"Live!"

 "A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which has been planted;" (Ecclesiastes 3:2 KJV)

""I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me."" (John 12:24-26 NLT)

 To be blunt, before you can die, you must first be born! I know that sounds obvious and is simple to get the point, you really cannot die, if you aren't yet alive! To start, the kernel of wheat was born, then it is planted and dies; but the death will produce a harvest! 

 Okay, maybe we need to take a breath and see what this looks like? When I was born into this world, I was given a life in the flesh; yet, even though I have a soul, (which we all have,) I did not have God's Spirit within me. This means that I was born separated from God; which is the result of the sin which was carried out by Adam, quite a long time ago. 

 In the year, 1981, sometime in September, I was born again, which was the result of Christ Jesus, who paid the penalty for my sins, and gave me new life in Him. Oddly enough, I still have this fleshly body to deal with, which doesn't seem to be dead! This seems rather hard to understand, but somehow the old me must die, and the new me must come alive, right? 

 Well, yes, it seems that there is something to be sorted out, if you catch my drift! Today is today, it is not yesterday, and it is not tomorrow, as we should be well informed in knowing how that works, right? If you have that understanding, then today is the day you live in, not yesterday or tomorrow, but this day, that you have been given! 

 Now that you have that understanding, living for today, who is going to live, the old you or the new one? Maybe it is best to just consider that old man has died, so the new man can live...

"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 did and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just a Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." (Romans 6:1-4 NLT) 

"Mutability"

 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV)

  "One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. He replied, "You know the saying, 'Red sky a night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.' You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know how to interpret the signs of the times! Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah." Then Jesus left them and went away." (Matthew 16:1-4 NLT)

 Just to make clear the reason for this, repeat and change of the title, each of these times and seasons are all about two different things. Time, whether you know it or not, doesn't change: every minute has 60 seconds, every hour has 60 minutes, and every day has 24 hours. But seasons, they change! 

 I know; there must be something wrong in my head! When I was a child, my mom would say, "You must have bumped your head or something," every time I would come up with some crazy thought. I can remember a couple I had; one was putting water tanks in the trunk of cars so tail pipes could blow through the water, causing less pollution. Another was that we were having more earthquakes because we were taking the oil out the ground, which was God's way of lubricating the plates of the earth. I was a pretty strange kid; some things never change! 

 The word in this title I lifted off from Matthew Henry's commentary, as he introduced this passage of Scripture, saying the first 10 verses represent "the mutability of all human affairs." We are only given so much time on this earth; some are given little, and some are given a lot; but everyone has the same number of seconds in every minute, the same number of minutes in every hour, and the same number of hours in every day, as long as they might live. 

 Seasons, although they are still based upon time, they change; whether we are talking about the earth, the sky, the sea, or you and me; we all have seasons that we live in and walk in, throughout our lives, however long, that might be!

 However! There is another practical side, to every time or season; one that does not change, nor is not based upon time: the spiritual world that is all around us! God made the time and seasons for mankind to live by; but His world is eternal and is not based upon time and seasons! Jesus lived here in human form, yet He was God, which means that He had to live as we do, based upon the time and the seasons.

 But here's the catch: He knew what time and season He was living in, each and every day...

"Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be tomorrow? Your life is like a morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:13-17 NLT)  

"TIME"

 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV)

  
 "Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued him command, and they came into being." (PSALM 148:1-5 NLT) 

 As I thought about this, I imagined what it might have been like when God created the universe, with all of those fascinating stars and systems that have been discovered; some of which, still have not been even noticed yet, as they haven't yet reached to end or the beginning, which appears to be infinite! Even still, time is part of that vastness, as far as you can see! 

 I couldn't help but think about the message from Paul Harvey, the one about the Scientists that saw an image of a magnified brain cell, which, as they gazed at the blown-up image, they had to step back, thinking about where they have witnessed this image before: it looked just like the image of the universe! That might give you some kind of feeling about how big our God really is! 

 This place we might think heaven is, isn't the sky we gaze into at night, because all of that has been set in motion for us to gaze upon, admiring all the awesome work of God! Yes, don't we feel privileged and special! Everything we see, He has made with us in mind, for His purposes and for His glory! 

 Have you seen the images of babies that are in the womb of their mothers? We are created to worship! Right from the very start of our creation, we have ability and desire to worship; and then we start living on this earth, with the desire to worship whatever we want, even ourselves. 

 As I have said before, as far back as I can remember I have believed in God; I just didn't know who He was, how much He loved me, and all that He has done to make me love Him! Yes, I said make me love Him! Isn't strange how God has created us with free-will, but in the passage of time, He has got to make us realize who He is and all that He has done for us, in the purpose to make us love Him! 

 I hope you can understand what I am saying, because we were created with the will to love and worship Him, but this is a fallen world we are born into, and we have been born in sin, with a sin nature. We know that we have been created to worship, in some form or fashion, as we obviously do; but He is the one that will show us and teach us the truth! 

 If He hadn't called me out of the darkness, I would still be lost in my sin, destined to hell, and would still have no clue how much He loves me! Thank goodness for time...

"For Moses writes the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven?' (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead?' (to bring Christ back to life again)." In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:5-10 NLT) 

"A Time for Everything"

  "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to speak and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

 "What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-10 NLT)

  "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day." (Genesis 1:14-19 KJV)

 To start, God has made time for us! We look around and up into the heavens, thinking that there should be more, that there has to be more; that all of this couldn't just involve us, as we could never explore all there is to see, no matter how much time we were given. 

 For the record, I do not believe that there are Aliens from other planets that have shown up on earth; yet there are certain things that have happened, whether by manifestation or by something which has been put in place, which I believe has a connection to the unseen world that is all around us. More advanced, is not really that which we should call it: more spiritual and eternal might be the better way to put it.

 Recently the whole thing has become more and more about life on other planets or from another galaxy; yet the real work going on here, is that the enemy's time is getting closer at hand. When God takes us out of here, there will need to be another excuse for what has happened. What better way is there, than to say it was Aliens from some other planet! 

 I will add something to Solomon's list of Times: A time to be raptured and a time to be left...

"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written. The first Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The fist man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1 Corinthians 15:40-50 KJV)   

"To Have and Have Not" - Too

 "For God giveth to man that is good in his sight wisdom, knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 2:26 KJV)

  "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous on one another." (Galatians 5:24-26 NLT)

 I truly believe that God has something else for me to do, other than killing Termites! But it is really hard to walk away from something you have been doing for over 40 years, without having a plan; yet I feel as though God will not show me His plan until I make the move. Is that even wise? It is like letting go of the root, free-falling from the side of the cliff, just to see what God will do! 

 Sorry for that, somewhat weird and confusing bit of information; but I do believe that it will tie into what God has put upon my heart. Case in point: the word for "joy" that Solomon uses, although we should count it all joy, based upon the fact that our joy is given us with our relationship we have with Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, there is another side to this, "joy," which causes laughter, based upon a glad result! 

 I was reminded of this yesterday, as the topic of Job came up in a conversation. Just a flash image was in my mind, as I saw a quick playback of all that he went through. Having lost everything and was covered in boils, sitting in the dirt, wondering what and why; being convicted by his so-called friends; having a one-on-one with God! All the while, it became something that would end up giving him great joy! 

 To anyone that might be stuck in something where you don't feel joy: You are not unhappy because you aren't where you are meant to be, physically; but you are not where you should be Spiritually! When I was first saved, I was in jail, as most of you know by now. Before I got saved, things were okay; I had a pretty good job in jail, I had several friends, I was making money with my store; but I was very much not where I really wanted to be, which was home with my wife and son! 

 But all of that changed when I was saved and was serving the Lord! Oh, I still wanted to be home, but where I was, was where God had me, and I was filled with joy no matter where I was at! So much so, when I had my first early release hearing, I was instantly denied; as soon as I sat down, one of the panel member's that was judging me, stood up and said, "Denied!"   

 My wife and my employer were there in the room, seeming depressed by the disappointment that I was denied release; but I was somehow full of joy, and stood up, saying, "Praise the Lord!" My wife and my boss looked at each other and then looked at me with a look of concern; while I just shrugged my shoulders, and then was escorted out of the room. 

 Later the evening I called my wife, reassuring her that I wanted to come home, but I also wanted to be where God had me, which was a place where I was doing His work! You might not get the point, not everyone actually does! However, the greatest part of this point is that of joy! Not just the kind of joy that makes you happy, but that makes you expectant and rich and prosperous, not in a financial way, but in a good way, before the Lord! 

 Okay, maybe you still don't get it, (I myself may not either,) but of those three things that Solomon is talking about, joy is the mysterious one, because that is the one which God takes from one, to give to another! To the sinner, it is just about the job or the business; but to the one that is good in God's sight, it is all about serving the Lord...

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites." 

"To Have and Have Not"

 "For God gives to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 2:26 KJV)

  "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up." (Romans 14:17-19 NLT)

 Whatever you might think about rich verses poor, nothing in this life matters more than the relationship that you have with God! If you have great wealth, and you have no relationship with God, you are poor in spirit, and you really have nothing at all! If you are poor, yet have a close relationship with God, you are rich in the Spirit, and you have the wealth of God's Kingdom to look forward to! 

 What we think is important in this life, has no value at all, if it doesn't involve God: the things we get, the things we give, nothing of the world is not God's to give and take away; He is the One that gives, and He is the One that takes away! That said, this is not something what we live for, to be given worldly things from God! 

 Not really something we sometimes really think about, but it is something that is sometimes preached about, as if God is there waiting for us to ask Him for something nice, like a new car or home, maybe even a wonderful vacation getaway. There are those that get people stirred up and emotional about stuff like that; yet the ones that end up with the goods, are the ones that make all the false promises. 

 Anywho! I don't really want to get negative, because this is more about something that is a part of most everyone's life, somehow, in some way or another. James makes this point, saying, "What is causing quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you?" (James 4:1 NLT)

 Just the thought of God's favoritism towards someone else, while you feel it should be you, that alone is sin! God has no favorite child; because we are all His children, and He loves us all the same! What is, is, and God has a reason; what will be, will be, because God has a purpose! We are only told to love Him, and to love one another; everything is not important, nor does it matter! 

 If you really want to ask God for something that you need, ask Him for more love...

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans, and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT) 

"God's Economy" - Two

 "For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?" (Ecclesiastes 2:25 KJV)

 "God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:10-11 NLT)

 On a little different playing field, there is the area of 'administration,' which is the way God gets things done! Although money might be what moves the economy of this world, there is a whole different world all around us, which Paul refers to as "all the unseen world, and the authorities in the heavenly places." Whether you believe it or not, it is more real than this which is seen, because it is an eternal realm, that is manifested in a whole different dimension. 

 We won't get too carried away with that now, because it is coming up soon, when we deal with time; but God's way of doing the impossible, although we can't explain it, they are manifested for a whole different world and for reasons that go way beyond our thoughts and reasonings. Probably the topics that should be skipped; no pun intended! 

 What I believe Solomon might be saying, maybe even without knowing what he is saying, is that he has the greatest example of what God can do, with or without, much human effort! I know, it might seem a little crazy, but it really doesn't need to make any sense, because most of what God does won't, at least not to the world that we currently are living in! 

 The death of Jesus on the cross, might be the most talked about of all. People who do not believe, do not get it; they cannot understand it, because it doesn't involve this, whatever it is that you want to call it: earth, life, living, mortality; you don't see it, because it is based on something you cannot see or comprehend, until you are in it! And even then, you sometimes might take your eyes off of it! 

 Jesus explained this to Nicodemus, saying, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." (John 3:3 NLT) This is something that this world cannot understand; but it is more real than all this stuff that is currently being lived for! All of which is just smoke and mirrors, compared to that which is to come! 

 Looking at the first part of his statement, "for who can eat," the word eat is represented as to devour or to burn up; to devour, consume, destroy, all of which, by the way, is that which is this, the fate of this life as we know it. The second part, "or who can hasten hereunto," without getting too carried away, means to hurry something alone; figuratively, to be eager with excitement or enjoyment. Come Quickly is also a root meaning, which then leads to "more," as in, "more than I," with a question mark! 

 What a strange word this is, 'more,' which is the word "hus" which is pronounced as, khoots; a masculine noun, which comes from an unused root meaning to sever. The most used definition is "without," but the most common Biblical usage is: Outside, Outward, Street, The Outside. 

 Maybe it isn't what it looks like; but things always don't seem as they appear...

 "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 things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing." (2 Corinthians 4:16 - 5:2 NLT) 

"God's Economy"

 "For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?" (Ecclesiastes 2:25 KJV) 

  ""Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! "But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?' "You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"" (Malachi 3:8-10 NLT)

 Have you ever wondered what it means to cheat God? The King James Version say, "robbed Me," which is pretty much the same, except that no one can really rob God, because everything is from Him, so it all is His anyways! He will still have everything when it all comes to an end. 

 In this instance, we are talking about those who are His, in whatever category you might place yourself, servant, child, follower, believer, or just someone that worships Him; if you belong to Him, then you honor and give Him that which He has asked for; and sometimes, even more! As the saying goes, "You can't out-give God!" 

 So then, how is God robbed or cheated, if everything is His to begin with? One of the speakers, we had at our Men's Conference, spoke about missing the mark, which we commonly refer to as the illustration of basic sin. You have a target placed before you, yet you never quite hit the bullseye, because you always fall short. 

 That bullseye represents the blessings that God wants to pour out upon your life! He really does want to bless you, as much as He can, but you rob or cheat Him out of the opportunity to it, because you just will not even try to hit that mark! How hard is it do give something that you already have? Depending upon what you might think how God is able, it could be easy or hard, based upon your ability to trust Him. 

 Giving is probably the easiest thing we are expected to do, yet there are only a small percentage of people in church that actually give at least 10% of their net; let alone those who give 10% of their gross; which is really what we are expected to do! I hate to say this, put when I was in charge of handling the offerings, I witnessed those that served in the church, seemed to be quite stingy when it came to giving 10%; almost as if serving counted towards giving, so they didn't need to give that much. 

 If you serve God, then you should serve God fully! When my wife and I started going to church, after I was released from jail, after several months we started to serve in children's ministry; but when they discovered that we were not legally married, we were asked to step down. So, what did we do? We got married! 

 If God puts it upon your heart to do something, then you should do your very best to do what He wants! That is the whole point of how we cheat God! He never gives you something to do, if you cannot do it; and even then, if you try and can't, He will provide the way! We are just cheating ourselves out of God's blessings, by not doing what He says...

"Remember this - a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, "They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever." For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you." (2 Corinthians 9:6-10 NLT) 

 

"Nevertheless!"

 "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God." (Ecclesiastes 2:24 KJV)

  "Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in money. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT)

 As we are told, "Count your blessings," it is because those blessings are there to remind us that we are surely blessed! Pretty simple to figure out, if you actually take time to count them, "One by One". How often we focus upon the hardships and the difficulties, more than we do the goodness and the blessings of God's anointing upon our lives; only because those hard times cause hurt and hurt seems to get the most attention. 

 What I believe Solomon is saying, has more to do with the positive side of work, than it does about the enjoyment of getting rich or making money. This is something that should be enjoyed in every level of income, whether you are making little or making a lot, if you are a child of God, you do all that you do, as unto the Lord! Make yourself understand who it is that you are really working for, because the person you are doing a job for is only an opportunity to gain income, but your opportunities come from God! 

 Back in the beginning of this year, I thought that my business was over. I really didn't care all that much, except for the sake of those that I employed and some of my creditors. I could sense the concern in my mother-in-law's expression, as she would inform me that there was only one inspection ordered, when usually we would get several a day. 

 Yesterday Pastor Nathan shared something that I believe is important for us to consider doing every day! There are times when we might feel hurt or hardship, when this is put into action, in one form or another; but I think we should put into action, each and every day; especially in these days that we are living in! 

 Basically, it was based on four very simple steps: "Talk, bring, make, and trust," which is based on the book of Lamentations, which means, 'To Lament.' This is not something that I currently do every day; probably because my current days are so routine and regimented, there are things that I seem to do as if they are just counting the days before my death! 

 We must talk to God as if He is our loving Father, not as if He is far off and away! Talking and sharing our hearts, both the good and the bad; bringing our concerns to Him, making our requests to Him, and then trusting Him, because He is such a good Father! He knows what we need before we even think of asking Him for it; but, nevertheless, He loves to hear us ask...

"I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." (1 John 5:13-15 NLT)

"A Business Affair"

 "For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity." (Ecclesiastes 2:23 KJV)

  "Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builder is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones." (PSALM 127:1-2 NLT)

 Didn't see this coming; but glad to share whatever God wants me to share! This is not something that is just for business owners, because even ambitious employees can be caught up in business affairs, which cause them to neglect their families and focus mostly on their work. Believe me, it is pretty much the same as an affair of the heart, as if you are sleeping with another person! 

 We can't really realize what it does, until the damage is already done, because we live our busy life as if what we do, is for providing for our family. Oddly enough, your time matters more than things; but things will replace your time, making your time less meaningful! How painful that turns out to be! 

 This opens up another subject, which is our fellowship with God! Does our business get in the way of our relationship with God? If your business is pretty much all you think about, it most surely does, because it has become your god, which means that your business is what you think keeps you secure! Smoke and mirrors! This is all you are depending on, an illusion that can vanish before your eyes, in an instant.  

 Back to Pastor Holden's journey to Iraq, which he believed was God telling him to go for the purpose of ministry to people and sharing the Gospel. When he arrived at the airport, he was discovered as being American, and was asked to show his Visa, which he didn't have. So, they arrested him and then locked him up in a cell within the airport. He felt as though he had made a grievous mistake, and he was going to die in an Iraq prison. 

 As he sat in his cell, he prayed to God and begged Him to forgive him for thinking that he heard Him speak, "Go to Nineveh," when he shouldn't have assumed it was God voice that he had heard. Then, not too long after he prayed, a man entered his cell, dressed as a very important officer, and instructed him to follow him through the airport. 

 When they reached the portion of the airport where he would be able to fly out and get to safety, the man pointed him into the direction, which had a sign that said, "Nineveh", a place that doesn't even exist anymore. Instantly, the man who had brought him there was gone and he stood there in amazement. (That is my version of what was said, after only hearing it once.)

 The whole point of what Pastor Holden had been through, was not to be given a job to do for God, but to learn a lesson about God's protection and the security we have in Him, no matter what! God must be our number one priority, above all else! There is nothing that we have that is more important than the relationship we have with God, absolutely nothing!

 If your relationship you have with God is first and foremost, then your family will thrive, and you will love them as you should...

"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires." (PSALM 37:4 NLT)

"Vain Desire"

 "For what hath man of all his labour, and of vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 2:22 KJV)

  "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into this world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." (1 Timothy 6: 6-8 NLT)

 For those who might be self-employed, you should have experienced the challenges you face by trying to weather the storm, which comes with just about every small business, sometimes more than just once. If you are faithful in giving, then you have a pretty good chance of making it through just about every storm that passes through; but if you have some other issues, you still might find intensity in just about every storm that comes your way. 

 Just to be clear, issues don't mean that you have some sort of sin or problem in your life; the real meaning of issues is that of dealing questions and directions, things you feel God might be telling you, but you just can't make sense of, and see how things will work out! If that is you, you need to know that God doesn't want you to know how He will do this or that, but that you just trust Him! 

 God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but that we do what He tells us, to the best of our ability; the funny thing about that, is that our ability isn't what it takes to get things done. But God is able, if we just move in the direction that He tells us to go! 

 If you know the story about Abraham, he had to be told twice to go to the place that God would show him; and when he finally did go, he took his nephew Lot with him, even though God to him to go alone! But God was faithful to bless him, because he went! As crazy as that might sound, it is the way that counts more than how! 

 I can recall Pastor Holden's testimony of when he felt God told him to go to Nineveh. He didn't even know where it was or how he would get there. He didn't even really know for sure that God was the voice he heard, that told him to go. But he ended up going and really didn't even get there, but instead had a very serious lesson in trusting God! 

 That is how our God works! We go, thinking it is all about us and our this or that; but instead, it is all about God's this or that, which is what it's all about...

"So humble yourselves under the mighty 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 6:6-11 NLT) 

"Gaining the World"

 "For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil." (Ecclesiastes 2:21 KJV) 

  "Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father and with the holy angels."" (Mark 8:34-38 NLT)

 There are those that work towards the riches of this world, and there are those that might be handed the riches of this world; one will sacrifice something while gathering and storing up, while the other will be wasteful and waste his life away. Which one might be the most gainful? Better yet, which one will lose the most? 

 Not that I have been a good steward of what God has blessed me with, because I neglect so much of what I have, it seems as though I don't care sometimes what might happen to it, or if it really even matters if it gets thrown away. We gather stuff, we might think we need, but when it needs our care, we seem to not need it much anymore. (At least that is the way it seems!) 

 If we really want something to care about in the world, it needs to be the people that God places into our lives! However you decide you are care for people, it is something that you need to pray about and make sure God is leading you and love is the motivation of your heart. The only reason that I say that, is that we tend to take the credit for doing things, when all the credit needs to go to God! 

 Something we might not think that much about, because we feel as though we are doing good, so we start feeling good about doing good, as if we are good for doing it! Not so good! We are God's servant, and we need to keep that first and forefront the reason that we do what we do, to please our King! 

 Before you think this is about money and wealth, it is more about doing good and right, for God. The whole point that brought Jesus to share what He called the crowd to join the disciples for to hear, was all about seeing things from God's point of view, and not man's...

 "Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. "Get away from me, Satan!" he said. "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."" (Mark 8:31-33 NLT) 

"Hopelessness"

 "Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 2:20 KJV)

  "Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me, I almost lost me footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness." (PSALM 73:1-3 NLT) 

 Looking up hopelessness, I discovered that there were nine forms of hopelessness listed in three separate categories. Hopelessness in an emotion, which is caused by one or more of these nine disorders: alienation, forsakenness, lack of inspiration, powerlessness, oppression, limitedness, doom, captivity, and helplessness. 

 As I tried to figure where Solomon might be, in this list, as wise as he was, I figured that he was dealing with every one of them, in some form or fashion! As crazy as it might sound, when you know where your hope is found, losing hope, you tend to go through just about every sort of emotion you can, to try and gain that hope back again! 

 In this case, I will assume that Solomon is dealing with this out of curiosity, and not out a need; only because he says, that he went about to cause my heart to despair, which basically means that he was looking for hope in all that he had labored, as if there was anything there, and found nothing! This is basically what we do when we compare this life to another: our living for success, to living for others; our busy work, to the time we spend with our families; our holding onto this world, to holding onto the Lord. 

 The Psalm we see from Asaph, is one such example of what this looks like as he shares what it was like to be envious of those who lived for the world, and how they were so prosperous, even though they were so wicked. Not that it doesn't happen to us, we who follow Jesus and try so hard not to care for the things of this world; because it certainly does, from time to time. We just get a little taste, and it doesn't take much effort to be caught up in something that becomes an anchor, holding us firmly planted to this rock, instead of The Rock! 

 Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, a Father that truly loves us, and Christ Jesus, the Author and Finisher of this faith, we have been given! Oh, you didn't know? I am sure someone has told you! At least once or twice, you surely should have heard it by now! Nothing you have of any good is your own: including faith! Faith in Christ comes from Christ and is given to us by God; so too, hope comes from God...   

"So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:18-20 NLT)  

"Taken Back" - To

 "And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity." (Ecclesiastes 2:19 KJV)

  "I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces." (Psalm 34:4-5 NLT)

 Looking at this from a laymen's point of view, Solomon is putting himself in the crosshairs, as he points to the concerns, he might have for what happens to all of his labor, under the sun. None of this, whatever this might be, belongs to us; everything belongs to God! He made it all and He owns it all! 

 Sometimes we forget to remember that none of what we own is really ours! Not that it takes too much to find ourself thinking that way, because it is just the way we are, have been that way ever since we were a little child, saying, "Mine," to anything we thought was or should be ours. 

 Maybe you don't see it the same way. But God has allowed us to be a steward of all that we have, including the loved ones, we love so dearly! With that, Solomon is also admitting that the one that will take over all of his labor, will rule over it, as if it was his, but that too is vanity! 

 Thirdly, the thought of having done everything based upon his wisdom, saying, "wherein I have shown myself wise," this too is vanity, seeing that it was God that gave him the wisdom and the ability to be wise! We really don't have much to take any credit for, except not doing right! As a matter of fact, when it comes right down to it, when we do what is good, we do so because we are doing what God wants us to do! 

 I know, maybe there are some independent thinkers out there that think they can be good on their own, as if they don't need to be told how to be good; but James says...

 "And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession." (James 1:13-18 NLT) 

"Taken Back"

 ""And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity." (Ecclesiastes 2:19 KJV)

  "Jesus told this story to his disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer's money. So the employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.'

 "The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I'll have plenty of friends who will give me home when I am fired.' 

 "So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe him?' The man replied, 'I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, 'Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.' 

 " 'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,' was the reply. 'Here', the manager said, 'take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.' 

 "The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home."" (Luke 16:1-9 NLT)

 I know it seems like a lot to read, but we have covered this passage before; however, in this instance, we are dealing with something that requires some serious thought and a whole lot of prayer! Have you ever wondered why God allows the devil to take from those of us that love Him? Well, it isn't because He wants to see how we will react! 

 I am not sure I have what it takes to get this done, but I will do my best! Long-story-short, that is my reaction! We need Him more than we know; yet, we have a tendency to live our lives independently, as if He has put us on auto pilot, and is working on bigger and better things. As if God can't do all things, all at the same time! 

 That big giant rock that God has told you to move, although you can't move it, you continue to try, again and again! 'If God says I must do it, then it must be possible,' is that what you think? Something I think we need to come to terms on: We don't have what it takes; but what we do have, He can use to take us through this life and get us safely to the other side! 

 As for this story Jesus told to His disciples: This story is about getting a welcoming committee in Heaven! Isn't that really what this life we have been given is all about! We do the opposite of what the devil might try to do! He wants to drag souls down to hell; we must be those who lead people to Jesus and getting them into Heaven! 

 God already knows what your reaction will be, because He knows your heart! The closer we get to God, the better we see what He sees in us, and the less the devil can do about him stopping us from taking back what he has stollen...

"For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:15-18 NLT) 

"The Futility of Labor" - Too

"Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me." (Ecclesiastes 2:18 KJV)

  "Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me." Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?" Then he said, "Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own."" (Luke 12:13-15 NLT)

 Maybe this isn't a good time to share this, but I do believe we are getting closer and closer to some very serious changes in the way we control our own personal finances as if we have any control as it is! As I was listening to a news report yesterday morning regarding Home Loans, apparently the lending market is going to get turned upside-down, those with lower credit scores will get lower interest rates on their loans, while those with higher credit scores will get higher interest rates. Go figure: this is what you might say, is leveling the playing field! 

 Actually, I am not surprised. Several years ago, my life was torn in half, and my financial situation became very unstable. My bank was very kind to allow me to cover my account by getting a deposit in by 10:00am, if there was an item that was going to be sent back, due to insufficient funds. Much to my surprise, I was told one day that this was going to stop. I asked if I had done something wrong, and I was told that it was because no one else usually called to try to save a check from getting rejected, and it wasn't fair to them that I did and could! 

 Anywho! You do know that your money can be taken from you at any time, without a reason or a warning, right? If you don't, then you should be aware, you have no control over anything, not even your bank account! That said, what we do have some control over is the life we have in Heaven! Yes! You are able to plan and prepare for a glorious life in Heaven, because your Heavenly Father has given you the keys to His Kingdom! 

 This is our inheritance! That was Abraham's inheritance, as the Scriptures say: "Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God." (Hebrews 11:10 NLT) It was by faith in God that Abraham planned and prepared for his heavenly home; and God counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith! 

 We must keep putting our trust in God, not in the things we might own or the money we might think we have! All of this is temporary and will soon be gone; as Peter tells us, saying, "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 be disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment." (2 Peter 3:10 NLT) 

 No matter what you might be going through, you have treasure in Heaven! This is where your treasure really is, so set your heart on that which cannot be taken or stolen from you...

"Then he told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops.' Then he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!"' "But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."" (Luke 12:16-21 NLT) 

 

"The Futility of Labor"

 "Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me." (Ecclesiastes 2:18 KJV)

  "Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whosoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:10-11 NLT) 

 Yesterday we had our Men's Conference, which was based upon the verse from Acts 20:32, which was when Paul addressed the Ephesian Elders before "going bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem." As it were, Paul had perceived in his spirit that when he left, "grievous wolves" would enter the church, as well as men from within them, "to draw away disciples after them." Therefore, he said, "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified."  

 Of all the pastors that shared, one in particular really moved me and made me realize that God's grace was able to do what I could never do: "Hit the mark!" We really need to understand that we are going to fall short, no matter how hard we try, we are not going to be able to reach perfection in this life. Once more, the more we try to focus upon hitting the mark, the harder it becomes to achieve it, because our 'bow' is broken, and the arrow doesn't ever come close enough to make it count! 

 To be totally honest, I could do anything and everything possible to get totally and completely right with God, be living in a manner that might feel like perfection and complete holiness; and then wake up in the morning, bound up in sin! You could go through all the motions and every practical way to live as the saint you are destained to be, but as long as you are here on this earth, if you aren't counting on Christ Jesus for righteousness, you're going to fail and miss the mark every time!  

 Oh, it might not happen overnight! But, the more you think that you are able, the less you will be walking in God's grace, which is totally able...

"Dear brothers and sisters, here's an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. God gave the promise to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn't say "to his children," as if it meant descendants. Rather, it says "to his child" - and that, of course, means Christ. That is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God's promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise. Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between God's law and God's promise? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 3:15-22 NLT) 

"The Futility of Work"

  "I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world. 

 Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, them must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn't worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So what to people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with paid and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless. 

 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless - like chasing the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 NLT)

 ""Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."" (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)

 We need to understand something about the way God works, because there are some who He has given the ability to live, shall we say, outside the bounds of what He requires, while others are kept in the way of doing all that they should. Not that He has any favorites or anything like that, because He doesn't! But He knows the beginning and the end! 

 I know, it doesn't seem fair, but not everyone is able to bounce back! If you want a good example, David is one that paints a pretty perfect picture. Because of his heart towards God, David was a man that knew that God was the lover of his soul; the only One that he could turn to in times of trouble, the only One that could give him comfort when he felt despair; no matter what he might have done, God was still there to forgive him, if asked Him for forgiveness! 

 We must understand the heart of God! He knows full well what we are capable of doing, what we will do, and what have done! There is nothing hidden from His sight; not even those dreams we might have, that make us feel ashamed; He knows everything about us, even more than we know about ourselves! 

 Think about what God has done! His love for us, knowing how we sin and rebel against Him, and yet, He sent His One and Only Son to pay the penalty for all that we have done or ever will do, because He knows we cannot obey Him as we should! If we could, Jesus would not have had to come and die for our sins! 

 It is all about LOVE! He loves you, just as you are, He has always loved you! He proved that love by sending His Son to die for your sins, so that you could have eternal life with Him...

""Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."" (Matthew 7:24-27 KJV)

"Torn Asunder"

 "Therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 2:17 KJV)

  "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live." (Philippians 1:20-24 NLT)

 As should be expected, once we realize where we have gone and what we have become, we start to get a little hateful towards this world, as if it is to blame for corrupting us. This really isn't that uncommon for people to do; we are totally prone to blame our sins on someone or something else, it comes naturally and usually without any remorse. 

 In this instance, Solomon blames this work, whether it was made by him, or whether it is what made him to be what he had become, it all became wicked and evil, as if it had a life of its own. When we get to that point in life, we realize that the life we have made for ourselves spins on its own, sometimes it is spinning out of control; so much so, we just feel like walking away and leaving it all behind. 

 Believe it or not, but I have thought about that several times, over the last several decades. But, thanks be to the Lord, He has reminded me that I have a work to do, which is far more important than what I might feel like doing! The more people you have to be responsible for, in one way or another, the harder it is to walk away from being responsible for caring! 

 I can't even imagine what Solomon must have felt, having a thousand wives and concubines; let alone all of those servants, guards, and all the things that needed to be cared for. Work that is grievous becomes a monster; one that eats more than you had prepared for or thought that was needed. But then again, this was his own doing, and now he has something to talk about...

"So get rid of evil behavior. Be done with 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." (1 Peter 2:1-5 NLT)  

"One Life to Live"

 "For there is no remembrance to the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise? as the fool." (Ecclesiastes 2:16 KJV)

   "Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?" (PSALM 88:11-12 NLT)

 There are several ways to consider what Solomon might be thinking; most of which will not truly make any sense without taking into consideration that there is a contrast between what is done here, for here, and what is done towards the Kingdom of God. Jesus clearly said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21) Some might think it is the opposite, as to say, 'Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also,' but it doesn't work out the same, because this is where you are for this moment! 

 If you go back to the reason, which is why Jesus says, "For," He says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20) The context is really not that hard to understand; what are you working towards? To prepare for retirement, or preparing for Heaven? 

 Not to judge anyone's motivation, because I believe most everyone is somewhat concerned about how they will get along down the road or taking care of their family. I do believe this topic has been talked about before. If I recall, it might have been way back when I started sharing on Isaiah 55, which was maybe ten years ago! 

 This is something more about priorities than about anything else: Where is your real security at? In your bank account, or in Heaven? Just about everyone who is a believer and is following Jesus, will know that nothing in this life is certain, absolutely nothing! So you have paid off your house and now you can rest assured that you have a place to live and die? It could burn down! Your taxes could go up, and your insurance could be canceled; whatever the case might be, nothing is secure in this life, here on earth! 

 Follow your heart, is what you have been told, pretty much all of your life; where is that your heart will take you, if you cannot control it or it controls you? I pray that I store up treasure that will not be burned up or stolen; something that will somehow makeup for the things that I have failed to do! This is the point of, "And how dieth the wise? as the fool." 

 I remember the very first "Chick Tract" that had, called, "The Fool!" It was about a king who was dying; but before that had happened, he asked his court jester to go out and find a bigger fool than himself and present him with a golden wand. The court jester went everywhere, asking everyone, but had no such luck. Then he was called back to the palace, as the king wanted to see him before he died.

 When the jester arrived, the king told him that he was going on a long journey, from which he would not return. So the jester asked him, "Have you prepared for that journey, your Highness?" And the king answered, "No...I haven't!" So the jester handed him the golden wand...

"My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whosoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." (James 5:19-20 NLT) 

"Check Yourself"

"Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 2:15 KJV)

  "Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? And comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose." (Philippians 2:1-2 NLT)

 Maybe you didn't notice, but the mugshots of the parents which just got sentenced to 10-15 years for the shooting that their son did at school, looks just like Trump's mugshot when he was arrested. Just saying! There is something going on, which is beginning to wake some people up; and it is about time! I heard a girl in school wanted to start a prayer club but was denied; yet someone else was allowed to start a pride club. Yes, we are surely living in the last days; so, you better get ready!   

 Because there are so many different views on this portion of Scripture, I will hold back from going too far into the thoughts I have and will try to level the playing-field. We know that life is complicated and has many ups and downs; most of what goes on around us, we usually have no control over; things can come at us out of the blue and without even giving us a chance to sensibly react. 

 Whatever you might think about, when it comes to death and the struggle of this life, we have nothing that is even close to the life of Christ! What He did for us was beyond comprehension, more than anyone of that time period could believe or accept as something that God would do. Yet, those that wrote about it, hundreds, thousands of years prior, they knew and understood what they wrote, they just didn't know to whom it was meant for or when it would happen. 

 Basically, this is about focusing on this life; making it all about your beginning and end, as if this is it: you live, you die, and everything is over! We might not understand what that might look like, having known the truth, we have forgotten the feelings we felt prior to having been given eternal life. But it is still something that many believers still deal with, only on a slightly different level: Envy! 

 Yes, that is what happens when you start focusing upon this life, you begin thinking about what you might be missing out on, and if giving up on pleasuring yourself was all for nothing. Obviously, Solomon didn't have that same experience; but he did ponder what it was that he did, was exactly what could happen, and it did! 

 Thus, the question: "And why was I then more wise?" There has got to be something better than this...

"This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about the gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."" (1 Peter 1:10-16 NLT)  

"Tunnel Vision"

 "The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all." (Ecclesiastes 2:14 KJV)

  "The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for them who obey them." (PSALM 19:7-11 NLT)

 Just a little pause, sometimes that is exactly what is needed, in order to stop and stay still long enough to look around you, paying attention to what is actually going on! There are those that will say that us who follow Jesus are narrow minded, as if we adhere to a very narrow opinion of what really matters, what is really the right way to live, and who really gets to go to heaven. 

 They might actually be right! Yet, in this life, disaster falls upon the righteous and the wicked, neither one is able to hide from sickness and disease; neither one can prevent the body from decay or death, there is nothing anyone can do to prevent or delay time from moving forward! 

 Yes, this is about something we must all deal with, in one way or another: Death! If we have security in Christ, then it is less of an issue than those that don't; but it is still something that we must deal with and live through, if not for ourselves, but for those we love and care about. Something we really don't want to focus upon or even let enter our minds. 

 The PSALM quoted upon shows a little bit of what it actually means to be narrow minded, because it is about the "narrow road" to following Christ! Yes, we all have our own specially journey, and not all of us are walking the same narrow path; but the path that we are on, hopefully is not by ourselves...

"For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we say, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so we could be made right with God through Christ. As God's partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it. For God says, " At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 5:19-6:2 NLT)   

"True Contrast!"

 "Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness." (Ecclesiastes 2:13 KJV)

  "For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."" (Ephesians 5:8-14 NLT)

 Okay, so the whole point of this is very simple, much like that familiar term, "GIGO"! As it were, we had a little bit of a demonstration from Pastor Bryan yesterday, as he shared a song, a child's song which we probably remember singing something very similar when we were five or six. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt that this song is being sung in public schools during these dark days: "Be Careful Little Eyes What You See." 

 If you might not understand the term, GIGO, it basically means: Garbage In, Garbage Out. Which is the basic understanding of what goes into your mind matters as to how you live, react to certain things, reason on certain choices, and believe or have faith in anything of substance! That is why we must protect our minds from certain things; what we see, what we hear, what we touch; everything is viewed or seen as a contrast between good and evil; which was most likely why God told Adam not to eat of that fruit! 

 A topic for another time, but one that has some important meaning for this particular example. We had no such concern for what was light when we lived in darkness; just as Adam and Eve had no concern for darkness when they lived in the light. But as soon as they became aware of the darkness, the light exposed their nakedness, and they were ashamed. 

 As much as I would like to say I know something, whatever that something might be, God will show me how little I really know, by contrasting everything I think I know with His Light! What that means, is that God's ways and thoughts are so much greater than ours, we can never truly comprehend what God is doing, what He plans, or how He does things. But we can do the simple things, and just do what He says for us to do, without questioning why or how or what, and just do what He says!  

 What is the difference struggling to be perfect, when it only requires you to do what's right? When I was practicing setting goals, I was listening to a set of teachings from Zig Ziglar, and really began to understand what it means to live in the present. Living in the present means that you focus upon what you are doing now, who you are with, and what your current task is all about; not thinking about what you will be doing later, another conversation with someone else, or planning a task to do down the road. 

 What that requires is for us to pay attention and be concerned about what we currently are doing; that we are not just wasting time and not caring about the simple things, such as life, those around us, and our goal at hand. If you don't believe in setting goals, that is fine by me, because I haven't actually been working on any goals for quite some time, which is probably why I haven't been getting anything done! 

 Focus on the goal of pleasing the Father by following Christ! He lights the way; we just need to walk in it...

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. "They will be my people," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "On that day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."" (Malachi 3:16-18 NLT)  

"Wisdom Excels Folly" - To

 "And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done." (Ecclesiastes 2:12 KJV)

  "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'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? Who do you look down on another believe? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God." (Romans 14:7-10 NLT) 

 How does God make us to understand the madness? If I had to try to understand it on my own, I would have given up following the Lord a long time ago! To put this into the proper perspective, we must come to the understanding that we cannot control the sickness of our hearts. When a believer becomes overcome with something that they cannot control, there is really nothing they can do on their own to stop the slide away from wisdom; wisdom being defined as good sense and judgment. 

 We are sinners that have been saved by grace! As long as we are living within these bodies of flesh, we will sin, in one way or another; it's just the life we must battle and try to overcome here on the earth. That said, we have been given grace to be an overcomer! Yes, we must strive to be like Jesus, holy and pure, but in reality, we fail to be as Holy and Pure as Him; but therein is the kicker: His grace is sufficient to make us holy and pure! 

 I will never forget a Men's Fellowship meeting we had, oh, maybe 26 years ago. We were meeting at a barrowed church out in Palo Cedro, and Pastor Bill was sharing on the fact that we were all parts of the Body of Christ; each having their own use and purpose. One the of men, a father to one of the youth-group, stood up, saying, 'Well, if I am a part of the body of Christ, I must be a hemorrhoid!' 

 Everyone had a quick laugh, and Pastor Bill took the matter to a whole different level, sharing about how the church is comprised of all sorts of believers; some more important than others, some less noticeable some others, and some that make everyone else aware that they are there. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, having each and every one of us our own set of differences, likes, and passions. 

 None of us are perfect; but we will be made perfect in the end! Wisdom means that you are given the understanding to know your place in this world! If you don't understand your place, you are wherever God has you! You are useful wherever you are, with whatever you have, right now! 

 As I was sharing on yesterday; Jesus had the assistance of people or things wherever He went and with whatever He did; even those that He healed, they were His assistant in the miracle that was performed. The very first miracle Jesus did, turning water to wine, the servants filled the water basins with water, to the very brim. Thinking hard, the fig tree and the resurrection are the only two things which came to mind; one was the display of death to something that had no fruit, and the other was the display of New Life; however, He still used the tree, and He needed to tomb! 

 The whole point of the topic was given in a message from Pastor Mike, as he described Jesus using the cup of the woman at the well to initiate the miracle that would happen. Just a simple little cup, and the whole conversation turned into a revival! We don't need to wait for anything to change in us, or some kind of possession to make ministry happen! We just need God to work in us and through us, He will provide everything we need, including a heart that knows wisdom...

"If it seems we are crazy it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we stop evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him." (2 Corinthians 5:13-18 NLT)   

"Wisdom Excels Folly"

 "And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the do that cometh after the king? even that which hath already been done." (Ecclesiastes 2:12 KJV)

  "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. You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruits they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."" (John 4:31-38 NLT)

 So, yesterday I was thinking: Was there anything that Jesus had done, here on this earth, which did not require the use of someone else, in one way or another? Yes, I know it seems odd and out of sorts. But if you stop and think about it, He came here as vulnerable as He could have possibly been, as a baby, totally and completely dependent upon His mother!    

 I know what you must be thinking, and it hopefully will work itself out in the end. Solomon has pondered this before, back in 1:17; however, in this new light of thinking, he takes his thoughts to others, rather than just himself. Having felt the results of his own personal folly, he now ponders the results of others, both the wise and the foolish.

 I watched that controversial movie last night, "Journey to Bethlehem," which I totally enjoyed when I first saw it, and enjoyed it even more last night. What makes it so controversial is that they took such liberties in the making, as Mary wanted to be a teacher, Joseph was an inventor, and many other little bits and pieces of nothingness, most of which did not really take away from the Glory of the birth of Jesus! 

 To be totally clear, most of this is about the last seven words in this Scripture: "even that which hath already been done." You must understand something about God's passion and love for the lost: He uses those that are messed up and fall apart, to clean up and put others back together! Sometimes people are broken for His glory to be put on display...

""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."" (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT) 

"The Wise and the Foolish"

  "So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?). I thought, "Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark." Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. Both will die. So I said to myself, "Since I will end up the same as the fool, what's the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!" For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.

 So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless - like chasing the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 NLT) 

 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 KJV) 

 Seeing how we just had an Easter celebration; it should be fresh in our minds that Jesus, in His weakest moment, hanging upon the cross, performed the greatest display power, by giving up His life! This is the point of what Paul is saying, pretty much in a nutshell, as nutty as some might think it so be! 

 Solomon on the other hand, he is thinking upon a whole different level, one which deals with life, or death, depending how you gauge your existence here on the earth. Some people will dwell upon the present, looking back on favorite memories; while others, deal with the present, looking towards the moment of death. Either way, if you are not trusting in God's salvation, everything is meaningless! 

 Something else I have learned to try to put into practice, (if I can bring myself back to the heart of worship,) that a close relationship and understanding with God is just as close or as far as you make it! He is always right there, waiting for us to come to our senses; but we must surrender and willing to draw as close as possibly can! 

 What is holding us back, sometimes is just a lack of understanding! We might think God wants to bring everything out into the open, so we try not to get too far into whatever might be available: laying on of hands, being filled with the Spirit, sharing the Gospel message with a friend that needs salvation; all of which will possibly cause a big change, making us fear what might happen.

 God wants us to surrender! Dying to ourselves, and start living for Jesus...

"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:6-9 KJV) 

"Nothing Good!"

 "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 2:11 KJV)

  "Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed, and morning came, marking the sixth day." (Genesis 1:31 NLT)

 You would have to imagine all of this stuff Solomon was looking at; so much stuff, many people would have loved to have just a portion of what he had; much like people envy the luxurious living of some of the rich people in this world right now. 'Celebrity Homes,' which actually get shown on shows that display the excess of living; most of which is just stuff, things that need to be maintained and kept up. 

 I have to admit, things were so much more enjoyable when I had little! Seriously! When my wife and I had our first apartment together, things we had were essential, like pots and pans, a coach to sit on, a bed to sleep in, a lamp to light up the room; things that really made home a home, where we enjoyed each other, more than we took pleasure in all of the stuff! 

 I know, everything changes when we start making money, which is the way life usually turns out. That said, money is not what is evil; money is a root of evil, which is based upon what you feel towards it, how much you put trust in it, love to have it, or make it what living is all about. The more to depend upon the mighty dollar, the less you depend upon the Mighty God! It is that which becomes evil, not the money, but the human heart! 

 Matthew Henry gives us this thought: "When the Creator had made his great works, he reviewed them, and behold, all was very good; every thing pleased him. But when Solomon reviewed all his works that his hands had wrought with the utmost cost and care, and the labour that he had laboured to do in order to make himself easy and happy, nothing answered his expectations; behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit; he had no satisfaction in it, no advantage by it; there was no profit under the sun, neither by the employments nor by the enjoyments of this world." 

 Believe it or not, but nothing under the sun will last! Again, "Only One Life, 'Twill Soon Be Past, Only What's Done For Christ Will Last!" Which way is up? That is the question we need to ask, as we think about the glory in anything: To Whom Gets the Glory...

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17 NLT) 

  

"Part and Parcel" - Too

"And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour." (Ecclesiastes 2:10 KJV)

  "The woman was convinced. She saw the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves." (Genesis 3:6-7 NLT) 

 If there is something to be said about dealing with sin in our lives, it should be that it proves you have been born again! Before I was saved, sin was not really an issue that I needed to deal with. If I had any issues, it was about relationships, such as with my wife, son, or family; other than that, nothing else was really an issue. 

 Once I had a personal relationship with the Lord, sin became something that needed to be dealt with; it became part and parcel to my new life in Christ! There was always the prompting of the Holy Spirit, telling me that this or that was not okay, even though it really never mattered before. 

 In the case of Solomon, we see him pointing out something which was apparently causing him to get overly indulged in all the things he could do, be, or have! It is one thing to have some fun, make some things to feel better, hire and own people that keep you entertained, and even have a few extra wives; but when it starts to overcome you, making you become something that you don't really like; then it is time to start checking yourself, before you wreck yourself! 

 Several times during the year I feel there are times available to check myself. The New Year is one, as I usually make plans to change certain things, diet, exercise, reading habits; whatever it is that I need to make as a New Year resolution, it's just a habit to try to move in the right direction. The other times are the Men's Conferences and Men's Camp; as these are times when I can just prepare myself for whatever God wants to do, not about what I want, but about what He wants! 

 Even if I might think I know the theme of the event, I still will always go into it, as if I am expecting God to do something extraordinary, taking me into a place that causes me to see Him more clearly, or see myself more dearly! If there is anything that gets out of sorts, due to stress and life, it is the fact that He loves me! 

 That is what I think we need to see more clearly, that He loves us dearly! Part and Parcel to that, is that we might love Him more, dying to ourselves, and making it all about serving Him...  

"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 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)