Ecclesiates 4

"Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after wind....But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up....Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning." NIV)

Again, the warning to all those "haves" out there.  "....Chasing after wind...," is the life of one who has what most desire but is alone and, "foolish...who no longer knows how to heed a warning."

Ecclesiastes reveals man's need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is a further confirmation that without the forgiveness, acceptance, "in the Beloved," the reign of Jesus in my life, I am nothing but one who is, "chasing after wind", my desires always eluding me, always "out there," ever in front of me, but never to be had.  And, one should add, "Thank God for that."  If we ever receive what wicked minds desire, then all we have is the fruit of wickedness.

To you and me as Followers of Jesus, there is a great comfort and promise in today's selected texts.  "....One handful with tranquillity...," is quite adequate for life enjoyment.  Being a part of the Church, having faithful Brethren around to, "....help them up...," is a wonderful "insurance policy."  And, the warning/encouragement to always, "....heed a warning", well, it is life saving.

Father, in Jesus' Name, what comfort, what correction, what health in Your Words.  Amen.
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Please say a prayer for all the needs of our Fall Mission, October 28-November 15.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Ecclesiastes 3: "....Eternity In Their Hearts"

"He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from the beginning to the end."  (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

In verses 2-8, the Holy Spirit gives contrasting times, e.g., "a time to mourn and a time to dance...."  This Biblical Truth is sorely needed for all who claim to follow Jesus Christ. 

Never say "those who never heard."  Even in the deepest jungle, on the highest mountains, in the most remote parts of the planet, "....He has put eternity in their hearts," because that is the lot of humanity.  Jesus died, "that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life", aka, "eternity...life."  I repeat: "He has put eternity in their hearts."

Do not ever say that anyone on Planet Earth never had a chance.  Jesus Christ, "....has made everything beautiful in its time....He (The Eternal One) has put eternity in their hearts."  And accept the last part of our text, "....No one can find out the work that God does from beginning to the end."  It is enough that Jesus shed His Most Precious Blood, died and rose again that we might be in that state he revealed to our unsaved hearts, "Eternity."

Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me for trying to figure out what I just cannot.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Ecclesiastes Journey, Chapter 2: "I Tried To Find Meaning"

"I made me..; I builded me..; I planted me..; I got me..; I gathered me....So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me....and whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy....Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 2, KJV)

I used the KJV today because it was the translation from which I first read today's passage; notice the "mes."  Verse 4 in the NLT says that what drove the writer to make, build, plant, get, gather was, "I... tried to find meaning...."  This is what drives a person who is living for him/herself, "running the show," seeking, "meaning," in life on their own terms; nothing but frustration.

One must admit that neither the Bible nor those who "compiled" the Canon attempted to "pretty up" "heroes of the faith."  If "pretty religion" was the desire, perhaps Ecclesiastes would have been left out.  In the Bible we discover that, "The Word of God," Jesus, is telling humanity, "....Everyone (Yes, Solomon, even Mary, St. Christopher, all those great preachers) has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard" (NLT).  Furthermore, there is some of today's text in all of us, "I...me," with the exception, of course, of the spirituals among us.

Martin Luther wrote that our, "righteousness...is an alien righteousness, that is, the righteousness of another, instilled from without.  This is the righteousness of Christ by which he justifies through faith, as it is written in 1 Cor. 1:30, 'whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.'"  Biblical Theology states unequivocally that you and I were born sinners, as was Solomon, David, Paul.  The first two chapters of Ecclesiastes reveal the turmoil which came to a man who had lived for, "I made me....I got me....I was great."

In his Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, "The only man who has the right to say that he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Jesus."  Everyone in the Bible, everyone who ever lived, all of us today can only claim "the righteousness Christ", the very, "sanctification and redemption," which are in Jesus Christ Alone when we, "deny himself, and take up the cross...and follow Me."  Only those who want to continue a life of, "I made me," reject this.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I repent of any, "I made me," in my life.  I renew my desire, yea, my plea today that, Holy Spirit, You convict me of any, "I made me."  Amen.
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October/November Mission, October 28-November 15

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Generations Come And Generations Go"

"Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever....All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full....Is there anything of which one can say, 'Look!  This is something new'?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."  (From Ecclesiastes 1)

For 12 days in every quarter I am in Ecclesiastes.  Maybe you can take the journey with me.

Oil, gasoline, nuclear power, microwaves, all, "was here already, long ago...."  Man just had to discover it all.  Be careful of the overuse of the word "creative," as in "that person is very creative."  They created nothing; they rather discovered something.  Maybe the word "invention" should be replaced with "discovered."

"Generations come and generations go," is another way of expressing, "All glory is fleeting," which is from the Latin, "Thus passes the glory of the world."  Most live, however, with the philosophy, "This will never end"------------- but it does. 

Ecclesiastes is an interesting book.  It is the last of Solomon's writings.  The young, witty, full- of-wisdom king who eventually got "involved" with thousands of women and embraced their gods, somewhere along the line came to the conclusions of Ecclesiastes.  It seems to me that Solomon had a "conversion."  Maybe his experience was similar to that of Jacob, who, at the end of his life, was found to, "worship, leaning on...his staff" (Hebrews 11).  Jacob had run out of clever schemes, could no longer take anything, "....from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow" (Genesis 48).  I wonder if there is a depth of worship which comes only when as was said of the prodigal, "when he came to himself."  A friend of mine said to me yesterday that he was no longer ambitious as he once was.  He now was content to "allow" the Lord Jesus to do Hill purposes.  Some times we just have to be "worn out" to fully surrender to Jesus.

You and I know that, "vanity of vanities," and, "Meaningless!  Meaningless!" is the only conclusion one can come to about life apart from Jesus.  Jesus is our "Meaning."  We have all had our Solomon and Jacob "moments," when we knew best.  I just pray for us all that we have our Solomon and Jacob "conclusions."  Without Jesus Christ with/in you and me, we ourselves are, "Vanity of vanities," and, "Meaningless!  Meaningless!"  Yet in Jesus, we are, "the righteousness of God in Him."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I concur with, "the preacher."  Apart from You, there is nothingness.  In You, there is everything-ness.  Amen.
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A special thank you for those who are helping with our upcoming Mission in Germany.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

What Is "Deceitful...And...Passing" And Praiseworthy

Blog: Antipas Prayer Force Devotionals
Post: What Is "Deceitful...And...Passing" And Praiseworthy
Link: http://apfdevotionals.blogspot.com/2017/01/what-is-deceitfulandpassing-and.html

 

What Is "Deceitful...And...Passing" And Praiseworthy

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."  (Proverbs 31:30)

The last scene of the movie, "Patton," shows the general walking his dog on a high plateau in Germany.  He is remembering a custom from ancient Rome which reminds all "conquering heroes" that "all glory is fleeting."  So is life.  Look around; everything you see, "is passing."

Effort to keep people looking young is a multi-billion dollar business, yet some of the people you observe who have had plastic surgery actually look worse than they did before the surgery.  You cannot "turn back the clock," not even with a knife.  Some weeks ago I was about to do my usual sprint across a street.  Half way across I fell.  One of my legs told me, "Yo, you are not 20 or even 60 anymore.  The 'clock' has moved forward; act like it."  

There is, however, something which you and I can still do, no matter how young or how old.  We can be one, "....who fears the Lord...."  What does that mean?  Of course I do not presume to have the full grasp of it.  But I do know that what one "fears" one is very careful with and around it.  For example, people who handle explosives and/or something extremely valuable are very, very careful as to what they do with it.  Now my illustration may "break down" for some, but I can tell you that how I live and walk in Jesus Christ will be very careful, circumspect, "treasure-laying-up" if I am one not given to the, "....deceitful and...passing," but rather one who indeed, "....fears the Lord...."

Everything about me, "is deceitful and...passing," if I do not walk in the, "fear[] of the Lord...."  If, on the other hand, I am one, "....who fears the Lord...," I am one in "The Eternal One."  Whatever, "....is deceitful and...passing," will not control my life, my "ambition."  "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day....For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to "evaluate" every day that which, "....is deceitful and...passing," and that which is Eternal.  Amen.
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October/November Mission to Germany, October 28-November 15.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

The Last Psalm Today

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord!"  (Psalm 150:6)

Cannot be any more clear.  It's as though the Holy Spirit is saying to us all that in all of the foregoing, all of the "highs" and "lows" expressed in the Psalms, there is one conclusion we come to, that which sums up everything in life, "Praise the Lord!"  You have a better suggestion?

Psalm 150 says, "Praise Him for....Praise Him according to....Praise Him with...."  Just keep praising our Father, praising our Lord Jesus Christ praising our Holy Spirit.  We are going through some "new things" in these days, and I said to Sarah this morning, We have much to be thankful for.  That is the Indwelling Christ speaking to us, reminding these "frail children of dust and feeble as frail" to "come up higher."

Years ago our local congregation was going through a battle and the Lord Jesus spoke to my heart, "How would you like to see this from My perspective?"  That took care of it.  All that was left was, "Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!"

Father, in Jesus' Name, Holy Spirit, keep reminding me to look at life from Your perspective.  When I do, I can do nothing but, "Praise Him...," You.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2