"Jesus Christ is God's Son"

   "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to his Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names." (Hebrews 1:1-4 NLT)

 As I tried to explain yesterday, there are certain parts of the book which I have come to believe that they have the character and manner of all three men, Paul, Luke, and Mark. The interesting thing is, that there is also stipulation written that leans towards all three having been the author; yet not in the manner I see, but as one or the other. 

 You that have been with me for any amount of time, should know that I believe Mark was someone that had a role in a couple of places within the Gospel that he wrote. When he went with Paul and Barnabas, when he was younger, he left them, (maybe because he was scared,) Paul was very disappointed and refused to have him go with them again. The opposition between Paul and Barnabas was so strong regarding Mark, that the two of them parted ways.

 The thing that shows up in this, although it doesn't actually say, is that Barnabas knew something about Mark that made him stand up for him, even though there was great opposition from Paul. It is believed that both Mark and Barnabas were Levites; and Mark was the son of Mary, who's house was where there were many meetings, both while Jesus was here, and during the beginning of the church. 

 Barnabas was the first of those who sold his land and gave the money to the church. Something I believe he was prompted to do, because of his nephew, John Mark. We can make a case for why Mark would be in the garden while Jesus was arrested, as he writes about himself in Mark 14:51-52; but why Paul would change his mind about Mark, asking Timothy to send him to Rome, I believe it was for a reason.

 I really don't want to make a big deal of this, but I do want to illustrate the point of the unity of brothers and what takes place when they share and talk about the wonders of God...

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20 KJV) 

"HEBREWS"

 "After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!" (1 Thessalonians 2:19 NLT)

 After praying about this, (what would I do next,) it was put upon my heart to share from this wonderful letter written to the church in Jerusalem; so named, "Hebrews." There is many different opinions on who wrote this Book; the strongest opinion goes towards the Apostle Paul, who would have had it written in Hebrew. There is also some indication the Luke and/or someone else translated it into Greek.

 Personally, I believe that the three of them, (Paul, Mark, and Luke,) wrote it together, as they all put the entire complex picture together, as they sat together, making all these things come to life, with the power of the Holy Spirit speaking through their conversations. Why I believe this, is only because I experienced myself. Only weeks after I was saved, two brothers and I were sitting out under stars, sharing about the things God had been placing upon our hearts. 

 It isn't really hard to picture the three of them sharing together for hours, as they fellowshipped together where Paul was being held, whether it was a cell or under house-arrest, we know that at one point all three of them were together during Paul's detention. I imagined being a fly on the wall, as they started going through all of the things God performed and made happen; as well as those things still to come.

 Anywho, it really doesn't matter, (but, then again, I think it does,) who wrote this Book; what really matter is to whom it was written and why! I have said it before, and I say it again: The whole history of Israel, all of their issues and all of their falling away, it is all a reflection of the church. 

 We really don't have any advantage over Israel, as some might try to say; we are the ones that get to be grafted into the people of Israel, not the other way around...

"For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead! And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy - just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham's tree - some of the people of Israel - have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God's special olive tree. But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root." (Romans 11:15-18 NLT)   

"The Light Will Shine!"

 "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:14 KJV)

  "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:16-19 NLT)

 Having saved this for last, Solomon is closing this book with boldness, whether we are those who are truly committed to God, those who are totally rejecting God, or those that are sitting on the fence; there is going to be a day when everything will be revealed, both the good and the evil. It might seem as though it will not involve us, those that have been cleansed from sin; but as I have said before, all the books will be opened; everything will be brought out into the open.

 The only thing which will really matter, will be that we have our names written in The Lamb's Book of Life! We will be totally and completely spotless in the eyes of the Father, because we have been washed in the blood of His Son. Yet, there will be a testimony that is shown to all those who rejected the free gift of God's salvation, which will be their judgment. 

 Not sure that everyone truly understands how that works, because there really is only one way that any one of us gets saved! I have dealt with things that have made me feel unworthy, no matter how hard I try to forgive myself, it just doesn't seem to work; but if I am putting my trust in what Jesus did on that cross, I have given everything to Him: and I have no fear about judgment.

 Does that mean that I still don't feel sorry for some things I have done? No, I have grown accustomed to the pain that memories bring; but when they come to life, it reminds me of God's wonderful grace! He loves us so much; it is almost impossible to love as we should! But we will, that much I truly believe! It is those memories that show us who actually crucified Jesus on the cross: It was us...

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus." (Romans 3:23-26 NLT) 

"Let It Shine!"

 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV)

  "One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."" (Mark 12:28-31 NLT)

 When it comes to following and keeping God's commandments, we seriously fall short of keeping just about every one of them. Even the ones that seem simple, like, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," which seems easy enough to avoid, unless you count the thoughts and wicked dreams that take place in our minds. Another that might seem easy, for some, "Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy," is not just a day that is not meant for work! Oh, how I messed that day up! You would be surprised by the stupid things we might do, when we are bored and think we are all alone. 

 We have a very special gift that we have been given, if that is, we would just practice making it real and making a difference. The whole meaning of abundant life does not speak to having lots of stuff and many children, it is about being filled with love for God and others! The more you love, the more abundant your life seems to be. But the less you love, the least abundant life you seem to have, no matter how much you have or how many children. 

 If you don't feel as though you have what it takes, then pray for what it takes to happen! But when you do, be prepared for God to give you someone to hate! Sometimes we need to be broken before we can be fixed and shine as we should...

 "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT) 

"This Little Heart of Mine"

"And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." (Ecclesiastes 12:12 KJV)

  "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God." (1 Peter 1:18-23 NLT)

 When I first looked at this verse, I placed it in a negative setting, as if there was something here that was talking about the body being broken down from writing many books; or in my case, from continually doing this blog, day after day, without missing a single day. (What was I thinking!) We must not make light of what we do not know or understand, because this is really about those ripples that get washed up on the shores. 

 Let me try to put it into something easy to understand: Continuing on from the previous verse, this is like a "therefore," where we most pause for a brief moment, thinking, 'What is it there for?' In this case, as in the example of the ripples caused by waves, these "goads," as Solomon calls them, do not go away; they are continually used again and again, because they are administered to and through everyone that speaks of them, through one Shepherd. 

 "And further, by these, my son, be admonished," is like passing the torch or shinning your light, the Light that is discovered in sharing and putting forth the word of God! That is what this word, "admonished," is talking about: to warn, teach, shine, send out light, be light, be shining; and to be taught! Every time I sit down each morning to share, I am also being taught. Whenever I deliver a massage in a church, the one who gains the most from my message is usually me. 

 "Of making many books there is no end," is the byproduct of what happens when things get written, they are written without end, as if there always a chance that they might get looked upon, one way or another. If you really want to look at it a little different way, you can imagine God's perspective, which is that of eternity and beyond: When He reads it, it will surely never end! 

 "And much study is a weariness of the flesh," can be looked at in several ways, primarily that of breaking down or fatigue, as you would do to your body if you worked too much and slept too little. Which I can really relate to, as it real and happens over and over again. However, this specific word occurs only one time in the Scripture, and we are looking at it right now. 

 Basically, it also means labour, which is feminine noun, which is the way it works towards the flesh, which is that thing we must always be trying to crucify and not try to satisfy with the things of this world...    

"Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him." (Romans 6:5-8 NLT) 

"Take It to Heart" - Too

 "The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assembles, which are given from one shepherd." (Ecclesiastes 12:11 KJV)

  "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8 NLT)

 Instead of judging what might be wrong, look to see that which is worthy of praise and of a good report. Remember, we are meant to do onto others, as we would have them do unto us, which is easier to think of doing when we judge ourselves, first. 

 As to Solomon's life, he was blessed and was known to be the richest man, not because he wanted to be, but because God made it so. He asked for wisdom to rule God's people; God blessed him with great wisdom, and then blessed him with great fame and riches, more than he could handle, wisely. 

 It seems a little like he spun out of control; but he still belonged to God! The rest of these last few verses are easier to deal with than this one between the words or truth and final conclusion. Besides that, there is really nothing we can do that God doesn't already know about, no matter how hard you might fall, if you are His child, He will catch you!

 I really hope we can take that to heart, because He is always ready to forgive us, no matter what...

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:8-10 NLT) 

"Take It to Heart"

"The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd." (Ecclesiastes 12:11 KJV)

  "And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly - not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor." (1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT) 

 Sometimes we miss the actual meaning of the passage we have been looking at, as if there is actually a point that is prodding at our heart and making us feel uneasy or guilty. It is those things that need to be taken to heart, because the Holy Spirit could be the one prodding, letting us know that we have something that needs to be dealt with. 

 When we think that we are okay and have it all together, watch out! We are setting ourselves up for a fall, without even knowing it; unless we realize that we are weak and helpless, we are on our own! If you don't know what I mean, it really isn't that hard to understand. Whenever we think we have it all under control, we find out soon enough what is really controlling, is really not good. 

 With that, I need to remind anyone who might think Solomon was lost and ended up rejecting God's wonderful mercy and grace, that you must not judge a man, or woman, based upon the things they did that were wrong. We are all guilty of sin, some more than others! Yes, he did many things that displeased the LORD, and, whether you believe it or not, God knows beforehand what we are going to do.

 What is the meaning to all of this mess? Just that: A meaningless mess...

"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God's judgment when you do the same things? Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sins?" (Romans 2:1-4 NLT) 

"Something Precious" - 3

 "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth." (Ecclesiastes 12:10 KJV) 

  "Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught." (Luke 1:1-4 NLT)

 This is what we need to get settled, once and for all: First of all, these "words" shown with this closing section, although they speak of sayings, speech, and words, they also speak of business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something! In other words, they are a manner! 

 Just a reminder, John's Gospel has the opening illustration of "The Word," saying: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 KJV) Additionally, he adds this to his opening illustration: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 KJV) 

 Some people might try to say that Solomon is not the author of this book, as if we should treat the author as someone anonymous; seeing how Solomon is not mentioned anywhere is this book. However, he does begin by saying: "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem." The "words" is the same used in the "words" used twice in the verse above; so, his words here are also a manner! 

 Much like John's Gospel message, it is highly believed that John's Gospel actually was written from verses 1:19 to 21:24; and John added the first 18 verses as the beginning, in order to show who Jesus was and is; then he added the final verse, verse 21:25, in order to show that Jesus always has been!  

 Secondly, if this author is indeed Solomon, as I believe he is, then if he is also the author of, "The Song of Solomon," then I am absolutely sure that he had knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ! I know, we have been down this road before; we have heard it all before about the speculation of what The Song of Songs might represent. 

 What I don't believe it represents is the freedom a married couple might have in sexual matters; God has made that very obvious from the very beginning, we are one. What I am certain it is about, is that it shows us the relationship of Christ and the church, as this is what Jesus came for; and He is coming for her again, very soon...

"Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25 NLT) 

"Something Precious" - 2

 "The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth." (Ecclesiastes 12:10 KJV) 

  "We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace." (Colossians 1:3-6 NLT)

 Having been saved for all of these years, you would think by now I would have it all together; that there wouldn't be any doubt or weakness in my belief, at least not the things which have been settled, over and over again. But it isn't the truth of the Bible that make me doubt and weak in my faith; it is all about me, my lack of doing those things I should, and not doing the things that I should not. 

 So it isn't that I have any issues with the truth of God's wonderful grace, because it has been abundantly clear to me that it is true; but when I see my own life, I feel as though it falls short of the love and care I should be living out for others; especially those I seem to hurt the most. 

 Anywho, that's just me; I'm sure there isn't those kind of problems with anyone else! Don't get me wrong, it's not like I go around knocking heads or trashing people, just because I feel like it. But when we are not walking as we should, we have a tendency to take it out on others, as if it isn't our fault, but it is the fault of our situation or circumstance. 

 What does it mean to walk as we should? The point is the word "upright," which Solomon uses to express what was written. Basically, it means to do what he ought to do, his office; office meaning the position or place in this world. If we are saved and assured eternal life, then the things that happen in this life are not all that important; at least not enough to act as if they matter more than love, especially our love for God and others! 

 When we get overwhelmed by certain situations, they need to be evaluated as what they are, nothing compared to our eternity with the Lord! Those around us need to see the hope that is within us, especially in the trials and tribulations. When we have anything going on that appears to be harmful or disruptive to our precious lives, that is an opportunity to shine the Light of Jesus! 

 If we fail to do that, we fail to show others that we truly believe...

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (Colossians 3:12-15 NLT)  

"Something Precious"

 "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth." (Ecclesiastes 12:10 KJV)

  "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit." "How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked." (John 3:3-9 NLT)

 This might take a minute or two, because there are several segments of thought that are coming out from this, mostly the things of truth! If you recall, Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" It was not a question, but a statement, as he walked away from Jesus after he said it, basically ending the conversation. 

 Here is something that we must think about, whether we want to or not, there must be these things that are unseen and real, settled in our hearts! It might just be me, but there are times when I debate with myself, wondering the same thing, "What is truth?" thinking how it could be, where do I find proof, and how do I determine what is really happening? 

 I really don't think that I am alone, but I do know what is required to settle the question...

"Jesus replied, "You are a respectable Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony. But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about Heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life."" (John 3:10-15 NLT) 

"Gave Good Heed"

 "And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs." (Ecclesiastes 12:9 KJV)

  "So humble yourselves under the might power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 5:6-11 NLT)

 Looking back at several of my postings, there were several times when I took the message Solomon was giving, and flipped it into something positive, from something which might have seemed worldly. This is not really a bad thing, because it is exactly the kind of thing we should do, whenever we are looking at a situation that is based upon the world's wisdom, because God's point of view is usually opposite of what the world might think. 

 When it comes to going through trials and tribulations, the worldly thought is directed towards wrath and punishment as if you might be suffering due to some sin or wrong actions in your life. When, in reality, we who are actually doing right and making waves that might bring people closer to the Lord, get beat upon by the devil, as he tries to take down the saints, but doesn't beat a dead horse! 

 I actually heard that in a message yesterday, as the pastor was sharing how the enemy won't try to harm anyone who isn't alive to God and making a difference. If memory serves, I believe it was Pastor Jack, as he also said, with reference to Job's situation, "God, if you want to brag about me, please don't say it out loud, just in case the devil is listening." 

 As to the title of today's post, it is the three words which only appear in this one passage, which are only found once in the Hebrew writing. Basically, it means, "weigh, test, prove, consider." All four of those things must be taken as the right way to prove a point and apply it to a life; that is, if you are actually alive enough to apply it...

"I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God's grace for you. Stand firm in this grace." (1 Peter 5:12 NLT)

"Zoom Daddy"

 "Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 12:8 KJV)

  "Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. Don't make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don't make it the center of your life. God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; unfailing love, O LORD is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done." (PSALM 62:9-12 NLT)

 You might be wondering what this title means, "Zoom Daddy," and how it might have any relationship with this summary of the preacher's closing thoughts? When Daniel Amos performed this during their live tour, they began this song by playing another song first, "Broken Ladders to Glory." On the track, you cannot get to the song, Zoom Daddy, without first listening to Broken Ladders to Glory, as the songs are linked together.  

 As I said, several days, (who's counting,) ago: we are born into this world broken! From the very first breath we take, outside of the womb, we this separation from the Creator, which gives us a need to be reconnected. Whether or not the birth counts, I don't really know; but my heart tells me that the unborn baby in the womb is totally innocent and already has some kind of relationship with the Creator. 

 I know that might sound a little weird, but once the baby is introduced to this fallen world, it begins to take on the qualities and wickedness of this life, here on earth. Which reminds me of the commercial I have a problem with, about getting mothers to hear their baby's heartbeat. How can we say that God can't stand to see all that the child missed out on, if aborted, if God already knows all of the facts, beforehand? 

 God surely has spoken plainly! He knows the end from the beginning, and the beginning to the end! We, on the other hand don't; we can only hope that we make it; but by putting our trust in Him, we have a pretty good chance that everything will be amazingly perfect, in the end...

"Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude" (PSALM 62:5-8 NLT) 

"Concluding Thoughts about the Teacher"

  ""Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "completely meaningless." 

 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly. 

 The words of the wise are like cattle prods - painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep. 

 But, my child, let me give you some further advise: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.

 That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." (Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 NLT) 

  "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be set free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:1-9 KJV) 

 It might not make sense right now, but it will start to come together as we finish up this final conclusion of the Book. There is something I believe many people forget, besides the simple fact of God's love, which is so vast and too much to figure out, He doesn't look at the outward things which might appear somewhat indifferent or challenged, He looks at the heart! 

 Don't judge others, unless you want to be judged...

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." (Hebrews 11:1-4 KJV) 

"Your Soul Belongs to God!" - 2

 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJV)

  "God says, "Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity." The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: "I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I retore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away - all the souls I have made. I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn, bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far," says the LORD, who heals them. "But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt. There is no peace for the wicked," says my God." (Isaiah 57:14-21 NLT)

 And, here is the thing that will cause many to feel ashamed and very disappointed! The things which might be seen in those other books, will be those things connected to the lost, those who have rejected God's free gift of salvation. Yes, we will be a testimony to what could have been; as those who rejected God grace and mercy, will see what their rejection ultimately will cost them.

 I believe this is so, based upon what Jesus told Nicodemus, "But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants." (John 3:21 NLT) As well as what Paul says, "So God can point to us in all the future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 1:7 NLT) 

 Whatever you believe about God's mercy and grace, He goes far beyond our failure to obey and love Him as we should! He knows full well that we are not always going to be faithful and do what is right, which is the reason He sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins. I truly believe we I get in Heaven, there will be so many that I didn't expect to see there, and many more that I expected to see, but did not make it. 

 That said, there is only one reason for those two discrepancies: Did you really believe that He loves you...

"All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death. We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:17-21 NLT)  

"Your Soul Belongs to God!"

 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJV)

  "And I saw a great white throne and one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15 NLT)

 As we start wrapping up this Book, there are some very important things to be addressed about what we discovered in all of these passages, from start to finish. The main point in this, from whatever angle you might be looking at, is that God is merciful to those who desire mercy! As simple as that might appear to be, it requires the understanding of who God is and why we need mercy! 

 Several of the larger cults in the world have taken hell out of the story, as to try to convince people that it really doesn't exist, as if you just disappear or sink into eternal sleep; if that is, you have not been given eternal life. Well, if you think that is the case, you will end up being awakened by a very horrific truth, one that you most likely never expected, but somehow always have known about: Hell is Real! 

 As I have tried to express in several places during this journey, Solomon has written this book for those who don't truly believe; as well as those who might believe but refuse to allow God to rule and reign in their lives. As Zodhiates says, "This is a book for the secular humanist to read, because it shows how utterly meaningless and unjust life is in a closed system where God does not play an effective part. The author's solution is that happiness is found only when we revere God as the center of our lives." 

 Within this same condition, we have those who are, so called, believers, (those who say that they actually do believe in God,) who do not live as though they will one day answer to God, the One who will judge them on the great day of Judgment! As we should expect, everyone will be judged on that day, as the Book says, every book was open, including the Book of Life. 

 What that actually means, is the Book of Life is there to show that you name is either written in it or not written in it; if it is not, you are judged in the other open books; but if it is, you are not judged by anything that might show up in any other book...

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:8-11 NLT) 

 

"Come What May!" - 2

 "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." (Ecclesiastes 12:6 KJV)

  "When they arrived he declared, "You know that from the day I set foot in province of Asia until now I have done the Lord's work humbly and with many tears. I have endured trial that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. I have had one message for the Jews and Greeks alike - the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. "And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God." (Acts 20:18-24 NLT) 

 Having been doing this, whatever it might be, seemingly for decades, I have made up my mind that it is really not that I must do this, but that it just feels right to be stretched and challenged to experience the joy, mystery, and surprises, from whatever it is that is shown to me, it is specifically mine! That doesn't mean that it is not for anyone else, because I know that it is: but God's word has so many layers upon layers of wonderful gifts to bring; some that stay around for years, and some that are meant for the moment. 

 If you don't know what I mean, it is all about timing and power! You can be in a certain place, when you least expect it, and the simplest passage or even just a word, can make you come alive and feel as though God directly spoke. And then you can go back to that specific word or passage, and it will hardly move you at all; almost as if it was all just for that certain time and place. 

 And then again, you get nuggets that will never leave or feel as though they don't matter; because you have been shown something that has fortified your faith and given you hope that is almost tangible. Again, if that doesn't make sense to you, don't let that get you down. Besides, not everyone sees special characters that show up in the clouds. 

 What we have been talking about is the things that might seem unfixable, such as the things that might cause death or destruction; things that cause change. That doesn't mean that those things are bad, nor does it mean that they are good. But! That is totally and completely dependent upon your relationship with the Lord! 

 If you have put your faith and trust in Christ Jesus, broken or destroyed, doesn't really matter! Having the promise of eternal life with Him, is really all that matters, no matter what, you are always on the good path and will never be totally broken or destroyed...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." (Romans 1:16-17 NLT)

 

"Come What May!"

 "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." (Ecclesiastes 12:6 KJV)

  "The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to my name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (PSALM 23 NLT)

 Just so happens that I heard this message yesterday, based upon a fact: Everyone dies! Think you know everything? Well, that is surely something we should all agree on; but what about those who might be taken up in the Rapture? What death do they pass through on their way to glory? 

 Here is what I believe, if you are the least bit interested in what I have to say. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts, we became a new creation, the old you had passed away, the new you began the Sanctification process in your new life. Technically, you have died already, your eternal life has already begun. 

 Jesus specifically said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die." 'Do you believe this, Rich?' You can feel free to add your own name there if you like, as we all should agree that it is true! 

 This is why Paul said that we should reckon the old man dead; nailed to the cross with Christ! What in this life could ever harm you, if you are have already died? There is something very powerful in that thought, because we cherish this life way too much sometimes; when we should be looking towards something which is much more special...

"Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ in baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:1-11 NLT) 

"Won and Done!" - Too

 "And when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:" (Ecclesiastes 12:5 KJV)

  "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. "For in just a little while, the coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I take no pleasure in anyone who turns away." But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved." (Hebrews 10:35-39 NLT)

 As the issues spoken of in the last verse were things that were flipped from bad to good; these are the things which cause us to feel afraid of God's judgment, fearful of the path we are on, when fear is taking over and there is an allusion of being on your own, as you watch your material things get eaten up, and you feel like giving up; feeling this life is all there is, as you imagine what death might be, and who might actually mourn for you, once you are gone. 

 Each and every one of these are things that have attachment to the world; this life we live out, sometimes with the fear of life itself, sometimes with the right fear, the fear of the LORD! We are all pretty much the same when it comes to the relationship we have with God: we all have good days and bad days; days when we completely trust in the Lord with all of hearts, and days when we fall short, feeling as though we don't have the grip we once had; feeling out of sorts. 

 I have the "Footprints in the Sand" thing on my wall by the coffee makers, as it sometimes gets looked at early in the morning. We must never forget, the Lord has a hold on us; we are His special treasure, and He paid a very costly price for our souls. He is not letting go of us, ever! We have been given new life that cannot be taken away; we have already won the battle, now we wait, patiently, to go home...

"I am writing to you who are God's children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one. I have written to you who are God's children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who has existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God's word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one." (1 John 2:12-14 NLT)   

"Won and Done!"

 "Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and mourners go about the streets:" (Ecclesiastes 12:5 KJV)

  "In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hand, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice." (Hebrews 9:22-26 NLT)

 In case you were looking for me to illustrate the obvious things that show the point of that message, I thought about it most of the evening and night but decided it really didn't need to be explained any further; the obvious things were the resurrection from the dead! If you have any doubt that there is going to be a resurrection taking place for you, then where is your hope? What is it that you are longing for? What is the purpose of your faith in Christ? 

 This isn't really about having safety and comfort in this life; if it were, then why would Jesus say that we will have tribulation! It is not about being comforted and pampered in this life; it is about having peace and joy, regardless of what this world might do; we are believing that we have a better life waiting, once we are done here, in this world.  

 Everything we go through on this earth are temporary issues, no matter how long they go on, or how hard they might seem to go through, they are all just temporary and do not take away from the glory we will experience in Heaven! If anything, they add to the glory we will experience when we arrive, because we will have a welcoming committee, even Jesus, saying "Well done!" 

 If you truly don't understand how that works, it is all about having hope in every situation! Everything we need is already waiting for us, nothing here on earth comes close, compared with the life we are all longing for, in Heaven. There is where the abundant life comes in; yes, even here on earth! It becomes abundant because of the hope we have within us, because we believe that He is for us...

""For I know the plans I have for you," say the LORD. "They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope."' (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT) 

"Flip the Script" - 2

 "And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;" (Ecclesiastes 12:4 KJV)

  ""In a little while you won't see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again." Some of the disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me' and 'I am going to the Father'? And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand." Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, "Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy."" (John 16:16-22 NLT)

 To be honest, sometimes I really have no clue where this is going, but that doesn't stop me from digging; the deeper I dig, the more I find buried treasure. Which, without too much effort, God is more than kind enough to help! Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life." (John 5:39-40 NLT)

 I make every effort to find a message of the cross in just about every portion of Scripture; that doesn't work out all the time, but it doesn't always need to, because what I don't discover on my own, God will allow me to find it through someone else. 

 Oddly enough, it happens when I hear something that gets left out; then my senses come to life, and I somehow see something I had not seen before. You might not understand what I mean, but it really isn't that hard to figure out. If you were naming out your family members and left one out, then you would realize what you did, and naturally focus upon the one that you forgot. 

 There is something I have shared before, about 2 Kings 6:1-7. There was this moment when I was praying about a Psalm that was going to share on in the morning; as I was meditating on the Psalm, I saw a vision of an ax head floating up through the water. 

 I was staying at a friend's house, preparing for the Men's Conference the next morning, and I grabbed a cigar and decided to go for a walk. On my way out, I knocked on my friend's office door, as he was preparing his Sunday sermon, and said, "Tim, what did it mean when Elisha made that ax head float?" Tim replied, "Elisha made the ax head float!" "Oh, Okay," I said. And then went for an hour walk.

 Sometimes we just need to practice putting the cross of Christ into the picture, and then we can see the one thing we are missing...

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT) 

"Flip the Script"

 "And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;" (Ecclesiastes 12:4 KJV)

  "But tell me this - since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there is no resurrection of the dead? For is there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God - for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life." (1 Corinthians 15:12-22 NLT)

 Yes, I know, I am just a foolish and stupid man that things he knows things because they might make some sort of sense. But I don't care what people think, because I love finding buried treasure! By the way, I have shared that, "Treasure Thing", from Job 38:22-23, with all sorts of people, even Pastors; yet many just shake their heads, saying that it doesn't make any sense. 

 I beg to differ! If God said that there is a treasure in the snow and hail, but that no one will find it until the day of battle and wars, then there is something to be said about when that treasure was discovered, as well as when the world could actually begin engaging one another in battle! When did that happen? 1914 was when World War One started; 40 million casualties. When did the treasure get discovered? Wilson Bentley discovered it in 1885; and it was published in National Geographic in 1904, as a Treasure! 

 To be perfectly honest, I just believe that God's word is alive and can speak to us in so many ways, most of which is hard to relate to one another, because we are all so entirely different; much like all of those snowflakes: No two are alike...

""Have you visited the storehouse of the snow or seen the storehouse of the hail? (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.)"" (Job 38:22-23 NLT) 

"Broken!" - 2.0

 "In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened," (Ecclesiastes 12:3 KJV)

  "But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD'S good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins." (Isaiah 53:10-11 NLT)

 As for these four symptoms of growing old, there are oddly certain characteristics that can associate them with the happens on the day, that special day when Jesus allowed Himself to be taken, beaten, nail to a cross, and physically die for our sins. Not that it matters, but this closely is associated with what I said yesterday, regarding Jacob's blessing; there are so many placing in the Bible that speak of Christ and the message of the cross; even Jocob's name! 

 "In that day when the keepers of the house shall tremble," is a really good example of those who were in charge of God's House, which was the Temple. No sooner than when Jesus entered riding upon a donkey, did He go into the Temple a second time, cleansing the Temple and chasing out the money changers. This word "tremble" is the meaning of to shake, or to agitate; specifically, to trouble. Those who were the leaders of the Temple were troubled by what Jesus did, not only for His use of authority, but because of His massive following of the people. 

 "And the strong men shall bow themselves," is those of importance, the leaders of the community and of the Temple, who basically plotted to make things up, which is what this word "bow" actually specifies, to make crooked, falsify, pervert, subvert. In other words, they made it look as if Jesus was trying to tear down the rule of law, causing the Romans to stand on their side. 

 "And the grinders cease because they are few," is the followers of Jesus, those who did not stand up for Him, those who turned their backs on Him; those who praised Him earlier, but shouted, "Crucify Him!" when it time for His judgment. The word "grinders" is odd and quite a strange way to say, "a person of employment," closely associated with, "to be a concubine." Obviously, Jesus came serve and save the lost; but in reality, it is the lost that serve Him and become His bride.

 "And those that look out of the windows be darkened," might be something which is really hard to see, which is the windows that have lattice blocking or obstructing the view. But it is really the "darkened" part of this that makes make sense, because it taken from the words, "who is this, who darkens my counsel with unwise words," which was God's first question to Job. 

 Those who witnessed Jesus' death were thrown into all sorts of difficulties in what had just happened! It was devastating, to say the least. Even though Jesus told His disciples, more than once, everything that was going to take place, when they witnessed it, they couldn't believe it could happen, let along that it was anything good!  

 There are some things we don't get to completely understand, and then there are things we must accept and believe, without completely understanding! If God says it is so, then it is our responsibility and duty to believe it is so, no matter what anyone else might say, no matter how many come against it! If God says that it is so, that is all the proof we need...

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the lifegiving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4 NLT)  
 

   

"Broken!" - Too!

 "In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened." (Ecclesiastes 12:3 KJV) 

  "See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about." (Isaiah 52:13-15 NLT)

 So, there are these four things, all of which are geared towards the symptoms of old age, which is bound to happen to anyone that lives beyond the age of seventy. However, I don't really know if there isn't some kind of relationship with this and what took place in that last day, the day when the Son of Man was torn and beaten, actually suffering a death He did not deserve.

 I had delivered a message on a Sunday, knowing full well that many would not really understand the true meaning of what I was trying to share. I was my turn to give the message, and we happened to be in the Scriptures found in Genises 27:1-40, which is when Jacob steals Esau's blessing. Oddly enough, my topic was drawn to Rebecca's challenge for Jacob, ending with Isaac's commitment to honoring the blessing he gave to Jacob, even though he was deceitful in getting blessed. 

 The point I tried to make involved Jacob's concern that it wasn't going to work, which is closely aligned with the questionable attitude of those that don't think Jesus dying on the cross took away their sins; saying, "I just don't see how that works!" 

 Add to that, is Jacob's blessing, which was meant for someone else, but he received it anyways; but more importantly, his father could not take it back! Even after he knew that he was deceived and tricked into giving Jacob the blessing, he refused to take it back and give to the one he actually intended it for. 

 You might think that is pretty weird and outside the box; but if you grew up like I did, you would see it in a little different light. We must believe in the cross of Christ; that it was only His brokenness that actually heals our brokenness; that we can be righteous, because His righteousness paid for our sins!   

 Some people just cannot see how that works, and even if they do, sometimes that don't think it sticks...

"Let me remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is the Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you - unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place." (1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NLT)  

"Broken!"

 "In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened," (Ecclesiastes 12:3 KJV)

  "Lord, through all the generations you have been out home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, you mortals!" For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered. We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you - our secret sins - and you see them all. We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan. Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." (PSALM 90:1-12 NLT)

 Really, this is about the body failing, which is brought on by old age, but for the sake of making this a message of hope and redemption, let's just pretend that it involves a personal relationship with God! By the way, if you didn't know or haven't yet been told: When you came into this world, you came in as a broken person, needing to be fixed. From your very first breath, you started a journey to find some kind of way to get fixed; but the majority of us never do find the right way! 

 This Psalm was written by Moses, who made it to be a prayer, to show us just how badly we need to find and follow God, no matter what! Seriously, we really don't realize how weak we really are, until our heart gets hardened, and we find ourselves walking away from the only One that can actually fix us. I have seen it happen too many times; just a little offence is all it might take, and there it goes: "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." 

 I know it might not look like much, but these last few verses are geared for covering the bases; not just about being young or old, but being faithful or unfaithful, committed to God or lost in the world! This world can be either a place that swallows you up, or a place where you become redeemed by God; the choice is totally and completely yours! 

 Who is better at telling that story, then Solomon? Has there been many people who have lived the life he lived, and been able to turn back to God? This is all about the power of God's hand, because our hands are tied; they were just the same, before we were actually born...

"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace." (Galatians 5:1-4 NLT)  

"Trials and Doubts" - Too

 "While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:" (Ecclesiastes 12:2 KJV) 

  "I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." (Romans 7:21-25 NLT) 

 The more I think about why certain things might happen, the more I find myself feeling doubt about God's purposes and His protection over my life. If you really stop and realize what life really means, in this crazy and messed up world, this isn't the life that God is protecting! 

 I am currently in 2 Kings, which is very hard to deal with and understand. Whole families are being killed, as one king is taken out, the one who steps in kills all the offspring of the other, just to make sure no one from that family can try and take back the throne. Much of it is God's judgment being carried out, because the previous kings caused the people to worship other gods. 

 When it comes to the things we see happening that seem hard to understand, there is something we must do, whether we want to or not: Stop trying to understand! When we are faced with something happening in our lives that we don't understand, not knowing the reason why causes us to be discouraged and have doubt in our hearts. This is powerful tools the devil will use to cause us to give up or stop believing, all together. We must not let discouragement and doubt take control: Armor up and fight for your soul! 

 This is really fairly simple: This is all about what we see; that which is happening and going on all around us; all of which is temporary and is of this world. But we that are saved, who have given our lives to Christ, no longer are of this world; we might live in it, but even that is also temporary...

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." (James 1:2-8 NLT)  

"Trials and Doubts"

 "While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:" (Ecclesiastes 12:2 KJV)

  "Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again." (PSALM 71:19-21 NLT)

 If there is one thing I have learned, it is the fact that we have our ups and downs, no matter how hard we try to remain consistent, there will be days when we have doubts: even though we remain steady and work on keeping the faith, our ability to sin, makes us very vulnerable and confused. Which is really normal, as it should be. We should always be concerned when we mess up, for ourselves; but we should never forget that our righteousness is from Jesus, not ourselves! 

 It is hard to walk the narrow path; but the path we walk is not ours, it belongs to Christ; which is why it is so narrow! Jesus says, "Pick up your cross, and follow Me," because He has conquered sin, so now we must die to sin, and follow closely and narrowly behind Him. How is that working for you? If you are like me, it is a pretty squirrely road; in and out, with hills and valleys everywhere I go. 

 However, He is never too far off to find me! That is the thing we must never give up on, believing that He never leaves up or forsakes us, no matter how far off the path we might go, He will always love and forgive us, over and over again! You might have some doubts about your own salvation, based upon your ability to mess up, again and again; but your salvation is based upon His righteousness, not your own. 

 If we could be righteous on our own, then He wouldn't have needed to pay the penalty for our sins...

"So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong: it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it." (Romans 7:14-20 NLT)  

"Point of Power" - To

 "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" (Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV)

  "Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously." (Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT)

 Another thing I remember about those first days of my new life, I couldn't stop sharing about the Lord and what He had done in my life. It was as if there was a powerful voice inside me that needed to come out; if I tried to contain it, I just didn't feel right, as if I was doing something wrong, by not sharing the things that were gathering up in my heart.

 I made it my first priority to get together with a few other believers, just so we could study the word together, pray together, and have at least two or three of us together to witness to others. I remember asking the Chaplin about how I could be a disciple of Jesus. It was probably my very first let-down of my new life experience; but I really didn't let it get me down.

 After a month or so, maybe it was sooner, I was sent back to the compound that actually had a church building, with a bell, and it had services almost every day. Having a place to fellowship, that was made for worship, really did make a difference; especially since I had never wanted to step inside a church again, before I accepted Jesus into my heart. As a matter of fact, I was in that church almost every day. I was even the one who rang the bell when it was time for services. 

 All of that said, evil days did come! Yes, it is really not something I like to talk about, but there were times when my work came before God's work, when sharing the Lord became less important than making a sale or trying not to offend anyone. When you are in the business of being in the service industry, you sometimes need to respect that you are in someone else's home. Not that I didn't try, but it wasn't my company, so I had to be respectable and honor the customers that choose to call for our services. After all, my boss spent quite a bit of money for those adds. 

 There were times when my wife and I served in the children's ministry at church; but as soon as we applied to actually be a part, we were not allowed to because we were not actually married. So, we set on the path to make things right, starting with Marriage Counseling. 

 The very first day of counseling, my wife and I meet with Paster Jeff and Pastor Jack, to discuss the type of wedding and what it might look like. I told them that I just wanted a simple wedding, but I also wanted there to be an alter call at the wedding. Both Jeff and Jack looked at each other, as if that was something weird or uncalled for; but Pastor Mike and Pastor Dan happened to be walking by, coming back from lunch. 

 Pastor Jeff called out, "Mike, please come in here!'" As Mike stepped into through the door, Jeff said to me, "Tell Mike what you just told us about your wedding," so I said, "We want to have an alter call at our wedding." Mike instantly said, "Wow, that's cool!" So, Jeff pointed to Miks and said, "There is the Pastor to perform your wedding." And then Dan spoke out, and said, "And I will perform the music!" 

 I need you to know, no matter what you might be lacking, whether it is the desire to serve the Lord, or the ability to keep yourself from sinning; God does not stop being willing to help you, He never will stop forgiving you, and He is always going to honor your desire to give Him the glory... 

"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT) 

"Point of Power"

 "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when that shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" (Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV)

  "O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me." (PSALM 71:17-18 NLT)

 So where do we start? If I had to point to a specific day, it would be the day that I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. Not that there was some sort of spectacular healing, like something that might be hard to explain, like recovering my sight, or my hearing, or being risen from the dead; even though, all three of those things did happen, spiritually! But I felt the power of God in my life, a sense of security that was new and made me feel free; even though I was being held in a correctional compound. 

 It might be hard to explain, but there was nothing I feared, as if I had been given a shield of armor, and there was nothing I needed to worry about, because God was for me and with me. I remember asking a Chaplin about the best place to start reading the Bible, sense I had this new outlook on God, he told me to read the Book of John; and I did, about four times. 

 I had been reading the Bible off and on ever since I was seven or eight years old. When I started my jail sentence, I caught hold of a pocket size New Testament, which I read over and over, most likely four or five times. It was interesting and stimulating to read, but it really didn't mean what I found, once God's Spirit was living in me.

 Which takes me to the closing Scripture from yesterday's post. As I have shared, several times already, that day I got saved, was the day my Creator was revealed to me! It hit me like a freight-train, as if I was standing on the tracks! I didn't expect it; couldn't hardly believe it; but I instantly knew it, because I saw Him in my mind, and felt Him in my heart: It was Jesus Christ hanging on the cross!

 Having been raised in and out of a strange religion, it was never seen by me that the Creator was Jesus Christ; even after having read the New Testament at least four times, I still never saw it, even though it was right there all the time... 

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 NLT) 

"Remember Your Creator"

  "Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, "Life is not pleasant anymore." Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continue to darken your sky. Remember him before your legs - the guards of your house - start to tremble; and before your shoulders - the strong men - stoop. Remember him before your teeth - your few remaining servants - stop grinding; and before your eyes - the women looking through the windows - see dimly.

 "Remember him before the door to life's opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like and almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.

 "Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 NLT) 

  "For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:18 KJV)

 I have to admit that I no proof of anything I might say regarding the things which involve the things that God does or does not do; but then again, I absolutely believe that when I do make it into Heaven, things will not be what many of us expected; and that is for certain! People you thought were going to be there, will not; and those you thought would never make it, will be wearing crowns. 

 There only a few things I know for sure and can explain them as if they cannot be disputed; the most important one of all, is that we have, without a doubt, been created, and our Creator loves us...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word is God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-14 KJV)

"Not Satisfied?" - Yet

"Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity." (Ecclesiastes 11:10 KJV)

  "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. "LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fill the hungry with good things." (PSALM 107:1-9 NLT)

 Maybe I might have diverted a little bit off the page; but from all that I see from this vantage point, God absolutely knows what He is doing, and more importantly, He knows what we need! Something else we must understand and really try to put into practice: If you have been redeemed, then speak out! Tell of all the wonderful things, that really count: all the mighty things that God has done! 

 As I have said, several times already, Solomon is focused on reaching out to those that are worldly; those that do not count on God for their satisfaction, but upon their own way, walking down their own paths, and not looking for God's direction. And, as spoken of recently, some of those who might wreck their own lives with foolishness and earthly passions, and even so, God will use them to show others that there is redemption for the lost and wayward, especially His children! 

 Nevertheless, there are still those who put Solomon in the category of the unforgiven; just as they do with the Rich Young Ruler. More than anything else, God's love is the most important thing that should make us feel satisfied. Knowing how much God loves us, especially by the grace He has given us, without cost and without us earning any of it; He loves us because He loves us!

 As crazy as it might sound, but there was a cost for the grace He applied, but it wasn't our payment that supplied what was needed to pay for our sins, it was His...

""For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent not his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son."" (John 3:16-18 NLT) 

  

"Not Satisfied?"

 "Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity." (Ecclesiastes 11:10 KJV)

  "But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight." (2 Peter 3:10-14 NLT)

 Yes, this is why there are so many frustrated and angry people, in all walks of life: they do not feel as though they are satisfied, in whatever, their work, their marriage, their statis in this life; especially in the relationship with others, or even with God. I heard Pastor Mike say it again yesterday, as he does almost every week, "Just can't get no satisfaction; even though I try, and I try."  

 The word "sorrow," which Solomon is speaking about, is not the kind of sorrow that is based upon what we do, as in being sorry for doing this or that; but is that kind of sorrow that can turn into frustration or anger; as if you have been wronged or haven't been treated right; a sense of vexation or grief, which, like Cain, can cause bitterness and anger, even wrath.

 Without getting too carried away, this is exactly what caused Adam to sin against God; Adam was not satisfied because he desired something he was told he could not have. The dirty little secret in all of this, was God having Adam name all of the animals; because in doing so, he became dissatisfied for the very first time. 

 Yes, this was God showing Adam that he needed a mate! He studied all the animals, seeing how they all had mates, male and female, they mated and procreated. Adam wondered, 'Where is the mate for me?' If you know what it is like to want, whatever it is you don't have but want to have, it is a little like sin, and which is the one sin the Appostle Paul said he knew he was guilty of: covetousness! 

 These are not things we can blame God for, because the only thing God was wanting is for us to love Him and be able to have fellowship with Him. But whether you can accept it or not, God mysterious plan was well thought out; so well, it only took the first man that was created to make it all happen...

"Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law said, "You must not covet." But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good." (Romans 7:7-12 NLT) 

 

"The Road Well Traveled" - Too

 "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." (Ecclesiastes 11:9 KJV)

  ""Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me! You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. For it was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. "But no, my people wouldn't listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!"" (PSALM 81:8-13 NLT)

 Taking this to the next level, there is something we must never forget about Israel: This is God's chosen people! And, whether or not you want to receive this, we are a mirror image of Israel. Yes, the Church is just like them, in everything sense of the word, we have the same desires, make the same mistakes, have the same ways of walking our own paths, and, thankfully, we have also been chosen by God! 

 I know there are a lot of people who might think that the Church has taken the place of Israel; but that is totally and completely incorrect! God has said that He would never abandon His chosen people; and God does not change His mind and will always keep His promise! We, of all people should want that to be true, because that includes us too! 

 If you really want to see the 'Pilgram's Progress,' then imagine yourself living as Israel; having been saved from the wickedness of this world yet still holding onto the wickedness you have been saved from, in some form or fashion. It is really not that hard to understand, if you are being honest with yourself. 

 Basically, Solomon is pointing out the three areas of our sinful natures, which none of us can deny that they are not part of our lives; all three of them are a part of our wicked hearts; the three temptations of the world: "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life".

 This was the way it was in the Garden, way back with the original sin. Just one simple command was given, yet it could not be kept! Personally, I think I know why God placed that tree in the Garden, in the middle of the Garden, no less. Man was never going to be able to remain holy and pure, because He gave us the ability to make our own choices. 

 The most motivating thing God made Adam do, in order to think things through and make his own choices, was to name all the animals. Imagine what that might have been like, as he studied an animal to see what it looked like, how it moved and ate certain foods, and what kind of life it had with its mate. 

 God knows exactly what we need, way before we know it ourselves! We might think sometimes that we have been down certain roads before, not really knowing or understanding that God roads are set in stone and always carried out...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:3-8 NLT) 

"The Road Well Traveled"

 "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." (Ecclesiastes 11:9 KJV)

  "So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy - their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols." (1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT)

 We have a mission field, whether you realize it or not, the journey you have taken in this life has led you through things which have made you who you are; what you were is still what defines you, but in a whole different way. Look at the life of Paul, who was Saul of Tarsas. He was extremely passionate about hunting down Christians; but after his encounter with Christ, he became extremely passionate about making Christians!  

 Peter was a fisherman, who made his living catching fish; but Jesus changed his life, making him a fisher of men! There are so many examples of this in the lives of people we see, here in the life we live now; so many that have been caught up in something that ruins lives, but they get converted, and those same things become the opportunities to change lives, making them whole...

"Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead - so although they are destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit." (1 Peter 4:4-6 NLT)