relationships (Ecclesiastes 7:15-24) Priorities and Moderation

(Ecclesiastes 7:15-24) 

15 I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous person who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked person who prolongs his life in his wickedness. 16 Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp one thing while not letting go of the other; for one who fears God comes out with both of them.

19 Wisdom strengthens a wise person more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Indeed, there is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and does not ever sin. 21 Also, do not take seriously all the words which are spoken, so that you do not hear your servant cursing you, 22 for you know that even you have cursed others many times as well.

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but wisdom was far from me. 24 What has been is remote and very mysterious. Who can discover it?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Life in moderation!  We definitely need to balance out all our relationships, responsibilities and leisure plans with wisdom.  I recently saw an illustration that brilliantly portrayed where the Lord should be placed in our list of priorities.  I've always known that regarding my relationships, God should be first in my life, then my spouse, then my children, then the church family, family and friends...  Well, this illustration had a sign post, with signs nailed onto it, top to bottom, BUT it didn't have God at the top.  RATHER, God WAS the sign post!!!  (Mind blown!!!)  Therefore, with the Lord at the center of everything, as our foundation and pillar of strength, and everything attached to Him, He can help us prioritize, as well as be a part of each relationship, task and event!

When we have God managing all the things in life for us, everything will go much smoother, even and especially when life gets bumpy!  So always, we should be going to the Lord for His strength, guidance and help, in everything.  But then, how does that jibe with verse 16.  Well, I have two ways this makes complete sense.  

There was an occasion when I really wanted to know what the Bible said on a specific topic - immediately!!!  It is a good thing that I want to know what God, Himself, says, and not what someone else says based on their personal research.  But, what happened was, I spent hours and hours a day, from morning to night, reading through the Bible and taking notes, all the while neglecting my family and my household tasks.  Reading and studying the Bible is a very excellent thing, but not to the point that one neglects other important and necessary things.

Another way we can get off track while pursuing excellence, is when we become "too righteous" - meaning - self-righteous.  I've seen this happen with a group of people that got caught up in a "Christian" cult.  They were very well meaning, with very good intentions, but they were wrong when they tried to look more righteous than Jesus!  It became a competition... like: who could be more convicted of something, so they could then compare and judge and put others down, while looking better than everyone else.  So many things became sinful based on their personal preferences... even though these things were not sinful at all.  They then had to take the Bible out of context in order to support and justify their personal "rightness".  It became excessive to the point of stifling their own lifestyles, while causing weaker believers to stumble, leave the church, and even leave their faith.  

I could go on and on about just how dangerous that path can become, but what we need to know is that as believers, we are not to worry or fear, or cause anyone else to worry or fear.  And we are not to judge!  We are not the righteousness-police.  It is not our job to stamp out sin in other people's lives. Verses 21-22 talks about this.  Another way to put this is found in Matthew 7:3.  We shouldn't look at the speck in our brother's eye, when we have a speck in our own.  

No one is perfect!  And we do not know everything (even Solomon, the wisest known man on earth, admitted that he couldn't achieve any great level of wisdom).  So we most certainly cannot know what is in another person's heart or mind.  Only God can judge a person's motives for doing or saying anything.  Therefore, we are told to be gracious and forgiving towards one another, since God, Himself, is also very gracious and forgiving.  

Because of God's forgiveness and grace, believers are free from sin.  This is not a license to sin.  Besides, wisdom reminds us that there will be consequences here on earth.  As well, because we love the Lord, we will not want to sin!  But because we will still sin, even when we don't want to, we all continue to need God's help!

Part of getting God's help is to understand verse 18, where Solomon tells us that we need both (God's) wisdom and (God's) righteousness working together.  If we are studying the Bible, but we are not putting into practice what we have learned, what good is that?  And if we are trying to be righteous, but only based on how our limited knowledge sees appropriate, what is that?  Therefore, in our personal relationship with the Lord, it is all about getting to know Him and His word better, and then asking Him for help in applying and putting into practice His righteousness.

relationships (Ecclesiastes 7:10-14) Reconciliation With Certain Hope

(Ecclesiastes 7:10-14) 

10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?”
     For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.
11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good,
     And an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection,
     But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom keeps its possessors alive.
13 Consider the work of God,
     For who is able to straighten what He has bent?
14 On the day of prosperity be happy,
     But on the day of adversity consider:
     God has made the one as well as the other 
     So that a person will not discover anything that will come after him.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It was never part of God's plan that there would be sorrow, sin or punishment.  Although because He is omniscient, He knew this would all happen, and that He would have to come in flesh to accomplish His work on the cross in order to provide a solution.  Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the one fruit that was forbidden, which introduced a legacy of sin:  pride, selfishness, deception, division, destruction, death and broken relationships (with each other, but most importantly with God).

Therefore, now, we all will have good times as well as times where we will struggle.  And all of it will be pointless, unless one has wisely and humbly gone before the Lord to repent and accept His forgiveness and His free gift of eternal life, which is to reconcile with the Lord in order to embrace a close, personal relationship with Him.  This is all a package deal - which cannot be returned, lost or taken away!  So for the believer, our future has a certain eternal hope which comes with an inheritance of God's family, wealth, joy and perfection.

Until we get to heaven, we have this life here on earth that comes with purpose.  While some people lament the past, which is a form of an escape, and other people seek to know their future, which is an arrogant attempt to quash their insecurities and uncertainties, believers are to live in the present.  And as we live in the present, our obedience to the Lord's will is an outpouring of our love for Him, and a result of our ongoing personal relationship with God, who changes us from the inside out.  And as we allow, He continues to work for us, in us and through us, no matter what is happening with us, to us, or around us.  

If and when we are experiencing good times, we should be thankful and enjoy these times, because God is so good!  When we are thankful and content in the Lord, we will not long for "the good ol' days".  (Keep in mind that our memories can be so very selective, anyway!)  And when we trust the Lord in all things, knowing that He knows the future, and knowing that He wants the best for us, and He has given us everything we need to know in His word, we don't have to know what the future holds.  (If we did, we would most likely stop trusting in Him to help us and guide us!)

If and when we are experiencing struggles and challenges, we should still be thankful, because God is so good!  We should also reflect on what He is teaching us in those moments, trusting and knowing that He has a plan for us.  We might not understand it right there and then, or ever, but we can still know and look forward to the Lord doing something truly amazing!  And when we are truly trusting in the Lord for His guidance, strength and help, we can be confident and courageous to carry out whatever it is that God has in mind for us, because it is not us doing it, but it is God doing it for us!

relationships (Ecclesiastes 7:1-9) Broken Relationships and Healing

(Ecclesiastes 7:1-9) 

1   A good name is better than good oil,
     And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.
2   It is better to go to a house of mourning 
     Than to go to a house of feasting,
     Because that is the end of every person,
     And the living takes it to heart.
3   Sorrow is better than laughter,
     For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4   The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
     While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5   It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise person 
     Than for one to listen to the song of fools.
6   For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot,
     So is the laughter of the fool;
     And this too is futility.
7   For oppression makes a wise person look foolish,
     And a bribe corrupts the heart.
8   The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
     Patience of spirit is better than arrogance of spirit.

9   Do not be eager in your spirit to be angry,
     For anger resides in the heart of fools.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Life is hard!  And without God, it is not only much harder, but it is all pointless, and it is only what it is.  The afterlife will not be any better.  Remember, it is a place that is completely void of God, which includes all goodness, or anything good.  So then why would it be better to be in a house of mourning?  Well, it is there we are reminded that there is death, and that one day, we too will die.  And this forces us to question many things, including:  Where are we going?  What have we actually accomplished?  And, what does life mean, anyway?  

For those of us who have placed our faith in the Lord and already know that we will be going to heaven, we will be asking ourselves questions such as:  What will people say of me at my funeral?  Is there any unfinished business that I need to take care of, or any broken relationship that needs mending?  

Because of God's grace, I can never lose my salvation, but God will only reward me for good deeds that I have done in His strength and to His glory.  But what does that really look like?  Have I been serving the Lord and others in the way that I should have or could have?  Where and how can I improve my walk with the Lord?  This kind of reflection and process is helpful.  Bringing our focus back to the Lord will always bring a renewed and refreshing comfort and joy to our hearts!

There are other kinds of "sorrow" that we can experience, like when we have slipped into some sort of bad habit, and someone who loves us and cares about us, tries to talk to us about it.  If we are wise, we will take that to heart.  Yes, it hurts!  But when we go to the Lord to confess and allow Him to heal us, and to guide us towards reconciling relationships, and toward right behaviors, through His righteousness... our load will literally become lighter.  

Just like when we injure our bodies physically, there is pain in healing.  Therefore, it is foolish to ignore any bad habits and behaviors, because our conscience will be bothered.  And in order to make that feel better, we either have to humbly go to the Lord to reconcile things;  or we have to develop a defiant and arrogant attitude in order to do more things to cover up and mask the bad behavior.  The latter will only lead to more arrogance and more bad behaviors.  And because we are trying to deaden the pain and the guilt, we won't even realize how much we are hurting ourselves and all of those around us!

Imagine if we have broken a leg, but we decide not to let a doctor reset it and put it in a cast for weeks on end, just to avoid all that pain and annoyance.  Instead, to deaden the pain, we start taking the strongest pain killers possible.  And then, we simply limp through life, doing what we can in our own strength, and with what we will call grit.  But this grit is actually anger, and we will only become angrier.  And even though we are actually angry at ourselves, to justify our bad decisions, we will turn our anger towards others and towards God.  And the things that we might accomplish, we will arrogantly state how we managed to do that - all on our own - with insurmountable challenges!

The longer we try to ignore or mask issues, the worse things will get.  And the longer we wait to deal with an issue, the more pain there will be when we finally go to fix it.  But it is never too late to heal!  

We have to know just how patient and just how compassionate our loving God is!  And no problem is too big for Him to tackle!  As the great Physician, He knows exactly what we need and how to heal what is broken.  Our situations might even require that "a bone be rebroken" in order to set it straight.  So there can be pain in the healing process, but the Lord does NOT desire to punish us, He desires that we have a close, personal relationship with Him, where we run to Him for help and healing, in everything!!!

relationships (Ecclesiastes 6:1-12) The Relationship of Eternity

(Ecclesiastes 6:1-12)

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread among mankind: 2 a person to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to enjoy these things, but a foreigner enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he, 4 for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness. 5 It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet it is better off than that man. 6 Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things—do not all go to one and the same place?”

7 All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and striving after wind.

10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with the one who is mightier than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? 12 For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person what will happen after him under the sun?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

All good things are from God, and for right now, even the wicked are able to have good things.  But without God in their lives, they will still feel empty and dissatisfied, no matter how many family members or friends one might have.  And whatever one might acquire here on earth, it will never be enough, and it will all be lost.  As for power, people can seek to build themselves up in their own strength, but there will always be someone stronger, who may or may not take advantage of you.  

As verse 9 alludes to, people usually tend to think that "the grass is greener on the other side" - that - somehow, there must be more.  But more of what?  More of the same, will only be more of exactly the same.  If only one will open their eyes to see the truth that has always been right there in front of us! 

Then, looking closely at verse 10, there is more truth behind its statement.  In the grandest of scales, God has always been, and God is Sovereign.  There is no one more powerful than He.  In fact, He is stronger than all powers put together.  And everyone will have to stand before Him as their judge, whether to be judged by one's sins, or judged according to good deeds done with right movies.  The latter will only happen if one has humbly accepted the Lord Jesus Christ's forgiveness, which is His free gift of salvation.

Even though the Lord is all-powerful, He still will not force Himself on anyone, because He is good, and He loves us.  If one does not want a personal relationship with Him, then one is also rejecting all of the good things that are from God after one dies.  But in seeking out a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we will find forgiveness, protection, strength, wisdom, nourishment, fulfillment, joy and peace, as well as eternal security, treasures, perfection and satisfaction.  The decision is ours to make... a relationship with the fallen, broken world, or a relationship with the God of eternal life, love and goodness.

relationships (Ecclesiastes 5:1-20) To Go With or Against the Flow

(Ecclesiastes 5:1-20)

Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much effort, and the voice of a fool through many words.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! 5 It is better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your speech cause you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, fear God.

8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.

10 One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. 11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look at them? 12 The sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.

13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth being hoarded by its owner to his detriment. 14 When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. 15 As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person is born, so will he die. What then is the advantage for him who labors for the wind? 17 All his life he also eats in darkness with great irritation, sickness, and anger.

18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting:  to eat, to drink, and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given him the opportunity to enjoy them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not often call to mind the years of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Even when people think they want to believe in God, they desire to dictate how they want it to work.  And in that desire, people try to make deals with God, like, "IF You do this for me, THEN I will give... or do this or that..."  But this is putting oneself first, and it is selfish and prideful.  And in all of this, then, we should not be surprised that the world takes advantage of the weak and vulnerable while they seek after money, power and pleasure, yet are never satisfied.  But in God's kingdom, everything is flip-flopped.  So our question becomes, do we go with the flow of the world, or do we go against that flow, and go to the Lord, to walk with Him?

The key is to love the Lord - over and above everyone and everything else.  In our love for Him, we will desire what He desires:  to work hard to God's glory, to give generously to Him and others, and to serve Him and each other.  By using the spiritual gifts that God has given us, we can enjoy working, giving and serving, and then when God blesses us, we can enjoy the fruit of our labor.  We should never feel guilty about that, because these good things are also a gift from God.

Verse 11 talks about consuming good and increasing.  Putting that into the perspective of salvation, as we accept Jesus into our hearts, He will change us from the inside out, and guide us and bless our efforts.  And just like we have to physically nourish ourselves every day, having devotions every day is spiritual nourishment.  To consume God's words daily will increase our strength, wisdom and our trust in the Lord!  It is not about do's and don'ts.  It is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord, who loves and cares about us, and wants the best for us!

relationships (Ecclesiastes 4:1-16) Finding and Experiencing Oneness

(Ecclesiastes 4:1-16)

Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them. 2 So I congratulated the dead who are already dead, more than the living who are still living. 3 But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is futility and striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

7 Then I looked again at futility under the sun. 8 There was a man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, “And for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is futility, and it is an unhappy task.

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; 10 for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up! 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

13 A poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction— 14 for he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who replaces him. 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is futility and striving after wind.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Whether rich or poor, all our hard work and income is only temporary.  Although we were created with a purpose to work and find joy in that work, it will only be that way when we work to God's glory in His strength and wisdom.  As we do this, we will be storing up treasures in heaven for all eternity.  And in our thankfulness for what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives, we will feel "rich" and content, only because it is the Lord who satisfies our heart and completes us.

Even though people are fallible and will let us down, we were also created to have relationships.  But the most important relationship is the one we can have with Jesus.  1 Corinthians 6:17 says "...the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him."  As we strive to grow closer to the Lord and live in His will, we should attend church to develop meaningful relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  This is our spiritual family.  We are meant to help, serve, equip and encourage one another, so that together we are continuously growing closer to God, in His unity.

How much more should we find this in a spouse.  Believers are told to date and marry another believer for a reason.  The goal of sex is not to experience pleasure, it is all about experiencing oneness, while the outcome of that will be pleasurable.  And so, how much closer will we be when both husband and wife have God as their personal Savior, Lord and King, and have Him as a firm foundation.  As verse 12 explains, "a cord with three strands is not quickly torn apart".

The closer we all grow to the Lord, the closer we grow to each other.  Life without God means nothing.  He is the only one who can bring us oneness, purpose and satisfaction in life.

relationships (Ecclesiastes 3:1-22) Decision Time

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-22)

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—

2   A time to give birth and a time to die;
     A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3   A time to kill and a time to heal;
     A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4   A time to weep and a time to laugh;
     A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5   A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
     A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6   A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
     A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7   A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
     A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8   A time to love and a time to hate;
     A time for war and a time for peace.

9 What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to occupy themselves.

11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it. And God has so worked, that people will fear Him. 15 That which is, is what has already been, and that which will be has already been; and God seeks what has passed by.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. 18 I said to myself regarding the sons of mankind, “God is testing them in order for them to see that they are as animals, they to themselves.” 19 For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the spirit of the sons of mankind ascends upward and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

There are some people who prefer to believe in evolution which says that we are all here by accident so we just have to make the best of our time right now.  And in this theory one's value and fate would be the same as any animal.  

And while people have a sense that they are meant to live forever, they are on the constant hunt for perpetual youth and/or a pathway to some sort of utopia, trying to do the best they can in their own strength and wisdom.

Yet, people without God will continue searching in vain for things to fulfill them, and give them a sense of purpose and belonging.  But nothing of this world will ever satisfy, and it will never be enough, because all of it is only temporary and fallible.  

So where is our hope found?  Even though many will reject Him, the Lord gives all of us free choice.  But with free choice, there has to be options;  and with options, there has to be a freedom to act upon our choices.  So, for now, we do live in a very fallen, broken world.  We are all born with a sinful nature, in need of saving.  

This is our only hope!  The Lord Jesus!  He is the only answer to the pursuit of eternal life, joy and purpose!  The Lord desires that all people come to know Him, because He is a God of love, and desires to have a personal relationship with us.  In this, and only in this, we will be fulfilled and satisfied, because only God is eternal, infallible and unchanging.  So then, when we develop relationships with others who also have a personal relationship with Jesus, these will be stronger and deeper.

In God's sovereignty, nothing happens without Him allowing it to happen.  And because He is all-knowing, He knows exactly who will put their faith in Him.  Therefore, God will never will allow anyone to die before they have had fair opportunity to make a decision, and have made their decision.  Also, if there is something that someone is to do while here on earth, the Lord will never allow that person to die before their time.  So, while we are still here on earth, we have to know that God has a purpose for us!  

While there is a time and place for everything, God will give us the wisdom and guidance to know exactly what it is we should be doing.  But always, we are to hate sin and injustice.  And always, we are to fear and love God, and then love people.  

In our godly relationships that we will find with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we will cry and mourn together, and we will dance and celebrate together, for and to God's glory, because everything we have is a gift from Him!  And while there will be good times, there will be various times of tests, trials and temptations, but the Lord will always be with us to give wisdom and guide us.  And as we strive to live obediently in His will and in His strength, He will continue to bless us with fulfillment, purpose, peace and joy.