I found out last night that one of my former students is in trouble. My heart is broken because I prayed often for the students in my classroom, and I told this particular student more than once that he had great potential and that God had a plan for his life. It reminds me how critical prayer covering is in the lives of our children. So, my post today will be my version of praying God's Word for my children. Will you please take it and make it your own, praying these words for your children, or your husband, or any special person in your life?
Proverbs 2
1 Dear God, please help my son and my daughter accept your words and store up your commands in their hearts.
2 Help them listen to wisdom and apply their hearts to understanding,
3 May they call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4 Make their hearts' desire to look for wisdom as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 I pray earnestly that my children will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 You hold victory in store for the upright, You are a shield to those whose walk is blameless, Help my children to live blameless lives.
8 I beg you to guard the course of my children. Make them just and protect their way encouraging them to be your faithful ones.
9 Then they will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
10 May wisdom enter their hearts, and may knowledge be pleasant to their souls.
11 Grant them discretion to protect them, and understanding to guard them.
12 May Your wisdom save them from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,
13 May my children never leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
14 Never allow them to delight in doing wrong or to rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 Keep them away from those whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
16 Please save my son also from the adulteress, may my daughter never become the wayward wife with seductive words,
17 Help my children to be faithful to their partners and help them uphold the covenants they make before God.
18 Help them realize that adultery leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.
20 Please, God, strengthen my children to walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 May they be counted among the upright who will live in the land, and the blameless who will remain in it;
22 Protect them from the wicked who will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful who will be torn from it.
Pray God's Word out loud for your family and friends. Pray it diligently. Pray it often.
Proverbs 3 is even better than this. I want you to pray it for your loved ones. Insert their names as you pray. Make it personal and talk directly to God about the people in your life who need His guidance. Praying for others is a special privilege, and we do not take it as seriously as we should, myself included.
Thank you, Jesus. Your timing is always perfect.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Proverbs 1
This chapter is broken into three sections: introduction, fear God, find wisdom. The introduction tells us why Solomon wrote Proverbs and what we can hope to gain by following its instruction. The list of benefits is great:
- wisdom,
- discipline,
- understanding,
- insight,
- a disciplined life,
- a prudent life,
- doing what is right, just, and fair,
- prudence,
- knowledge,
- discretion,
- learning,
- guidance,
- understanding the stories and riddles of life.
I think that is proof enough that we should study this book and learn all we can from it. Let’s make this our wish list, our prayer list, as we complete our study of Solomon’s life.
The second segment of the chapter tells us to fear God, to listen to our parents, and to stop wasting our time following people who lead us into trouble. If you want wisdom and knowledge, fear God. If you want to be a fool, disregard wisdom and discipline. We know what it looks like to be foolish. A fool lives a life of chaos, making the same stupid choices over and over again. I hope you are tired of living that kind of life. So, what does it look like to fear God? A God-follower keeps her eyes on what God tells her to do. A God-follower reads her Bible and prays over every decision, no matter how small it may seem. A God-follower makes the hard choices to deny selfish desires in order to live a disciplined life in the areas of relationships, finances, healthy living, etc. A God-follower seeks to glorify God rather than self at every turn. Easy? No. Worth it? Absolutely!
The things we learned from our parents should adorn our lives like jewelry. They are the accessories that complete our lives. They should make us beautiful people. Just like the feeling you have if you forgot to put on your wedding ring or your watch, we should feel naked when we disregard the wisdom passed down to us from generation to generation. LORD, help me teach my children to know Your wisdom. May they never leave home without Your Word of wisdom buried deeply in their souls.
O God, help my son and my daughter not to be enticed by people who will lead them into evil schemes. Keep their eyes wide open so they will not go along with the crowd. Keep their feet away from the path of sin; help them resist the desire to rush into decisions they will regret later in life. Help them to understand that greed steals our lives away. God, may we all come to learn that lesson.
The final portion of this proverb is devoted to Lady Wisdom. She is crying out at the top of her lungs, standing on the wall at the head of the multitudes, crying for us to listen to her voice. Why in the world do we turn a deaf ear to her? Why are we so hard-headed to think we can make our own way in life? If we wait too long, Wisdom will finally say, “Enough is enough. Tough cookies, child.” When we do not heed God’s call in our lives, He will let us die in our selfish choices. Girls, cry out to Jesus today, and He will provide you a place of safety and security, a home free from the fear of evil. Amen. Let it be so in our lives this day, dear Jesus.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Solomon's Song of Songs 1 & 2
Song of Songs = the greatest of songs, just as King of kings = the greatest of kings, and Lord of lords = the greatest of lords. King Solomon wrote this song as a testimony of a true love story. Some scholars would say we should read this as a parable or an allegory. I want to know what’s wrong with reading it as a novel and as an example of how we should love our spouses. I will be writing directly to married women in my post today. Some of you might be shocked or appalled. Sorry. If any of this makes you terribly uncomfortable, feel free to meet us tomorrow in the book of Proverbs.
As a teenager, I got the message that the Song of Solomon was off limits for my young, innocent mind. Somehow I got the impression, though, that sexual intimacy was totally off limits for all Christians. When we teach our young people to save their purity for marriage, we must be sure to teach them that intimacy within marriage is a wonderful thing. As a dear Christian sister in Yuma, Colorado, says, “Sex within marriage is good! You can have it whenever you want it, and it doesn’t cost you anything.” Amen, girl!
Sadly, too many Christian couples are missing the joy of sex because satan has twisted our concept of what God created to be a beautiful act of devotion. Some of you are beet-red with embarrassment just reading the word on the screen, and you cannot believe a minister’s wife is actually blogging about the topic. Girls, that’s why so many of our marriages are in the dumps. Nobody talks about how to allow your husband to enjoy your body. Most of us think our husbands are perverted if they ask for sex more than once a month. God created us in His image, and God gave us the need for physical intimacy. It’s time to enjoy the gift!
Verse 2—Let him kiss me! Do you and your husband ever just sit on the couch or on the pickup seat and kiss? We used to when we were dating. Passionate kissing can stoke the fires! Give it a try.
Verse 3—Your perfume is pleasing. Here’s a fun date idea. Go to the mall together and try all the colognes and perfumes. Splurge and buy your favorites for one another, or if money is tight, save up and surprise your spouse with a gift later.
Verse 3—No wonder the maidens love you! Have you told your husband lately all the reasons you love and appreciate him? Do you point out the things other people admire about him? The rest of the world puts your spouse down most of the time. You be his cheerleader. If you aren’t his cheerleader, someone else will be. Believe me; you don’t want him finding another cheerleader.
Verse 4—Hurry! Take me away to your bed chambers! Say this to your husband tonight after dinner, or slip him a card with the words written on it. I’m guessing the results will be good.
Verse 4—The friends say . . . . You know, not many of us have any friends who encourage us to love our spouses. Most of our friends badmouth their own spouses, or their ex-spouses. Most people make fun of us if we hold hands or kiss in public, and heaven-forbid if we call each other a pet name. Ladies, let’s be encouragers of marriages.
Verses 5-6—Dark am I, yet lovely. The girl was ashamed of her looks because she had to work hard in the fields. Who among us does not have more than one thing we would like to change about how we look? Why are we never happy with the bodies God gave us? If we have straight hair, we want curly. If we have short legs, we want long. If we have breasts, we want them reduced. Good grief! Accept yourself the way God created you. Let your husband enjoy your body.
Verse 7—Tell me. Are you curious about your husband’s work? Do you ask about his day? Do you make an effort to find out where he is working at midday so you can make a surprise visit? Even a quick phone call just to say you were thinking of him can go a long way. Be interested in your spouse.
Verse 8—The friends are encouraging her to pursue him. Way to go, friends!
Verses 9-11—I liken you to a mare. This might not be the compliment you seek from your husband, but think about it. Have you seen how a stallion cannot resist a mare? Girl, that’s what you do to your husband!
Verses 12-14—All the senses are involved here: taste, sight, hearing, touch, smell. When you make love to your husband, pay attention to his senses. Make preparations beforehand to heighten his senses and yours.
Verse 15—How beautiful you are, my darling! When your husband pays you a compliment, do you take it in, or do you rebuff him? Since you and I don’t really like how we look, it is difficult for us to accept words of praise. Stop it! Listen to your husband praise you. Let him know how special you feel when he compliments your appearance.
Verse 16—How handsome you are. Likewise, we need to praise our husbands. Sure, we’ve all gotten older, and your husband may not be in tip-top shape anymore. But he still needs that assurance that you are attracted to him. Be sincere and tell him what draws you to him.
Verses 16-17—Our bed is verdant. Do you make your bedroom attractive, or is there laundry piled everywhere? Make your bedroom a love sanctuary.
Chapter 2—Okay, your assignment is to invite your husband to a love-making session with you. Begin by reading Song of Songs Chapter 2 to one another. Take time to enjoy one another as you read. Strengthen one another with apples and raisins. Allow him to embrace you. You get the picture.
Here’s to an exciting romance between you and your husband! I cheer you on, my friend!!!!
As a teenager, I got the message that the Song of Solomon was off limits for my young, innocent mind. Somehow I got the impression, though, that sexual intimacy was totally off limits for all Christians. When we teach our young people to save their purity for marriage, we must be sure to teach them that intimacy within marriage is a wonderful thing. As a dear Christian sister in Yuma, Colorado, says, “Sex within marriage is good! You can have it whenever you want it, and it doesn’t cost you anything.” Amen, girl!
Sadly, too many Christian couples are missing the joy of sex because satan has twisted our concept of what God created to be a beautiful act of devotion. Some of you are beet-red with embarrassment just reading the word on the screen, and you cannot believe a minister’s wife is actually blogging about the topic. Girls, that’s why so many of our marriages are in the dumps. Nobody talks about how to allow your husband to enjoy your body. Most of us think our husbands are perverted if they ask for sex more than once a month. God created us in His image, and God gave us the need for physical intimacy. It’s time to enjoy the gift!
Verse 2—Let him kiss me! Do you and your husband ever just sit on the couch or on the pickup seat and kiss? We used to when we were dating. Passionate kissing can stoke the fires! Give it a try.
Verse 3—Your perfume is pleasing. Here’s a fun date idea. Go to the mall together and try all the colognes and perfumes. Splurge and buy your favorites for one another, or if money is tight, save up and surprise your spouse with a gift later.
Verse 3—No wonder the maidens love you! Have you told your husband lately all the reasons you love and appreciate him? Do you point out the things other people admire about him? The rest of the world puts your spouse down most of the time. You be his cheerleader. If you aren’t his cheerleader, someone else will be. Believe me; you don’t want him finding another cheerleader.
Verse 4—Hurry! Take me away to your bed chambers! Say this to your husband tonight after dinner, or slip him a card with the words written on it. I’m guessing the results will be good.
Verse 4—The friends say . . . . You know, not many of us have any friends who encourage us to love our spouses. Most of our friends badmouth their own spouses, or their ex-spouses. Most people make fun of us if we hold hands or kiss in public, and heaven-forbid if we call each other a pet name. Ladies, let’s be encouragers of marriages.
Verses 5-6—Dark am I, yet lovely. The girl was ashamed of her looks because she had to work hard in the fields. Who among us does not have more than one thing we would like to change about how we look? Why are we never happy with the bodies God gave us? If we have straight hair, we want curly. If we have short legs, we want long. If we have breasts, we want them reduced. Good grief! Accept yourself the way God created you. Let your husband enjoy your body.
Verse 7—Tell me. Are you curious about your husband’s work? Do you ask about his day? Do you make an effort to find out where he is working at midday so you can make a surprise visit? Even a quick phone call just to say you were thinking of him can go a long way. Be interested in your spouse.
Verse 8—The friends are encouraging her to pursue him. Way to go, friends!
Verses 9-11—I liken you to a mare. This might not be the compliment you seek from your husband, but think about it. Have you seen how a stallion cannot resist a mare? Girl, that’s what you do to your husband!
Verses 12-14—All the senses are involved here: taste, sight, hearing, touch, smell. When you make love to your husband, pay attention to his senses. Make preparations beforehand to heighten his senses and yours.
Verse 15—How beautiful you are, my darling! When your husband pays you a compliment, do you take it in, or do you rebuff him? Since you and I don’t really like how we look, it is difficult for us to accept words of praise. Stop it! Listen to your husband praise you. Let him know how special you feel when he compliments your appearance.
Verse 16—How handsome you are. Likewise, we need to praise our husbands. Sure, we’ve all gotten older, and your husband may not be in tip-top shape anymore. But he still needs that assurance that you are attracted to him. Be sincere and tell him what draws you to him.
Verses 16-17—Our bed is verdant. Do you make your bedroom attractive, or is there laundry piled everywhere? Make your bedroom a love sanctuary.
Chapter 2—Okay, your assignment is to invite your husband to a love-making session with you. Begin by reading Song of Songs Chapter 2 to one another. Take time to enjoy one another as you read. Strengthen one another with apples and raisins. Allow him to embrace you. You get the picture.
Here’s to an exciting romance between you and your husband! I cheer you on, my friend!!!!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Ecclesiastes 12
Ecclesiastes 12 in the Amplified Bible http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%2012;&version=45
Okay, I got the first line, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” In other words, “Get to know God while you still have your wits about you.” But the rest of Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 made little sense to me until I read it in the Amplified Bible. This translation gives more definition to the words in Scripture by placing explanations in brackets. So it helped me to understand this particular Scripture passage by explaining that the “strong men” were the feet and knees, and the “windows” were the eyes, etc. These verses are describing what we will feel like when we are old. (I played basketball last night at youth group; so I am experiencing feeling old firsthand!)
Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, the Teacher has continually discovered how meaningless life is. However, at the end of his life, he still encourages us to get to know God early in life. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Learn the ways of God while you still have life in you, while life is still rewarding. Don’t suffer through this difficult life on earth all by your lonesome. Find the blessing of God in your youth, and your life will be more meaningful than you could ever imagine.
This should certainly be our prayer for our children and grandchildren and any other youth we may have influence over. When Zach and Jacque were born, I began praying that they would come to know Jesus at the earliest possible age. I believe that the Christian walk is a process, and the earlier you get started, the further Jesus can take you on the journey. Coming to know Christ is not a one-time event. He unveils our eyes a little at a time. People who find Jesus as children have the opportunity to learn to trust Him completely, before their hearts are completely bruised by the world, in most cases. When we wait until later in life to trust Christ, we have to take a crash course. So, teach your children to love Jesus while you nurse them in the rocking chair.
Now that our children are becoming teenagers, our prayer is that God will make their faith their own. We don’t want our children to go to church just because we make them. We want them to fall in love with Jesus. We want them to be God-followers because He is drawing them unto Himself. If you or your children begin to doubt the existence of God, pray earnestly that He will prove Himself. He will honor that prayer because He wants us to be certain of our faith. He does not want us to have to continually guess whether He will show up when invited. Our God is dependable. Beg Him to show up to you!
Verses 9-14 summarize what we have read in all of Ecclesiastes. I like the description of the wise words—prodding goads, nails firmly fixed in our minds. Studying Scripture should help us nail down what we believe, don’t you think?
Verse 12 is certainly proving true in this the information age. The vast number of books available these days is absolutely overwhelming. You can find an author for every topic. In fact, you can even become an author yourself! Be careful what you read, and always compare it to Biblical truth.
Verse 13—1. Fear God, 2. Keep His commandments. That is our whole duty. Sounds simple enough. . . .
Okay, I got the first line, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” In other words, “Get to know God while you still have your wits about you.” But the rest of Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 made little sense to me until I read it in the Amplified Bible. This translation gives more definition to the words in Scripture by placing explanations in brackets. So it helped me to understand this particular Scripture passage by explaining that the “strong men” were the feet and knees, and the “windows” were the eyes, etc. These verses are describing what we will feel like when we are old. (I played basketball last night at youth group; so I am experiencing feeling old firsthand!)
Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, the Teacher has continually discovered how meaningless life is. However, at the end of his life, he still encourages us to get to know God early in life. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Learn the ways of God while you still have life in you, while life is still rewarding. Don’t suffer through this difficult life on earth all by your lonesome. Find the blessing of God in your youth, and your life will be more meaningful than you could ever imagine.
This should certainly be our prayer for our children and grandchildren and any other youth we may have influence over. When Zach and Jacque were born, I began praying that they would come to know Jesus at the earliest possible age. I believe that the Christian walk is a process, and the earlier you get started, the further Jesus can take you on the journey. Coming to know Christ is not a one-time event. He unveils our eyes a little at a time. People who find Jesus as children have the opportunity to learn to trust Him completely, before their hearts are completely bruised by the world, in most cases. When we wait until later in life to trust Christ, we have to take a crash course. So, teach your children to love Jesus while you nurse them in the rocking chair.
Now that our children are becoming teenagers, our prayer is that God will make their faith their own. We don’t want our children to go to church just because we make them. We want them to fall in love with Jesus. We want them to be God-followers because He is drawing them unto Himself. If you or your children begin to doubt the existence of God, pray earnestly that He will prove Himself. He will honor that prayer because He wants us to be certain of our faith. He does not want us to have to continually guess whether He will show up when invited. Our God is dependable. Beg Him to show up to you!
Verses 9-14 summarize what we have read in all of Ecclesiastes. I like the description of the wise words—prodding goads, nails firmly fixed in our minds. Studying Scripture should help us nail down what we believe, don’t you think?
Verse 12 is certainly proving true in this the information age. The vast number of books available these days is absolutely overwhelming. You can find an author for every topic. In fact, you can even become an author yourself! Be careful what you read, and always compare it to Biblical truth.
Verse 13—1. Fear God, 2. Keep His commandments. That is our whole duty. Sounds simple enough. . . .
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Ecclesiastes 5
The Teacher is telling us to shut up and listen when we go to the house of God. Phillips, Craig & Dean have a song that plays on K-Love all the time http://www.klove.com/lyrics/lyrics.asp?566 , and it comes from Ecclesiastes 5:2. He is God, and we are not; so why do we chatter on as we do? When I pray, I need to listen to what God has to say to me rather than ordering Him around on my agenda. Verse 6 directs us, “Do not let your mouth lead you into sin.” A word to the wise this fine Wednesday morning!
Verse 10 hits very close to home this week since our retirement accounts took a nose dive as a result of the national economic conditions. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” My husband and I have very opposite spending habits. He likes to describe me as a tightwad, and I label him as an impulse buyer. The fact of the matter is that due to our sinful natures, we are both “lovers of money.” One of us can never have enough in the bank, and the other of us can never have enough to satisfy our wish list at the retail stores. Dear Jesus, may our family find our satisfaction in You today, no matter how much or how little You provide for us materially. May we find our fulfillment in our relationship to the God of Heaven. Forgive us for trying to hoard it all for ourselves. Verse 15, “Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” Trent likes to say that he’s never seen a U-Haul following a hearse to the cemetery.
Verses 18-20 really sum up everything the Teacher has been getting at. Eat, drink, and be merry. If God grants you wealth plus the ability to actually enjoy your possessions, then count it as a double blessing. Think about this. What material blessing have you thanked God for this week? Do you thank Him for your automobile, or do you complain about high gas prices? Do you thank Him for your home, or do you sit and worry about what needs fixing? Do you thank Him for your closet full of clothes, or do you whine that you have nothing to wear? All of us are guilty of wanting more, more, more and being thankful for very little of it when we get it.
Looking forward to hearing your comments!
Verse 10 hits very close to home this week since our retirement accounts took a nose dive as a result of the national economic conditions. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” My husband and I have very opposite spending habits. He likes to describe me as a tightwad, and I label him as an impulse buyer. The fact of the matter is that due to our sinful natures, we are both “lovers of money.” One of us can never have enough in the bank, and the other of us can never have enough to satisfy our wish list at the retail stores. Dear Jesus, may our family find our satisfaction in You today, no matter how much or how little You provide for us materially. May we find our fulfillment in our relationship to the God of Heaven. Forgive us for trying to hoard it all for ourselves. Verse 15, “Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” Trent likes to say that he’s never seen a U-Haul following a hearse to the cemetery.
Verses 18-20 really sum up everything the Teacher has been getting at. Eat, drink, and be merry. If God grants you wealth plus the ability to actually enjoy your possessions, then count it as a double blessing. Think about this. What material blessing have you thanked God for this week? Do you thank Him for your automobile, or do you complain about high gas prices? Do you thank Him for your home, or do you sit and worry about what needs fixing? Do you thank Him for your closet full of clothes, or do you whine that you have nothing to wear? All of us are guilty of wanting more, more, more and being thankful for very little of it when we get it.
Looking forward to hearing your comments!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Ecclesiastes 4
I know you are a forgiving bunch and would understand if I gave you a list of reasons why I have not posted for a week. However, I won’t put you through the list. I will sum it up by saying I have procrastinated because even though I read Ecclesiastes 4 almost every morning this week, I’m just not inspired to write about it. So, I will comment only on a handful of verses. Will you please take the liberty to write about the verses that speak to you, especially if I happen to skip your favorites? Thanks!
Verse 1—The oppressed have no comforter. This really stands out to me, especially since the writer repeated it twice in the same verse. Why do the oppressed have no comforter? God loves them. He wants to be their comforter. You and I try to comfort those who are in need. Why are they not comforted? This verse says their oppressors have power so they can’t or won’t be comforted. Hmmm. Think of someone you have repeatedly tried to help, but they always end up right back where you found them. That someone could even be you and me. Why do they tend to slide backwards? Because their oppression has such power over them. Perhaps we need to help people pray against their oppression while we are trying to meet their physical and emotional needs. I know I get overwhelmed with trying to meet needs over and over again. But I can pray, and prayer is powerful because it invites our all-powerful God to defeat the oppression. Am I way off-base here?
Verses 9-12—Two are better than one. I have always liked this passage. Life is much easier and a lot more fun when you share it with others. I have often said that I would be a horrible single mom because I depend on my husband for so much. I cannot imagine the stress single parents endure, and I know several of my fellow bloggers have been there. I admire your tenacity, and I want to encourage you to hang in there, to take one moment at a time, and to find a trusted friend to walk beside you when the days are long and discouraging.
Two are better than one, and we should all be grateful for our friendships. My natural tendency is to be a loner. I would be content to stay in my house all day, every day, reading, blogging, piddling with paperwork and other stuff that probably will not impact eternity. Friendship takes a conscious effort for me. I have to be careful because I want others to take the first step to initiate friendship. Proverbs 18:24 in the King James Version says we have to be friendly to others if we are to have any friends. So God’s challenge to us today is to get out of our computer chairs and go be a friend to somebody. Let me know how it works out for you, okay!
Verse 1—The oppressed have no comforter. This really stands out to me, especially since the writer repeated it twice in the same verse. Why do the oppressed have no comforter? God loves them. He wants to be their comforter. You and I try to comfort those who are in need. Why are they not comforted? This verse says their oppressors have power so they can’t or won’t be comforted. Hmmm. Think of someone you have repeatedly tried to help, but they always end up right back where you found them. That someone could even be you and me. Why do they tend to slide backwards? Because their oppression has such power over them. Perhaps we need to help people pray against their oppression while we are trying to meet their physical and emotional needs. I know I get overwhelmed with trying to meet needs over and over again. But I can pray, and prayer is powerful because it invites our all-powerful God to defeat the oppression. Am I way off-base here?
Verses 9-12—Two are better than one. I have always liked this passage. Life is much easier and a lot more fun when you share it with others. I have often said that I would be a horrible single mom because I depend on my husband for so much. I cannot imagine the stress single parents endure, and I know several of my fellow bloggers have been there. I admire your tenacity, and I want to encourage you to hang in there, to take one moment at a time, and to find a trusted friend to walk beside you when the days are long and discouraging.
Two are better than one, and we should all be grateful for our friendships. My natural tendency is to be a loner. I would be content to stay in my house all day, every day, reading, blogging, piddling with paperwork and other stuff that probably will not impact eternity. Friendship takes a conscious effort for me. I have to be careful because I want others to take the first step to initiate friendship. Proverbs 18:24 in the King James Version says we have to be friendly to others if we are to have any friends. So God’s challenge to us today is to get out of our computer chairs and go be a friend to somebody. Let me know how it works out for you, okay!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
Tell me honestly, do you really truly believe this passage of Scripture? Do you really think there is a time to die, to uproot, to kill, to tear down, to weep and mourn? I get the feeling that as spoiled Americans we think life should be a bed of roses and that we should endure absolutely no hardship whatsoever. However, God is telling us in Ecclesiastes 3 that hard times are simply a part of life. So, we have to take the bad with the good and quit griping about it. We want to blame all the bad stuff on a mean, uncaring God, and we want to take credit when things in life are successful. Uh uh. That's not how my Bible reads. "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecc. 3:11) You and I have absolutely no control over the events in our lives. God has it planned from beginning to end, and you and I cannot even fathom His plans. So, Solomon's advice is to be happy and do the best you can and leave the rest in God's hands.
Okay, I'm not quite sure where that soap box came from because I had not planned to write that first paragraph. So, if the shoe fits wear it. If not, then maybe you'll like the rest of this post a little better.
If you have time, will you read this chapter in The Message version? It just does a terrific job of putting it into every day language that you and I may relate to a little better. Then, will you respond to this post by writing about the verse that describes where you are in life right now? At some point in our lives, we will each experience all of the events and emotions described in Ecclesiastes 3. I'm just curious to know where God has you right now.
I am right in the middle of verse 6--"a time to keep and a time to throw away." I have recently packed up my entire house to move from Colorado to Oklahoma. (Yeah, I know, everybody's jaw drops here in Oklahoma when I tell them we left cool, colorful Colorado. Because every Oklahoman vacations in Colorado.) Anyway, I have had to make countless decisions about what to keep and what to throw away. And I thought I had done a good job of getting rid of excess cargo, but I have taken three more good-sized boxes to Goodwill since we arrived. What I have found, though, is that keeping and throwing away does not apply only to material belongings. It also applies to attitudes and thoughts and old habits and the way we do things. In what areas of my life would God like permission to perform a good housecleaning? What am I holding on to in my heart that needs pitched in the garbage?
Before leaving this chapter, I also want to comment on the writer's thoughts in verses 18-21. Did the writer actually think that we are no different than animals? Traditional Jewish teaching did not emphasize life after death because God's promises to the Israelites in the Old Testament focused on material blessings for obedience. When Jesus introduced the new covenant in His blood, He promised eternal life. Solomon did not have the benefit of knowing Jesus. He was looking forward to the Messiah. He had no assurance of life after death any more than his pet dog had. You and I, however, know differently. Jesus promised us in John 3:16 that God loves us and that if we believe in His Son we will not perish but have eternal life. In John 10:28, Jesus said He gives us eternal life and no one can snatch us out of His hand. John also tells us in 20:31 "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." God wants us to know that we know that we know that we can live with Him for eternity in heaven. I'm gonna be there! Are you?
Tell me honestly, do you really truly believe this passage of Scripture? Do you really think there is a time to die, to uproot, to kill, to tear down, to weep and mourn? I get the feeling that as spoiled Americans we think life should be a bed of roses and that we should endure absolutely no hardship whatsoever. However, God is telling us in Ecclesiastes 3 that hard times are simply a part of life. So, we have to take the bad with the good and quit griping about it. We want to blame all the bad stuff on a mean, uncaring God, and we want to take credit when things in life are successful. Uh uh. That's not how my Bible reads. "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecc. 3:11) You and I have absolutely no control over the events in our lives. God has it planned from beginning to end, and you and I cannot even fathom His plans. So, Solomon's advice is to be happy and do the best you can and leave the rest in God's hands.
Okay, I'm not quite sure where that soap box came from because I had not planned to write that first paragraph. So, if the shoe fits wear it. If not, then maybe you'll like the rest of this post a little better.
If you have time, will you read this chapter in The Message version? It just does a terrific job of putting it into every day language that you and I may relate to a little better. Then, will you respond to this post by writing about the verse that describes where you are in life right now? At some point in our lives, we will each experience all of the events and emotions described in Ecclesiastes 3. I'm just curious to know where God has you right now.
I am right in the middle of verse 6--"a time to keep and a time to throw away." I have recently packed up my entire house to move from Colorado to Oklahoma. (Yeah, I know, everybody's jaw drops here in Oklahoma when I tell them we left cool, colorful Colorado. Because every Oklahoman vacations in Colorado.) Anyway, I have had to make countless decisions about what to keep and what to throw away. And I thought I had done a good job of getting rid of excess cargo, but I have taken three more good-sized boxes to Goodwill since we arrived. What I have found, though, is that keeping and throwing away does not apply only to material belongings. It also applies to attitudes and thoughts and old habits and the way we do things. In what areas of my life would God like permission to perform a good housecleaning? What am I holding on to in my heart that needs pitched in the garbage?
Before leaving this chapter, I also want to comment on the writer's thoughts in verses 18-21. Did the writer actually think that we are no different than animals? Traditional Jewish teaching did not emphasize life after death because God's promises to the Israelites in the Old Testament focused on material blessings for obedience. When Jesus introduced the new covenant in His blood, He promised eternal life. Solomon did not have the benefit of knowing Jesus. He was looking forward to the Messiah. He had no assurance of life after death any more than his pet dog had. You and I, however, know differently. Jesus promised us in John 3:16 that God loves us and that if we believe in His Son we will not perish but have eternal life. In John 10:28, Jesus said He gives us eternal life and no one can snatch us out of His hand. John also tells us in 20:31 "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." God wants us to know that we know that we know that we can live with Him for eternity in heaven. I'm gonna be there! Are you?
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Ecclesiastes 2
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:2)
King Solomon had enough money to buy everything he wanted for himself and all his wives. He had enough money to go anywhere and do anything his heart desired. Yet he was not satisfied. "Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." (Ecc. 11:2) So why in the world do you and I try to store up wealth? What do we hope to gain? "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
In Ecclesiastes 2:17, the writer says he hated life. I wouldn't go quite that far, but there are many times when I tell Jesus that I am ready for His return. I get tired of fussing over details here on earth, and I'm ready to skip straight to heaven. Do you agree, or do you look forward to long life?
The reason the writer gives for hating life is because he has to leave everything to his heirs, and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? He's right. We can't take it with us, and we can't control what generations after us will do with their inheritance.
Ecclesiates 2:24-26 sums it all up, "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Everything good comes from God, so we should spend our lives doing our best to please Him. What have I done today that would bring glory to Christ?
King Solomon had enough money to buy everything he wanted for himself and all his wives. He had enough money to go anywhere and do anything his heart desired. Yet he was not satisfied. "Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." (Ecc. 11:2) So why in the world do you and I try to store up wealth? What do we hope to gain? "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
In Ecclesiastes 2:17, the writer says he hated life. I wouldn't go quite that far, but there are many times when I tell Jesus that I am ready for His return. I get tired of fussing over details here on earth, and I'm ready to skip straight to heaven. Do you agree, or do you look forward to long life?
The reason the writer gives for hating life is because he has to leave everything to his heirs, and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? He's right. We can't take it with us, and we can't control what generations after us will do with their inheritance.
Ecclesiates 2:24-26 sums it all up, "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Everything good comes from God, so we should spend our lives doing our best to please Him. What have I done today that would bring glory to Christ?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Ecclesiastes 1
Ecclesiastes--what a fun word, huh! In Greek it means preacher or teacher. Most biblical scholars attribute this book to King Solomon even though he is not specifically named in the book.
Meaningless! Meaningless! This is obviously the theme of Ecclesiastes. Dear Jesus, please do not let my life be completely meaningless. Help me find enjoyment, and help me have an impact on the people I meet. Most of all, help me to live my life glorifying You! Living for God makes our lives eternally meaningful! Woohoo!
To sum it all up, the book of Ecclesiastes tells us life ain't fair. Amen to that. But the Teacher also says we might as well get over it and enjoy life as much as we can cuz it may be all we get. Amen to that too. I once heard a preacher on CSN radio say that we should pray for God to bless unbelievers because this earthly life is all the blessing they will get. So, if you don't know Jesus, and you are waiting for life to get good, I urge you to begin a personal relationship with the God who created you. He is the ticket to the best life for all eternity!
Ecclesiastes 1:4, 11--"Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow." I am a firm believer in passing on our godly heritage to the generations who will follow us. So these verses really bug me, but I know they are true. I once had a seminar speaker ask us to list the full names of all our great grandparents. Can you do it? I can get a couple of their first or last names, but that's about it. I don't know all of them, and I know very very little about their lives. Were they Christians? Yeah, maybe. Do I know their stories of coming to Jesus? No. How about you? Any ideas about how we can make sure that our kids pass on our stories to our grandkids who will pass it on to our great-grandkids who will pass it on to our great-great-grandkids and so on?
Ecc. 1:18--"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." This seems sort of backwards to me. I'm always trying to gain wisdom and knowledge. Should I stop if all it will bring me is sorrow and grief? I feel like the Teacher is saying that as we grow wiser, our responsibility and burdens grow too. And if we are maturing as Christians at the same time, then we should be glad to shoulder the load and help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It's not all about me . . . hmmmm.
I really had planned to blog Ecclesiastes 1-5 & 12 all at once. But I'm fairly certain this one chapter is enough for us to process today. I'll pick up on chapter 2 tomorrow.
Meaningless! Meaningless! This is obviously the theme of Ecclesiastes. Dear Jesus, please do not let my life be completely meaningless. Help me find enjoyment, and help me have an impact on the people I meet. Most of all, help me to live my life glorifying You! Living for God makes our lives eternally meaningful! Woohoo!
To sum it all up, the book of Ecclesiastes tells us life ain't fair. Amen to that. But the Teacher also says we might as well get over it and enjoy life as much as we can cuz it may be all we get. Amen to that too. I once heard a preacher on CSN radio say that we should pray for God to bless unbelievers because this earthly life is all the blessing they will get. So, if you don't know Jesus, and you are waiting for life to get good, I urge you to begin a personal relationship with the God who created you. He is the ticket to the best life for all eternity!
Ecclesiastes 1:4, 11--"Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow." I am a firm believer in passing on our godly heritage to the generations who will follow us. So these verses really bug me, but I know they are true. I once had a seminar speaker ask us to list the full names of all our great grandparents. Can you do it? I can get a couple of their first or last names, but that's about it. I don't know all of them, and I know very very little about their lives. Were they Christians? Yeah, maybe. Do I know their stories of coming to Jesus? No. How about you? Any ideas about how we can make sure that our kids pass on our stories to our grandkids who will pass it on to our great-grandkids who will pass it on to our great-great-grandkids and so on?
Ecc. 1:18--"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." This seems sort of backwards to me. I'm always trying to gain wisdom and knowledge. Should I stop if all it will bring me is sorrow and grief? I feel like the Teacher is saying that as we grow wiser, our responsibility and burdens grow too. And if we are maturing as Christians at the same time, then we should be glad to shoulder the load and help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It's not all about me . . . hmmmm.
I really had planned to blog Ecclesiastes 1-5 & 12 all at once. But I'm fairly certain this one chapter is enough for us to process today. I'll pick up on chapter 2 tomorrow.
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