of God as his second pillar and the Bible as His Word as his third. 

Mr. Smith first clarified that he believes the Bible is the word of God. That is an unshakeable pillar he has established. Yet for him, personally, the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is His second pillar, second to his first, which is that God exists. He guided us to 1 Corinthians 15, which states, “If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty.” This is a simple statement that tells us that if Christ was not raised from the dead, then He is not the Son of God, and everything He taught is futile. 

How can we know Christ rose from the dead in addition to simply trusting the Bible? Mr. Smith felt it necessary to teach us to defend this question. He said that even if we treat the Bible as if it weren’t the word of God, as just a historical book, we can still come to the same conclusion. 

Mr. Smith read a quote that the New Testament qualifies as one of the finest historical documents ever written. He brought out aspects from the Bible that make this statement accurate:

  • It’s not one book but many little accounts from several authors
  • Many of the events were written extremely close to those described 
  • Small, unimportant details corroborated by multiple sources inside and outside the collection
  • It contains embarrassing elements 
  • Passes even statistical tests that ancient writers could not have anticipated 

Mr. Smith said these points were not to prove that the Bible is the word of God but a reliable historical text. He explained that there are facts even many professional Bible skeptics do not deny. He dove into three significant facts that these skeptics are willing to admit, which prove Jesus rose from the dead.

  1. His tomb was found empty. 

Testimony from the first-century Jewish leaders, enemies of Christ’s church, support this. If this claim were false, Jewish leaders would have produced the body.

  1. His disciples believed He appeared to them alive after His death. 

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul states that over 500 people saw Christ. Even skeptics do not deny that he wrote this approximately 20 years after the event. Paul says that most of the 500 were still alive to his day. He says, “Don’t believe me; ask the multitude of eyewitnesses who saw Christ.” Historian Josephus wrote in 66 A.D. that the disciples believed Christ was alive again after His crucifixion. 

  1. The disciples went out proclaiming His resurrection even in the face of martyrdom.

No serious person denies the fact that the disciples faced extreme persecution for their preaching because of the amount of evidence and writings backing this claim.

What is the reason that these men would be willing to face this type of suffering? Mr. Smith shared with us three of the more popular false explanations that try to explain… without admitting that Christ is the Son of God and was raised from the dead. 

  1. He faked His death.

Aside from how crazy the statement is, using the above facts, it is easily disproven. The disciples believed He was there with them alive after His death; if He never really died, then His disciples wouldn’t believe he rose from the dead. Beyond that, if they understood that He didn’t rise from the dead versus a battered and bleeding individual who had simply barely escaped death, then they would not be convicted to stand in the face of martyrdom for holding onto that belief.

  1. The disciples stole the body.

Again, if the disciples had known they had the body somewhere, they would not have honestly believed He had risen. They also would have eventually broken under the persecution they faced.

  1. The disciples hallucinated that they saw Him.

If they hallucinated the entire thing, there would have been a body in the tomb that the Jewish leaders could have shown to disprove them.

Mr. Smith demonstrated to the LE students that even if you view the Bible as a historical text, there is ample evidence that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He rose from the dead, and everything Christ spoke and taught is valid.

We are grateful for the knowledge that can assist us in being better apologetics to our faith!