"The Future - Determined and Unknown"

  "Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny. The more words you speak, the less you mean. So what good are they? In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?" (Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 NLT)

  "Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, "That perfume was worth a year's wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." Not that he cared about the poor - for he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples' money, he often stole some for himself. Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."" (John 12:3-8 NLT)

 Just a little change, as it were; there is always a reason, even though we might not understand what it is that will become of it! We have touched on this topic before, but with very little examination of why or how things happen the way that they do. God's tapestry, as many might refer to it, can really only be seen clearly through His eyes; we on the other hand, see bits and pieces; most of which make very little sense; some of which seem ugly and filled with unhappy endings. 

 But God! God has everything already established and planned out, mostly because He knows all, sees all; He knows the end from the beginning, the beginning to the end; everything He plans will come to pass! (Isaiah 46:9-10) This might be one of those things that make the Calvinist so sure about who is saved will be saved, and those who aren't will not, because it has all been determined. 

 Well, we do not have the privilege to determine who that it is, who will be saved or not. In truth, we can hardly show much proof that we have the guarantee we will make it, without the Lord's help getting us across the line. I have seen too many who were faithful, suddenly fall from grace, only because they did not agree with the way things might have happened in their life, here on this earth. 

 There are somethings that happen on this earth that might not make sense; some of which seem very ugly, and we think that they shouldn't have happened. The whole picture is never seen, nor will it be seen, until we are in Heaven with the Lord, looking straight at God's beautiful handiwork. Then all things will make perfect sense...  

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18 KJV) 

"Sight on the Prize!" - 2

 "Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 6:9 KJV)

  ""Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died."" (Zechariah 12:10 NLT)

 Before I meet Jesus, I was lost and searching for answers. As I have shared before, I had one of those small Bibles, which only had the New Testament; but it was with me everywhere I went, as I took every opportunity to read it: waiting in line for the phone, waiting in line for a meal; when I was waking up, when I was going to sleep; even while using the facilities. I kept under my pillow at night as I slept. 

 However, I was totally against going to church, as I felt religion was just a thing man created to take hold on innocent people and use them to gain money and power. That was pretty much based upon the fact that I grew up, off and on, practicing with the Jehovah Witnesses. Having been part of that organization, I was very much aware of the way they viewed salvation: If you didn't belong to them, you were totally lost! 

 That all changed when Jesus became the Lord of my life! I thrived on fellowship and going to church; it was more than just a place to meet and a place you were part of; it was the body of Christ, as we came together to celebrate and learn about everything He has done, is doing, and what is to come. Most importantly, we studied out of the Bible! 

 Maybe you don't understand what I am talking about, but that is not the way that I was raised. In the J.W. organization, if you studied the Bible all by itself, you were going to be in darkness, not knowing the truth. As a matter of fact, their way of making themselves relevant, is saying: "If you study through the Scripture Studies, in two years you will be in the light; but if you set the Scripture Studies aside, and just read the Bible alone, in six months you will be in darkness." 

 As you can see, I had a pretty good reason not to be part of any religion. My religion was just to believe in God, and to read the Bible; yet, I really didn't know God, except for the fact that He created everything that can see; even the things we cannot see: He is the Creator of heaven and earth, that much I knew and stood up for, ever since I was a small child. 

 What a difference it made to be introduced to the real Jesus! My whole life changed, because I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart: The Creator of Heaven and earth! My mind was blown, and I needed to share the truth I had been given! Not because I needed salvation, because that was already done; but because it was boiling up inside of me and needed to come out!  

 The whole reason I am sharing this is because, we that are in Christ already have everything we need to share the Good News; there is nothing more that we need, then the basic truth and the power of the Holy Spirit, and the desire to share Jesus. If you don't have the desire to share, then ask Him to give it to you; but don't ever think you don't have the ability to share, because that is His doing, it will not be you...

"Then he added, "Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trail before kings and governors because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. So don't worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!"" (Luke 21:10-15 NLT) 

"Sight on the Prize!"

 "Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 6:9 KJV)

  "I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:23-27 NLT)

 It might be harder than you think, trying to not fulfill the desires of the flesh; especially is those things that you desire are the things you truly like to enjoy! I'm not saying that they are bad, because I really don't believe that they are. But when you feel that the Lord is telling you to stop, for whatever reason, then it is bad for you to continue, as if it is your right to do so. 

 Okay, I want to be perfectly clear: if we are not faithful in the little things, that might not seem to matter, then the Lord may not give us the bigger and better things, which would end up blessing our lives. Always do everything as if He is right there with you; because He is always, right there with you! We fail to remember that sometimes, as if He leaves us unattended. 

 I have so much I want to say, but it is hard for me to put much of it into words. The most important thing I believe we need to do, is to keep our eyes on the prize; and when I say our eyes, it doesn't mean our sight! We know what we must do, because the Lord has spoken, most likely more than once; He has given us a vision of what we must be and where it is that He wants us.

 If you don't know what I mean, and He hasn't shown you yet what to do, then you need to ask Him: 'Lord, what would you have me do?' He is always ready to tell us what we could be and how He can use us; we just need to be willing to receive it and do what He tells us to do.

 The main point of my message this coming Sunday will be the entirety of Isaiah 55; meaning that it is all thirteen verses together that will bring about the outcome of verses 12 & 13. We must believe and fully understand that God is always in control! Even when we are off course and might lose our way, He is always correcting us, moving us, and shaping us, into that which we will become. 

 I know it might not seem as though He is working, but He never stops working! Even when you might be lost, you are never outside of His reach; and He will, most assuredly, get you safely to the other side...

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them." (Romans 15:13-14 NLT) 

 

"Manner of Life"

 "For what hath the wise more than a fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?" (Ecclesiastes 6:8 KJV)

  "I will sing of your love and justice, LORD. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life - when will you come to help me?" (PSALM 101:1-2 NLT)

 To be a messenger, you need to have been given a message; to be a prophet, you need to have been given a prophecy. These things are not that hard to understand, because they verified in God's word, and they are easy to test the validity. But to share the work that God has done and is doing in your life, that is just something that requires an obedient heart! 

 The questions Solomon is bringing forth refer to a manner of living; as it is, the wise and the fool, may not be on the same level of knowledge or having sense in business; but both have the ability to become successful and both have the ability to teach about life; that might be different lifestyles, but it is still a life. The only difference is intellectual, as one might evaluate and debate about life's existence; while the other just lives life, as free and as foolish as he can. 

 Jesus spoke of the poor, calling them, "The poor at heart," which is pretty much why David was referred to by God, saying, "A man after God's own heart." The NLT has Jesus saying, "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." (Matthew 5:3) If we know the life of David, much of it was not perfect; yet he knew that God alone was able to make him perfect, in His Kingdom! 

 This life here is temporary and will only last a very short while; yet in this life, we can make some very serious mistakes and do some very damaging sins, that seem to have consequences that we cannot control. That's life! And as bad as that might be, God's mercy and grace is more than able to overcome even the greatest sin or even the worst mistake! 

 I get the privilege to share at a friend's church this Sunday, and as much as I love to share what God has done, is doing, and always will be faithful to do, I can never get over what He does teaching me, as I prepare to give a message. There are no mistakes when you are a child of God! Even though they might mess up your life, in this broken world, God is more than willing to make something good out of something that might seem bad and unforgivable.

 When I began this journey, ("my living journal," as I called it,) I started with talking about God's will and God's perfect will, as if there was a difference. In that illustration I used Hezekiah's sickness and God giving him 15 more years to live. Did God's change His mind? No! But He changed the heart of Hezekiah! 

 And from that change, Manasseh was born; the longest reigning king in Judah, and the evilest king that Judah ever had! But God...

"But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the LORD his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the LORD listened to him and was moved by his request. So the LORD brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the LORD alone is God!" (2 Chronicles 33:12-13 NLT) 

"Real Substance" - Too

 "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled." (Ecclesiastes 6:7 KJV)

  ""And don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom."" (Luke 12:39-32 NLT)

 Something of a spiritual context is also being said, if you don't mind it if I bring it up. First of all, one of the most important things we have been given, besides the ability to love, is the ability to share God's word. Ever since that day I was saved, I immediately began to share God's word, making known to anyone I felt God was leading me to, that He has changed my life. 

 This became something that I could not quinch or grow tired of, because I could feel the Spirit of God flowing through me. For the rest of my time in jail, I felt that I was there for a reason, and I needed to share the wonderful gift of God. Even though I was held captive, I felt as though I was free. When you have a reason to be wherever you are at, you really don't feel locked down; you are blessed because you are doing a work for the Lord! 

 Strange thing was, especially after sharing boldly, I would sometimes feel drained; almost as if it was used up, and as if I needed to be charged up again. I know that might sound strange, but I began to see why it was, when I realized that it because we taste a bit of the Kingdom, something that is really hard to explain; but once we have finished sharing, that little bit wasn't enough to satisfy the appetite that we have to actually be there, so we almost feel deflated, like a ballon without air. 

 If you don't know what I mean, it's okay, because it is just probably something wrong with me. It is a little bit like Elijah after his contest on Mount Carmel; after which, he then flees to Mt Sinai, feeling as though he was very vulnerable, and he became afraid of Jezebel. When you are doing something under the power of the Spirit, when it is done, you can sometimes feel less empowered to do anything.

 There is really a very good explanation to this, and why it sometimes happens: Putting your sight on what you see, not on what you believe...

"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 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 have 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. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing." (2 Corinthians 4:16 - 5:7 NLT)  

 

"Real Substance"

 "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled." (Ecclesiastes 6:7 KJV)

  ""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money? Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT)

 If I could do things all over again, I would start by making sure that I put no faith in myself. Even if I get really good at being good; there is nothing I can do without Christ, He is the one that works within me! As I was thinking about this, most of the morning, I pictured the time when Jesus walked on the water. As He acknowledged who He was, and assured the disciples that they were safe, Peter asked Him to show him a sign, (which means, if that is You, prove it), saying: "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." And then Jesus said, "Yes, come." (Matthew 14:27-29)

 We pretty much have heard what happened, as Peter began to sink, seeing the waves and feeling the might of the sea: as they put it, "He took his eyes off Jesus!" Yes, I will agree; but at the same time, I will add something to that, only because I feel it is important! More than taking his eyes off Jesus, he thought for a brief moment that he was given the power to walk on water, taking his faith off of what Christ was doing, and placing it upon himself. 

 When the Scripture says, "The just shall walk by faith," it literally means, without faith, you cannot just walk on your own! But how often do we try, only to find ourselves sinking and going under! We ask the Lord to give us the ability, and then expect that we are given the ability to do it on our own; as if Jesus has made our fleshly body able to control the winds and the waves. (Not going to happen!) 

 The Scriptures speak the truth: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6 NKJV) What good is it to eat the finest foods, and walk away feeling accomplished? When we are told to abide in Christ, it means that is where we get our strength; without Jesus, we are just trying to do something we cannot do on our own. (Never going to turn out good!) 

 Yes, we are able to do things that are remarkable and may even seem supernatural; but it is Christ who is working in and through us! We ask Him to help us love others, but without Christ loving through us, we are going to fall short of loving as we could...

""I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."" (John 15:1-5 NLT)

"Finishing Well"

 "Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to the same place." (Ecclesiastes 6:6 KJV)

  "And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:25-28 NLT
 

 Not to misinterpret what was being said, but if we are allowing Jesus to be Lord of our lives, then what happens when or if we fall away? Is He still not our Lord if we have drifted away or gotten ourselves in some sort of life, we just don't seem we can escape from? If you belong to Christ, you belong to Christ forever! If you don't belong to Christ, then you never really did, because you were following Him for the wrong reason. 

 However, the subject of who gets into Heaven, although there are many who seem disqualified or unworthy, even Judas might, even though he hung himself for having betrayed the Lord. I'm just saying, we have no idea who makes it or who doesn't; we are only responsible for our own salvation, all the way to the very end! 

 Besides all of that, rigmarole, in the very end, every knee will bow, confessing Jesus is Lord! Talk about finishing well! God has a plan which He has planned all along: To have fellowship with us! In this world, we are born separated from Him, because we are born in sin; but once we have accepted His free gift of salvation, we are born again, in fellowship with Him. What God has joined together, no one can tear it apart! 

 My prayer for anyone that might doubt your salvation, is that you consider one very serious question, and make sure that you are right: Are you truly willing to die for Christ? I know it sounds hard to believe that is even possible, given that Peter thought he could but ended up denying Jesus three times; but that was before Jesus rose again; which was a real game-changer! 

 Do you believe He rose again? If so, then you must also believe that you will also! Even though this body might get destroyed, as everyone else that dies on this earth; we rise again with a new body that will be eternal, undefiled, and indestructible...

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in the one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."" (Galatians 5:13-14 NLT)

"To Know by Experience" - To

 "Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other." (Ecclesiastes 6:5 KJV) 

 "One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side." Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you," he said. Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" "My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."" (John 20:24-29 NLT)

 Without getting too personal, there are certain things we have in our lives which will keep us chained in one way or another. I'm not saying that we are all bound up in chains, having no ability to function or serve the Lord, because there is always something we can do, even when have something binding us; it doesn't keep us from serving in one way or another.

 But what it does: it causes us to not experience the full potential that we were meant to know; and will always cause us to have doubts about our own relationship with the Lord. It doesn't have to be sin, as in the things which we know are not to be done; it could just be something that takes precedence over the time you know you should be spending with the Lord. 

 Take me, for example: I have this thing I do, pretty much every night; watching a movie, or should I say, half a movie over a two-night period. I call it my relax time, before I go to bed. Lately, I have been hearing the Lord tell me to spend that time with Him; I have even been given an image of what that should be like: me sitting in my morning devotion area, reading His word, and sharing my 60+ minutes before bed with Him. 

 Could I be sinning if I don't do what I think He wants me to do? 'If the Lord is asking us to do something, then, if He is Lord, we should do what He says; otherwise, we are not making Him Lord!' Thinking of that, in that way is rather stupid! Even though many people will say it! He is Lord, with or without our permission or our ability to listen; we will just suffer and be discouraged if we don't obey those things He tells us to do.

 You would think that after 43 years of walking with Him, I would have a better handle on being obedient. But it is all about making compromises and putting things off. There is something I know from experience, but don't put it in action when it comes to the things that I like: Ask the Lord to help you with your faith, and He will help you overcome what binds you...

"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (Philippians 2:13 NLT)  

"To Know by Experience"

"Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other." (Ecclesiastes 6:5 KJV)

  ""Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart."" (Matthew 18:32-35 NLT)

 Looking at this from the place of never having to experience making a choice, there is more rest for them who die early than those who die late. As Matthew Henry puts it, "The shorter the life is the longer the rest; and the fewer the days, and the less we have to do with this troublesome world, the less trouble we know." 

 Not sure how to place this in the way it should be spoken, but if you have lived long enough, then you most likely have had some bad experiences; some of which has caused deep hurt and given you great hate in your heart for those who might have caused you that pain. If you hamper that hate within your heart, it needs to be dealt with, and you need to forgive whoever you have not forgiven. 

 I have to admit, there are people I have not forgiven that have already passed on; but that really doesn't matter, because there are other people here that remind me of them, causing me to bring back the hate in my heart, which is like a blister that is very sensitive and needs to be protected, again and again. We must choose to forgive, just like we chose to believe in Jesus Christ. It is never about feelings, because feelings will change and blow back and forth like the wind. 

 When we accepted Christ as our Savior, we chose to receive the forgiveness that He offered, and it was like giant weight had been lifted off of us; for the very first time, we felt incredibly free; almost as if it was like we started living life all over again. What changed in you, that made you take back those chains?  

 Yesterday I heard a brief part of a message about when Peter asked Jesus to call him out onto the water. We ask God to do something that we know we cannot do ourselves, and then we try to see ourselves doing what we cannot do, taking our faith out of the picture. We Must Walk By Faith, Always...

"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 is 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 14:26-31 NLT) 

"Gently Into the Night"

 "For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness." (Ecclesiastes 6:4 KJV)

  "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (2 Timothy 4:3-5 NLT)

 Having fun yet? Obviously, there are some people having a blast making up lies and trying to rewrite the past few years! Saying the things they will do, but haven't done anything closely related to those things, over the last three years. As a matter of fact, they have totally and completely done the opposite!

 I have made a vow to myself: I will not hold back from speaking the truth, but I will not be bothered by what is taking place in this world! We must not lose joy and hope over these things, because they are all meant to happen; but for the sake of the innocent people that don't know any better, we must speak the truth and say what we know is right, without being afraid of what it might cost!

 And with that: The price to pay, (which was somewhat changed up yesterday, because I choose to share about the opposite situation,) is before us today. Regardless of what you might think of Solomon, if you make it into Heaven, you will find him there; of this I am absolutely certain. God gave Solomon the ability to be wise, and then He threw on him the riches and greatness to be a fool. But God never does anything by chance or without a reason. 

 To make things a little clearer, Solomon started his reign as king in humility and by giving all the glory to God; he was totally and completely faithful, judging rightly, and doing all that was good in God's sight. But then, he got spoiled and overindulged in the passions of living, under the sun! 

 However! As crazy as this might sound, God already knew what he would do, and actually gave him the ability to do it, even though He knew it would happen. Why would He do that? The title of the post today is partially taken from a poem written back in 1951, which actually said, "Do Not Go Gently into That Good Night." 

 We must fight to the very end, not giving up because we might think that God has abandoned us or because we have failed to finish well: if we still have breath in our lungs, we have not finished yet; and God is not finished until judgment day...

""I have told you these things so that you won't abandon your faith. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me."" (John 16:1-3 NLT) 

"A Price to Pay"

 "If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he hath no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he." (Ecclesiastes 6:3 KJV)

  "Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious. However, he restrained himself and went on home. Then Hanan gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials. Then Haman added, "And that's not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow! Then he added, "But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate."" (Esther 5:9-13 NLT) 

 Forgive me for being a little bold this morning, but there are some serious things taking place within the world in which we live; things that I believe are going to usher in a whole new era, things which will set things in motion for change; the kind of change that many will not like, but will settle for, none the less. Happy as the world will be, it will be a lot like what we see above, in this illustration of Haman! 

 Anywho; God will not blink! His throne will not be compromised, and His will also will not be altered! The church will grow stronger, even if it loses some of their congregations, those that remain will be more bold and more courageous than ever before; this you can depend upon happening. Jesus said, "In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones." (Matthew 24:22 NLT) 

 No matter what, these things don't surprise me or make me feel uneasy, not in the least! We that have our hope in Christ, we have hope that is not based upon worldly promises or upon the thing's government can give; but our hope is based upon the eternal life that we will have with Christ, forever and ever. You cannot outdo or undo what He has done; and nobody can take away the salvation that we have been given, period! 

 The way I see it, my life was not an untimely birth! Even though my life was filled with terrible mistakes and bad choices, God never gave up on me, He never stopped tapping my shoulder to get my attention, and He was always there, whenever I called out for help. Some people may not believe that, because there are some that say God doesn't hear the wicked when they cry out for God's help.

 If that be the case, then how can the wicked get saved? Today is the day of salvation; so, open your heart and cry out to God; He will listen...

"Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me." (PSALM 66:16-20 NLT)

"Keeping It Real" - Too

 "A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease." (Ecclesiastes 6:2 KJV)

  ""Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do - blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."" (Matthew 6:1-4 NLT)

 I know it might not seem to fit, but it is all about the heart, knowing that your Heavenly Father is always looking and taking note of our actions, whether we are looking for the honor of others, or for Him to be pleased with the good we might do. If we make it about showing off, then that is the reward we get, and it will fade away, just as quick as it was demonstrated to others. 

 Having wealth is not something that is bad, unless your wealth becomes what make you feel wealthy! We are wealthy because God has entrusted us with what He has given us; we are responsible for sharing it, as God guides and provides, knowing that it is not about us and the honor we might receive, but about God's glory and the rewards we will receive in heaven. 

 It might not be easy to do, because we have passions and a desire for being known for the good things we might do; but the less you make known what you do, the more you get to keep what you do it with. That is God's economy of works and sharing; if you claim it as yours, then it loses your grip, and you find it either taken away or becoming useless. 

 There is another aspect to this which involves living under the sun: everything under the sun will pass away; only what is done for Christ will last...

"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 room 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 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)

"Keeping It Real"

 "A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease." (Ecclesiastes 6:2 KJV)

  ""After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, 'What do you mean by doing these things?'" (Daniel 4:34-35 NLT)

 Maybe there are some things that should be left unsaid and used for private counseling; but there is more to that 'common' condition among men, then just our responsibilities as men. This 'evil disease' which Solomon is talking about is an affliction and sadness, brought on by a condition of the heart. Basically, this is the vanity, which is the result of putting trust in the things which God gives, instead of putting trust in the Giver! 

 Whatever we have in this life, we have been given from God; there is nothing that is made, that God has not made; absolutely nothing exist on its own and without God's hand having made the particles that can bring it into existence. There are so many new innovations and creative new technologies, where many of those who have brought them into existence feel as they are the creator of whatever they might have made; but if God hadn't made the parts, they would not have made anything at all. 

 When I first got saved, I spent several months seeking as much information as I could about how to minister to J.W.'s and show that God is three-in-one; something they will not believe or accept as the truth. Yet, in reality everything has three parts, including you and I, we have a body, a soul, and a Spirit. That Spirit is what was taken from man when Adam sinned; he died of the Spirit which was once living inside of him. 

 From what I have learned, when Adam and Eve were alive in the Spirit, the light that shown in them was bright, much like Moses' face after coming down from fellowshipping with God. But after they sinned, that Spirit had been removed, and they found themselves naked; the light was gone, and they felt dirty and ashamed. 

 This was what Jesus came for, to bring life by the Spirit, which is brought onto us by the forgiveness of sin! He paid the price for the sins of the whole world, including Adam and Eve, and all those who believed from thereafter. As it was told to me, those that lived before Jesus came were given a Credit Card, (if you will,) where all those sins were held and were to be paid off; yet those after He came were given a Debit Card, where sins are used up, because there is free money that has been put on the card.   

 You can take that or leave it, because it is only an illustration of how it works. But the bottom line is all about what is ours and what belongs to God: Everything belongs to God, so don't get worked up about anything being taken away...

"The earth is the LORD'S, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him." (PSALM 24:1 NLT) 

"The Missing Link" - 2

 "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:" (Ecclesiastes 6:1 KJV)

  "Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, "The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her." And Abram agreed with Sarai's proposal." (Genesis 16:1-2 NLT)

 I know that I will not say what many might want to hear, but it must be said regardless. This thing that is common among men, besides the curse's on living under the sun, is the ability to really listen and obey God. If we could just follow what the Spirit within us says, making the right choices, and stop listening to other voices; then maybe we could be the real head of the household, and stop going round and round in circles. 

 If you really want to know, it is the man that is meant to be the spiritual leader in his home, nobody else. Adam was the one God gave the order to, Eve was there to help and be his companion; but Adam was the one who needed to protect his wife from being deceived by that serpent. Instead, because of his own desire to sin, he allowed it to happen, giving up his right's to be the protector and the one that would lay his life down for his wife, if need be! 

 This little issue that we see from Genesis 16, really is not much different. Abraham, or Abram during this encounter, was the one that should have made the right choice; it was his responsibility to tell Sarai to trust God; letting her know what he knew, that God was able to do things that might seem impossible to do. But instead, he gave into sin, which means, he harkened unto his wife, instead of trusting God. Not so much of a surprise, because his wife was asking him to have sex with her handmaid. 

 This is something I truly believe but is also something that requires men to be faithful to God: If we do everything in our ability to obey God and follow His commands, then our wives and children will most likely follow our lead. If we flake out and go in and out of our commitment to obey the Lord, we will be causing confusion and an unstable order in our families. 

 There is something about real leadership that makes love and security become real enough to want to hold unto; the wife needs it, and so do the children...

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." (Galatians 5:16-17 NLT)    

"The Missing Link"

 "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:" (Ecclesiastes 6:1 KJV)

  "And to the man he said, "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."" (Genesis 3:17-19 NLT)

 Sometimes we forget that this life here on earth was cursed and we are meant to struggle through this life, to scratch out the living that we must provide for our families. That doesn't mean everyone is cursed; as it was, God did not curse Adam, but the living by which he would make to provide, the elements of the earth to which he would use, and the journey to make it through this life; those things which were once taken for granted, were cursed and became a burden, sometimes making living worse than dying.

 This, I believe, is the evil that Solomon is talking about that is common among men; each and every one is under the same curse, without, again, having been cursed of themselves! It might not seem right to some, because we are born into this earth, all under the same curse; but God's great love has provided the cure, making the man to be set free, right from the very start, from himself being cursed! 

 Because all of that, the way to live without having to been cursed, is that in this life we have a hope of our great redemption. And as it was, right after the curse, Adam named his wife, "Eve," which means, "Mother of all living." As I have been told and have come to understand, this is because the seed she would bring about, would crush the serpent's head; and that seed would be Jesus! 

 Right off the bat, there was hope for something that would bring our redemption...

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

 

"The Futility of Life"

  "There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. God give some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn't give them a chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless - a sickening tragedy.

 A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn't even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead. His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn't even have had a name, and he would never have seen the sun or known his existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man. He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else - well, what's the use? 

 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough. So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything be being wise and knowing how to act in front of others? 

 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless - like chasing the wind." (Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 NLT)

  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

 What we might want to call this, "The Futility of Life," portion of the message, is something I would refer to as, "Stinking-Thinking", as my favorite motivational speaker might have called it. We have to think about the negative aspects of whatever comes ahead, as if it is just bound to happen; but the positive outlook is the thing which will actually motivate us to move forward, regardless of what might be ahead. 

 I don't claim to know all that much about a lot of things; but I do know the difference between what makes us stay at home, doing nothing, and what makes us take a chance to make a difference: Positive thinking! If you spend your thoughts on all of the negative parts of whatever task you have in mind, you will lose interest and never even give it any effort. 

 This might be one of the most common things that stop people from going into any sort of ministry, the things that are needed to make it work! What does it really require? There are only two things we need to make it begin to work: A calling, and the desire to go; after that, it's all about faith and the ability to trust God's directions! 

 If I could have made that right choice long ago, maybe things would have been different. Then again, God still has a way to make things right...

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18 KJV) 

"The Joy of Our Heart" - Again!

 "For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart." (Ecclesiastes 5:20 KJV)

  "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trails, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God." (Romans 5:3-11 NLT)

 It might seem like a lot to take in, but it is the hope we have in the work Christ did, not in anything that we do; especially not anything which we might be going though! Seriously! We must never believe that God is against us, or that He has abandoned us, due to something we might have done, or might be doing. This line of thinking is just what the enemy wants, that is what he uses the most, and it is the most used tool he uses against us: discouragement! 

 We should never think that we are lost, just because we might have messed up, or we have fallen away from where we should have been, somehow makes us unworthy of His forgiveness; He is always there, waiting for us to come home, even if it has happened again and again! This might be the most important thing that we need to know: That God will never give up on you! 

 If Solomon was going to express something which he cherished deep within his heart, then this is that which he held unto, more than anything else, even more than wisdom. As wise as he was, he still lost sight of being obedient and following God's commands. But he never lost sight of God, because God never left him. 

 Pastor Bryan reminded me of that last night, saying, "Where we go, He goes!" That is why we are always looked at so strangely when we might be somewhere we do not belong, or doing something we should not be doing; God's light is never extinguished, you are always never alone...

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one - for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then can condemn us? No one - for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:31-34 NLT) 

"The Joy of Our Heart"

 "For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart." (Ecclesiastes 5:20 KJV)

  "It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich." (PSALM 37:16 NLT)

 If there was a way to explain this, I do believe that most people still would not understand what was being said. However, if you think about those times when you were feeling as though you were going under; it is the hardships of this life that you quickly forget, much like those Servepro commercials: "Just like it never happened.' 

 That doesn't mean you won't remember, because it clearly says, "shall not remember much," but there is something about the pain and suffering, it seems to be not so much; especially compared to what it once was, during your trial. God makes a way, when there seems like there is no way! And just as easy as you were convinced that you were done, you somehow recover, and hardly remember why you were feeling as though there was no hope. 

 I know, it really doesn't make sense! If we could only stay in that place where we have complete and unmovable confidence in the Lord's protection, then we would never have to worry about anything this world might take us through. It is all about where we are in our faith with God! If we feel as though we have no fellowship with Him, we will be utterly vulnerable and feeling hopeless; but if we know He is with us, we have a whole different outlook on any situation, no matter what might come against us. 

 What a difference there is in the perspective of God's greatness...

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

"The Gift of God" - 2

 "Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19 KJV)

  "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. But you, Timothy, are a man of God: so run from all of these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:10-12 NLT)

 There is another way we can look at this, which does not concern riches and wealth, as in what money provides: but that is the riches and wealth that come with knowing God, all that He does, and resting in the promise of the eternal life, which He has given us. There is nothing greater on this earth, than what God has given us through Christ Jesus; no amount of money can ever provide for the great gift God has freely given, if we just taste and see, that God is so good! 

 With this knowledge we have of what He has done, we gather riches and wealth that many people do not understand, because it does not pertain to this world and what the world sees as riches and wealth. Yet, He gives us the power to eat thereof, growing and drawing closer and closer to Him and the peace that passes all understanding. 

 That peace is the portion we have, based upon the faith that He delivers all that He has promised; and nothing on this earth can take away His promises, absolutely nothing! With that, we get to rejoice in our labor, because we know, by experience, the His yoke is easy, and the burden is light. Why is that so? And how do we know it? 

 Love! When we do it for love, there is nothing that is too burdensome and the yoke does not weigh us down, because He gives us everything we need to keep going, even when the going gets tough, it is never too much to bear; that is, if we are motivated by His love...

"When I think of all this, I fall on my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT)  

"The Gift of God"

 "Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19 KJV)

  "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. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving - the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God." (2 Corinthians 9:10-12 NLT)

 This is something we must never forget; whether we are rich or poor: God loves a cheerful giver! As much as it takes to supply the needs of the church, it seldom is ever enough, whether it is a small church or large church, almost always there are issues with providing for everything that continually gets done. 

 I have heard it said, "If everyone was on Welfare and gave 10%, the church would have enough to take care of all of their needs." I know firsthand that is so, because once upon a time I was the one who entered all of the giving into the log, to provide for the end of year gift giving letters. 

 As it goes, most people that give, will usually give 10% of whatever is left over, after paying for all of their bills, if they even do that. If there was time to share all of the ways that people cheated God, it is too much time to waste, because time is more precious than money. As a matter of fact, there is only one thing everyone has in common, in the temporary life: We all have the same amount of time in every minute we are live on this earth. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter, time is worth more than riches! 

 Some people will not agree with that, as they believe that it is a waste of time for the poor to be alive as if they just absorb the wealth of others. Everyone that is given life has a right to live their life, even if they cannot do anything for themself; because there are people who are blessed by you taking care of them, which in turn, gives glory to God...

"As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!" (2 Corinthians 9:13-15 NLT)