Ecclesiastes 3:18-22, "I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themeselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion : for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?"
What a comparison is made by Solomon here. When you look at the surface this seems to be a confusing passage to the believer, but remember Solomon has been talking about the vanity and futility of life without God. Without God, a man's flesh is no different than that of an animal. As a matter of fact elsewhere in the Bible lost men are called bruit beasts as well. Just as an animal is born and dies, men are born and dies, and that would be the end of the story except for the fact of verse 21 in our text. the fact is that the flesh may be the same, but there is a difference in the spirit. the spirit of animals dies and is buried with them, but the spirit that God has placed in man lives on fore all eternity. God has created man different than the animals in this, every man will stand before God in judgment one day. If you are lost, all you have is down here, one day your life will be over and you will stand before God and wish that you were but a beast that had died and was forgotten. However, for the child of God there is a great reward awaiting that we are looking forward to. My life is more than just that of a beast, I have an eternal purpose, because my spirit is some day going up to be with God. I do not know the spirit of man, but I have known, or rather am known of the Spirit of God, and He lives within me. Oh, what a glorious thought, we shall live on. Where will you live?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
the righteous and the wicked
Ecclesiastes 3:16-17, "And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
It was Andrew Bonar, who over a century ago said, "I looked for the church and found it in the world. I looked for the world and found it in the church." But before that Solomon made the same observation. No matter where you look you will find both the good and the evil. It was first in the garden of Eden that God established the fact that these things often are found with each other. It doesn't take much to realize that the opposite of good is evil from this thought, but it is sometimes mind boggling to consider how often the two are intertwined beside each other. Sometimes we get the thought that the church should be a place free from the presence of that which is wicked, however the Bible teaches us that no matter where you look you will find both. the great promise for the righteous is not that they will be kept from the wicked while here on this earth, but that God knows the difference between the two.
As David said in the twenty third Psalm, "the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish". The Lord knows those who are His, and He knows how to judge the lost. We need not fear to find about us those who are wicked. What we should be more concerned with, is to be sure that we are not ourselves counted as those who are wicked.
It was Andrew Bonar, who over a century ago said, "I looked for the church and found it in the world. I looked for the world and found it in the church." But before that Solomon made the same observation. No matter where you look you will find both the good and the evil. It was first in the garden of Eden that God established the fact that these things often are found with each other. It doesn't take much to realize that the opposite of good is evil from this thought, but it is sometimes mind boggling to consider how often the two are intertwined beside each other. Sometimes we get the thought that the church should be a place free from the presence of that which is wicked, however the Bible teaches us that no matter where you look you will find both. the great promise for the righteous is not that they will be kept from the wicked while here on this earth, but that God knows the difference between the two.
As David said in the twenty third Psalm, "the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish". The Lord knows those who are His, and He knows how to judge the lost. We need not fear to find about us those who are wicked. What we should be more concerned with, is to be sure that we are not ourselves counted as those who are wicked.
what a cycle
Ecclesiastes 3:14-15, "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."
We have a sovereign God, what a blessing to know that He can do what no one else can do, and no one can undo, what He has determined will be done. This passage tells us that His sovereignty causes men to fear before Him. Men only worship that which they perceive as greater than them. There is nothing greater than our God. Knowing that God is the one that establishes all things, and nothing can be taken from or added to what He does, explains the next verse.
It is strange to think that what has been is now, and what is coming has already been, but we see it everyday. Solomon told us that there is nothing new under the sun. The principle that is being presented here is the principle of cyclical nature. Consider the last statement in these verses, "God requireth that which is past". God has established that there be a cycle to everything. consider the cycle of life. Life begins, there is growth, there is reproduction, there is decline, there is death, and the cycle goes on. the water begins in the sea, evaporates up into the air, rains upon the ground, runs to the river, and back into the sea. God has put a cycle in everything around us, and this cycle is established by God. Men cannot change it, time does not alter it, because God is sovereign and what He does is forever. When we see these cycles around us it should remind us of how great our God is, that He is sovereign and we should fear before Him, and worship Him.
We have a sovereign God, what a blessing to know that He can do what no one else can do, and no one can undo, what He has determined will be done. This passage tells us that His sovereignty causes men to fear before Him. Men only worship that which they perceive as greater than them. There is nothing greater than our God. Knowing that God is the one that establishes all things, and nothing can be taken from or added to what He does, explains the next verse.
It is strange to think that what has been is now, and what is coming has already been, but we see it everyday. Solomon told us that there is nothing new under the sun. The principle that is being presented here is the principle of cyclical nature. Consider the last statement in these verses, "God requireth that which is past". God has established that there be a cycle to everything. consider the cycle of life. Life begins, there is growth, there is reproduction, there is decline, there is death, and the cycle goes on. the water begins in the sea, evaporates up into the air, rains upon the ground, runs to the river, and back into the sea. God has put a cycle in everything around us, and this cycle is established by God. Men cannot change it, time does not alter it, because God is sovereign and what He does is forever. When we see these cycles around us it should remind us of how great our God is, that He is sovereign and we should fear before Him, and worship Him.
all our labor
Ecclesiastes 3:9-13, "What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. he hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God."
God created man in His own image, and for five days prior to that He labored to prepare this world for His prized creation. The practice of God to labor, has been instilled into us after His image. These verses tell us that God gives men labor to be exercised in. The truth is that God has us working on things, while He is working on us. Any great work has a process to it. I must prepare each step along the way so that I can reach the finished product, and some steps take longer to finish than others, but each one is important. You may view your life in the same way. God is doing a work in you, you cannot know the work from beginning to end, but you can know what God wants you to do (labor in) right now so that He can make your life beautiful in His time. Sometimes we get so worried about the future that we cannot see what God is doing right now in our lives. let me challenge you that God will take care of the future, what He wants is for you to do the labor that He has laid before you right now, enjoy what He has given you right now, it is God's gift to you. Remember what Jesus said, in Matthew 6:34 "take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
The obvious context of these verses is that of time. consider today that when God's time is full for something it is a beautiful thing for it to happen. It is beautiful when the grain comes up through the ground casting its lush green hue over the field, but it is also beautiful when it has reached maturity and is golden and waving. Still yet it is a beautiful thing to see the grain in the barn. Things done before there time though loose the beauty that God intended for them. We must always wait on the timing of the Lord in our lives so that we might also be beautiful before Him.
God created man in His own image, and for five days prior to that He labored to prepare this world for His prized creation. The practice of God to labor, has been instilled into us after His image. These verses tell us that God gives men labor to be exercised in. The truth is that God has us working on things, while He is working on us. Any great work has a process to it. I must prepare each step along the way so that I can reach the finished product, and some steps take longer to finish than others, but each one is important. You may view your life in the same way. God is doing a work in you, you cannot know the work from beginning to end, but you can know what God wants you to do (labor in) right now so that He can make your life beautiful in His time. Sometimes we get so worried about the future that we cannot see what God is doing right now in our lives. let me challenge you that God will take care of the future, what He wants is for you to do the labor that He has laid before you right now, enjoy what He has given you right now, it is God's gift to you. Remember what Jesus said, in Matthew 6:34 "take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
The obvious context of these verses is that of time. consider today that when God's time is full for something it is a beautiful thing for it to happen. It is beautiful when the grain comes up through the ground casting its lush green hue over the field, but it is also beautiful when it has reached maturity and is golden and waving. Still yet it is a beautiful thing to see the grain in the barn. Things done before there time though loose the beauty that God intended for them. We must always wait on the timing of the Lord in our lives so that we might also be beautiful before Him.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
What time is it?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to morn, a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
Most of the problems that I have had in my life have come as a result of doing things out of their time. As a young man I had a very difficult time waiting for anything. Isn't it strange that when you are young and have your whole life ahead of you, everything is an emergency, and as you get older you realize that Solomon is true that to everything there is a season. Learning what season or time it is, is key to saving yourself from compounded troubles. Someone who violates the times reaps conflict in their life.
Learning to discern the times and apply the proper response is wisdom. How do we learn to do that? there are two things that teach us this. For the Believer, the first should be that we have asked God to teach us this wisdom. James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." It is so important for us to understand that God is the beginning and source of all wisdom. Before we seek wisdom from any source we should go to Him. He has the true wisdom, what seems to be wisdom in this world is often in contradiction to the Word of God, it is important that we discern what wisdom comes from God as it is true.
the second way that we gain the wisdom to discern the times is by the trials that we face. The biggest issue many times is that we don't have the patience to wait for the proper times and we force the issue. James says again in verse 3-4, "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Our view of trials must change if we are to learn what we need to by them. Trials are for our good, and they are for our education, that we can learn now to respond, and how to discern the proper actions for all situations. Wisdom comes from the experience of trials. Someone said, wisdom helps you overcome trials, but it only comes by going through them.
what time is it in your life? Are you allowing God to guide you through it with wisdom, or are you fighting against the times by refusing to yield to Gods working in your life?
Most of the problems that I have had in my life have come as a result of doing things out of their time. As a young man I had a very difficult time waiting for anything. Isn't it strange that when you are young and have your whole life ahead of you, everything is an emergency, and as you get older you realize that Solomon is true that to everything there is a season. Learning what season or time it is, is key to saving yourself from compounded troubles. Someone who violates the times reaps conflict in their life.
Learning to discern the times and apply the proper response is wisdom. How do we learn to do that? there are two things that teach us this. For the Believer, the first should be that we have asked God to teach us this wisdom. James 1:5 tells us, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." It is so important for us to understand that God is the beginning and source of all wisdom. Before we seek wisdom from any source we should go to Him. He has the true wisdom, what seems to be wisdom in this world is often in contradiction to the Word of God, it is important that we discern what wisdom comes from God as it is true.
the second way that we gain the wisdom to discern the times is by the trials that we face. The biggest issue many times is that we don't have the patience to wait for the proper times and we force the issue. James says again in verse 3-4, "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Our view of trials must change if we are to learn what we need to by them. Trials are for our good, and they are for our education, that we can learn now to respond, and how to discern the proper actions for all situations. Wisdom comes from the experience of trials. Someone said, wisdom helps you overcome trials, but it only comes by going through them.
what time is it in your life? Are you allowing God to guide you through it with wisdom, or are you fighting against the times by refusing to yield to Gods working in your life?
Friday, May 7, 2010
contentment is the secret
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit."
This is a very interesting passage that takes a few turns but ends up at a superb truth. Let's address it in a systematic manner. God measures to each man how much he will be endued with of wisdom, knowledge, and joy. All men are created by God with different gifts, despite the cry of our day that all things must be fair, God does not give equally to all men in life. Yet, it is not for us to question God's decisions and working, but rather to accept the abilities that God has bestowed upon us and use them in the fullest way possible.
that truth being established, the key to life is learning what God has given you and being content with the way that He has made you. Thus contentment, not ability is the key to satisfaction in life. Many who have great abilities also have miserable lives, because they are never content with the things that they have. this is the reference that Solomon makes in the last verse, equating these people as sinners who all their life go around trying to gather more and more by their abilities and yet it all is vanity. Rather the godly man uses what God has given him to the fullest of his abilities, and accepts contentment after he has done what he can. Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:6, "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
So eat the bread and drink the cup and enjoy what God has given you in life, it is far better than to fret about what you don't have.
This is a very interesting passage that takes a few turns but ends up at a superb truth. Let's address it in a systematic manner. God measures to each man how much he will be endued with of wisdom, knowledge, and joy. All men are created by God with different gifts, despite the cry of our day that all things must be fair, God does not give equally to all men in life. Yet, it is not for us to question God's decisions and working, but rather to accept the abilities that God has bestowed upon us and use them in the fullest way possible.
that truth being established, the key to life is learning what God has given you and being content with the way that He has made you. Thus contentment, not ability is the key to satisfaction in life. Many who have great abilities also have miserable lives, because they are never content with the things that they have. this is the reference that Solomon makes in the last verse, equating these people as sinners who all their life go around trying to gather more and more by their abilities and yet it all is vanity. Rather the godly man uses what God has given him to the fullest of his abilities, and accepts contentment after he has done what he can. Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:6, "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
So eat the bread and drink the cup and enjoy what God has given you in life, it is far better than to fret about what you don't have.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Ready or not there it goes
Ecclesiastes 2:18-23, "Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hat a man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. this is also vanity."
So it seems that Solomon had finally come face to face with the age old adage, you can't take it with you when you go. Imagine what a drastic reality this is to someone who literally had everything this world had to offer. You mean that I spent my whole life amassing wealth and possessions and i just have to leave it to some fool who won't know how to use it properly. What exactly was the point in this.
Many would do well to grasp a hold of this basic principle before they vainly waste away their life, as it says in Proverbs 15:16-17, "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." Sadly Solomon knew this in his youth and forsook it, only to regret that decision in his old age. Now we know that there is nothing wrong with leaving an inheritance, the issue is not leaving an inheritance, it is that Solomons life had been spent in the pursuit of amassing things for himself rather than using his life in being a blessing to others.
I wonder how many are hitching up waggons to their hearses today only to be sadly disappointed when they are planted all alone.
So it seems that Solomon had finally come face to face with the age old adage, you can't take it with you when you go. Imagine what a drastic reality this is to someone who literally had everything this world had to offer. You mean that I spent my whole life amassing wealth and possessions and i just have to leave it to some fool who won't know how to use it properly. What exactly was the point in this.
Many would do well to grasp a hold of this basic principle before they vainly waste away their life, as it says in Proverbs 15:16-17, "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." Sadly Solomon knew this in his youth and forsook it, only to regret that decision in his old age. Now we know that there is nothing wrong with leaving an inheritance, the issue is not leaving an inheritance, it is that Solomons life had been spent in the pursuit of amassing things for himself rather than using his life in being a blessing to others.
I wonder how many are hitching up waggons to their hearses today only to be sadly disappointed when they are planted all alone.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The fruit of seeking the world
Ecclesiastes 2:17 "Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wroght under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
So Solomon has done everything that this world has to offer and after all of it he comes to the conclusion that he hates life. I have met many people who have come to that same end. Just think about all the movie and rock stars who have killed themselves or given themselves to lives of drunkenness and drugs. They don't do that because they love life, could it be that they came to the same place that Solomon did, to find out that this world doesn't bring satisfaction.
Unfortunately many believers hate life as well, the reason is that they are looking for joy in the same way. They may sing "oh how I love Jesus", but in their daily actions they are saying "oh how I want the world" such a life will not lead to joy, it can only lead to sorrow. That kind of life will lead to more sorrow than it will for a lost man, because the saved man has the Holy Spirit of God within them that will convict them as they walk away from the path of the Lord.
I sure don't want to hate life, and as long as the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me, I won't.
So Solomon has done everything that this world has to offer and after all of it he comes to the conclusion that he hates life. I have met many people who have come to that same end. Just think about all the movie and rock stars who have killed themselves or given themselves to lives of drunkenness and drugs. They don't do that because they love life, could it be that they came to the same place that Solomon did, to find out that this world doesn't bring satisfaction.
Unfortunately many believers hate life as well, the reason is that they are looking for joy in the same way. They may sing "oh how I love Jesus", but in their daily actions they are saying "oh how I want the world" such a life will not lead to joy, it can only lead to sorrow. That kind of life will lead to more sorrow than it will for a lost man, because the saved man has the Holy Spirit of God within them that will convict them as they walk away from the path of the Lord.
I sure don't want to hate life, and as long as the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me, I won't.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
what's the difference
Ecclesiastes 2:12-16, "And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. Then i saw taht wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself preceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said i in my heart, As happeneth to the fool, so happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no rememberance of the wise more than the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool."
It is important to catch the context as we continue through the chapter here. remember Solomon just got done telling us that he had not lost his wisdom, but chose to ignore it and seek after all the things of this world. What He found was that there was no satisfaction in them, and they were all empty.
Now he comes to the point that he is going, by his wisdom to to examine the fruit of his experiment. He comes to the conclusion that it doesn't matter if you are wise or a fool, if you mess with the world the outcome is the same. In other words, no one is smart enough to mess with sin and not get dirty. Fire will always burn you. Solomon finds that all his wisdom did him no good and all of his works in this world would amount to no more than the works of a fool since they both spent them in the same manner. What a sad conclusion to a life with such promise.
The truth of the matter is that unless we live our life for God our works will be just as forgotten. Yes many have lived there life for God and no one here remembers them, but in heaven there is a book where their works are written and they will be remembered by God Himself, and those who spent their lives building thing on this earth will be left with nothing, bu those who spent their life building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ will have a sure reward.
It is important to catch the context as we continue through the chapter here. remember Solomon just got done telling us that he had not lost his wisdom, but chose to ignore it and seek after all the things of this world. What He found was that there was no satisfaction in them, and they were all empty.
Now he comes to the point that he is going, by his wisdom to to examine the fruit of his experiment. He comes to the conclusion that it doesn't matter if you are wise or a fool, if you mess with the world the outcome is the same. In other words, no one is smart enough to mess with sin and not get dirty. Fire will always burn you. Solomon finds that all his wisdom did him no good and all of his works in this world would amount to no more than the works of a fool since they both spent them in the same manner. What a sad conclusion to a life with such promise.
The truth of the matter is that unless we live our life for God our works will be just as forgotten. Yes many have lived there life for God and no one here remembers them, but in heaven there is a book where their works are written and they will be remembered by God Himself, and those who spent their lives building thing on this earth will be left with nothing, bu those who spent their life building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ will have a sure reward.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Satisfied
Ecclesiastes 2:3-11, "I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting my heart with widsom; and to lay hold on folly, til I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth tree: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."
Isn't it interesting how men who know better still feel the need to find out for themselves how bad sin is. Solomon in all his wisdom knew that these things would not satisfy, and yet followed after them. It isn't that he left his God given wisdom behind, through this passage he tells us that his wisdom remained with him. Yet he chose to ignore that wisdom and press on in his pursuit of the flesh. how many times do we do the same. We know that something won't satisfy us, yet we still throw ourselves after the flesh again and again, only to come to the place that we like Solomon say it was all vanity and vexation of spirit.
It doesn't matter if it is wasting your life in wine, or in building great houses, gardens, having servants and possessions, great treasures or exceptional music, there is nothing in this world that will satisfy your flesh. The only thing that satisfies is Jesus Christ, He is wisdom, and He is all we need. It would do us well to be satisfied with Him.
Isn't it interesting how men who know better still feel the need to find out for themselves how bad sin is. Solomon in all his wisdom knew that these things would not satisfy, and yet followed after them. It isn't that he left his God given wisdom behind, through this passage he tells us that his wisdom remained with him. Yet he chose to ignore that wisdom and press on in his pursuit of the flesh. how many times do we do the same. We know that something won't satisfy us, yet we still throw ourselves after the flesh again and again, only to come to the place that we like Solomon say it was all vanity and vexation of spirit.
It doesn't matter if it is wasting your life in wine, or in building great houses, gardens, having servants and possessions, great treasures or exceptional music, there is nothing in this world that will satisfy your flesh. The only thing that satisfies is Jesus Christ, He is wisdom, and He is all we need. It would do us well to be satisfied with Him.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
what's so funny?
Ecclesiastes 2:1-2 "I said in my heart, go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, it is mad: and of mirth, what doeth it?"
I love to laugh, I believe that most normal people do. The Bible also does not prohibit laughter, thank the Lord. It tells us in Proverbs 17:22, that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. That from the same man who wrote our text passage. So is Solomon contradicting himself? the answer of course is no. As always context is key to the understanding of a passage. Solomon is speaking of the mirth that he sought from the world. In other words, he is talking about seeking joy the worlds way rather than God's. Frequently God tells us to rejoice and be exceeding glad, but the world has a different view of what is fun. The rest of the chapter will begin to tell us how Solomon sought that pleasure, it began with alcohol. We will discuss that in the next post.
In Proverbs 14:9 Solomon himself made note that fools make a mock at sin. Yet as his heart departed from the Lord, he began to find it funny that they mocked the things of righteousness. Much of what passes for humor in our day is just a mockery of sin and more often than not, those who stand against it. Preachers and Bible believers are often the but of the joke, but sadly those who seek such mirth will find that it may cause a chuckle for a moment, but behold, it is vanity.
I love to laugh, I believe that most normal people do. The Bible also does not prohibit laughter, thank the Lord. It tells us in Proverbs 17:22, that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. That from the same man who wrote our text passage. So is Solomon contradicting himself? the answer of course is no. As always context is key to the understanding of a passage. Solomon is speaking of the mirth that he sought from the world. In other words, he is talking about seeking joy the worlds way rather than God's. Frequently God tells us to rejoice and be exceeding glad, but the world has a different view of what is fun. The rest of the chapter will begin to tell us how Solomon sought that pleasure, it began with alcohol. We will discuss that in the next post.
In Proverbs 14:9 Solomon himself made note that fools make a mock at sin. Yet as his heart departed from the Lord, he began to find it funny that they mocked the things of righteousness. Much of what passes for humor in our day is just a mockery of sin and more often than not, those who stand against it. Preachers and Bible believers are often the but of the joke, but sadly those who seek such mirth will find that it may cause a chuckle for a moment, but behold, it is vanity.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
the heart of the matter
Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
It is my desire to get back to the study that we had begun in Ecclesiastes and continue to try to glean truth from there. You can review the previous six devotions in the history of this blog if you would like.
the first statement in this verse is what we want to meditate on today, that being here Solomon notes that "I said in mine heart" The heart in the Bible in this context is not speaking about the organ in your chest, but rather it is synonymous with the soul of man. the soul is your intellect(how you think, Prov. 23:7), your will (such as in this passage), and your emotions (I Kings 11:3-4, Solomons heart was turned because of his emotions).
It is common to hear people say, follow your heart, however that is a dangerous prospect according to the Bible. It says in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it. Solomons problems began when he stoped following the direct Word of God that he had received, and the Godly wisdom that had been given to him, and began to follow his heart instead.
We should be careful that we never let our hearts lead us away from the Lord and deceive us.
It is my desire to get back to the study that we had begun in Ecclesiastes and continue to try to glean truth from there. You can review the previous six devotions in the history of this blog if you would like.
the first statement in this verse is what we want to meditate on today, that being here Solomon notes that "I said in mine heart" The heart in the Bible in this context is not speaking about the organ in your chest, but rather it is synonymous with the soul of man. the soul is your intellect(how you think, Prov. 23:7), your will (such as in this passage), and your emotions (I Kings 11:3-4, Solomons heart was turned because of his emotions).
It is common to hear people say, follow your heart, however that is a dangerous prospect according to the Bible. It says in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it. Solomons problems began when he stoped following the direct Word of God that he had received, and the Godly wisdom that had been given to him, and began to follow his heart instead.
We should be careful that we never let our hearts lead us away from the Lord and deceive us.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
death in the family
this moring James Woods passed away, the funeral will probably be on Monday, it will be here at the church. I will post more information as we have it availible.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Missions Conference
We have had a great week, with two saved, three joining by letter, and full alters, but tonight is the final night of the conference. Bro. Jimmy Walters will be preaching tonight in the main service, Bro. Johnson will be preaching to the light brigade, and Bro. Harjo will be preaching to our teens. I hope that you won't miss this last opportunity to hear from God.
Angela and I are excitedly waiting for this next week when we will be heading to the Philippines. While there I will be doing a pastors conference and helping Bro. Richard Famador to set up a satellite school for the Biblical Counselors Seminary. Pray for our safe travel as well as God's power on the preaching.
Angela and I are excitedly waiting for this next week when we will be heading to the Philippines. While there I will be doing a pastors conference and helping Bro. Richard Famador to set up a satellite school for the Biblical Counselors Seminary. Pray for our safe travel as well as God's power on the preaching.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Home Missions Conference
Well, it seems that every time I think that I am going to be able to get consistent a million things happen, this week we attended the Heartland Home Missions Conference. We were able to put up a display for the H.O.P.E. addictions program and had quite a good response, giving out 17 program packets to men in 14 different states. Thus far we have sent material to 22 states and five foreign countries including 3 Canadian provinces. What a blessing to see God using this program and to begin to hear of the results that others are seeing.
There was a good deal of money raised for special needs at the conference and some good preaching as well.
We begin our Missions conference this Saturday at 6:00 PM. We have three very good missionaries with us so you won't want to miss out on any of it. I look forward to seeing you there.
There was a good deal of money raised for special needs at the conference and some good preaching as well.
We begin our Missions conference this Saturday at 6:00 PM. We have three very good missionaries with us so you won't want to miss out on any of it. I look forward to seeing you there.
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