Is Everything Meaningless?

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.  What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:2-9 NIV 

Unless a person understands the stage of life Solomon was in, one could think that Solomon was decreeing that life was not worth living. But that is far from the case and since his proclamation came before Christ arrived, we know that every moment of life is precious in His sight and when we accept His gift of salvation–everything has meaning.

Having received the gift of wisdom–beyond measure of any other mortal–Solomon lived according to God’s Word until he connected with many women who did not know God and in fact worshiped other gods. Gradually, he began practicing some of the forbidden rituals (the danger of being unequally yoked in faith and beliefs) and by the time he realized he fallen far from where God desired him to be, he realized he had wasted the gift given to him. Wisdom without knowledge produces disasters. Knowledge without wisdom is just as catastrophic. This is why we’re told, “Wisdom is the principle thing, and in all our getting, get understanding.”

Giving a teenager a car when they don’t know how to drive usually has negative consequences. They know what the car is, but they do not know the details of how the car functions and without instruction, the car may never move and doesn’t benefit them. However, with instruction and knowledge of not just how the car functions, but also the laws pertaining to legally driving, and understanding consideration on the roads, the car benefits them.

We have been given a great gift–salvation–and until we know what it means and begin to practice the instructions in The Word–we may never benefit from the gift. If we never understand the benefit of salvation, life really is meaningless.

With the abundance of grace we’ve also been given, we learn from our mistakes and commit to doing better and as we continue in life, we’ll see just how great our God is and how wonderful life can be–even when we miss the mark–as long as we get back on the path.

There are valuable lessons living provides for us, so let’s live to the glory of God and learn how we please Him and be a blessing to others. Living for Him, gives life meaning that is sometimes difficult to understand and express, but so worthwhile.

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Whatever Our Battle Is, God’s Word Wins!!

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ ” 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 NIV

When the Spirit of The Lord comes upon us–like it did when Jahaziel, we should listen and not concern ourselves with the battles of life.

Our position in these battles–when we are fully suited up-as Paul tells to be–is to keep on the whole armor–wearing our offensive protection because God is our defensive protection.

One of the reasons so many people fall prey to depression is the oppression felt about things going on around them in which they have no control. They are constantly (they think) in a battle and most of the battle they feel is actually a battle taking place in the mind–where the enemy attacks. And when the enemy attacks, we need to be fully armed and ready with The Word to fight back.

When the enemy tells us we’ll never amount to anything, we need to tell the enemy that everything God made was good and so are we.

When the enemy tells us our bodies are disease-ridden, we need to tell the enemy that we are healed by the Blood of the lamb and made whole in His love.

When the enemy tells us that no one cares about us, we need to tell the enemy that we are never alone because Jesus is always with us and loves us, unconditionally.

When the enemy tells us what we can’t do, we remind the enemy that we can do all things through Christ Jesus.

When the enemy tells us that our ideas are stupid, we remind the enemy that with God, all things are possible.

When the enemy tells us we don’t have a future worth anything, we remind the enemy that God designed our future and planned it for our success so we would have hope.

When the enemy attempts to tell us we’re not worth looking at, we remind the enemy that we are wonderfully and uniquely created by God and lovely in His sight.

We can respond to the enemy’s attack with God’s Word and know victory, but first we must know His Word to in order to know–there is victory with Jesus on our side!

We must remember that we are not in a battle against flesh and blood, but against the influence of the enemy and his attack on our minds. We can know peace with the Prince of Peace and when we remember that the Joy of the Lord is our strength, we can endure the enemy’s attacks until victory is won.

Every time we rise in the morning, the enemy should quake in fear at what we’ll do, not us fearing what may happen to us. We can have that kind of confidence when we know that God’s Word is our guiding light every day of our lives.

 

Has That Day Come?

“In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9 NIV)

Looking at all of the natural disasters–those caused by human error, and demonic influence–most people are wondering if God is even paying attention to us. I can imagine people living in some countries where man’s greed and arrogance is causing uproar and chaos are having a difficult time believing God cares. I can imagine that families who have lost children to abductors and tragic accidents cannot believe a loving, caring God still exists. I can imagine that loved ones lost due to the depression of others who for a moment, controlled their environment are not happy with God–how could they be, when such tragedies occur? In the midst of every tragic situation–our God still reigns. It is not that He cannot keep the tragedy from occurring; everything in life is part of a plan and God will not control what other people do, unless He’s invited to do so. This is what we’re missing–God must be invited to situations and everyone must submit to His will before we will see any lasting change in our world. Are we there yet? Does sin still reign in the minds of those who will not submit to God? We’re not there yet, but many are on their way. We realize that everything we do, influences the outcome of how we live and what we are able to do for others. We have submitted and we do all we can to encourage others to seek Him and submit to Him, so we can watch the devil flee. For as long as the enemy can influence the thoughts of those who have not submitted to God, evil will exist and create havoc in the lives of many. But on that day, when we see people turning their lives over to God in total submission, we will see the hand of The Lord, settle the minds of people and peace will reign over all the earth. On that day, we will thank Him for all He is doing and will do on behalf of all who love Him. On that day, we will stand proudly, proclaiming our trust in Him. On that day, we will rejoice in the God of our salvation–who saves to the utmost! Until we get to that day, those of us who know the power of prayer must continue our vigil, interceding on behalf of all who have yet to submit to Him, so we can see change and peace for all of God’s people. Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to understand the urgency of the times, seek You for direction and wisdom in all things, and submit to Your will in everything we do.

The “Light” Message!

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:”(1 John 1:5,6)

If God is light–everything can be “seen” by everyone at the same time, and there is no “darkness” in Him, then we can conclude that all darkness is from the one who operates in the dark and attempts to hide evil deeds.

When the atmospheric “sun” shines brightly–everyone can see the light and many, become so enamored of that light that their stay leads to damaged skin from the ultraviolet rays (over exposure). But forgetting for a moment–the damage that the sun can cause to a person’s skin, most people are more cheerful when they see the light, are better behaved in the light, and know that not much can be hidden in full view of the light.

One of the reasons people suffer from depression is because of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). During gloomy winter months when they it mostly cloudy and the sun is hidden from view, people become as gloomy as the day, but when the seasons change and the sun is seen more, their lives brighten, considerably.

When we have received, “The Son” who is The Light, we no longer walk in darkness and try to hide our deeds, but want everyone to see how God is operating in our lives. Every morning when we rise, we can rise knowing that He rises within us and all of our days are “bright” and He chases away the gloom because darkness cannot abide in The Light! Glory to God! This is why–when people are depressed, their thoughts become dark and gloomy and their is hidden in the darkness. With Jesus, there is always hope and a future that awaits us–keeping us in the light and no matter what the season is–winter, fall, spring, or summer–our light can shine so brightly that darkness and hopelessness, and feelings of defeat–flee in our presence! And in His light–no skin damage ever occurs, but healing in all areas of our lives–takes place!

This is the light message. We are to let our lights (fueled by The Light) shine so brightly that darkness never has a chance to operate and all mankind will see our good deeds and glorify God! Hallelujah for The Light!

 

 

Praying For All!

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (I Timothy 2:1,2).

Father,

In the name of Jesus,

I ask that You touch the hearts of all mankind, those in positions of leadership as well as those who submit to leadership. I ask God that You conduct heart surgery, cutting away all the evil, wickedness, and complacency. I ask that You replace all that is removed with compassion, integrity, and love. Give us a heart O God, to see the needs of the people and respond to them. Take away the heart of stone that resides in so many that they no longer have compassion for people. Create in us, a clean heart with a righteous spirit, desiring to please You even more.

O God, stir up a right spirit within us so we can have peace in the land. Give us a desire to become peacemakers, not peace breakers.

Give us no peace with complacency and self-centeredness. Remove every selfish thought from our minds so we may think with the mind of Christ–always concerned more about those in need–whatever the need is–healing, love, encouragement, financial support, and wisdom from You.

I bind every spirit in the earth realm that would attempt to influence the minds of those who love You and want only to please You. I declare that every yoke of bondage–addiction, depression, evil-thinking, poverty, and every physical affliction is broken and yields no power over anyone.

Help us O God to walk with integrity and godliness going before us and embracing us so tightly that nothing negative can ever enter into our thoughts and actions.

I declare peace in the land–beginning in every home, and moving outward to every town, city, community, state, and country–across the waters of the earth–let peace abide within the hearts of every man, woman, and child.

We know that You are not the author of confusion and wherever there is confusion the enemy has a stronghold. We come against any stronghold the enemy has on any people and declare all of his plans null and void, having no effect upon anyone.

We thank You for hearing and answering this prayer and the prayers of all those who are striving to live right in Your sight, doing Your will, and loving all. All this we ask and receive in Jesus’ name. It is done. Amen!

Regret City

Worth thinking about!

Morning Story and Dilbert

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. This is my annual “Guilt Trip.”

I got tickets to fly there on “WISH-I-HAD” airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my “baggage,” which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was loaded down with a thousand memories of “what might have been.” No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town.

As I checked into the “Last Resort” Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year’s most important event — the annual “Pity Party.” I wasn’t…

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Standing In The Gap!

There are so many people who have yet to experience the goodness of God and all that He wants us to have because of either lack of knowledge or doubt about His Word.

“If” you would today, receive the Good News and accept that Jesus is the Son of God, walked with us in the earth realm, obeyed His Father unto death for our sins, died, rose, and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf, then today, I stand in the gap, praying for all of God’s blessings to be poured onto you in abundance so your experience with Him, will not be in vain.

Father,

Your Word declares through Your Son, that if we would believe without doubting, whatever we asked for in Your Son’s name, would be given. There is no doubt in my heart or mind and I know how faithful You are in keeping Your Word. Therefore, I boldly come to You, on behalf of any and all who have needs that have not been met before this day, asking You to bless them mightily so they will know that it is You who has provided every need.

For those who need a financial blessing that will help them move forward with wisdom, bless them. For those who need healing in their bodies, remove all traces of sickness and disease and make them whole. For those who feel unloved and abandoned, remind them they are loved and that You will never leave them alone. For those who are experiencing depression, speak to their hearts and minds and guide them into Your rest and peace. For those who are fearful, remind them that perfect love casts out all fear and that they are more than conquerors, victorious in all things. For those who do not believe, provide them with an experience that will bring them into knowledge of You and dispel their unbelief.

All of this I ask of You, in Jesus’ name and I thank You for hearing and responding to this prayer. It is done, to Your glory, Amen!

Be an Overcomer

God tells us through John in his vision in Revelation, that “the overcomer shall inherit all things” (Rev. 21:7)

How do we overcome and what shall we overcome?

The answer depends upon what the challenges are in anyone’s life!  If we don’t cave under the pressure of the challenge, we can overcome it.

If obesity is a challenge and our health begins to take a dive, we can overcome our infatuation with food by changing how we think about food.  Food should fuel us, not fill us.  If we take this attitude, we can overcome the challenge of being overweight.  If we exercise our bodies and our minds, we will see change in our eating habits.  What will we inherit?  Healthier bodies and lifestyles that will allow us to have long life–without undue suffering.

If sexual sin is a challenge and we are constantly in fear of dying with disease-ridden bodies, or devalued self-worth, we can rise to the challenge by changing how we view our bodies, our spirits, and our needs.  It’s called–self-control–especially when we are not married.  If we change what we expose ourselves to that leads to an unhealthy attitude towards sex, we’ll change what we do.  Change the television channel (and the movies), change what we read, change how we think of the act of sex (it should not be about physical relief), and learn to love self.  Most people get involved with “unhealthy sexual escapades” because of a lack of self-love.  We have to learn to love self.  When we love self, we only want the best for ourselves and those we say, we love.  What do we inherit when we overcome this challenge?  A greater appreciation of an act that should be reserved and exercised for those who are in committed relationships (marriage)–not one-night or one-event stands.

If any type of addiction–food, drugs, sex, theft, lying, gambling, abusive behavior of all kinds–is a challenge that needs to be overcome, change your habits, the environment, the people in your close circles, the places you go, the amount of money you keep on you, the way you see yourself as a person of integrity and a better understanding of how others see you.  Prayer and explicit action changes things.  You can overcome them all.  What do we inherit when we overcome these challenges?  A rise in self-esteem and self-worth, new friendships that encourage a steady path of overcoming, and a new respect of self and from others.

We can do all things through Christ who loves us–if we want to do all things well.  Be an overcomer and inherit all good things as promised in God’s Word!  Hallelujah for receiving the inheritance–all good gifts!