James 4:6 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."This is the foundation to being able to receive grace.
As far as treating people, are they simple, foolish or evil? Applying wisdom i.e the book of proverbs to figure out what you are dealing with is a good start. If people meet the conditions of being able to receive grace, i.e humility then we have a conversation and we can "faithfully administer God's grace in its various forms." I peter 4:10. Then God's wisdom through prayer and hard work follows.
Here is a brief overview of how I see God implementing his grace.
When we think of Law and Grace we can easily drop into just the Pauline views on the subject rather than take a whole bible view. If we take a broader approach, we can learn more about how God applied law and grace to the whole human race.
God's process was to begin with a relationship in the Garden. God was with them, God was near. That got disrupted to say the least, now we were on the trail of choices and consequences, then structure with ten commandments and Levitical laws. All of these ordinances were to visibly show that God wanted to live among them. We still didn't get the meaning of God's grace and we see that "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. (Jonah 2:8) This sums up the experience of the Israelite/Struggle and walk with God.
Now, we move to a situation that God has to send Jesus in person to walk and dwell among us. That still wasn't enough - we crucified him! Thankfully, God raised him from the dead so that Jesus continues to live, and that favor of God gets extended to us through his mercy and compassion. God sealed us with His Holy Spirit and now we can administer the grace we have received.
I think that we do people an injustice when we require them to act differently than what they show themselves to understand. Rules and laws are there for our/their protection when we don't have that knowledge or forethought within ourselves. When we learn the basic rules, its only then we progress to applying the principles those rules were based on.
Isaiah 28:9-11 "Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk,to those just taken from the breast? For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule;a little here, a little there." Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people"
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. Jonah 2:8
God will teach us, the question is will we learn?
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
On Being Too God centered: are you sitting comfortably?
This a thought provoked by another blogger imonk on the subject of being too God centered.
Sometimes it seems we are like children trying to get the Fathers attention with our religious antics, or chasing 'heavenly butterflies' rather than sitting with Jesus in heavenly places looking with "compassion on all He has made".
The question I ask, what are the Religious antics in my life? Maybe the answer is not to ask the question and get side tracked but rather love Him with all our heart soul mind and strength. After all our positing this is what really counts. The depth of our love for God will be reflected in how we do the second part of the great commandment, "and love your neighbour as yourself".
Here is an old Testament discipleship style..
1 Chronicles 28:8-10 "So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."
Unfortunately the wisest man on earth got somewhat distracted and summed up life as Everything Is Meaningless. But having said that, there is a redemptive insight to his wanderings in Ecc 2:24-26 "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".
So what do we say to being too God-centered? It's how we define what is being God-centered. What was God's centered approach toward us ie the world? Wasn't it to "dwell among us" by sending Jesus. Shouldn't we do likewise and dwell among people like us who don't know their way to the Father and show them the treasure of forgiveness and share the "ministry of reconciliation" we have found?
The Father's focus was on a fallen world and we bring glory to him by administering his grace however we may, by music, art, culture or simple conversation.
Now to do some holy housework!
Sometimes it seems we are like children trying to get the Fathers attention with our religious antics, or chasing 'heavenly butterflies' rather than sitting with Jesus in heavenly places looking with "compassion on all He has made".
The question I ask, what are the Religious antics in my life? Maybe the answer is not to ask the question and get side tracked but rather love Him with all our heart soul mind and strength. After all our positing this is what really counts. The depth of our love for God will be reflected in how we do the second part of the great commandment, "and love your neighbour as yourself".
Here is an old Testament discipleship style..
1 Chronicles 28:8-10 "So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.
"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."
Unfortunately the wisest man on earth got somewhat distracted and summed up life as Everything Is Meaningless. But having said that, there is a redemptive insight to his wanderings in Ecc 2:24-26 "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".
So what do we say to being too God-centered? It's how we define what is being God-centered. What was God's centered approach toward us ie the world? Wasn't it to "dwell among us" by sending Jesus. Shouldn't we do likewise and dwell among people like us who don't know their way to the Father and show them the treasure of forgiveness and share the "ministry of reconciliation" we have found?
The Father's focus was on a fallen world and we bring glory to him by administering his grace however we may, by music, art, culture or simple conversation.
Now to do some holy housework!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Gideon & Weapons of Warfare
1. Worship See Gideon judges 6&7 He encountered the "Lord of Peace" and made an acceptable sacrifice to him. That was his inspiration for the battle ahead.
2. Know your enemy. Judges 7&8 Listen to battle intelligence. Be what the enemy fears....
faith that has knelt at the altar of sacrifice can stand firm against the wiles of the devil.
"Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good" Romans 12:21
3. Strategies that surprise are more effective than a show of power or physical strength. Gideon used light and broken vessels! (torches and pieces of pottery)
4. Deals with the side battles within the camp, the "sour grapes" of others not invited to the
fight, and combats the "strongholds" of conceit and provoking to envy.
5. Have a healthy disregard for popularity and the opinion of the crowd. "Don't believe what you hear, and half of what you see" as Frodo from Lord of the Rings would say. Consider this.... Gideon's oldest son was afraid to kill the captured enemy because he was so young, yet the people wanted Gideon's family this young son and his son - not yet born, to rule over them! It seems absurd, but there again, when we look at the treatment of Jesus, the crowd
calls for a crown for Jesus one minute but by the end of the week crying for his cruxification.
6. Imitate the hallmark of Christ. His Humility. We see the end result of conceit at the end of the Story of Gideon. Conceit is an interesting word meaning in this context exaggerated sense of self-importance. While Gideon refused to rule over the Isrealites, he did nevertheless, want to make a lasting name for himself. Isn't it interesting that Gideon's ephod became a snare for his family?
Philippians 2:2-4 :2-4 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Gal 5: 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
1 Timothy 3:5-7 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
2 Tim2:25-26Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Worship begins our warfare, humility in battle wins the war.
2. Know your enemy. Judges 7&8 Listen to battle intelligence. Be what the enemy fears....
faith that has knelt at the altar of sacrifice can stand firm against the wiles of the devil.
"Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good" Romans 12:21
3. Strategies that surprise are more effective than a show of power or physical strength. Gideon used light and broken vessels! (torches and pieces of pottery)
4. Deals with the side battles within the camp, the "sour grapes" of others not invited to the
fight, and combats the "strongholds" of conceit and provoking to envy.
5. Have a healthy disregard for popularity and the opinion of the crowd. "Don't believe what you hear, and half of what you see" as Frodo from Lord of the Rings would say. Consider this.... Gideon's oldest son was afraid to kill the captured enemy because he was so young, yet the people wanted Gideon's family this young son and his son - not yet born, to rule over them! It seems absurd, but there again, when we look at the treatment of Jesus, the crowd
calls for a crown for Jesus one minute but by the end of the week crying for his cruxification.
6. Imitate the hallmark of Christ. His Humility. We see the end result of conceit at the end of the Story of Gideon. Conceit is an interesting word meaning in this context exaggerated sense of self-importance. While Gideon refused to rule over the Isrealites, he did nevertheless, want to make a lasting name for himself. Isn't it interesting that Gideon's ephod became a snare for his family?
Philippians 2:2-4 :2-4 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Gal 5: 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
1 Timothy 3:5-7 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
2 Tim2:25-26Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Worship begins our warfare, humility in battle wins the war.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Masquerades of Light and Righteousness
2Cor 11 14&15 ...... for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
What a shocker this morning, this was the sermon verses. I had never given thought to Satan's servants masquerading as servants of righteousness.
How do we detect the Angel of light and these masquerading servants of righteousness?
Anything that hints of kill, steal or destroy has the devils mucky prints all over it! What we need to do is, be aware of our actions. How our actions portray or encourage these three traits are the "Tells" of Hell. As we search for wisdom in how we live, God will reveal the deeper issues of our lives on that He wants to clean up.
Other preventative measures we can take are:
Gal 5:22-26 By inspecting the fruit of the Spirit...
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control......Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other".
2 Corinthians 11:3 Being led away from sincere and pure devotion to Christ
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ".
Romans 5:21 The work of grace reigning in righteousness
"just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Are our thoughts filled with Christ like anger at the wrong in the world and filled with compassion toward those who have no idea that hell is on their tail and moulding them accordingly? Do we tell them of God's forgiveness and mercy?
We are directed in Eph4 :27 "do not give the devil a foothold" Are we striving to figure what this means on a daily interaction basis for us?
Rev 12 "For the accuser of our brothers,who accuses them before our God day and night,has been hurled down. They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb and
by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death". (i.e. devotion)
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation.... Jesus knew what we needed to be praying on a daily basis!
What a shocker this morning, this was the sermon verses. I had never given thought to Satan's servants masquerading as servants of righteousness.
How do we detect the Angel of light and these masquerading servants of righteousness?
Anything that hints of kill, steal or destroy has the devils mucky prints all over it! What we need to do is, be aware of our actions. How our actions portray or encourage these three traits are the "Tells" of Hell. As we search for wisdom in how we live, God will reveal the deeper issues of our lives on that He wants to clean up.
Other preventative measures we can take are:
Gal 5:22-26 By inspecting the fruit of the Spirit...
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control......Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other".
2 Corinthians 11:3 Being led away from sincere and pure devotion to Christ
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ".
Romans 5:21 The work of grace reigning in righteousness
"just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Are our thoughts filled with Christ like anger at the wrong in the world and filled with compassion toward those who have no idea that hell is on their tail and moulding them accordingly? Do we tell them of God's forgiveness and mercy?
We are directed in Eph4 :27 "do not give the devil a foothold" Are we striving to figure what this means on a daily interaction basis for us?
Rev 12 "For the accuser of our brothers,who accuses them before our God day and night,has been hurled down. They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb and
by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death". (i.e. devotion)
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation.... Jesus knew what we needed to be praying on a daily basis!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Confessions of Faith 2
Peter and Martha were asked these two questions and both responded with the same confession of faith "You are the Christ of God"
Luke 9:20 Peter & Jn 11:27 Martha
These two questions are worth remembering:
"Who do you say that I am?"
"Do you believe this?"
What is our confession of faith today?
Jehovah - The Self-Existent One; The I AM
Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 43:13, John 8:58, Revelation 1:8
El Elyon - God Most High Sovereign;
Psalm 91:1, Isaiah 14:14, Daniel 4:34-35; Genesis 14:18-22
Immanuel - God is With Us;
Isaiah 7:14 8:8-10, Matthew 1:23, Romans 8:31
Jehovah Mekaddishken - The Lord Who Sanctifies You; Leviticus 20:7-8, Psalm 119:1, Matthew 5:8, 2 Timothy 2:19-22, 1 John 1:7
El Roi - The God Who Sees;
Ezekiel 11:5, Hebrews 4:13, Genesis 16:13, Psalm 139:1-12
Jehovah Nissi - The Lord My Banner;
Exodus 17:8-16, Psalm 60:12, Isaiah 25:8, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
EL - The Strong One;
Exodus 15:1-18, Numbers 23:22, Deuteronomy 7:9, Mark 15:34
Kanna - Jealous God;
Exodus 20:5, 34:14, Isaiah 9:7, Zechariah 1:14, 8:2, John 2:13-17
Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is There;
Genesis 28:15, Psalm 121, Ezekiel 48:35, Hebrews 13:5
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will Provide;
Genesis 22:1-14, Matthew 6:11, Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8
El Shaddai - God Almighty, The All Sufficient; Genesis 17:1, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 3:20, Jude 1:24
Adonai - Lord and Master;
Isaiah 6:1-8, Genesis 12:1-2, John 13:13-14, Philippians 2:10-11
Jehovah Rohi - The Lord My Shepherd;
Psalm 23, Isaiah 40:11, John 10:11, 1 Peter 2:25
Abba - Daddy, Loving Heavenly Father;
Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:15, 1 John 3:1, Matthew 6:9-13, Hebrews 12:5-9, Luke 11:11-13
Jehovah Sabaoth - Lord of Hosts;
1 John 4:4, Colossians 2:14-15, Luke 10:19, 2 Chronicles 20, Psalm 46:7, 91:13
Jehovah Rapha - The Lord Your Healer;
Exodus 15:22-27, Psalm 103:3-4, 147:3, Isaiah 53:5, Hosea 14:4-9, Matthew 9:35
Melekh - King;
1 Samuel 12:12, Malachi 1:14, John 18:37, 1 Timothy 1:17, Revelation 19:16
Yahweh - YHWH - Jehovah
El Olam - The Everlasting God;
Genesis 21:33, Psalm 90:2, Daniel 7:14
Elohim - God the Creator;
Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 139:14, Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 11:10
Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord Our Righteousness; Jeremiah 23:1-6, Isaiah 61:10, 63:1-5, Zechariah 3:1-5, Romans 9:14
Jehovah Shalom - The Lord is Peace; Judges 6:1-24, Isaiah 26:3-4, John 14:27, Philippians 4:7
El Elohe Yisrael - God, the God of Israel;
Genesis 33:20, Exodus 5:1, Psalm 68:8, Luke 1:68
Luke 9:20 Peter & Jn 11:27 Martha
These two questions are worth remembering:
"Who do you say that I am?"
"Do you believe this?"
What is our confession of faith today?
Jehovah - The Self-Existent One; The I AM
Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 43:13, John 8:58, Revelation 1:8
El Elyon - God Most High Sovereign;
Psalm 91:1, Isaiah 14:14, Daniel 4:34-35; Genesis 14:18-22
Immanuel - God is With Us;
Isaiah 7:14 8:8-10, Matthew 1:23, Romans 8:31
Jehovah Mekaddishken - The Lord Who Sanctifies You; Leviticus 20:7-8, Psalm 119:1, Matthew 5:8, 2 Timothy 2:19-22, 1 John 1:7
El Roi - The God Who Sees;
Ezekiel 11:5, Hebrews 4:13, Genesis 16:13, Psalm 139:1-12
Jehovah Nissi - The Lord My Banner;
Exodus 17:8-16, Psalm 60:12, Isaiah 25:8, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
EL - The Strong One;
Exodus 15:1-18, Numbers 23:22, Deuteronomy 7:9, Mark 15:34
Kanna - Jealous God;
Exodus 20:5, 34:14, Isaiah 9:7, Zechariah 1:14, 8:2, John 2:13-17
Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is There;
Genesis 28:15, Psalm 121, Ezekiel 48:35, Hebrews 13:5
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will Provide;
Genesis 22:1-14, Matthew 6:11, Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8
El Shaddai - God Almighty, The All Sufficient; Genesis 17:1, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 3:20, Jude 1:24
Adonai - Lord and Master;
Isaiah 6:1-8, Genesis 12:1-2, John 13:13-14, Philippians 2:10-11
Jehovah Rohi - The Lord My Shepherd;
Psalm 23, Isaiah 40:11, John 10:11, 1 Peter 2:25
Abba - Daddy, Loving Heavenly Father;
Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:15, 1 John 3:1, Matthew 6:9-13, Hebrews 12:5-9, Luke 11:11-13
Jehovah Sabaoth - Lord of Hosts;
1 John 4:4, Colossians 2:14-15, Luke 10:19, 2 Chronicles 20, Psalm 46:7, 91:13
Jehovah Rapha - The Lord Your Healer;
Exodus 15:22-27, Psalm 103:3-4, 147:3, Isaiah 53:5, Hosea 14:4-9, Matthew 9:35
Melekh - King;
1 Samuel 12:12, Malachi 1:14, John 18:37, 1 Timothy 1:17, Revelation 19:16
Yahweh - YHWH - Jehovah
El Olam - The Everlasting God;
Genesis 21:33, Psalm 90:2, Daniel 7:14
Elohim - God the Creator;
Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 139:14, Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 11:10
Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord Our Righteousness; Jeremiah 23:1-6, Isaiah 61:10, 63:1-5, Zechariah 3:1-5, Romans 9:14
Jehovah Shalom - The Lord is Peace; Judges 6:1-24, Isaiah 26:3-4, John 14:27, Philippians 4:7
El Elohe Yisrael - God, the God of Israel;
Genesis 33:20, Exodus 5:1, Psalm 68:8, Luke 1:68
Monday, April 13, 2009
Confessions of Faith 1
Peter and Martha made the same Confession of Faith "You are the Christ of God".Luke 9:20 & Jn 11:27.In Peters confession,Jesus asks Peter "Who do you say I am?" and Jesus uses his answer to tell his disciples about his death and says "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"
8 days later we are told of the transfiguration of Jesus with Elijah and Moses with the onlooker disciples Peter, James and John.
Jn 11:25- 27 With Martha, Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ,[b] the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
Jesus told the disciples of his impending death with Peter and shows them the resurrection with rising Lazarus from the dead.
Two questions to remember:
"Who do you say that I am?"
"Do you believe this?"
What is our confession of faith today?
Side Note: Being dead for four days was significant for the Jewish people. They believed that the dead persons spirit remains until the third day. So Lazarus needed to stay dead for four days for superstition sake, so that they could believe in a resurrection! I wonder how many times God uses our superstitious beliefs to help us get onto the road of faith?
8 days later we are told of the transfiguration of Jesus with Elijah and Moses with the onlooker disciples Peter, James and John.
Jn 11:25- 27 With Martha, Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ,[b] the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
Jesus told the disciples of his impending death with Peter and shows them the resurrection with rising Lazarus from the dead.
Two questions to remember:
"Who do you say that I am?"
"Do you believe this?"
What is our confession of faith today?
Side Note: Being dead for four days was significant for the Jewish people. They believed that the dead persons spirit remains until the third day. So Lazarus needed to stay dead for four days for superstition sake, so that they could believe in a resurrection! I wonder how many times God uses our superstitious beliefs to help us get onto the road of faith?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wayward Wisdom!
Ecclesiastes
When I read Ecclesiastes this morning, it dawned on me that Solomon although the wisest guy on the planet did invite grief as well into his life and maybe when he reached the end of his life he was "reaping what he sowed". He accumulated great possessions and wives and concubines. He drove the kingdom hard, and demanded much. YHWH foreseen this in 1 Sam 8 :10-18.
He seems to have spiraled downwards, from being wise to being foolish. Most of us claw our way upwards to gain wisdom!
It is sad when we come to the end of our lives and our memories are summed up like Solomon's "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher."Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Isn't that the very thing we work hard at to avoid, and endeavor to live meaningful and purposeful lives?
Solomon should have stayed with his insight at the beginning of recording of books of wisdom. 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom", maybe he would have found greater fulfillment.
2:26 "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"
Let us be people who God can bless fully today..Amen
When I read Ecclesiastes this morning, it dawned on me that Solomon although the wisest guy on the planet did invite grief as well into his life and maybe when he reached the end of his life he was "reaping what he sowed". He accumulated great possessions and wives and concubines. He drove the kingdom hard, and demanded much. YHWH foreseen this in 1 Sam 8 :10-18.
He seems to have spiraled downwards, from being wise to being foolish. Most of us claw our way upwards to gain wisdom!
It is sad when we come to the end of our lives and our memories are summed up like Solomon's "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher."Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Isn't that the very thing we work hard at to avoid, and endeavor to live meaningful and purposeful lives?
Solomon should have stayed with his insight at the beginning of recording of books of wisdom. 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom", maybe he would have found greater fulfillment.
2:26 "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"
Let us be people who God can bless fully today..Amen
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