Tag: Work is Work - Ecclesiastes 1-2

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23

What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

Tag:  Work is Still WORK

In the culture of the United States, work (occupations) have become our god(s).   We worship our work, jobs, occupations.   The type of work we do gives us status.   The amount of hours we put into our work gives us prestige.   The amount of “stuff” we can accumulate as a result of our work pay is the “kingdom” we are building and/or ruling.  We “worth-ship” our jobs.    

In the above text, the wisdom of Solomon comes out.  He gives us the truth about work.   No matter how much we say we enjoy it and find our “purpose” in our work, it is still only a “vexation.”  Our better English would be, “grief.”  Work is grief.  It is “work.”   

The issue we have today, at lease in our U.S. society, is that we tend to make work our life purpose.  We have gurus telling us we should meaning at work.  That work should not be a “job” - rather it should be a mission.   We often hear comments about how much time we spend at work and with our co-workers.  The latest thought is that we ought not to strive for a work-life balance, because work is also our life ... if not most of our life.   Yet, Solomon puts the current philosophy on its head.  Work is full of sorrow and grief as a result of work.  Why is this so?  Solomon does not address this in his statement above, but the conclusion of the book of Ecclesiastes does:  We are to glorify work by using it to glorify God and build His Kingdom, not our own.  Remember, in Genesis 1-3 God ordained work and put man in the Garden of Eden to do work. It was to give man great pleasure.  But, in the Fall of Man, the punishment was that work would be grievous.   This is why man keeps trying to find meaning and fulfillment in work.  It WAS SUPPOSED to be like that. In man’s heart there is still that DNA desire for work to be great.  But, in truth, God’s punishment for sin is that we will never find our fulfillment in work and it was impacted by sin to be grieving for us.  It is only after we come to Christ can that be restored.  Until then, work is work.  

Tag: God Rescues from the Flood - Psalm 122-124

Psalms 124:4-5

... then the flood would have swept us away,

the torrent would have gone over us;

then over us would have gone

the raging waters.

Tag: Only God Can Overcome the Flood

In Psalms 124 we read about David calling out to God in one of his most desperate times.  First, it should make us have some comfort in knowing that “David”, the man God said was “after My own Heart” was in a place of discomfort.   David was being hounded by King Saul.  This song was in one of those times where someone was hunting him and wanting to do him harm.   His solution was to cry out to God.  It was not to form an army. It was not to train for battle.   (Although he would eventually do both those things.)  His solution was cry out to God and cast his cares upon God.   David describes his feelings much like we would when we are completely overwhelmed by the waters of life.   Note the use of the words:  Flood; Torrent; Raging Waters.   David is in a bad place.  He was alone.   His solution?   Cry out to God in faith using prayer as a weapon.   This Psalm is a prayer.  It is for us to pray to God in our times of need.  There is no magic in prayer.  It is simply confessing, as David did, I have no strength to fight these “waters” on my own.  I have to let God fight my battle.   If He does not fight for me, the raging waters will over take me.   So, the key here, is to use my prayer to God as a way to comfort my soul and to rest in the arms of God.   That is what prayer is for.   We confess, “God, I can’t do this ... but, God, you got this!!”   

Tag: Judge Not!! 2 Chronicles 25-28

2 Chronicles 28:8-10

The men of Israel took captive 200,000 of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters. They also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria. But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the Lord your God?

Tag:  Do You Not Have Sins of Your Own?

In the above passage we read the account of Israel fighting against their brother, Judah.  Under King Ahaz, Judah had disobeyed the Lord.   So, for discipline, God sent Israel to war against them and defeat them.  (Which is odd, since Israel, also, disobeyed God.).  As reported above, the men of Israel not only killed almost a quarter-million of the warriors of Judah, they also intended to take captive the woman and children to make them slaves.  Here is where God intervene and stops their behavior.   

God’s point in the above text is to point out that He has a limit to the discipline and those who are employed by His sovereignty, have their own sins that need to be punished.   God uses wicked nations to punish his people (note the story of Job and the use of Assyria and Babylon).   In the above words from God, He is warning them to remember their own sin and to remember He has limits to their inflicting pain on others.  Perhaps Matthew’s Words help us here:

Matthew 7:1-5

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

We are to remember that we, too, have sin and should be warned not to judge others.  

Tag: The Glory of God - Deuteronomy 4-6

Deuteronomy 5:22-24

“These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. And you said, ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live.

Tag: God wants to show us His Glory!!

In the above passage we see the reason for the smoke, fire, thunder and darkness at Mt. Sinai during the giving of the Law to Moses and the Children of Israel.  It was for the purpose of God showing us His glory.  When Moses was in the mountain he asked God to show him His glory:

Exodus 33:18

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

God did so: 

Exodus 33:19-23

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

God wanted us to see His glory and sent His son so that we might see it:

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The entire point of the nation of Israel was for mankind to see the glory of God through the goodness of God as He displayed it onto the people of God.  But, Israel rejected that glory.   The glory of God is now seen through the Word of God as it points to Christ.   We can behold His glory and worship and live in light of that glory. 

Tag: Faith Is Believing the “Afar Off” is “Here!” - Hebrews 11-13

Hebrews 11:13

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Tag:  Faith is seeing things “afar” off, but believing and living as though they are in the hear and now.  

This chapter in Hebrews is called the Hall of Faith.  It is the list of men and women who believe in God’s Word, even though they didn’t realize the truth of what they believing in the hear and now.  Look at these examples:

1). Abraham left his home land, by faith (because God told him to) to find a land he had never seen and would never see. He simply had a promise that God would give it to him through his children.  The problem was, even at 100 years of age he still had no children. 

2). Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was promised to give birth to a son (who would be given what Abraham was promised) at the age of 90.   Her faith believed that promise of God. 

3).  Moses had faith that God would use him to lead the nation of Israel (Abraham’s children) out of Egypt to the promise land promised to Abraham. He could have sat comfortable in Egypt’s royal court, but choose to, instead, obey God and lead a rebellious people. 

Note how the writer ends this chapter:

Hebrews 11:32-34

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Faith is the only way to God and if you want the blessings of God you have to believe and obey His word, completely.   

Tag: We Must Introduce Jesus - Acts 7-8

Acts 8:30-35

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he opens not his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.

Who can describe his generation?

For his life is taken away from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

Tag:  We Must Introduce Jesus

The above story is about the Ethiopian eunuch who was traveling in his chariot.  God had, in His sovereign power, sent Philip to the Ethiopian.  God sends us to others to share the good news about Jesus.  In the above text the Ethiopian was already searching the Scriptures for the truth about life.  He started with God’s Word.   He needed help seeing that God’s Word was talking about Jesus, the Savior of the World.   He had to put his faith in the fact that God’s Word was and would lead him to Christ.  In our speaking truth to others we have to be willing to share God’s Word, because it points people to God’s Son, Who provides them with God’s Salvation.   It all begins with God’s Word.  The Ethiopian had to believe the Word of God.   Note:

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

We don’t get faith without hearing and believing God’s Word.  

However, note this:

Romans 10:14-15

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

No one can hear unless someone is sent to teach them God’s Word.   So, God, in His grace, chooses to use mankind to speak to mankind in order to deliver God’s Word - of which, if they believe God’s Word they can have faith to come to Christ.   Philip was obedient to teach God’s Word.   The Ethiopian was obedient to the Word and believed it for His salvation.  

Tag: You Don’t Want God “Against You!” Nahum

Nahum 2:13

Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.

Tag:  You Don’t Want God “Against You!”

Nineveh had received God’s salvation under the preaching of Jonah.  Despite his personal displeasure, Jonah had delivered a message of repentance to the city and people of Nineveh and they received God’s grace.   That was 100 years earlier than the above verse.  Despite God’s blessing on their lives they have failed to teach their children.  Now the city, country, was full of wickedness once again.  Instead of God’s grace, Nahum is delivering God’s wrath.   The opening line of the above verse says it all: “Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of Hosts ...”.   In many portions of the Scripture, the phrase, “Lord of Hosts,” is a term of comfort.  It means God is bringing all the hosts of heaven to fight for you.  But, in this case, God is bringing all the hosts of heaven to fight against Nineveh.   They had failed to continue their belief in His grace.  Now they must face God’s Wrath.  God is not to be rejected.   He offers His grace to all.  But, those who reject it are destined for His wrath.   

The wrath God speaks about, in the above verse, is extensive.   The strength of their army (chariots) will be cut off.  The strength of their young warriors will be destroyed (young lions).  Their resources will be cut off (prey).   And, finally, their very voice will be cut off forever.  No one will be heard from them again.  When the wicked perish, they are forgotten. 

Psalms 9:17

The wicked shall return to Sheol,

all the nations that forget God.

It is not a good thing to have God say to you, “Behold, I am against you ...”!!