Ecclesiastes: It will not be well for those who don’t fear God
There is no good end for those who oppose God. In the short span of life, the wicked may seem to be getting along just fine. In fact, they may prosper in the three p’s of the world—position, power, and possessions. But for the wicked, every temporal win adds up to an eternal loss.
Ecclesiastes: It will be well for those who fear God
We will not always understand the way he works. Some things will not make sense, no matter how hard we try to find the answer. But Solomon teaches us that this life is a vapor, a passing breeze. God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for our sins, and one day Jesus will escort us into the Father’s presence.
Ecclesiastes: Fear and Depend on God
Have you ever heard a person say, “That terrible thing should have never happened to her. She is such a godly person.” Or have you heard a person say, “He got what he deserved. He was a wicked man.” I’ll admit to thinking and saying both. Today’s passage deals with those thoughts. Let’s read it and then unpack it.
Ecclesiastes: Honor God With Your Promises
Promises mean something. Words are not throw-away verbal utterances. Words are the expression of the heart. That’s why today’s passage reminds us that promises should be made in light of fearing God—honoring and loving him.
Ecclesiastes: Fearing God
This life is temporary, and every endeavor is fleeting. Solomon laments this fact throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. Life is like a breath, a vapor, like the fading smoke of what used to be a burning flame. Death marks a bold period at the end of life’s sentence.
Ecclesiastes: God’s Judgment
What we do today matters for tomorrow. Our actions are not insignificant in the eyes of God. He will finally evaluate every word, thought, and deed. This will take place at two judgments—the Great White Throne judgment (for unbelievers) and the Judgment Seat of Christ (for believers). The final judgments are unavoidable. We will all give an account.
Ecclesiastes: Fearing God
Fear God. Scripture uses that phrase (or similar phrases like “the fear of the Lord”) three hundred times. It sounds a bit ominous, doesn’t it? How do I approach One I am to fear? Can I truly love a person I am afraid of? How do living in fear of God and loving God mesh? And how do grace and fear fit together?
Ecclesiastes: When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
Life doesn’t always make sense. Some things we experience just don’t fit nicely into our box of expectations. We like to be in control, and we can control things we understand that fall into our line of thinking…but…when we can’t understand how and why things happen…the control eludes us.
Ecclesiastes: Wealth
God owns it all, and everything we have is a gift from him. Satisfaction comes when we are content with what God gives and steward his gifts in a way that honors him.
Ecclesiastes: Pleasure
Many people long for life to be a circus of sorts, looking for entertainment and pleasure. That may include using your phone to scroll endlessly through YouTube, watching a daredevil drive her bike off the garage roof onto a homemade ramp that sends her flying into a swimming pool, or 100 interesting animal moments caught on camera. Seeking pleasure might drive you to drink, drugs, or sex.
Ecclesiastes: Work
Finally, our vocation is a gift from God. Every day we should do our work in a way that honors him. Sure, we have a boss and performance reviews, but at the end of the day, only one review will matter. The Scottish pastor and Bible scholar Harry Ironside worked for a cobbler when he was a boy…
Ecclesiastes: Time
Recently, Lori and I had breakfast with a couple whom we have known for a long time. They were in town because their daughter (and youngest child) was beginning her freshman year of college. The wife came to Pittsburgh thirty years ago as a foreign exchange student. She was an atheist until God grabbed her heart and loving “sponsors” (who became her spiritual parents) showed her what it looked like to love Jesus. The husband had been a Muslim until God transformed his life and gave him a heart to share Jesus.
Ecclesiastes: Wisdom
Wisdom is an excellent tool for human progress but not the answer to the human problem. Sin has separated us from God and left a significant hole in our inner being. Wisdom allows us to live longer and more comfortably but cannot fill the God-shaped void deep within.
Ecclesiastes: A Breath
But Solomon’s journey is not hopeless. His questions and quests drive him to look deeper than the things this world can offer. At the end of his spiritual digging, he hits divine bedrock. God is the foundation of meaning, purpose, and eternal life.
Road Rules: Thankful and Dependent
I’m sure you’ve heard of the bestseller, Prayer of Jabez. It’s a book about an honorable man in the Old Testament who cried out to God, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” (1 Chron. 4:10). We like prayers that ask for more influence, impact, and opportunity, don’t we? But I doubt you are familiar with the prayer of Agur.
Road Rules: Confession
So, it’s time to change course. God’s great mercy is just a step away from secret sin. When you admit your sin and walk away from it, you will find the relief of forgiveness. Instead of the stress of hiding your sin, restoration will come to your contrite soul. Instead of hiding in the darkness, you can walk openly in the freedom of obedience. It’s time to stop the secret games and make the journey home to God’s welcoming arms of mercy.
Road Rules: Dangerous Success
So how are you doing? You up there on the mountaintop of career…you up there with the trophies of accomplishment. Be careful up there in the heights! A slippery slope surrounds the peak of success. It’s a long, hard, painful slide to the bottom. If you are not careful, success will produce pride, and pride always comes before a fall.
Heaven – Part 2
Imagine discovering the answer to every why, what, and how about God and life. Now imagine comprehending those answers.
Road Rules: Adversity
Becoming a Christian is a gift. Growing as a Christian is hard work. It calls for sacrifice. Your time, talents, and treasures belong to God. It calls for an engaged mind and ignited heart. It calls for rekindling the fire in your soul.