"Misinterpret" - Too

 "Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place." (Ecclesiastes 10:6 KJV)

  "Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the verve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?" The woman left her water jar and ran back to the village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming down from the village to see him. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something." But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about." "Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained, "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work."" (John 4:27-34 NLT) 

 I know you must be wondering how this might play into Solomon's logic; but in this world of give and take, things are very uncertain, and life just isn't as fair as we might think it should be. Yesterday was a very testy day for me, as I really didn't quite understand the message, or the answer, God had given me.

 Sometimes we just don't get it, because it doesn't work the way things ought to work out; or so we think that they should work out! As I was ready Leviticus yesterday, God was telling the children of Israel to let the land rest for one entire year; a year when they would not plant or harvest and of their crops but would just let the land rest. 

 Thinking of this from a business point of view, I was wonder how this was going to work out, as I was reading the text. Several passages later, God gives them a blessing to go along with His regulation, which is pretty much the same blessing and reassurance we will receive by following what He says; even if it seems as though it doesn't make any sense.

 We see things quite differently that God does, yet we still act as though what we see is what is meant to be; or worse, what it should have been or could been. I am really sorry to say, but God's way are surely not our ways; but His ways are the best...

 ""If you want to live securely in the land, follow my decrees and obey my regulations. Then the land will yield large crops, and you will eat your fill and live securely in it. But you might ask, "What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?' Be assured that I will send my blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a crop large enough for three years. When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the large crop of the sixth year. In fact, you will still be eating from that crop when the new crop is harvested in the ninth year."" (Leviticus 25:18-22 NLT) 

"Misinterpret"

 "Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place." (Ecclesiastes 10:6 KJV)

  "The LORD replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do." The LORD'S promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land." (PSALM 12:5-8 NLT)

 Just like that, we see two different sides of this equation: the evil that is witnessed under the sun, and the glory the is manifested under the Son! Two totally different outcomes, two totally different meanings of life and death! 

 You do realize, that before you came to Christ you were dead, right? I know that it might sound strange to some, because they know they had a life, there were things that were done and memories of good and bad times, but in the process of time, your life in this world would end in your death! Not only the death you would take part in here, but the second death that happens on the day of judgment. So, in the light of Life, meaning life that never ends, you once were dead.

 This was the result of the fall, as God had told Adam, "The day you eat of that fruit, you will die!" This was a spiritual death, separating man from God. As I was reading God's commandments given to Moses, there is one thing God kept repeating, over and over, "they will be cut off from the community." This was the result of not doing the simple task of listening to good instructions. 

 I know it might not sound a lethal as death, but it is just a little example of God's goodness and the way He wants to protect those who actually want to obey Him. There is more to this than that, but for the most part, everything God ordained for sacrifices and offerings, had more to it than just giving up some animal to be killed, or even, one that was released. 

 Everything is about choosing to do what He says, even if it doesn't make sense! This is His masterpiece of creation; He has made it to be perfect, and perfect it will be...

"Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don't understand God's way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God's way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God." (Romans 10:1-4 NLT)  

"Misconstrued"

 "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:" (Ecclesiastes 10:5 KJV) 

 "Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: "A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, until there was only one left - his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.' "But the tenant farmers said to one another, 'Here comes the heir of the estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!' So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you - he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing, and it is wonderful to see.'"" (Mark 12:1-11 NLT)

 Just in case you missed it, the spectacle yesterday in the Senate was pretty amazing to watch. There is really something that happens to average citizens that become politicians for life, they get stupid and don't really care about the people they serve anymore, because they are more concerned about themselves! This happens in the city governments, all the way up to highest positions in the land; there is just something about having any sort of power: power makes people selfish! 

 If you know the parable Jesus is sharing, it is about the children of Israel and the history they had of killing and beating the prophets that God sent them, throughout the many years they were a nation. And in the case of the son, mentioned in the story, that would be Jesus Christ, the One telling the story! These Jews, those that were leaders in the Temple, having witnessed Jesus chasing out the money changers and clearing out the Temple, were asking Jesus. "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?" (Mark 11:28)  

 You know, there are so many people, Christians included, that really don't understand the real power of the cross of Christ. This was something that God had planned and established from the very beginning of time. Everything had been pre-ordained and meticulously carried out, over thousands of years; all linked together for one spectacular day, when Jesus, the Savior of the world, would take His place upon that cross, to destroy the curse and satisfy the penalty for all our sins! 

 Reading through the Bible, out loud to my wife, I have been starting to realize the importance of so many of the things that God instructed Moses to pay close attention to; especially the sacrifices and the burning of incense; everything had to be carried out in a specific order, and in a perfect manor; all the way down to the smallest detail. 

 That is exactly what God did, setting up for the sacrifice of His Son...

"With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed - cut off from Christ! - if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshipping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (Romans 9:1-5 NLT)   

"The Ironies of Life"

  "There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. I have even seen servants riding houseback like princes - and princes walking like servants! 

 "When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax.

 "Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. If a snake bites before you charm it, what's the use of being a snake charmer? Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words.

 "Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness; they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future. Fools are so exhausted by a little work that can't even find their way home. 

 "What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant, the land whose leaders feast in the morning. Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.

 "Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house. A party gives laughter, wine give happiness, and money gives everything! 

 "Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don't make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said." (Ecclesiastes 10:5-20 NLT)

  "I will praise the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear therefore and be glad." (Psalms 34:1-2 KJV)

 Well today begins the day of testing; but it actually began last night. Hopefully all will be well, even though I told God he could have it all, I believe that whatever happens, He gets the glory...

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him." (Psalms 34:8-9 KJV)  

"Waiting on The Lord" - 2

 "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences." (Ecclesiastes 10:4 KJV) 

  [Tsadhe] "O LORD, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair. Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy. I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much. I am insignificant and despised, but I don't forget your commandments. Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true. As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live." (PSALM 119:137-144 NLT)

 With all that was said, I truly do believe that what I found in my PO Box was planted there to tempt me; as if I was going to fall for it, just because I was dispirit and was hoping for some way to throw a little water on the fire. Looking at this verse, there is much to see about what Solomon is saying, however you might feel about the meaning, it fits the situation and makes perfect sense.

 First off, the ruler of this current world, meaning this fallen world, is the devil. He has ruled and been tampering with God's people ever since man, that being Adam, choose not to protect and watch over what God had entrusted him to take care of. 

 Yesterday's message on Revelation 5 was a perfect example of what this looks like in Heaven. John sees the Throne, with Him that sat on the Throne, holding a scroll with seven seals; yet there was none to open it, or so John first understood. As Pastor Bryan shared, he believes that this scroll is the deed or title to earth, which is pretty much the same belief that I have understood to be.

 And then, out of the blue, he changes the entire message! Having been there, more times than I care to mention, John was so caught up in the things he saw and heard, he didn't see Jesus! Right there in front of him, there He was, as a Lamb that had been slain, in the midst of the Throne; the only One who was worthy to take and open the scroll! 

 We must understand why this is so important; because there are so many distractions and situations going on all around us, we really need to focus our attention on Christ Jesus, the Real Ruler of Heaven and earth. This other ruler, who has pretty much already lost the battle, has no real power to destroy our souls. He can do a pretty good job of destroying our lives, as he continually does; but we have Jesus on our side, and the battle has already been won!

 Now we just wait on the LORD, knowing that everything belongs to Him now, especially you and me...

"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. And remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him - speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of the comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:14-18 NLT)  

"Waiting on The Lord"

 "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences." (Ecclesiastes 10:4 KJV)

  "For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance." (Hebrews 6:10-12 NLT)

 If you come to a crossroad and don't quite know which way you should go, it just might be because you have too many bags that you are carrying, and you really need God to lighten your load. Don't ask me where that came from, because I really think it implies to me. 

 There is something really important about waiting on the Lord, even though we might feel like He is telling us to move, the movement He wants from us might be that of submission and giving everything over to Him. The most important thing for us to do, is surrender the power we might think we have, and yield our lives over to the power that He wants to give us. 

 At least that is what I believe He is telling me today. Yesterday I went my PO Box hoping to find a check, anything that I could put into the bank and try to undo my upside-down accounts. I opened the box to find one letter, an American Express letter offering me a loan of up to $40,000 with five different options to pay it back. 

 Here I am, putting more and more debt on my back, and thinking about adding more, just to try and catch up. At what point do we say enough is enough? My serious problem is that I continually try to pay the bills, even though I might not have the money, I still send out the checks, waiting for the money to come, hoping it will get here before the check gets possessed, and my over-draft kicks in. 

 There, now you know what it means to wait on the Lord! Because I am pretty sure that wait means to stop what you are doing and wait to see what God wants you to do! Oh, and by the way, these last posts from the last couple of days, was meant to be about what some people think about when it comes to putting all of their faith in the LORD: a lot of people think that it is foolish...

"Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD." (PSALM 27:14 NLT)  

"The Journey Onward" - To

 "Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool." (Ecclesiastes 10:3 KJV)

  "Obviously, the law applies to those to whom is was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." (Romans 3:19-20 NLT)

 Looking at the previous victories which God has taken us through, I have nothing that compares to what Jesus went through; nor do I have any victory that come even close to the victory Jesus accomplished and finished, as the result of what He suffered through on that cross! We really have nothing to complain about, because we can never ever come close to the suffering and humility that Jesus, the Creator of Heaven and earth, went through, giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins! 

 There are only a few things we can do that justify us becoming a fool, one in particular is to commit our whole lives to the Lord, not expecting anything in return. Of course, we will not be seen as a fool in the eyes of the Lord, but we will be mocked and put down by this world, that much is certain. 

 Witnessing the devastation down in Southern California, it hurts my heart to think about some of the homes I might have once seen and inspected, admiring the amount of money that went into the building of some of those amazing structures. But now they are just ashes, wasted piles of memories. 

 Listening to Mel Gibson last night, he lost things that are never going to be replaced, books and paintings, which date back hundreds of years; things which were once thought to be safely kept, are gone and just piles of ashes. We really can't imagine what some things taken might feel like; it just leaves a giant whole in your heart, which just makes it feel like such a waste! 

 As crazy as it might sound, the best things we can do when things like that might happen, is to give ourselves away! If you pour out everything you have to others, then your treasures do not get taken, they will multiply, and you will be satisfied in all that you have done. You might look like a fool to some; but to some, you will be a saint!  

 'Lord, please cause this to be an opportunity for love and hope to be established, where there was once apathy and faithlessness. Let your church come alive in that place, and saints to be made new; giving and caring for each other, that the world can witness the love that remains, from those ashes! Amen'... 

"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 himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." (Romans 3:25-28 NLT) 

"The Journey Onward"

 ""Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool." (Ecclesiastes 10:3 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 4:1-4 NLT)

 Most importantly, I feel that reading our Bibles, not only helps to give us the ability to listen more, but it also gives us the ability to care less about ourselves, and more about others. I know we get sidetracked by work and our everyday lives; the awkwardness of trying to make our lives seem normal; but we must try hard to remember: We are not normal! We are citizens of Heaven, pilgrims here, and waiting to go home!

 Try telling that to the person you might be working for, and see where that gets you, most likely in the line at the unemployment office. Hopefully you can understand what Solomon is getting across, because every one of us that gets upside-down and falls apart, we must come to our senses, at one point or another, and realize that our own wisdom is foolishness to the Lord; we need the wisdom that comes from God!!!

 If you haven't learned this by now, you might need to step back, stop what you are doing, and ask God to take the wheel; because our ways of finding the road or learning by mistakes, will just end up causing harm to yourself and others. God's ways are always simple; ridiculously simple! Don't touch that, and don't allow yourself to go that way; little things that don't require much thought but also shouldn't involve a whole lot of thinking!  

 The more we think about the things God will tell us to do, the more we add to it the things that are what shouldn't be done...

"For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the LORD'S thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:32-36 NLT)  

  

"East vs. West" - 2

 "A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left." (Ecclesiastes 10:2 KJV) 

  ""Or what if a king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can't, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. "Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!"" (Luke 14:31-35 NLT)

  Sometimes it might take a little awakening to what matters most, your eternal life, or the life that is slowly wearing you down! Yesterday I heard a message about some soldiers that took an oath, saying, "We will not be found shoot in the back!" In other words, they were not going to turn away from the enemy, but were determined to face the enemy, and not back down! 

 As you imagine situations which might require that type of commitment, the one that comes closest to home for me, would be the determination to stand up for Jesus, other believers, your families, or any brother or sister; anytime there is someone of the world that is putting them down. I know it might not sound like much, but once upon a time, this was more important for me than anything else. 

 After I got saved, it wasn't long, maybe less than a few weeks, and I was sent back to the Honor Camp. I really didn't waste any time getting involved in the church; making it my responsibility to ring the bell, whenever it was time for any service. I made sure that I had a few brothers to hang out with; to pray with, to study with, and to walk around the compound with Bible's in hand, looking for men to share Jesus with. 

 One of the brothers who I hung out with, called me out for trying to share with the wrong people. He was using a passage that Jesus used, saying, "Don't cast your pearls among the swine." There was this one black guy, who was always hanging out in the yard where the weights were and always threatened me to not share about Jesus or try and read him anything from the Bible. But I continued to approach him, with Bible in hand, and ask him if he was ready to hear about Jesus Christ.

 As you can imagine, things would get a little testy; but I never backed down and always was ready to receive a punch in the face; but never did get one. My brother that was trying to get me to stop trying to share with the black guy in the yard, and he was also black, which might have been the reason he was so hard on me for trying, because he didn't think that mean and nasty guy would ever listen. 

 Then I shared something with that brother, which I felt the statement Jesus said, "Don't cast your pearls among the swine," actually meant; because I felt that it meant to take that which you hold dearly, which is the Gospel Message, (and is like a precious pearl,) and let someone who doesn't care about what you say, be anyway offensive to you, because they really don't know any better. If you get offended by what they might do, you simply brush it off, and not let it destroy what you believe and stand for. 

 Anywho, that didn't really go over so well with my brother; but we agreed to disagree and prayed for one another. Then I shared one more thing, which I believe settled our differences: "Most of the guys that show how tuff they are, out on the yard, are the ones that bury their heads under their pillows at night, and weep." He never tried to stop me again from trying to minister to anyone, especially not the guy he thought wasn't worth it.

 There really is not such a thing as someone not worth sharing Jesus with; if you think that there is, then you don't really believe that God can change anyone, because He absolutely can! I wanted nothing to do with church or religion; absolutely nothing! But I did read the Bible and had my own beliefs; most of which were wrong and needed to be changed; but God still got through and softened this stubborn heart! 

 No one is beyond getting saved, as long as they still have breath, they can still respond to the love of God...

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." (Philippians 3:12-16 NLT)     

"East vs. West"

 "A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left." (Ecclesiastes 10:2 KJV)

  "A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison - your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. "But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, 'There's the person who started that building and couldn't afford to finish it!'"" (Luke 14:25-30 NLT)

 This brings me back to one of the first Bible-Studies I went to, soon after I got saved. The person that was teaching the study was an Officer at the facility where I was got saved; I believe it was the Wednesday night after the Sunday when I actually accepted Jesus into my heart. He was sharing on a particular verse from PSALM 103:12, which says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." 

 The illustration that was given was how the earth turns, moving from west to east; if you are always heading west, then you will never be headed east. If, however you headed east, you would still never be headed west, but your days would be shorter and instead of chasing the sun, it would be passing by you, day after day. Additionally, if you went north to south, you would end up going south to north; each time you rotated, you would be headed in the different direction. 

 There is a catch to this east and west thing, which ever direction you choose: going west is like leaving everything behind, but going east is like starting over and over again, with each new sunrise. Additionally, if you are always going west, then those sins never catch up with you; that is, unless you turn back towards them... 

"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 all 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)  

"Precious Stones" - Too

 "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and homour." (Ecclesiastes 10:1 KJV)

  ""The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"" (Matthew 13:44-46 NLT)

 If you have been saved for many years, and if you have taken the opportunities to go to retreats and conferences, then you should have some experience in what it is like to share in spiritual discoveries within the Scriptures. I know it might not be everyone's favorite thing, because there are certain times when you can get called out and put on the spot; but if you could just allow the Spirit of God to work in you, it might change your life.

 As to the passages from Matthew 13, Jesus is showing the disciples something, which is concerning the parable of the wheat and the tares. He first explains the actual wheat and tares, which is simple enough to understand; but then He opens up to the Kingdom of Heaven; which may or may not as easy to understand. 

 In the instance of these two discoveries, there have been teachings based upon the ones finding the hidden treasure and the great pearl, as to this actually being Jesus Christ, who gave up His place in Heaven to save us: His precious treasure and pearl of great value. And then, there have been teaching of this person being shown the discoveries, as being of you or me, who discovered the Savior, Jesus Christ, and gave all that we had, in order to hold onto and purchase these special treasures. 

 Having learned what I have learned, over these 40-plus years, it has been my understanding that we cannot purchase something that has been freely given; although, there are many people that pretend to do just that! More than that, if this Salvation to which we have been given, could be purchased, what price would it be, and from where would we get something that might of value to God? 

 There is really only one thing that we have, that really isn't our property to begin with; and that is our lives! Yes, He already owns you, so how is it that you can give Him something He already owns? And how can you purchase something that is given freely? 

 Solomon was just a man who asked God for wisdom! When we ask God for wisdom, we are asking Him for something that only He alone can give: the kind of wisdom that is from God; not the wisdom of this world, because the world's wisdom is foolishness. And, thankfully, He loves to hear us ask for wisdom, because that means we are wanting to do what He wants, not the foolish things the world wants to do. 

 Not to change the subject, but God not only gave Solomon wisdom, but He blessed him with great wealth and honor! Doesn't that sound a lot like the Tree in the midst of the Garden? Before there can be redemption, there needs to be a fall...

"For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it is to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose - to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'" Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let's stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall." (Romans 14:7-13 NLT) 

"Precious Stones"

 "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." (Ecclesiastes 10:1 KJV)

  "But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led away by their hypocrisy." (Galatians 2:11-14 NLT)

 For the moment, just pretend that this is something that has to deal with a person's testimony and the special life that they have been given, having been blessed with great wealth, wisdom and honor. Who do you see filling in the picture of that situation? There is one particular person that I had in mind, as it fits Solomon's life, to a tee. 

 There are so many, men of God, that I have listened to over these last 40plus years, who make the prediction that they will not be seeing Solomon in Heaven. Every time I hear that declaration I have to wonder where they have been schooled and what Bible they are reading out of, because this might have been a man of great illustration of what happens when good men get corrupted by the world's pleasures, but, then have a U-turn back to God!   

 Besides that, there is nobody that has lived a perfect life, except Jesus Christ! We all sin and behave as if we are spoiled children; judging one other as if we don't do anything wrong, ourselves. Most of the time we don't even see the bad things we do, because we are looking for the bad in others, which makes us think we are better than we really are, compared to them. 

 Well, sad to say this, but even that is sinful and unloving, something which can cause you to be judged, just as you would for unforgiveness; and where do you think that will go with the Lord? The way I see it, we see a man that blessed thousands of people, never set out to harm anyone, and always judged others rightly. Yet, because of his reputation of having too many wives and horses and chariots; having been swayed by the exceptional riches and pleasures of this world, he has caused a stink over much of what he had done that was right. 

 That said, God did judge him, at least by the powers and conditions of this world; but in Heaven, this man, Solomon, is a precious stone...

"So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness. You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."" (1 Peter 2:1-6 NLT)  

"A Little Foolishness"

   "As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. A wise person chooses the right road: a fool takes the wrong one. You can identify fools by the way they walk down the street! If your boss is angry at you, don't quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes." (Ecclesiastes 10:1-4 NLT)

  "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." (PSALMS 103:1-5 KJV)

 This little portion that starts chapter 10, appears to be a slight continuation of that last section of chapter 9, which was verses 13-18, tagged: "Wisdom and Foolishness", in my KJV Bible, and is tagged: "Thoughts on Wisdom and Folly", in my NLT Bible. Either or, neither one of them have any tag above the beginning of this chapter 10; so, they must be set as a continuation, in one way or another. 

 Hopefully you are going to start this year out right! Whoever you are, who somehow keep tolerating my strange way of thinking! I will blame it on the drugs and the strange way that I grew up; but that would just be wrong to even associate those past conditions, because I was changed, made New; given a whole new reason to live and die on this earth! 

 Yes, I absolutely am aware that my mind wanders off the page from time to time; but that is truly the way I feel God has made me. I still remember, (exactly,) the first time that I ran away from home. I was five years old. I filled my pockets with penny's and set out on my tricycle, before my parents were awake; then, began my five- or six-hour journey. As I road down the sidewalk, a man was spraying the ice or dew off of his windshield; and as I road past him, he said, "An early bird out to get a worm," and I replied, "Yes! I'm a bird!" 

 There are certain things that make perfect sense, and then there are things that might boggle the mind; but God's Word is never-ending and ministers to everyone, sometimes in bits and pieces, and sometimes in giant waves of amotion, filled with desperation and remorse. But one thing is sure: God will always magnify His Word above His name...

"I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou will revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." (PSALMS 138 KJV)  

"The Selah" - TO

 "Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good." (Ecclesiastes 9:18 KJV)

  "For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth be their false teaching. And they do it only for money." (Titus 1:10-11 NLT)

  Nothing that we can do cannot be forgiven; everything we mess up, can be turned into something that is put back together! If you have walked away from God, know, you can always, without a doubt, walk back to Him, and He will except you with His arms opened wide and smother you in His loving arms! It really doesn't matter how hard you have fallen; if you still have breath in your lungs, there is still hope! 

 Now then, about this word, "Selah," and what some think it might mean: "to lift up, and Exalt," is one that is put out there, as we stop and give praise to God, between the portion of Scriptures; another is, "the end, or a pause," as we might stop to think between the lines, what it was that we have just read. Here is a little thought, if it might be something to think about: It is the beginning of something new and worth your time to think about, like; PSALM 3:2: "Selah. O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise against me!" or PSALM 46:6: "Selah. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

 The main thing that is apparent is that makes us pause to consider that He is the answer to all of our lives; whatever we are dealing with, and no matter how bad things might appear, He is the ANSWER for all of life's issues and circumstances: Period...

""Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father."" (John 15:5-8 NLT)  

"The Selah"

 "Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but on sinner destroyeth much good." (Ecclesiastes 9:18 KJV)

  "You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death. Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling." No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the one who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!" (Hebrews 1218-25 NLT)

 Sorry for taking up too much of your time, but this is rather important! Looking up the meaning of this word, "Selah," it is obviously clear that nobody has a clue what it might actually means; the only real clue to the meaning, is that it must be a musical notation, indicating a pause or break in the music or singing. 

 This word, "Selah," is shown 74 times in the Old Testament: 71 times in the Psalms, and 3 times in the Book of Habakkuk. Personally, if it is true that it must be a musical notation, then in my humble opinion, it is actually meant to take out a musical note, causing the person singing or reading, to, "Take Note!" 

 Anywho, yesterday I heard an interesting message from 'To Every Man an Answer,' as it was a recorded conversation with Pastor Chuck and Pastor Mike answering a man's question about someone losing their salvation, (or something in that arena.) I didn't hear the question, but I heard the answers, which were very good and caused me to take notice. 

 As it was, Pastor Chuck was sharing about a man that was once quite powerful in being an evangelist, almost in the ranks of the late Billy Graham. But he turned away from God and even wrote a book about his awakening that there is no God, and that the Bible is just made-up stories and fables. 

 This reflected the one who turned away, and quit believing; but then, Pastor Mike shared another little bit of a story, one from the Bible: One from the Master, which deals with those who do believe, but who do not care to obey the Master...

""Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." Peter asked, "Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?" And the Lord replied, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful. And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions, will be severely punished."" (Luke 12:39-47 NLT)