"Sweetness"

"The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." (Ecclesiastes 5:12 KJV)

  "My child, don't lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap." (Proverbs 3:21-26 NLT)

 For the most part, I am feeling today is a great blessing, as today is our anniversary; Marianne and I have been married for forty-two years today. Time sure does pass quickly; I feel as though we have done so many things together, but not hardly enough! It has also been almost twenty-one years since she had her surgery; the day that my life turned upside-down! 

 For those of you who might not know, this blog was started on January 1st, 2010; mostly because I felt as though I wanted to share something about my commitment to caring for my wife; regardless of what others might think, I felt compelled and blessed by doing just that; even though it hurts some days to see her having to live in this condition. 

 The whole point to this, whatever or wherever it goes, is God's will; whether it is His perfect will or not, He will make everything His will and purpose: Everything! We sometimes forget that, thinking that He won't or that we have gone too far, fallen too far from grace, or not followed Him as close as we should have; so, we think that He no longer listens. 

 Well, that is hogwash! No pun intended! If there is one thing I have learned over these last, almost 43 years on following the Lord, He never stops loving us, He never gives up on us, and He will never leave us alone...

"Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing." (PSALM 34:8-10 NLT)  

"The Real Blessings" - To

 "When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?" (Ecclesiastes 5:11 KJV)

  "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)

 Okay then, if we have seen part of what it means to have abundance, we must accept this as something that actually belongs to God; if it belongs to God, then it isn't right for us to let it go to waste. Adam was told by God to tend the garden, which meant that he was to watch over it and guard it; keeping the garden, as it were, in harmony and as a blessing, given by God, but belonging to God! 

 Another way we can look at this, is our families. The children that we have are given to us by God, and it is our responsibility to raise them up as treasure of God! However, this current culture of abundance, takes away from the proper raising of children, and they are lift being raised by schools and entertainment and things which take the place of the knowledge of God. 

 Not to change the subject, but it is a lot like my back yard! That which is lacking in my responsibilities to maintain what God has given, is taken up by working harder to just maintain that which I have; making that which I have something to behold, yet, only to notice it needs my attention! 

 Don't worry about anything, this too will pass! Seriously, we must focus on what matters the most, even though things might need a little repair, the most important repair is the relationship we have with the Lord! When we get that right, everything else will work out for the good...

"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing: 'May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.' Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them."" (Numbers 6:22-27 NLT)   

"The Real Blessings"

 "When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?" (Ecclesiastes 5:11 KJV)

  ""I have never coveted anyone's silver or gold or fine clothes. You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"" (Acts 20:33-25 NLT)

 The above statement is given by Paul, just before he set out in a ship towards Jerusalem, where he had expected to encounter some trouble from the Jews; but nevertheless, he was bound by the Spirit to go. It doesn't take a whole lot of courage to be bound to do something you know you must do, because your life is in God's hands, not your own! 

 There is more freedom in having little, than in having much. At this point in Paul's life, he had very little and spent all of his time preaching the Gospel, from one place to another. If he had anything at all, it was the tools he needed to mend tents; doing whatever he could to not rely on others to support his ministry.  

 Something that Solomon knew quite well, was the more you had, the more you need others to help take care of it! This is something that is currently bothering me; not that I can't take care of it, but that I really don't know where to start! My front yard is okay but has lost some of the luster; but the back yard is a wreck. I need to either spend several weeks getting it cleaned and fixed up myself or spend several thousand dollars having it done by others.  

 As I was typing this verse this morning, I had to laugh at Solomon's question; because just the sight of what I see looking out the window, is really not good at all! There is something to be said for not having much to take care of: You don't have to take care of too much! 

 Anywho; this might be a good time to make a plan and set out to get some things done. After all, we are also told to be good stewards of all that God gives to us. If you are in this same situation, make a plan; nothing gets done unless you make the plan, by writing it down; otherwise, you have no way to check it off of your list, as you get things done...

 "We who are strong must be considerate to those who are sensitive about this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." (Romans 15:1-4 NLT) 

"The Folly of Riches" - Too

"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." (Ecclesiastes 5:10 KJV)

  "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the 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)

 Without thinking too hard on this, it is easy just to understand what makes people become dependent upon their own abilities, while at the same time, depending less on God for their daily bread. To be clear, daily bread is not just food, because bread also represents God's word. When we practice providing for ourselves, making that the way we think things happen, then we also depend less on God's word, and more upon the world's way of gaining wealth.

 God's economy is not the same as the world's; as a matter of fact, it has a totally different reason to be wealthy, if a godly person was to become wealthy; everything we have really is not ours, it all belongs to God, and if the Lord says to give some or all of it away, then true wealth is gained by doing what He says, not by holding onto what we think is ours! Truth be told, if you don't give what is in your heart to give, then the enemy will take what you have not given, and more! 

 There is another side of this which some people don't realize is part of depending upon wealth and riches; these things become idols, which mean that you worship and serve them, instead of God! I became aware of this one fact, pretty much from the beginning of my new life in Christ: 'an idol is anything that we place between us and God.'

 The best way to determine if something is an idol or not, is to imagine how you would feel if it was gone. There are more and more homeless people I see walking around these city streets, thinking to myself, "But for the grace of God, there go I." Some of them are people that look as if they were once well off, and some look as if they shouldn't be homeless, at all. 

 I know someone else who was homeless; but He always knew He had a home...

"But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:9-10 NLT)

"The Folly of Riches"

 "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." (Ecclesiastes 5:10 KJV)

  ""Don't store up treasure here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."" (Matthew 6:19-21 NLT)

 There is a little more to this than we might think, because there are those that store up, as if to find security in the abondance of stuff or money; and then there are those who trust the Lord for security and get blessed by what they have been given. I would like to think I was in that camp with those who are counting on God for security; most of the time I see that is true; but there are times when my heart feels insecure, as if things are falling apart.

 What do we do when things look to be falling apart, to get our hearts in the right place? Well, for me, I make it the time to praise the Lord, singing praise and thanking Him for all that He has done for me. If I am worried about finances, I will usually sing a particular song: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God!" Knowing that nothing in this life is more important than the life we have waiting for us, when all of this life is over. 

 Those doing what they can to use what they are given for the Kingdom of God, find satisfaction in what is given away, much more than those that try finding satisfaction in holding on to things that they really don't need! Whatever we have in this life has been given to us. I know that there are more people that don't believe that, then there are people that do, because I was once in the camp that felt I earned what I have by working hard to get it. 

 If you do not have life, as in the breath in your lungs, you cannot earn anything on your own, period! So, just that one little point, is enough to say, God gives me life, without life, I can gain nothing...

""That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough cloths to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"" (Matthew 6:25-27 NLT) 

"The Profit of the Earth"

 "Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field." (Ecclesiastes 5:9 KJV)

  "But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." (Romans 1:18-20 NLT)

 Many people have wondered why God would have made this earth, placing the multitude of stars in the sky, and yet not having life on other planets? Man is still searching for life to appear in something, whether it be water or plants or any form of life at all; anything to prove that something else is out there, somewhere. 

 Well, the day that I got saved, this was the answer that I received: 'God did this all for, us to be amazed by Him!' If God was going to make something to capture our curiosity, He had to do it exceptionally and with so much detail and mystery, we could never get bored trying to figure it out. 

 This was His doing, that the profit of the earth might appear to be for us, but it was all about the King of Heaven and Earth! Yes, that might not jive with some, because there are many who believe God man this for us to believe in Him; that it was for our enjoyment, or for us to experience the beauty of life. But, it was all made by the Son and for the Son! 

 First off, this word "profit" is another Hebrew word which is only in Ecclesiastes, showing up ten times in nine verses. It shows up as "profit" five times, "excelleth" twice, "excellency" once, "profitable" once, and "better" once. It is a word that is taken from the word "yith-rone", which means preeminence or gain. 

 Secondly, "the king himself is served by the field," is more than one meaning, as it refers to kings that are given some from all; but it also referring to the King Jehovah! Wild and out of this world! But the word for "served" has a two-part meaning which speaks about serving and also of being the servant! 

 Again, I must answer a question I was asked once, several years ago: Why would God have to come down here and die on a cross for our sins? BECAUSE HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD...

""No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For God so loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."" (John 3:13-17 NLT) 

"Keeping Watch Over All"

 "If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they." (Ecclesiastes 5:8 KJV)

  "Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. For a person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws." (James 3:8-10 NLT)

 Okay, so I changed up the title; but I think I had a pretty good reason. This is regarding the small part of the verse that says: "for he that is higher than the highest reardeth." Which basically means, He is watching over everyone! There will be no excuse for anything that we have done, because He knows everything about what you do; even why you have done it, even though you may not have no clue; He knows our hearts better than we do! 

 If you don't catch what I am talking about, there is a very good example in Nathan's quick story to David, as he told David about the man that took his neighbor's little lamb, who was like one of his children, and fed it to a person visiting his home. When David heard this, he was furious and asked Nathan, "Who is that man?" Upon which, Nathan answered, "You are the man!"

 Technically, God sees the heart more than He sees the actual act, which is a whole lot more critical! The heart of man is full of more than just the simple action, because there are so many things that will take place, or not take place, that cause someone to make certain choices. He examines the heart, not just looking at it, but knowing the passions within and the hardness that needs to be broken.

 This is why we must ask Him to change our hearts! We have no clue what to do, but He does, and if we ask Him, He will change it! However! This is a lot like the vow issue: If we ask Him to change our heart, we need to be prepared for whatever He tells us to do: that we do it...

"But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." (James 1:22 NLT)  

"God is Highest!"

 "If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they." (Ecclesiastes 5:8 KJV)

  "This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:11-13 NLT)

 From as far back as the beginning, there has been injustice and the perverting of justice. In the case with Cain and Able, God protected Cain by placing a mark upon him, that anyone who might try to kill him would be punished; even though Cain had brutally killed his brother, Able.

 I don't mean to say that God was wrong, because God is always right! It was Cain that did wrong, he did what he did based upon anger, because his brother had done what was right, and it offended him because God accepted Abel's offering, which was the right offering! We sometimes don't see the matter in the wrong we might do, because it is what we might feel like doing. Like that old saying, "If it feels good, do it." 

 There is some very interesting logic in this story, because there are those who willingly put works before grace, as if there is more to what they do through their own actions, than what God has done in His act of forgiveness. That is really a thing which takes place in many cults; but it also takes place in the lives of many who say they follow Jesus! We can never work to gain our salvation; neither can we receive any salvation from our works. Salvation is a gift from God, given to those who believe in His act of forgiveness! 

 Oddly enough, God had forgiven Cain, even though He sent him out to be a vagabond, He did not take his life for the life that he had taken. Yet, Cain still complained about his punishment, because he had no real understanding of God's forgiveness! 

 Look at the way this works, because there is more to this than just injustice. Those that cause and make oppression, especially to those that are weak and poor, will have their punishment, no matter what! In other words, we should not be astounded or stunned by such injustice, because they will pay a price for what they do, one way or another.

 If they repent and ask God for forgiveness, God will abundantly forgive, yet they will still have some consequences to the actions they did that were wrong. There is more to being saved than punishment we might receive in this life...

"Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. For God's gift and his call can never be withdrawn. Once you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and ways!" (Romans 11:28-33 NLT)    

"The Futility of Wealth"

  "Don't be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Even the king milks the land for his own profit! 

 Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth - except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! 

 People who work hard sleep well, weather they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night's sleep. 

 There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one's children. We all come to the end of our lives as naked and emptyhanded as on the day we were born. We can't take our riches with us.

 And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing - like working for the wind. Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud - frustrated, discouraged, and angry. 

 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life - this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past." (Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 NLT)

  "In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for a house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me and guide me." (Psalms 31:1-3 KJV)

 Sometimes it might take a couple of serious falls, just to get our attention; but no matter what this life has on this earth, whatever it is that we are taken down by, it will not destroy our hope or the promise we have for eternal life with the Lord! Call me whatever you want, but I am totally convinced that God does not abandon His children. He might take away some things that are causing us to lose sight of Him; He might bring us into situations which cause us to call out to Him; He might even completely turn our lives upside-down; but He will never abandon us or cast us away! 

 To make sense of some of what Solomon is teaching, we might be better off if we remember that he is talking about life under the sun; which basically means, life here on this world; a world that is fallen and without God, has no hope...

 "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21 KJV) 

"Heartfelt" - More!

"For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God." (Ecclesiastes 5:7 KJV)

  "Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will have from me: You will soon fall down in great torment." (Isaiah 50:10-11 NLT)

 There was a song we once sang in church, maybe over 20 years ago, which said: "Change my heart, O God; Make it ever new." We really must be careful how we enter into any sort of life-changing move in the direction of our lives; without waiting on the Lord, we might find ourselves doing something which we will seriously regret. Trust in God alone; do not lean on your own understanding! 

 This is the introduction to the rest of this chapter; whether or not you can understand what Solomon is getting at, I believe it has a lot to do with making plans and changing things in our lives, based upon what we think, and feel is best, without first checking in with God! If you are willing to direct your life based upon what you are given, such as making choices based upon your income: the more you make, the more you can change your direction; then you find yourself doing things which move you away from the Lord.

 If I had any way to change the directions, I took without waiting on the Lord, I would gladly do so; but what is done has already been done; now we deal with it, moving on and trusting God more and more! Whatever happens to you in your journey, God will not abandon you and throw you aside! If you are His child, He will do all that He must in order to get you on the right path; even if it causes you to fall down in great torment!  

 We are to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, but no matter how much and how hard we love Him, He loves us more...

"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 everything we see, and pride in your achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from the world. This world is fading away, along with all that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17 NLT) 

"Heartfelt"

 "For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God." (Ecclesiastes 5:7 KJV)

  ""A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you."" (Matthew 12:33-37 NLT)

 As I was praying about this post today, I was reminded about the point made about keeping a vow, how it is that we must also respect and accept a vow given by God, which is actually more important than any kind of a vow that we might dream up or think about. We should all know, it is easier for God to forgive us of our sins, than it is for us to forgive ourselves; yet we must do so, in order to live in the righteousness that the blood of Christ Jesus has given us! 

 This was the point that Peter made, with regards to our knowledge of Jesus Christ, saying, "But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins." (2 Peter 1:9) We must fully accept God's forgiveness, believing that when He says that our sins have been forgiven, that He means what He says; otherwise, we find ourselves carrying the corpse or that old man strapped on our backs; smelling the odor of that rotting corpse wherever we go; reminding us of the sins we committed. 

 The thing I shared yesterday regarding my issue of being impatient and judgmental, it is really important, because I feel it is something that the Lord wants me to stop doing; I know this, because every time it happens, I feel as though I have quenched the Spirit! If you don't know what that means, it means that you have denied the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, putting your own feelings first, before letting Him control your heart. We must yield to the power of the Holy Spirit! 

 It hurts me to say, but I really believe that I am not alone! As crazy as this might sound, but I really do miss the arguments that my wife and I use to have; not because they were fun, because they were sometimes quit disturbing. But we always ended up yielding to the Holy Spirit, letting Him take over and changing our hearts towards each other, instead of each other wanting our own way. 

 During some of those fights, I knew full well what needed to happen, yet I did not yield myself to the power of the Holy Spirit; not because I did not want to, but because I did not feel like doing it! Sorry for having to share that, but in that moment, that is what I believe that I felt. Oh, how much I wish I could take so many of those moments back! 

 We really need to get a grip and start putting those things behind, letting God have full control of our lives, instead of holding on to those old sins! What does it mean to be justified? Didn't Jesus die for all of our sins? All means all, both then, now, and tomorrow; He has washed us as white as snow...

"Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be encouraging to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:29-32 NLT)   

"Practice Discipline" - 2

 "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Ecclesiastes 5:6 KJV)

  "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." (2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT)

 Maybe we don't really understand all that we should, but knowing how much God loves us, should be enough to make us believe all that He has promised, regardless of the difficulties we might have had being holy. Besides, holy is a word that can mean we are set apart, which basically means that we are called to be separate from those that are of this world. 

 Do you feel as though you are separate? When you are in place where you do not belong, are you aware that you do not belong there? When you are doing something, you shouldn't be doing, does it make you aware you shouldn't do it? We must truly understand that we are special! Yes, it might sound as though it might be wrong, thinking we have something others might not; but we must believe that we are chosen and anointed to be vessels for God! 

 If we lose sight of what we are meant for, then we can sometimes get caught up in the burdens of this world; things like wanting more, feeling the need to be somewhere else, looking for ways to be pleased; none of which brings any real satisfaction, nor hope for the future. But if we could just rest in what we have been given, knowing that He has made us His special treasure; maybe, just maybe, we could actually live a holy life! 

 Anywho, that's my feelings about where I am currently at in this crazy journey! I try so hard to do the right things, but seem to not have control, at the stupidest situations. If anyone out there knows what that's like, say a prayer for me, that I would allow God to heal me of that condition, please...

"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins." (2 Peter 1:5-9 NLT) 

"Practice Discipline"

"Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Ecclesiastes 5:6 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every way." (James 3:1-2 NLT)

 This might be one of my biggest problems, as much as I hate to admit it. If I could just stop being in such a hurry, driving from one appointment to the next, and honking at the people who seemingly slow me down as I struggle to be on time to the next inspection. 

 For the most part, this is about making vows that are not able to be kept, such as it is in the case of my anger towards people who get in my way, whereas I try continually to start out being respectful and courteous, but then I find myself running behind, forgetting what it was I told myself not to do. I'm sorry if I might have revealed something that seems, shall we say, not so loving; but if there is anything I need to practice, each and every day, it is having patience and not being so judgmental. 

 This is totally and completely a condition of the heart! If you have been following the Lord for any length of time, then you know by now, we cannot change our heart, that is something that is totally God's doing! If there is any sort of issue that we have in our hearts, we must completely and honestly give everything to Him, without any conditions or hesitations! 

 Sometimes we can't even see the problem for ourselves; yet we continue doing things we feel are wrong, because we feel we have the right. There is a reason for the question mark after that statement: "wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" Ask yourself, 'What does God need to do in order to change my heart?' 

 Do you really know what God does when we ask Him for patience? Some say that He will give us a situation where we must be patient, as is the anticipation of many; but to be realistic about how God works, He puts the desire and compassion within us, to be overcomers; and James clearly says...

"God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 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." (James 1:12-15 NLT)  

  

"Best Intentions" - To

 "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." (Ecclesiastes 5:5 KJV) 

  "The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" (Proverbs 20:24 NLT)

 Yes, I know, it really doesn't make much sense; but yesterday I was tempted to add both 24 and 25 together, as if to show that God can use our bad choices, to accomplish things we know nothing about! Case in point: God told Abraham that Sarah would be the one by who his son would come through, yet Abraham listened to Sarah, allowing himself to lay with her handmaid, as if that was going to be the only way she could provide a son to him. 

 Directly, Abraham did not technically make a vow with God; but God made a vow to Abraham, to which, he should have accepted it, believed it would happen, and corrected his wife, making her aware that God can do whatever He wants! So, in a strange sort of way, when we are given a vow by the Lord, like the one where He says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you," then we become directly connected to that vow, becoming the benefactor of the vow that has been given. 

 In this regard, our vow to God is not all that it should be, because we don't always have what it takes to keep our commitment to be totally faithful, but God, on the other hand, if He makes a vow, we don't really need to worry, because He is always faithful; He never lies, nor does He say things He doesn't mean! If we truly believe that is the case, then we should make His vow count, making it something that is going to happen, even though we don't know how; we leave that up to God! 

 Anywho, I don't really know half of what I am talking about, so if it doesn't make sense, then it is really not my fault, I'm just trying to listen...

""So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say? I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against the house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins."" (Luke 6:46-49 NLT) 

"Best Intentions"

 "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." (Ecclesiastes 5:5 KJV)

  "Don't trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost." (Proverbs 20:25 NLT)

 Something to think about, on so many different levels! Simply put, a vow is a promise, which basically means that you have committed yourself to do something, whether it is to pay for something, or to care for someone; either way, it is the moment you make the vow, which is when you have counted the cost, not later, discovering that it is more than you can handle! 

 If it doesn't seem as though you can handle it, then it shouldn't have been promised! However, if you want to do your best and handle whatever might become overwhelming, even if you fail, you must keep your promise, to the best of your ability, whatever the cost! 

 I know it sounds a little complicated, but love is the most important motivation in any vow; not what is in it for you, or even that the vow is made to make someone happy. Your best intentions need to be about what you do, as if that were done for you! 

 As far as God is concerned, He already knows what is in your heart; anything you do that doesn't honor your vow to God, it doesn't hurt Him, it is all going to hurt you! You will be ashamed for what you have done; but God knew along that you didn't have it in you, because He sees everything, especially the full condition of our hearts. 

 God does not give you something to do that is more than you can handle; however, He will give you something to do, that will require His help...

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13 NLT) 

"Covenant of Peace" - Too

 "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed." (Ecclesiastes 5:4 KJV)

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

 Keep on keeping on; that is something we are told, as if it is the answer to all of our struggles and difficult life expectancies. Not that I am an expert in doing anything right; but I do know the One who is, and He never has to say, "Sorry!" Me, on the other hand, there is hardly a day that goes by when I don't have to say, "Sorry, Lord, I blew it again!" 

 Isn't a relief that He knows everything about us; yet He still loves us, called us, and has chosen us, even knowing all of the wickedness we would do before Him! How many times I have said, "Lord, I promise to be good, and I will keep my heart set upon You," only to find myself off the path and with my heart in more of the world, than it is upon Him? Too many to keep track of; and I'm so glad that He is not counting! 

 Whether or not this justifies the point of making a vow, we all know the struggles we have to be holy! The only way we can be, even close to holy, is by abiding in Christ! He is our righteousness! Without Christ standing between us and the Father, we have nothing holy about us; all of our works are just filthy rags, used to wipe the sin off ourselves, and hold up to God, as if they represent righteousness. 

 As it goes, the harder we work at not messing up, the more we seem to mess up. This is because we are committed to the wrong thing; instead of focusing on that which messes us up, we need to focus upon the One who cleansed us, making us a new creation, and filled with the Spirit! As Paul says, "Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God grace." (Romans 6:14 NLT) 

 But that doesn't mean we can keep on sinning; yet we all still struggle with sin! If we say that we don't, then we are just fooling ourselves! If anyone could have control over their own bodies, then Christ would not have had to come and give His own body to pay for our sins...

"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:2-4 NLT)  

"Covenant of Peace"

 "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed." (Ecclesiastes 5:4 KJV)

  "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I've promised it once, and I'll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations. I have suffered much, O LORD; restore my life again as you promised. LORD, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions." (PSALM 119:105-109 NLT)

 Over the last two days, I have heard several different messages which have spoken about the dangers of making a vow to God that cannot be kept or not properly carried out. Tithes and offerings were the most talked about, as we have the opportunity to give according to what we promised, but when we put it off, the opportunity passes, and we end up not fulfilling the vow, that we ourselves, established. 

 I know it sounds rather difficult to follow, but you have got it understand what God sees in this, because He has the ability to give and take away; but we, on the other hand, are totally and completely reliant upon His great mercy and grace! So, you can see what it means to look like a fool! 

 Tithing and giving of offerings is the one thing God challenges us to test Him with, which we have the ability to responsibly do. Letting ourselves get bitten by venomous snakes, or jumping off a cliff, those are not very responsible things to test Him with; but to give up a portion of what we have been given, that is the way we not only trust Him, but it is the way we praise Him for what He has given us! 

 The other, more interesting vow is the promise of following His commands. Like those New Year resolutions, which were quickly forgotten and slipped under the rug; we promise to do something or not do something, even sharing it with others, as to the vow you have committed to; and then one slip-up, and you vow is undone. 

 It is best to not even vow, if you are going to mess up! I know I shared this before, but Jay Carty's book Counterattack, is one that speaks quite well into this, as to looking at pink elephants; Don't look at pink elephants! What do you see? Pink elephants! 

 The best prescription for combatting doing what you don't want to do, is to do what God wants you to do, to the best of your ability; and even then, you will still need God's help...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)  

"Foolishness" - To

 "For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words." (Ecclesiastes 5:3 KJV)

  "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatsoever you do or say, do it as a representative on the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17 NLT)

 As for that rant, (my life's ups and downs,) it is foolish for me to even think such things, let alone to be a spectacle towards stinkin-thinhin! I know better than that, because we are meant to be counting our many blessings, not to be counting the difficulties of this life. Jesus said to His disciples: "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when you will be scattered, each of you going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all of this so that you may have peace in me. Here on this earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:31-33 NLT)

 Flipping this on its head, there are reasons for us to be going through difficulties and trials; besides the fact that they are meant to keep up trusting in God, through every high and every low, but to let us be a vessel, broken and yet unbroken, as a testimony of our faith in the Lord! There is peace in the valley's of despair because Jesus is there with us; no matter how hard it might seem, He will get us through to the other side! 

 As for the foolishness side of this situation, we are only fooling ourselves if we think we don't look like a fool! Don't get me wrong, because to those who surely know us, we are standing for what we believe, and we are a fool for Christ; but to those who don't believe or receive the message, we are just foolish people that speak of foolish things that they do not want to hear. 

 Yes, this life is a rollercoaster of a ride, but there are two totally different ways to look at it: one has the expectation and faith of all the blessings; the other is filled with disappointment and despair over all of the hardships. As crazy as it might sound, but hardships make you stronger than the easy-going rides; the easier the ride, the more comfortable you are in this world...

""I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy."" (John 16:20-22 NLT)  

"Foolishness"

 "For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words." (Ecclesiastes 5:3 KJV)

 "The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness." (Proverbs 15:2 NLT)

 Well, I slept in today: my alarm went off, and I turn off and went back to sleep! Talk about a weird morning; it might just be because of my post yesterday, as I sounded a little bit like boasting, as if my prayer life was so in order. What foolishness! 

 This is exactly what we are talking about today! As it is, this word, "business," is only found in this Book; and it is used in several different passages, in several different ways, mostly as the word, "travail," which is used six times. Basically, it is like spinning your wheels and going nowhere. Something I can attest to, as I feel that nothing I do gets better, it only gets worse! 

 Having to many rollercoaster rides, can really make someone feel as though that is what life is meant to be; one day your up, and the next day your down; always looking for the ride to get over! The dream is just a dream, there really is nothing special about it, because there is always too much travail going on, your life is like a bad dream; when you have one, you always try to get back in it, in order to figure it out... 

"As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died." (Galatians 6:14 NLT) 

"Know Your Place" - 2.0

 "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2 KJV)

  ""When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father in heaven knows exactly what you need before you ask him."" (Matthew 6:7-8 NLT)

 Typically, I usually try to pray for an hour every morning when I first get up; generally, my prayer time is between 4:00 and 5:00 in the morning. This has been my prayer routine since the mid 80's, as I got a little inspiration from Ray, one morning as we were riding our bikes to church. He told me that he always was up by 4:00 to meet with God; yet one morning he decided to sleep in, and his bed collapsed, so he knew that it was something God wanted him to keep as a passion. 

 Some mornings, God wakes me up earlier than 4:00, like 3:15, for whatever reason; it comes as a knock, just two knocks, as if they are only a tenth of a second apart: "Thump, thump!" and I spring up out of my sleep, to expect there is something to talk about or to bring to the table. Maybe I stopped breathing, and He was waking me up to breath. There are quite a few people I know that have those flight-mask marks on their face: most likely because their spouse has noticed they stop breathing in their sleep; but I don't have anyone to monitor my sleep, except God. 

 Anywho! "Therefore let thy words be few", is part of a song, which says, "Let my words be few," as if we are asking God to make sure what we say really matters. First of all: God does not need us to explain to Him what we have going on in our lives; nor does need to know what is going on in the life of someone we are praying for. We are coming to Him in prayer to share our hearts, both to know His heart and to be willing to allow ourselves to be changed, in the process. 

 I forget sometimes to be ready and willing to make that the purpose for my prayer time, mostly because I have a list of people that I pray for, pretty much every morning. By the time I get done asking Him to forgive me for my sins, I am praying for this list of people, and then it is time to start praying for His will to be done! Sometimes I think I might be stuck in some sort of repeating of words, morning after morning; maybe I am, and it is all just jabbering and vain repetition.

 Once I start praying for someone, I feel as though I have to keep praying for them. Something I hardly ever have time for, is to pray for myself, for what I think I need, and for those things I feel He is leading me to do. But when I do, I absolutely make my words few, "Few," meaning little, as in very small...  

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give is to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with a divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." (James 1:5-8 NLT) 

"Know Your Place" - To

 "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2 KJV)

  ""My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."" (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT) 

 Not that it seems contradictive, but I do believe that God wants us to speak to Him, whenever and wherever we might be; we are His children, and our loving Father is more than willing to listen; when we call upon Him, He does listen! I absolutely believe that He hears us, cares what we have to say, and more than willing to answer our prayers; the answer however might not come as quick as we might like, nor will it always be the answer we might be asking for: our Father knows best what we need! 

 Looking at this in several different lights; "rash" is a word that has very contradictive meanings: afraid and amazed; terrified and anxious; to flee in trepidation and to hasten after. Basically, it is talking about choosing your words, and not just shooting off with your mouth: speaking from your heart, yet not letting your feelings be what motivates your thoughts. 

 I know, by firsthand experience, what this is speaking about and why it really makes a tremendous difference in our manner that we approach God, especially when we are facing a catastrophic set of circumstances. If I may, the thing I find best to do, especially when we are faced with something that is, shall we say, devastating and seems too hard to handle, is to stop all that emotional breakdown you are going through, and start thinking about Jesus Christ on the cross! 

 There is nothing more devastating than what He went through, to give us eternal life in Himself! The more we realize what He did and how much He loves us, the more the disaster of what we might be going through seems less critical and devastating! We can actually find peace and comfort in the midst of any storm, just by putting the focus upon Jesus and His sacrifice for our all of our sins...

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

"Know Your Place"

 "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2 KJV)

  "About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!" But Jesus spoke to them at once, "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!" Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"" (Matthew 14:25-31 NLT)

 Much of what we understand about this journey, we tend to base upon many of the messages we hear others share about what they have experienced. For the most part, only a few of us have really tried to walk on water, so to speak; as if to test and see what God might do, if we actually stepped out and took a giant leap, risking it all for God.

 Imagine if Peter had no doubt, but trusted completely in the Lord's word, "Come." That is all it was, the same word that summoned Lazareth out of the tomb, bringing forth the dead, raising him to life! In the same way, it is like that word, "Let," which was uttered in the beginning, when He spoke, "Let there be light." 

 To the point of what was shared these last few days, it was easy for me to express those sins against others, because I have experienced doing them in my own walk. When you least expect it, mostly because you don't think you are possible of doing it, you will be in the midst of sea, and will have no power to hold yourself up! 

 If you don't know what I mean, it involves us thinking that we can do it on our own; but it is impossible to do anything that pleases the Father, without Christ! When we think we can be holy by our own strength, we will find out rather quickly that we don't have it in us; much like Peter, we will be sinking and terrified by the world around us; justifiably so, because it is only through Christ that we can do all things...

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13 NLT)      

"Your Attitude Toward God" - Too

 "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil." (Ecclesiastes 5:1 KJV)

  "So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:27-32 NLT)

 This is really not easy to talk about, because I know for a fact that I have been just as guilty as anyone else; but talking about someone behind their back, is not only a sin, but whoever you are sharing with, even though they might seem interested, will hold that against you, suspecting you will share something about them, in the same way. It is best, if someone wants to share something with you about someone else, to stop them, immediately, and just say you are not interesting in hearing gossip. 

 I feel the conviction within me, knowing I am guilty of that sin, and continually ask the Lord for His forgiveness. Sometimes, that forgiveness isn't offered, if we have not yet made things right with anyone you might have sinned against, which is a pretty stupid thing to leave undone, especially when the Lord says that is what must be done...

""You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the alter in the Temple and suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the alter. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."" (Matthew 5:21-24 NLT) 

"Your Attitude Toward God"

 "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil." (Ecclesiastes 5:1 KJV)

  "Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire." (Hebrews 12:25-29 NLT)

 Every once in a while, we get to hear a message that will shake us up, making us start to pay attention to how we respond to God's voice; if we are really hearing His voice at all, paying attention is a good start, but how we respond is what is most important! Always be prepared to be moved, because we are never going to not need improvement! 

 We started with this new life in Christ, feeling as if we were indestructible and part of a family that was always going to have our backs; only to discover we are meant to be torn apart, and part of that faithful family would literally take our backs from us! Maybe you have seen that illustration, where one sick figure has the spine of another's back, with the message, "I got your back!" 

 As I said, we all have flaws and are not perfect; but there is One who was, is, and always will be: Christ Jesus! He not only has our back, but He is our back, front, side, and everything else in-between; We must be transformed into the image of Christ, yet there are none of us that are there quite yet, but it is going to happen, someday, in a twinkling of an eye...

"The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam - that is, Christ - is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man." (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 NLT)      

"Approaching God with Care"

  "As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don't make rash promises, and don't be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. 

 Too much activity gives you restless dreams: too many words make you a fool.

 When you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don't let your mouth make you sin. And don't defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.

 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead." (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 NLT)

  "Finally, be ye of one mind, having compassion one of another, love a brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." (1 Peter 3:8-12 KJV)

 Hopefully there are no hard feelings between us, as there might be some who might have taken some of what I shared as if I was trying to make my case. Just in case, I am sorry if it seemed that way, because there are too many differences between us; we need to be more compassionate towards one another! 

 As it turns out, each and every one of us has something wrong with us, in one form or another. Looking at some of the great preachers and those who served God through thick and thin, they all had something they could not overcome; some of those that were the very best, finished quite badly; some of which might have even lost their minds.

 We are frail and fragile servants of a great and awesome God...

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness, hath shinned in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 KJV)   

"Just Political"

 "There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 4:16 KJV)

  "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?"" (Matthew 16:13-15 NLT)

  Not all political issues involve government or politics; as it turns out, there is a derogatory meaning of this condition; one which causes acting towards the interest of status or authority within an organization rather than matters of principle. The Jewish leaders were motivated to kill Jesus based upon Him being a threat to their status and authority; besides that, Jesus might have caused a disturbance, if He actually was the Messiah, causing Rome to be more dangerous to their lucrative lifestyles. 

 Whatever you think of what these last four verses of this chapter might speak about, you have every right to think it is whatever it might look like, because many that look at it don't really know for sure what Solomon is trying to portray. As I said before, the Reference to the "Threefold Cord," which was shown to us as Jesus in the marriage relationship, could have also been a window that allowed Solomon to witness things he knew nothing about. 

 Not everyone that sees visions can interpret them and explain what they actually mean. I am still trying to figure out what that vision was of, "His Train that filled the Temple," as I saw it, it was a wedding dress, with a train that filled the Temple of God, and as I looked closer at the fabric of the Train, I could see souls or people woven into the fabric. Which then caused be to focus upon the one looking back at me, and the closer I looked, I saw myself! 

 Regardless of what that might have meant, just being in His Temple, is good enough for me...  

"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O LORD of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you." (PSALM 84:10-12 NLT)

"Unusual Suspects"

 "I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead." (Ecclesiastes 4:15 KJV)

  "There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi, he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you." Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit." "How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked." (John 3:1-9 NLT)

 Take about going out on a limb! So, going back to Eve, called by her husband, Adam, who named her that after they were shown, by God, that her seed would come and crush the serpent's head; Eve, meaning, "Mother of all Living." Which, while Solomon writes, "all the living which walk under the sun," it pretty much represents those that are living, as in, born again! 

 Just in case you might have forgotten, or may not have been told, but before you were born again, you were spiritually dead! Oh, your soul was still very much alive, so that spirit was living; but you were cut off from God's Spirit, which was not living in you, because Adam became dead of the Spirit, we have been born the first time, dead of the Spirit. Therefore, we must be born again, to be really living! 

 I can't imagine what exactly he envisioned, but, even as wise as Solomon was, I can only imagine he was pretty much baffled as much as Nicodemus was, Jesus having shown him about what it means to be born of the Spirit. To be perfectly clear, none of us that have been born again can know what it is like, until we actually become "the second child." 

 As complicated as it might seem, it really isn't all that hard to see it all come together! You might be asking, what does, "that shall stand up in his stead," have to do with anything? how can anyone stand up and represent Jesus Christ? Oh, but we do! Where do you think the name, Christians, came from? 

 Just so you know, I am not trying to make this into some sort of new revelation or discovery; my main focus is to represent Christ in and through as much of the Scriptures as He shows up in; only because He has said very plainly, 'The Scriptures speak of Him.' Besides, He is the Living Word...

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

"Probably an Allusion" - To

 "For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor." (Ecclesiastes 4:14 KJV)

  "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought life to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:1-5 NLT)

 "Whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor," says more to this matter than some might think! Whatever Solomon saw, it was either not enough to explain everything, or it was too much to be able to explain more than he could. But it is pretty obvious that this pictures Jesus!

 Some might put this on Agrippa, but in this section of the verse, also is seemingly attached to "he," as if there are two scenarios to go by; one refers to that to which he went, the other refers to that from which he came. Not that it matters, sense we already know all of the details from the four Gospels: but just for the sake of visions, Jesus came into the world that He created, and owned nothing put the cloths He wore! 

 Literally, even at the time of His birth, there was no bed for Him to lay His sweet head; even though He was the Son of God, He was poor...

"He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:10-14 NLT)  

"Probably an Allusion"

 "For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor." (Ecclesiastes 4:14 KJV)

  "That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, "He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases." When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."" (Matthew 8:16-20 NLT)

 First off, today is Marianne's 63rd birthday! She had just barely turned 42 when she was in the hospital for those three months; went in for a minimal invasive surgery and came out wrecked! Maybe I was just dreaming when I thought something would come from this trip. God surely does work in mysterious ways; some of which we have no clue where, why, or what! 

 The title for this post was taken from the 'Treasury Of Scripture Knowledge', which is part of the Blue Letter Bible's Cross-Reference to Scripture. In reference to this verse, "For Out," and "Also," have been chosen to be cross-referenced. There are several things which could be referenced, at least one of which was in the past. The one that comes to mind, "For out of the prison he cometh to reign," fits rather good for Joseph, who was in prison, and then became the second in command in Egypt.  

 However, there are a few things which could have been envisioned, most likely too complicated to put into a logical meaning. For starters, Jesus was surrounded by guards, obviously incarcerated and being held in a jail; yet, at the same time, He is being crowned with a crown of thorns and has a purple rob placed on Him, and is being saluted, "Hail, King of the Jews." 

 As if that were not a little strange to imagine, there could be something which might have made things a little more complicated, to say the least. That would be the tomb, which might have held Him captive for a short time; but when He emerged for that tomb, He became the King of all to be resurrected from the dead! 

 But, there is one more, (at least for now,) Sheol! Yes, that place where many were held captive for thousands of years, waiting for their Lord and Savior to come a release them and take them home to His glorious Kingdom...

"He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave." (Isaiah 53:7-9 NLT)  

"Pictures of The King" - Too

 "Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished." (Ecclesiastes 4:13 KJV)

  "May the king's rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more. May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. Desert nomads will bow before him, his enemies will fall before him in the dust. The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seda will bring him gifts. All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him. He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and needy, and he will rescue them. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him." (PSALM 72:6-14 NLT)

 There are at least two Psalms that have been notably authored by Solomon, Psalm 72 and Psalm 127; it is this Psalm, 72, that is mostly all attributed to Jesus, based upon many of the details that can only be used to show His rule and reign! As stated yesterday, much of what was written by the authors of the Bible, especially those things that pertain to Jesus, were based upon visions and the Holy Spirit's prompting; not everything that was written was clearly understood.

 The whole point of much of what was written, obsolete or obscure as it might have been, was to show the whole world how impossible it could be for Jesus to have fulfilled so many of these prophecies. So many were acknowledged in the Gospel writings, saying, "So that it should be fulfilled," as so it was, just as it was written. 

 One of the ones I really like from Psalm 72, is the part about: "His enemies will fall before him in the dust." I don't remember it being said, "So that it should be fulfilled," but when Jesus said, "I AM," all of the those who came to arrest Him, hit the ground! I heard Pastor Jack make fun of this, as if to say that Jesus could have just kept repeating His statement, as they got up, He said it again, and down they went! Just a little Jack humor.

 By the way, Solomon was admonished by Jesus, but the Lillies of the field got the glory...

""You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life."" (John 5:39-40 NLT) 

"Pictures of The King"

 "Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished." (Ecclesiastes 4:13 KJV)

  "O LORD, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be disgraced. Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me, and set me free. Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress." (PSALM 71:1-3 NLT)

 Maybe I just don't see everything there is to see, in most every situation; surely, I can't see clearly what is going to happen, when it will happen, or why it hasn't happened yet. But I know Who does see all things; from the beginning to the very end, He knows all things, both the good and the bad, nothing is hidden from His sight! 

 To get right to the point, almost every prophetic picture of Christ is somehow just a glimpse of who He will be and what He will do. Most of those glimpses are just a section of passages mixed into something else, as if the person who wrote the Scripture changed their thought, prompted by the Spirit to write it down, even though they really might not have totally understood what they were writing, or when it was going to take place. 

 In this regard, I see this as much of which Solomon touches upon; or has been touched to express, by the Spirit of the Living Word of God! The way I see it, we can read these Scriptures and see them come alive, moving and changing our inner most being: just imagine what it might have like to be the person who was writing these things down...

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)