What are you doing under There?

 Read Ecclesiastes 4.

A friend asked, "How are you doing?"  The answer, "The best I can do under the circumstances.  The comeback, "Well, what are you doing under there?"

Solomon spoke of what life is like "under the sun" or only from a human perspective.  Without an eternal purpose, disillusionment and discouragement will set in.  People are being mistreated and hurt without any comfort or resolve.  All a person's hard work appears in vain and left to others once they are gone. 

To paraphrase his question in verse 8, "Why am I doing this?"

The answer to that question is more important than what one is doing.  It goes straight to our motives and purpose in life.  

-Am I doing this for my physical health and well-being?  As important as that is, it will only prove to be temporal for a few years.   

-Am I doing this for financial strength and, perhaps, independence?  The best of us are financially vulnerable to the economy around us and one day we will leave 100% of it behind for others.   

-Are we doing it for altruistic reasons?  Making life better for others is a noble and honorable endeavor on any level.  Everyone should be involved in some way to help those in need, but in the end it is a band aid, not a solution to the most important lasting need.

When one has God's perspective on life (above the sun), the scenery and sense make a stark contrast.  We discover how the LORD designed us.  We do things that he gifted us to do.  As we work and serve the needs of others, it is with eternity in view.  Our life message is far beyond our personality, experience or achievements.  When we introduce another to a personal relationship with the living God, their lives are changed for now and forever.

Living life with a heavenly perspective is more than positive thinking.  It is understanding and appreciating what God is doing in us and the world.  

 

Is it time Yet?

 Read Ecclesiastes 3.

The first part of verse 11 in this chapter is the Romans 8:28 of the Old Testament.  "He has made everything beautiful in its time."  That statement and the beautiful song written by Diane Ball have sustained us over the years.
"In His time, in His time
He makes all things beautiful in His time
Lord, please show me every day
As You're teaching me Your way
And I'll do just what You say
In Your time.

In Your time, in Your time
You make all things beautiful in Your time
Lord, my life to You I bring
May each song I have to sing
Be to You a lovely thing
In Your time."

The human dilemma is that we want life done by our plan and on our time schedule.
1. Time is sovereignly controlled by God. (vv.1-8)
The seasons and circumstances change but they are cyclic.  The LORD who invented time in Genesis 1, continues to oversee the universe and the flow of individual life.  David wrote in Psalm 31:15, "My times are in your hand."

2. There is a time for everything God wants done. (vv.9-10)
Satisfaction comes from work and the use of time begins with the recognition that this is a gift from God for us to accomplish His will.  Our ability and opportunities to earn come from Him.  "You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth." (Deuteronomy 8:18)

3. Time is temporal. (v.11b)
Life here on earth is only a brief preparation for where and how we will spend eternity.  Every human has an empty place inside.  Blaise Paschal, the brilliant French mathematician and philosopher, envisioned that within the heart of every person is a God-shaped vacuum that only the Lord could fill.

4. Our time here is a test. (v.18)
Too often when life circumstances appear to be against us, we can fall into the emotional trap that God's faithfulness is being tested.  He must come through for us in order to prove Himself.  The opposite is true.  Circumstantial changes and seasons of life are tests of us.  Will we be faithful and trust Him no matter what?  Tests come along, in His timing, to help us to mature in our faith.

 

What's the Use?

 Read Ecclesiastes 2.

Learning from one's mistakes is the road of personal growth.  Learning from the mistakes of others is the road to wisdom. 

Life is a pursuit.  When we do not know, when we have never had the experience, when we do not possess, we are left to our dreams and imagination.  But what if we could have it all?  What would that be like?  Would it bring the happiness and satisfaction we seek?

One of the great values of this book is to learn from the mistakes of Solomon.  He had it all.  Count the ways he tried to satisfy his soul.  Pleasure, laughter, wine, work, possessions, money, collecting, music, servants, anything and everything was his to the extreme.  But as Peggy Lee's old song asks, "Is that all there is?"  Solomon asked in verse 2, "What use is it?"  After amassing all this stuff, he concluded in verse 11, "There was nothing to be gained." 

Ignorance is bliss.  But when a person comes to a place of understanding that none of that stuff will meet their true needs inside and that all of it will one day be left behind, it can lead to despair (v.20).  Solomon understood and could not sleep at night thinking about it (v.23).

Ah, but he knew more.
1. All things come from the hand of God. (v.24)
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:16)

2. Nothing in this life can be truly enjoyed apart from a personal relationship with the LORD and living a life that pleases Him. (vv.25-26)

“…we make it our aim to please him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

What do you say to an empty Life?

 Read Ecclesiastes 1.

How do you measure a life and its value?  What determines true success?

In 1904, there was a national contest to determine and award the finest definition of success.  After scrutinizing all the entries, the judges selected this one: "He is successful who has lived well, loved much and laughed often."  King Solomon declared in essence at the outset of this book, "I lived well.  I love much.  I laughed often and achieved all my goals.  I had it all; all this life could offer me.  But when I backed off to see the results, I felt empty inside."

The key word he used some thirty-seven times (in one form or another) in these twelve chapters is "vanity."  The word means "vapor" or emptiness.  He goes on to say that his endless desire for more proved to be a "vexation" to his spirit.  All of his efforts seemed like "striving after the wind."  Catch a handful and there is really nothing there.  Read: no satisfaction.

However, Solomon knew that life did have great meaning.  It simply was not to be found in earthly pursuits.  Throughout the book the "A" part of his message speaks of emptiness.  Fortunately, he does not leave us there.  Each time he presents a "B" part that brings the reader to a point of hope.  Apart from God, we are destined to measure life only by achievements that produce culturally accepted results.  But true success in life is much more than being famous, how many sales were closed, or how much profit was made.

Five passages in the book of Ecclesiastes explains that God gives us temporal, material possessions to enjoy as a reward for our labors, to please our spouses, to provide for our families, and to use for the glory of God.  Just remember that they are only temporal.  One day we will leave them all behind. 

In light of the fact that we will all stand before the Owner of life for accountability, the most important question is how will the LORD measure my life?  How did I respond to His love and offer of forgiveness in Christ?  Did I use the financial resources, abilities, and time He allowed me to have as a good and faithful steward?  Am I only living for "now" instead of what I can enjoy forever?

 

What to look for in a Wife

 Read Proverbs 31.

Solomon wrote, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD." (Proverbs 18:22)  But there is more.  "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. (v.30)

Verses 10-31 is an acrostic poem with each stanza beginning in sequence with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Such a godly woman is praised and has high personal value (v.10) for who she is and what she does.  In summary, here are 7 qualities that this excellent wife demonstrates.

1. Trustworthy. (v.11)
A marriage is dependent upon mutual trust.  The focus on in this verse is that she is trusted by her husband to take care of her responsibilities in such a way that the household prospers.

2. Hardworking at home. (vv.13-15, 20-21, 27)
She tirelessly insures that her household is clothed and fed.

3. Hardworking outside the home. (vv.16-19, 24)
She buys and sells, has merchandise, and makes a profit.

4. Generous. (v.20)
She not only has a heart for the poor and needy but she actually helps them.

5. A valuable partner. (v.23)
She is an asset to her husband.  He has influence in the community, not only because of what he may do, but also because of her good work and reputation.

6. Strength and dignity. (v.25)
Regardless of the situation, she shows herself to be a woman of stability.  Her behavior is honorable and appropriate.

7. Wise and kind. (v.26)
Her speech is characterized by words of good counsel.  She helps others understand life and living in a kindly manner.

It is a rare woman who has such a heart for God, husband, and family who is also gifted in all the areas above.  How thankful and blessed I am and our family continues to hold Diane in high esteem for being such a woman.  As a gift from the LORD, we give her praise from “A to Z”.

 

5 foundational questions for all Mankind

 Read Proverbs 30.

It is by design that humans have inquiring minds to want to know that which is beyond them; to discover how things work; to realize spiritual truth.  How did we get here?  Why are we here?  Where are we going?

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these are the words of Agur.  At the outset he wrote of how humbled he felt.  How could anyone be able to follow the wisdom of Solomon?  Yet, God used him here, in verse 4, to ask five of the most foundational questions for all mankind. 

1. Who has gone to heaven and back?
Note that in the context this is not a reference to mere space travel.  It is beyond the sky and space to the dwelling place of God Himself.  Unless one has done this, they cannot truly tell us about it.  The answer to the question is Christ Jesus.  He came from heaven.  He ascended.  And He is coming back again.

2. Who controls the wind?
There are scientific explanations of wind current movements and weather but only to a point.  Those are done by observation and not by control.  Earth has been supplied with oxygen in order to sustain life.  We are dependent on the movements of air in so many ways.  There is only One who takes such credit for providing and controlling the wind.

3. Who controls the water?
Without fresh water, human life is not sustainable.  Without appropriate amounts of rain in season crops cannot produce.  Earth is totally dependent on it.  Inexplicable and foolish thinking is required to believe that such a vital element of life is available to us by accident.  There is only One who takes full credit for life on earth.

4. Who established the earth?
The question is not "what" caused the earth to come into being, as is the attempt of all natural explanations.  The question is "who."  God Himself challenged Job (38:4) by asking, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me if you have understanding."  There is only One who claims to be the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  "For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth..." (Colossians 1:16)

5. What is his name, and what is his son's name?
Since there is only One who fits the answer to all these questions, humans are not given a choice to decide this on their own.  By asking "his son's name", this God of heaven is relational.  There is One who is the Son of God.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)  Through faith in Jesus, we can be welcomed into the very family of God and enjoy a home in heaven with Him.

 

 

"Where there is no vision..."

 Read Proverbs 29.

"Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law." (v.18)

Due to the King James Version, all too often this verse has been used to promote the necessity of organizational vision development and the warning that without it the organization will die.  That is a leadership truism but has nothing to do with this verse.  Fortunately, newer translations help us understand the accurate meaning.

The vision here is the revelation of God's message delivered to His prophet.  In other words, it is the Word of God that people need to hear.  In the absence of knowing what God has said, people will be left to themselves to determine right from wrong and how to behave.  The Hebrew word translated in the KJV as "perish" correctly means "to loosen" or, as in the ESV, "cast off restraint."

An illustration of Proverbs 29:18 may be found in Exodus 32.  Moses was still on Mt. Sinai receiving commandments of the law from the LORD.  With no word from God and concerned about what may have happened to Moses, the people became impatient demanding they take spiritual matters into their own hands.  They wanted to make idols of gold, like the pagan nations around them.  They gave credit to these made-up gods for delivering them from Egypt!  Without the restraint of obeying the Lord, they presented offerings in worship to their idols, feasted, and then they "rose up to play."

All false teaching stems from a lack of studying and understanding the Scriptures.  A major part of our mission is to teach all that God has commanded (Matthew 28:20) so people know how to live for the Lord.