To Busy

The tale was shocking, an apparent display of callousness. Sir Edmund Hillary, who was on the team that first climbed Everest in 1953, called it "horrifying." Climbers would leave a dying man and within hours, David Sharp, 34, was dead. Desperate for oxygen David collapsed along a well-traveled route to the summit. Dozens of people walked right past him, unwilling to risk their own ascents. The official cause of death was that people were too busy climbing their mountain to stop and help someone who was dying. That happens more than we know. The ones who are dying may be people we see every day. The Bible describes every person without Christ in words like these: they are "lost." 

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. The Apostle Paul described them this way;  

Ephesians 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Some of the people we see Jesus describes as condemned;

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

There's no way anyone can get into heaven with their sins unforgiven. And the only One who can forgive them is the only One who died for those sins; Jesus. So we have dying people all around us. People whose eternal destination may hinge on whether or not we stop for them to tell them what Jesus did for them on the cross. Just living a good life in front of them won't explain that. We'll have to tell them. You’ll find a story very similar to David Sharp in Luke chapter 10. There’s a man that fell among robbers that stripped him, beat him and left him almost dead. Can you believe it, here comes a priest but oh no, what is he doing?

Luke 10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Now that’s awful; that priest didn’t even really see if the man was ok or not and passes him by. Well look here, what luck, it’s a Church going man; wait a minute what is he doing?

Luke 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. Could someone please tell me what’s so important on the other side of the street? Now here comes someone who is really busy;

Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, Yes, he saw him; ok what did he do? He had compassion on him, that word “compassion” means “suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow.”  It’s a friend wrapping their arms around you and pulling you tight toward them and giving you kind words of comfort and encouragement. Clarence Sullivan was 68 years old when I met him (I was 36) and I’ll never forget what he said to me. We had just ended a revival meeting. He was leaving going back to his home in Tennessee. We had prayer and he stood to his feet. Tears were running down his face and this is what he said. “I would give all I had away if I could have had what I have now when I was your age.” You see Clarence was a multi millionaire and he said all anyone ever cared about was his money, but you care for my soul and where I’ll spend eternity. I’ll have to write about Clarence at another time; but just be careful who you pass by today you might be able to help them.  

Sharp, an engineer, died May 15, 2006, about 1,000 feet into his descent from the summit.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing all A Very Merry Christmas

No Christmas? Really!

Saturday afternoon as a lady was leaving the Thrift Store I told her I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas. She returned the saying by saying Happy Holidays. She then began to tell me that she did not celebrate Jesus' Birthday. Then she began to inform me that it was a pagan holiday. Well, I learned a long time ago not to argue or try to show someone they're wrong. December the 25th may be a pagan holiday but my family and I take that day to celebrate the Birth of our Savior; Jesus. She told me again that she doesn't celebrate Jesus’ Birthday. I asked her if she celebrated her Birthday.  She said she did I then asked her so you think your Birthday is more important than Jesus'? She changed the subject and she began to misquote scripture. No, I didn't correct her I just asked more questions she couldn't answer. I just wanted her to think about what she was saying. Now have you ever given it any thought how life would be if there was no Christmas?

I want to give you something to think about this Christmas Eve.

If there were no Christmas our Bible would be untrue.

If there were no Christmas our God would be unknown.

If there were no Christmas our sins would be unforgiven.

If there were no Christmas our prayers would be unanswered.

If there were no Christmas our faith would be unfounded.

 I believe in Christmas and will celebrate it to the fullest; how about you?

Emotions

Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Christ has always stirred men’s emotions, the wise men sought Him and worshiped Him, Jerusalem feared Him, Kings wanted to kill Him and Herod was troubled about the birth of Christ. Was it because of His power, His truth or for what He came to do? Could have been that Herod was troubled about his sin or maybe his guilty conscience or just may be about his Godless living, but whatever, he was troubled about something and his trouble rubbed off on the whole city of Jerusalem. Which tells me that when we are troubled it will affect those around us? The truth is also the same when our emotions are just the opposite; here is what I mean;

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.  Did you see it? “And suddenly” without warning angels; a multitude of heavenly host began to praise God and saying “glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.” We see shepherds who may have been tired, sleepy, hungry, and lonely; all of a sudden something changed their attitude and it was all because of someone else. So much so that they jumped to their feet and went to Bethlehem to see for themselves and as they returned look what happened

Luke 2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  These shepherds were not troubled, but excited; you see no one really cares what you are troubled about and if you tell them you will only trouble them. When you are excited everyone wants to know and you enjoy telling them. Herod was troubled and only five miles or less away was the joy of the whole world but he was too troubled to go and see for himself. How troubled are you this Christmas? I hope you are joyous so much so that it is rubbing off on someone else. It’s up to you, you can enjoy the season or you can be troubled. It’s up to you; I choose being Joyous! How can I not be when we celebrate the birth of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ the Savior of the world? Put a smile on your face and be as the shepherds were of long ago and just see how it will affect those you are around. Christmas is next week and it’s going to be an exciting week; just you wait and see.

Give

Why do people give? This is the time or the season for giving. This is the time of year that most hearts are tender toward giving. We may give to those we really don't care for; we may give as we go into a store to one who is standing there ringin the bell for the Salvation Army. We may give out of duty but no matter why we give the one who receives the gift  still appreciates what we have given no matter how small or how large. What if I were to tell you that if a gift was given for the right reason the giver would be repaid; would that interest you? Remember now it has to be the right reason you are giving!

Proverbs 19:4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

A person’s wealth will draw many so called friends toward them. Just as the food drew people to Jesus not the miracles He was doing.

John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

In other words it was all about "what's in it for me!"

No one wants to be around the poor so they are separated away because they have nothing to offer. In verse 17 we are told a different story, we are told that The Lord knows and see's why we are giving; notice I said "GIVING."

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

When a person gives to a poor person he knows and understands that it's a gift.  The Lord knows the heart and tells us that we are lending unto Him and at a given time The Lord will repay us. Now it wouldn't surprise me if The Lord repaid with interest. Notice it's not how much is given nor how much is returned it all has to do with the heart, don't run by that word "pity." Pity= compassion accompanied with some act of charity or benevolence, and not simply a fellow feeling of distress.

 When giving to another or to an organization, ask yourself why am I giving anyways? Is it out of a heart of compassion? Do I feel pressured to give? I gave because someone else did and I don't want to look like I didn't care about what that poor person was going through?  Many reasons why one might give but the right reason is we give out of a heart of compassion and when we do that The Lord sees and knows our heart and He will repay. So why did you give?

No It's Christmas

 It’s getting closer and closer to Christmas; yes I said it, Christmas not happy holidays but MERRY CHRISTMAS! It’s the time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ. You know the baby born in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago that the world has never gotten over. I love this time of year for many reasons, one is that my Dad made a big deal out of Christmas and I don’t ever remember him saying “Happy Holidays.”  No it was Christmas to him and I have fond memories of the Christmas’s gone by. Another reason is the reason for the season; yes, Christ the Savior of the World who would come and give to us the greatest gift anyone could ever give eternal life. The birth of Jesus Christ is one of the most significant events in human history. Stop and think with me for a moment the night Jesus was born, it was like almost any other night except for the crowd that had come to pay their taxes. There were many people that night in Bethlehem that normally would not have been there. There were no rooms in the local Inn; the no vacancy sign had been placed for all too see long ago. Somehow Mary and Joseph found a manger to stay in for the night; so what’s a “manger?” Webster says it is   A trough or box in which fodder is laid for cattle, or the place in which horses and cattle are fed. That box in which live stock are fed from, may or may not have had shelter; don’t know but that really doesn’t matter for God could chosen any place to be born and He chose a manger. Then after His birth the first to be told were not those in the Palace but some shepherds keeping watch over their sheep; have you ever asked yourself why?  These were men of social outcast and the Lord made it known unto them what was going on in Bethlehem.  The moment Jesus stepped into the realm of humanity He began reaching out to those who felt they had no place of real importance. The problem is the more important we think we are the harder we are to reach. The more money we have the harder we are to reach. So God doesn’t waste valuable time and heads straight to those shepherds who would receive Him. How would you have acted that night if those shepherds had come to you and told you what they had seen?

Luke 2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

Luke 2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. They did what? “Wondered” why didn’t they go see for themselves? Life hasn’t changed much from then. People are told all the time about Jesus the Savior and that they can have eternal life and what do they do? They Wonder! That’s not the way the shepherds re-acted.

Luke 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.  Those shepherds got excited so much so that they Glorified God; Webster says this about GLO'RIFYING-   Praising; honoring in worship; exalting to glory; honoring. Can you see those shepherds waving their hands maybe jumping up and down lifting up their voices? Why were they not wondering? We are told in the same verse “for all the things that they had HEARD and SEEN, as it was TOLD unto them.” That is the reason people don’t get excited today because they are wondering about what they have been told. There are also those; like me, who believe what was told them and has seen for themselves.   Therefore we glorify and praise God and yes we get excited about this time of year, CHRISTMAS. Take Christ out of it and all you have is MAS whatever that is and if that’s all we have I guess Happy Holidays will work fine.  I’m all about Christ so therefore I can say Christmas and at the same time praise God and thank Him for His goodness to me. Don’t you just love this time of year? CHRISTMAS!

Bicycle Shop

Would you take your car to a bicycle shop and ask them to work on it? Would you call a plumber to install your ceiling fan?  Call a carpenter to lay carpet in your game room? I don't think you or anyone else would do any of those things. Those things sound crazy I agree but why do we think that we can get the right answers in life by doing almost the same things. We want a great family, good wife or husband, good marriage and what’s the answer for all those things? It is JESUS! When we leave Jesus out of the equation it only leaves what we can do. Want off drugs and alcohol then Jesus must be in the equation. Want a great marriage then Jesus must be in the equation. Looking for the right person to spend the rest of your life with, you're right it’s Jesus. When we remove Jesus then evil comes in; now evil doesn't always just rush in for that would be too noticeable and we would see it right away. Oh no, evil comes in slowly and looking like everything will work out just fine. King David one evening looks and sees a beautiful woman take a bath. What he saw over took him and before long this woman is carrying the Kings baby. You see the King never asked The Lord to help him overcome this evil that was knocking at his hearts door. So the evil over takes him and the King tries to work it all out himself. When it's all said and done a man is dead and a baby dies. You see it didn't all happen in one night, evil destroys over a period of time. How did this evil affect the King?

Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.                                                                             

Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

King David asked God for mercy according to the Lord's loving kindness and tender mercies. Then the King asked for cleansing from his sin that he acknowledges for it's before him night and day. There it is you don't take a sin filled heart to the bicycle shop you take it them to The Lord and He alone heals it.

Precepts Conveying Knowledge

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

Instruction= The act of teaching or informing the understanding in that of which it was before ignorant; information. Precepts conveying knowledge.

A WISE son and his father's teaching of informing. This son becomes WISE by first hearing what his father has said. The next verse tells how this wise son will eat. Notice what is said he will eat good by the fruit of his mouth. Before there is fruit there must first be a planting in good soil. The wise son hears the teaching of his father and the teaching of the father goes into a good fertile heart that produces good fruit.

The next time we see this word "instruction" is in verse 18

Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

This time it shows what happens when one refuses to hear what is being taught to them. Poverty and also shame would have been so easily afforded had they just heard and acted on their fathers teaching.

Wickedness Doesn't Work

Proverbs 12:3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

Proverbs 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

Proverbs 12:6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

Proverbs 12:7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

Proverbs 12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

Proverbs 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

Proverbs 12:21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

Proverbs 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

The chapter starts off by telling us that a man shall not be established by wickedness then it gives us some of the things the wicked man does that don't work.

#1- Their COUNSELS are deceit

#2- Their WORDS are lies

#3- They are OVERTHROWN

#4- Their MERCY is cruel

#5- They DESIRE to be with evil men

#6-They are SNARED by their own lips

#7-They are filled with MISCHIEF

#8- Their way is SEDUCTIVE

The WICKED, are those that a child of God should avoid their company this is for sure, but we should ask ourselves are any of these traits found in you and I? How about our Counsel? Is it Christ like or is our counsel words like "if that were me........ That is no more than Waffle House table counsel; worthless! Do we speak words of truth or do we too have lying lips? How about our Mercy? Is it too just as cruel or do we understand that Mercy is "not getting what we deserve." We love Christ because He first showed you and I love. What about our real desires? Who would we really like to spend most of our time with; no who do we spend most of our time with and around. Birds of a feather flock together! Are we filled with Mischief? That word means "Harm; hurt; injury; damage; evil, whether intended or not.

MIS'CHIEF-MAKING, a. Causing harm; exciting enmity or quarrels.

Do we at time have those moments of Mischief? Do we live a life that is Seductive? The word means SEDUC'TIVE, a. Tending to lead astray; apt to mislead by flattering appearances.

 At first glance we say no! But look at that meaning in this way; does my life style want others to go astray from the paths of evil or do we mislead by flattering appearances that are Christ like?

Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Psalms 139:24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Don't get over confident in ourselves for we may be surprised at how we have treated others. There have been two men that The Lord used to teach me about giving. The first one was my middle brother; he and I were going somewhere together when we came upon a Shriner collecting money. When my brother saw him he got out his wallet and put something in the man's bucket; that impressed me for the Shriners are doing a great work with children. The other man had an opportunity as he passed a similar type and he refused to give. The Lord used his wife as she said why didn't you give that man any thing? His answer was, "He more than likely was going to use that money to get something to drink.” Her response was, "You don't know that!” It's not what they will or will not do with the gift we give them for The Lord knows the intent of the heart; both hearts.

Gotten Use Too

I went to visit some friends that lived near a heavy industrial area where the mills filled the air with a shall we say very distinctive aroma. It was of a sulphur-like, rotten egg type of odour. When I asked what the odor was? They said what odor? They had lived around the stink so long; it just didn't register with them anymore

I started thinking about how many things have we just gotten use too? It may bother others but not us. My father-n-law told me one time that his mother told him not to go to a certain place, but he went anyways. I'm sure you or I never did anything like that. Anyways he got that Georgia mud all over his clothes and he started trying to get it off. He was able get a lot of it off. He went home only to have to answer the question from his mother, “Did you go where I told you not to?” He couldn't understand how she knew so he asked her; she said, “You had mud all over you.” He said I had gotten so much of that mud off and thought to myself I looked so much better than I did that my mother would never know. So what's going on in our lives that we have just gotten use to?

There's a man we find in John Chapter 5. We find him in Jerusalem by the sheep market at a pool called Bethesda. Now around that pool there are laying a great multitude of people and they all have health problems. Some were blind, some lame and some paralyzed. They were all there for the same reason at a certain season. An angel troubled the waters and the first one in was made whole. There was a man who had been there for the last thirty eight years waiting his turn. Thirty eight years and he was still waiting? I'm afraid that he had just gotten use to being sick, use to being helpless, gotten use to being useless. Could it be we too get use to things and do not try to change anything? Wait, what's this? It's Jesus and what is He saying;

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case , he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? Are you just happy being use to all that's around you? The same Jesus that changed this man can and will change each and every one of us. The question is do you want it or are you just use to the stink that’s around you?

Acts of Failure

Proverbs Chapter seven deals with the acts of failure; being talked into something you know is wrong from the get go.

First there's the act the catching of the eyes:

Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

Second there's the act of making you feel important and special:

Proverbs 7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

Proverbs 7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

Third there's the act of Invitation:

Proverbs 7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

Fourth there's the act of Security and Safety:

Proverbs 7:19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

Proverbs 7:20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

Fifth there's the act of Doom:

Proverbs 7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Proverbs 7:23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

Every wrong we do begins with what looks like a Silver Lining! Knowing what we are about to do is wrong we some how convince ourselves we can handle it. We can't, we didn't the last time and we won’t be able to this time either. It matters not whether it's alcohol, drugs, sex, lust, anger, pornography or gossip, just as the acts before we will fail! As my wife says it never just happens it's on going or on coming. Pay attention to the acts and learn them if not doom will happen!

Did You Noticed the Word

That is a word we use quite frequently, but have you ever really thought about what it means? Webster gives the definition as - That is a word used as a definitive adjective, pointing to a certain person or thing before mentioned, or supposed to be understood. "Here is that book we have been seeking this hour." "Here goes that man we were talking of."

A word that is used to point out something before mentioned. With that in mind let’s look at

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, (We know) that our old man (that the person we used to be) is crucified with him, (Jesus) that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  (Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin)

Did you notice the word “THAT” was used three times in that verse? The first time it is prefixed with “Knowing this,” So what are we to know? That our old man is crucified with Him, Why? That from now on we should not serve sin. That, from this time forward we are no longer slaves to sin. Webster says the word slave means a person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one, who has no will of his own, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another. Does that mean that a person who is wholly subject to another has no will of their own? We want to stop doing whatever we are doing, drinking, drugs, lust, anger………...  but we can’t. We have tried many times but we have yet to succeed in becoming free. Listen!  So there must be a change. We can’t do this on our own I have tried to do it on my own just like you and have failed just like you. Until!!!!! I quit trying and started TRUSTING. For something to be old there has to be something NEW! The problem you are having is the same one I was having I didn’t know Christ and I had never asked Him to forgive me of my sin and come into my heart. Guess what, you haven’t either. 

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

So knowing the truth does more than set you free, it makes you free. That is much better than set free. So here we are maybe for the first time or the thirty-first time it makes no different, for it is the truth that will make you and I free.  You want that which is giving you a problem to be old? It can be for there are many that have been made free and they now know Jesus and now they are no longer a servant to the drugs, alcohol, lust, anger. Well to put it in short form, you can have as much as you want or as little as you are satisfied with. The problem, many are satisfied with too little. I am like the man who says I want it all. How about you? 

We're Moving

We're moving! How many times have you heard someone say that? I don't know about you but I have heard many people say that. I would always ask why? Then they would say something like we are moving because it's closer to where I work, the schools are better, it's a better place to raise our children. Now they have spent time checking out the schools for the kids or how would they know it’s a better place to raise their children if they had not spent time checking into it?  How would they know if it was closer to work if they had not checked the mileage? You see they had committed themselves to the move. Now it's a sure fact that 100% of people being born will also die; and that includes you and I. Now in that length of time; no matter how much time it is do we really spend much of it investigating our eternal home?   The word “know” is found 299 times in the New Testament, I think you and I should know some things about our heavenly home. Jesus, on His last night with His disciples told them that He was going to prepare a place for them.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  He wanted them to know some things about their heavenly home. Then the Apostle Paul had this to say;

2Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  Paul was confident that when death did take him he knew where he was moving to. Take some time so that you will know where you are moving to. My wife and I spent the night at a bed and breakfast a few years back. It’s like spending the night in someone else’s home that you don’t even know. I sure don’t want to leave this life and get to a place that I know nothing about. Ask yourself some questions, who will be there? What will the streets look like? What are the walls made of? Will there be any gates? The main question is will you be there? If you are, it will not be by accident. Now do you see why you need to spend some time knowing? Don’t play around with this moving business for you will be moving some day. 

Sensual Lure

I was watching a T.V. commercial and an older man was kissing his wife and the commercial said he was doing so without mistletoe. At the end it said that you don’t really need anything for you have all you want. A happy family with children all around and a Christmas tree shining in the back ground. I can identify with that for I don’t need mistletoe to kiss my wife for I like to do it often. I can’t think of anything that would make me any happier than spending time with my family. Some how if we are not careful we’ll get caught up in the bigger and better thinking it will make us happier; it won’t and we have a record that it doesn’t. We live in a day when man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough. So if you had the money what would you do and how do you think you would act? In other words how would it change you? There once lived a man who had the time, the money, and the energy to take such a journey. Not a mind trip, not across the imaginary back roads of his memory but into life itself. He was free to walk and because no one was able to restrain him his name was Solomon and he has left us a journal. His journal covers what only most dream of. In his journal he gives us the details of what happened and the results and leaves us with the message “don’t waste your time; it will not satisfy!” We can find his journal in a book called Ecclesiastes. I must tell you that the journey this man took was mind-boggling and left him Defeated, Depressed, and Disillusioned. Only one word is needed to explain his journey “Empty.” He also leaves us his motto on the front page of his journal;  

Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ecclesiastes 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. That is the way Solomon described how he felt before he took his journey, while he endured his journey, and after the journey was over. Nothing satisfied. Not so fast Solomon; I want to know what made your journey a pointless and empty one? You were King and had an endless supply of resources and you are telling us that nothing you did had any purpose! How could you make such a statement?  Solomon uses a phrase 27 times that tells us why nothing he had or did satisfied; it’s the phrase “Under the sun.”  Life is drab and depressing, hopeless, meaningless simply because he left God out of the picture. Laughter, comedy routines, booze, sex, entertainment, ego building projects, art collections, fun trips, serious work, and a half dozen other attempts at happiness and all of them blew up in his face.

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

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

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

Do you want real meaning, purpose, an investment that will give lasting dividends? Solomon says wake up and wise up I can tell you before you get started it won’t satisfy.

1-      The sensual lure of something better tomorrow robs us of the joys offered today.

2-     The personal temptation to escape is always stronger than the realization of it consequences.

3-     The final destination, if God is absent from the scene, will not satisfy.  

The Good life, the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. When we realize satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, this is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and the relationship with my Lord is vital. It did take a commercial to show me or tell me that we just need to be happy where the Lord has us and what He has entrusted us with.

Rape and more Evil

The culture that you and I live in often teaches that humility is a sign of weakness and aggressiveness will gain you the prize. Webster tells us that “Humility is freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth. In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God.  While he says to be aggressive is tending to aggress; making the first attack. As we read what the Psalmist has to say in Psalms 84 does it sound like humility or aggressiveness;

Psalms 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. {A deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God.}

Psalms 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. {A modest estimate of one's own worth}

Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Psalms 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. Wait a minute we must not forget the evening news that informs us of all that is going on so we can lie down at night and worry about what tomorrow will bring. Murder, death, robbery, rape and more evil; we face as the sun rises in the east on the next day of which we will hear the same. That’s the last thing most people hear before they go to bed; no wonder they have trouble sleeping at night! They may be wondering if they will be the next invasion by some drug crazed mind looking for an open door. No wonder people are fearful.  Look at what the Psalmist says “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. “  So he humbles himself to the place of just being a doorkeeper and then he tell us that “For the LORD God is a sun and shield“ Is he telling us that it’s God that give him light in a dark world and that it’s God that has become his protection? Sure he is! Do you remember the day that Jesus disciples came to Him and asked Him to teach them to pray?

Luke 11:1  And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.  So what did He teach them? Among many things He taught that day, He said this;

Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread. How many days? One at a time! Not today and the rest of the week just today and today Lord protect me from evil and temptation “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. “ In other words give me light to live by for this day. He didn’t tell us to be aggressive if we ever wanted to amount to something He just plainly said trust Me, Ask Me, follow My lead, you don’t have to be aggressive I’ll do that for you, just trust Me!  If you don’t listen to the news how in the world will you ever know what’s going on? If it’s bad enough someone who laid awake the night before worrying about it will be kind enough to tell me. So why should we both lay awake?  

Wrong Actions

Proverbs 26:23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

Potsherd=A piece or fragment of a broken pot

Like a clay pot covered with silver, looks are deceiving. It looks as if it's valuable. Can't always tell by looks or even feelings one must watch for the actions produced. In this case we see not only by burning lips but also a wicked heart as the scraping begins for the intention was not to build up but to burn down. When I use my words are they to build up or is my intention to burn down? Goes to the intent of my heart, what is my hearts intent? I must remember and be careful for hurt people want to hurt people. When someone has disappointed me I must be careful when I speak with them that I don't allow my disappointment to strike back as to hurt them the way I was hurt. It can be done without knowing or even the intent to do so. Therefore we should pay close attention to how and what we’re saying. If my heart is holding on to a feeling of disappointment then I will burn down. I must make sure the disappointment is gone from my heart or disaster will happen. Not long ago I thought my hearts intent was to go by and build someone up. Yes, I was disappointed in them but thinking I would go by and give a word of encouragement. Jeremiah was right when he said this;

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Deceitful, is that what Jeremiah said our heart was? Deceitful means to mislead. So here I go, my intentions were to encourage but my heart was misleading me and before long I was allowing my disappointed heart to hurt back. The silver had fallen off and the scraping had begun. I never intended for that to happen but it did and three days later the Lord deals with my heart about it. I have one or two things to do at this point, ignore the Lord or obey. I chose to obey. I returned and apologize for my wrong actions and didn’t try to justify what I had done. You see I had done wrong and it wasn’t anyone else fault but mine. I know it’s always easier to blame someone else for your wrong actions but it was out of the abundance of my heart that those words came, not someone else. I didn’t want too, I didn’t like it at all but the Lord blessed in a way I never expected Him to. The one I went by to see said I didn’t owe him an apology he needed to hear what I said. I still told him that I was sorry for my actions that I was out of line. His last words were as he looked me in the eyes he said that he loved me and hugged my neck. The lesson I learned, never try to figure out what God is really doing when He sends you somewhere. How can we know the mind of God! We can’t and when we think we do we‘re miles off.

Championship

The championship game was only a week away, the team was undefeated and the coach was confident. The only problem was school would be out a week before the game; the coach confident of his team practiced hard that day, pushed his team for the win. Then it happened, the coach got too confident and decided not to practice any more for a week. The day of the game he loaded his team on a bus and off they went to win the championship. The coin was tossed as the undefeated team won and decided to kick the ball. It was a side kick and all went well the kicking team recovered the ball; the next play they threw a touchdown pass; 7 to nothing and the crowd roared. When the boys loaded on the bus to go back to their school that evening their heads were low and the final score 7 to 45. What went wrong? Could have been a week without practice, I’m sure that had a big part in the final score. Then there was the over confidence; I mean these teams had won every one of their games and the thinking was we will win this too; but it was not to be. I’m afraid I have done the same thing; oh no, not in football but in everyday living. When I leave off my Bible reading and prayer and go out to meet the day I’m in danger of losing and getting crossed up in temptation and weak points in my life. It happens when I get over confident in my abilities, when it’s not my abilities it His abilities in my life that count. When I’m trusting in myself I’m in real danger it’s not yesterdays Bible reading or the prayers of yesterday for protection that I need. I need today’s time with the Lord; that’s important. This relationship with the Lord should be an everyday time with the Lord and not a drive by look at the scriptures. It’s a trust in the Lord with all my heart and not a trust in myself hoping the Lord blesses.  Like that football coach that didn’t see the need to practice, we too if not careful will fill our Bible time up with other things. Nothing is more important than getting help on how to handle the day from the one who made the day.

Psalms 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Meeting with Him this morning gave me a great start to the day the Lord has made.