By Living Lives That Are Consistent With Our Speech… Nothing Evil Can Be Said Of Us!
Tit 2:6-8 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. (7) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (8) Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
For the SIH video devotional on this subject:
By Living A Godly Life, We Cause The Lost Around Us To See Their Own Sin!
Tit 2:6-8 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. (7) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (8) Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
For the SIH video devotional on this subject:
“Settled In Heaven’s 6th Anniversary”
Psa 105:1-3 – “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.”
Today, April 28th, is the sixth anniversary of Settled In Heaven Ministries. Over the past 6 years, the Lord has graciously allowed and enabled us to proclaim His Word through the SIH internet-based ministries. To honor Him and thank Him for His gracious intervention in this ministry, I would like us to look at three short verses from Psalm 105:
(1) O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
Two of the greatest ways we can show our appreciation TO OTHERS for all that the Lord has done for us is:
- “call upon his name” –
The phrase “to call upon” can refer to a few different ideas. It can mean “to invite”, “to call for help” or “to proclaim publicly”. Any of these three can flow from a heart of appreciation for the Lord.
Do we invite our Lord to use His spirit to control every aspect of our life? Do we invite Him to come and use us as He sees fit? These are ways for Christians to express our thanks for all He has done for us.
Do we look to our Lord in times of need? Do we refuse to take the “easy way out” of problems, but instead, ask the Lord for grace to help us do what is pleasing and honorable to Him in any given situation? If so, we are saying “Thank You” to the Lord for all He has done for us.
Do we unashamedly tell others about our Lord and who He is? When the opportunity arises, are we willing to risk our relationship with a loved one or a friend to share with them their sinful condition, their inability to save themselves. and their desperate need of Christ? When we do these things we are declaring our gratefulness to Him through self-sacrifice showing His love to others.
- “make known his deeds among the people”
The second way that we can show our appreciation for the Lord and all He has done for us is by telling others what He has done for us. Not only His death on the cross for our sins, but the very personal things He has done for us during our lifetimes. The times He intervened by grace and healed our bodies (or our broken hearts), the times He protected us during times of danger, and the times He accompanied us through the storms of life granting us peace and enablement.
All of these are important messages that others need to hear from us, as they face many of the same issues that He has already brought us through. In doing so, we are declaring our thankfulness for the Lord and all He has done for us.
(2) Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works
Four of the greatest ways we can show our appreciation TO OURSELVES for all that the Lord has done for us is:
- “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him:”
Not only are we to rehearse His greatness to others, but also we should display our thankfulness to Him by telling Him what He has done for us. In doing so, we are forcing ourselves to notice His acts of grace in our lives and humbles us It reminds us of our shortcomings, inabilities, and our continual need of Him.
- “talk ye of all his wondrous works.”
As we pray, we can speak to Him from hearts of gratitude and need throughout the day, constantly reminding ourselves of all He has done for us. By doing this, we are showing ourselves that we do recognize our indebtedness to Him and our need to constantly hold a spirit of gratefulness.
(3) Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
- “Glory ye in his holy name:”
We are to be encouraged and strengthened when we think of His holiness, his character, and the privilege we have been given to serve Him. We are not to be motivated to serve Him for the praise of men, but simply to see our Lord be glorified and honored in us.
- “let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.”
When we see ourselves seeking a closer relationship with the Lord, we know with certainty, our seeking is due to His intervention in our lives. What a cause for rejoicing and appreciation on behalf of the people of God
SIH ministries is our feeble attempt to say “Thank You” to the Lord for all He has done for us throughout our lifetime. As we look back at what has taken place over the years, all we can do is echo the words of King David who said…
“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psa 40:1-3)
That is what has been; currently is; and, by God grace, will continue to be the desire of our hearts… to say thank you to the Lord for all He has done for us by declaring His greatness. And through it all, to lead men to Christ for salvation and to place a greater reverence of the Lord in the hearts of His people.
Secondly I would just like to thank all of you who have so faithfully taken part in the ministries here at SIH…. Thanks to the followers, commenters, likers, visitors, readers, rebloggers and social site sharers. Believe me, you all have been a great human encouragement as we have sought to faithfully post on a daily basis.
Thirdly, please be in prayer for the ministries here at SIH. By God’s grace, over the years we have tried to be constantly adding to our ministries in an attempt to reach the most number of people with His Word.
To date, in addition to our internet homepage ( http://www.settledinheaven.org/ ), Settled In Heaven can be found on the following websites:
WordPress (https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/ )
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/SettledInHeaven )
Also, you can follow SIH on the following social sites:
FaceBook (https://www.facebook.com/settledinheaven )
Google+ (https://plus.google.com/109554571051856737762/ )
Twitter (https://twitter.com/settledinheaven )
Tumblr (http://settledinheaven.tumblr.com/ )
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/pub/rob–barkman/47/819/4a4 )
Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/settledinheaven/ )
GodInterest (http://godinterest.com/profile/136480 )
Lord willing, within the next year, SIH will be greatly expanding our ministries on:
GodTube (http://www.godtube.com/settledinheaven/ )
LiveJournal (http://settledinheaven.livejournal.com/ )
May the Lord bless you for your faithfulness to Him and…
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AS YOU STUDY HIS WORD!
Are Our Actions Consistent With Our Words?
Tit 2:6-8 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. (7) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (8) Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
For the SIH Video Devotional On This Subject:
Do We Possess “A Pattern Of Good Works” In Our Lives?
Tit 2:6-8 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. (7) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (8) Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
A New Video Devotional Series Begins Today!
“Be Thou An Example Of Believers”
A One-Month Video Devotional Series Began This Morning At SIH Ministries!
To view the first video in this series, please click this link: http://wp.me/pU88A-4Au
Join with us for this series as we take a look at:
- the reason why we are to set the example for others
- the areas of our life where we should be setting a Christ-like example
- the perfect example we are to follow
- the key to succeed in setting the example for others
Daily Devotional Series- Be Thou An Example: Introduction
| Introduction to the 27 Part Devotional Series |
| Texts: Titus 2:7-8; 1 Timothy 4:12-13; 1 Peter 2:1-25; Romans 12:1-2 |
| www.settledinheaven.org |
| settledinheaven@gmail.com |
Our Duty Before The Lord…
Eccl 12:13-14 – Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Ecclesiastes: Chapter 12 Verses 13-14
What Is Your Life If Not Lived For The Lord? (Part 41 )
INTRODUCTION:
Solomon addresses himself as “the Preacher”. He is the one that will proclaim the spiritual truths of God to those in his nation and to Christians throughout time.
Keep in mind, Solomon learned these truths by trying to find the meaning to life through experiencing all this world has to offer. Solomon was uniquely suited to learn these lessons and share these truths with the people of God…
First of all, very few men possess sufficient wealth and power to be able to sample all this world has to offer (1 Kings 10:23).
Secondly, only Solomon and a few others throughout time, have been universally respected causing his teachings to be taken very seriously and thoughtfully by all (1 Kings 4:30-34). (Keep in mind, even Christ Himself and His teachings were rejected by many of those around Him.)
Solomon was God’s man, in God’s place, at God’s time, by God’s grace, to learn this most important truth and proclaim it with authority to those he loved. May we all listen carefully as Solomon reveals to us the true meaning to life and answer the question… “What Is Our Life If Not Lived for The Lord ?”.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Eccl 12:13-14 – Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Solomon now shares with us the end lessoned learned from all his research and life experiences…
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Solomon’s conclusion is three-fold…
- fear God – recognize His greatness and His authority over us. Humbly recognize we cannot stand before Him of our own merit. Recognize our inward and outward sins we have committed against Him. Recognize our dangerous condition apart from His grace shown to us.
- keep his commandments – seek out, protect and follow his desires for our lives. Keep in mind He only desires what will be for our good. We only gain by following His instructions for our lives.
- these are the “whole duty” of man – Please note “duty” is not in the original manuscripts. Solomon is telling us that fearing God and keeping His commands is the “whole of man”. In others words, they should be the center of our lives. They are the whole purpose for our existence. These are our “whole” life.
These three give our lives true meaning and purpose, apart from them all of our accomplishments and life experiences are truly vain.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Solomon not only shares with us the need to fear God and keep His commandments, but he also gives us a motivation to do these things. The future judgment. The Bible makes it clear that in the future every man will stand before the Lord and answer for what we have done with our lives….
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
May we all heed Solomon’s advice to us all and “fear God and keep His commands”. Folks this is what our life is all about. May we all be motivated to fear and obey Him knowing that we will stand before Him in eternity and answer for all we have done with our lives.
The first, and most important way we are to fear Him and keep His commandments is by turning from our sins and coming to Christ believing in Him as our Lord and Savior. It is through faith in Him that we will receive the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life in Him.
Solomon’s pursuit of the meaning of life included:
| 1. | 2:1-3 | The pursuit of carnal desires (the base pleasures found in a fallen world) |
| 2. | 2:4-11 | The pursuit of material possessions through human labors |
| 3. | 2:12-17 | The pursuit of worldly wisdom, madness and folly |
| 4. | 2:18-23 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #1 |
| 5. | 2:24-26 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #2 |
| 6. | 3:1-8 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #1 |
| 7. | 3:9-15 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #2 |
| 8. | 3:16-22 | A recognition of our need of Christ to see the nature and purpose of our life. |
| 9. | 4:1-3 | A recognition that never being born is better than the sufferings of this life. |
| 10. | 4:4-16 | The pursuit of earthly wisdom, diligence and living responsibly |
| 11. | 5:1-7 | The pursuit of worldly vows, contracts, and promises |
| 12. | 5:8-17 | The pursuit of worldly riches |
| 13. | 5:18-20 | A recognition that enjoyment of this earthly life is God’s gracious gift to man |
| 14. | 6:1-2 | A recognition of man’s inability to enjoy that which God has given to him. |
| 15. | 6:3-10 | A recognition of man’s sinfulness, mortality and need of humility before God |
| 16. | 6:11-12 | A recognition of the vanity of all that lies under the sun. |
| 17. | 7:1-10 | The pursuit of prideful living |
| 18. | 7:11-23 | A recognition of the value of Godly wisdom |
| 19. | 7:24-29 | The pursuit of Godly enabling |
| 20. | 8:1-5 | The pursuit of proper submission to authority based upon Godly wisdom |
| 21. | 8:6-15 | A recognition man needs Godly wisdom because he cannot control his own life nor see the eternal benefits of service to the Lord. |
| 22. | 8:16-17 | A recognition that men cannot fully understand the work of God on earth |
| 23. | 9:1-3 | A recognition that righteous and wicked share common life events |
| 24. | 9:4-12 | A recognition that life is better then death |
| 25. | 9:13-18 | A recognition of the excellence and rejection of Godly wisdom |
| 26. | 10:1-15 | A recognition of the dangers of foolishness |
| 27. | 10:16-17 | A recognition of principles for good rulership |
| 28. | 10:18 | A recognition of the dangers of slothfulness |
| 29. | 10:19 | A recognition of the value of money |
| 30. | 11:1-6 | A recognition of the need to sow our seed for the benefit of others. |
| 31. | 11:7-8 | A recognition of the need to enjoy the days of blessings and expect the troublesome times of life. |
| 32. | 11:9-10 | A recognition of the need to use the blessings of youth in service to the Lord. |
| 33. | 12:1-7 | A recognition of the devastating effects of the aging process on all mankind. |
| 34. | 12:8-12 | A recognition of the vanity of all the world’s offerings and the need to appreciate Solomon’s dedication to proclaim the truth to us. |
| 35. | 12:13-14 | The Conclusion of The Whole Matter |
Homepage… http://www.settledinheaven.org
Text Blog… http://www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com
Video Blog… http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
Email… settledinheaven@gmail.com
Solomon’s findings? This world and everything in it is vain!
Eccl 12:8-12 – (8) Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. (9) And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. (10) The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. (11) The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. (12) And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Ecclesiastes: Chapter 12 Verses 8-12
What Is Your Life If Not Lived For The Lord? (Part 40)
INTRODUCTION:
Solomon addresses himself as “the Preacher”. He is the one that will proclaim the spiritual truths of God to those in his nation and to Christians throughout time.
Keep in mind, Solomon learned these truths by trying to find the meaning to life through experiencing all this world has to offer. Solomon was uniquely suited to learn these lessons and share these truths with the people of God…
First of all, very few men possess sufficient wealth and power to be able to sample all this world has to offer (1 Kings 10:23).
Secondly, only Solomon and a few others throughout time, have been universally respected causing his teachings to be taken very seriously and thoughtfully by all (1 Kings 4:30-34). (Keep in mind, even Christ Himself and His teachings were rejected by many of those around Him.)
Solomon was God’s man, in God’s place, at God’s time, by God’s grace, to learn this most important truth and proclaim it with authority to those he loved. May we all listen carefully as Solomon reveals to us the true meaning to life and answer the question… “What Is Our Life If Not Lived for The Lord ?”.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Eccl 12:8-12
(8) Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. (9) And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. (10) The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. (11) The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. (12) And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Everything offered by this world is short-lived and worthless if it is not dedicated to the Lord in His service. Solomon emphasizes the vanity of this world’s offerings by using the phrase “vanity of vanities…. In other words, “worthless above all that is worthless” or “worthless to the extreme”.
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
In addition to this, because Solomon was a wise man, he continued to instruct people concerning his observations about the world in which we live. He listened attentively and researched his subject thoroughly. Then he sat down and recorded his findings in a series of wise sayings. He took the time to choose words that would be accepted by his students. His completed project was filled with proper words that revealed the truth to those who heard them.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
When wise men speak words of truth, their words are like prods and sharp nails that drive their listeners to take action. All of these words of truth proceed from one shepherd (Christ) given to ministers throughout time to share with the people of God.
Solomon’s students are to allow his words to be warnings and sources of instruction… spending your life researching these subjects have no end to it. There is always more to be learned. Likewise, these types of lifetime studies will weary the flesh of man. There is no reason for each of us to experience all that Solomon experienced and study all that Solomon has already studied for us. We are to take his teachings, apply them to our lives, and serve the Lord, instead of wasting our lives researching what Solomon has already researched for us.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
May we all be thankful for Solomon, whom the Lord raised up to invest his life and learning a very important lesson for all of us…. “vanity of vanities all is vanity”.
y we accept his words as truth and seek to live our lives in the pursuit of Godly service and not waste our lives living for the vain things of this world.
Solomon’s pursuit of the meaning of life included:
| 1. | 2:1-3 | The pursuit of carnal desires (the base pleasures found in a fallen world) |
| 2. | 2:4-11 | The pursuit of material possessions through human labors |
| 3. | 2:12-17 | The pursuit of worldly wisdom, madness and folly |
| 4. | 2:18-23 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #1 |
| 5. | 2:24-26 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #2 |
| 6. | 3:1-8 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #1 |
| 7. | 3:9-15 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #2 |
| 8. | 3:16-22 | A recognition of our need of Christ to see the nature and purpose of our life. |
| 9. | 4:1-3 | A recognition that never being born is better than the sufferings of this life. |
| 10. | 4:4-16 | The pursuit of earthly wisdom, diligence and living responsibly |
| 11. | 5:1-7 | The pursuit of worldly vows, contracts, and promises |
| 12. | 5:8-17 | The pursuit of worldly riches |
| 13. | 5:18-20 | A recognition that enjoyment of this earthly life is God’s gracious gift to man |
| 14. | 6:1-2 | A recognition of man’s inability to enjoy that which God has given to him. |
| 15. | 6:3-10 | A recognition of man’s sinfulness, mortality and need of humility before God |
| 16. | 6:11-12 | A recognition of the vanity of all that lies under the sun. |
| 17. | 7:1-10 | The pursuit of prideful living |
| 18. | 7:11-23 | A recognition of the value of Godly wisdom |
| 19. | 7:24-29 | The pursuit of Godly enabling |
| 20. | 8:1-5 | The pursuit of proper submission to authority based upon Godly wisdom |
| 21. | 8:6-15 | A recognition man needs Godly wisdom because he cannot control his own life nor see the eternal benefits of service to the Lord. |
| 22. | 8:16-17 | A recognition that men cannot fully understand the work of God on earth |
| 23. | 9:1-3 | A recognition that righteous and wicked share common life events |
| 24. | 9:4-12 | A recognition that life is better then death |
| 25. | 9:13-18 | A recognition of the excellence and rejection of Godly wisdom |
| 26. | 10:1-15 | A recognition of the dangers of foolishness |
| 27. | 10:16-17 | A recognition of principles for good rulership |
| 28. | 10:18 | A recognition of the dangers of slothfulness |
| 29. | 10:19 | A recognition of the value of money |
| 30. | 11:1-6 | A recognition of the need to sow our seed for the benefit of others. |
| 31. | 11:7-8 | A recognition of the need to enjoy the days of blessings and expect the troublesome times of life. |
| 32. | 11:9-10 | A recognition of the need to use the blessings of youth in service to the Lord. |
| 33. | 12:1-7 | A recognition of the devastating effects of the aging process on all mankind. |
| 34. | 12:8-12 | A recognition of the vanity of all the world’s offerings and the need to appreciate Solomon’s dedication to proclaim the truth to us. |
Homepage… http://www.settledinheaven.org
Text Blog… http://www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com
Video Blog… http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
Email… settledinheaven@gmail.com
Serve The Lord While We Are Physically Able…
Eccl 12:1-7 – Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (2) While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: (3) In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, (4) And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; (5) Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: (6) Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. (7) Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Ecclesiastes: Chapter 12 Verses 1-7
What Is Your Life If Not Lived For The Lord? (Part 39 )
INTRODUCTION:
Solomon addresses himself as “the Preacher”. He is the one that will proclaim the spiritual truths of God to those in his nation and to Christians throughout time.
Keep in mind, Solomon learned these truths by trying to find the meaning to life through experiencing all this world has to offer. Solomon was uniquely suited to learn these lessons and share these truths with the people of God…
First of all, very few men possess sufficient wealth and power to be able to sample all this world has to offer (1 Kings 10:23).
Secondly, only Solomon and a few others throughout time, have been universally respected causing his teachings to be taken very seriously and thoughtfully by all (1 Kings 4:30-34). (Keep in mind, even Christ Himself and His teachings were rejected by many of those around Him.)
Solomon was God’s man, in God’s place, at God’s time, by God’s grace, to learn this most important truth and proclaim it with authority to those he loved. May we all listen carefully as Solomon reveals to us the true meaning to life and answer the question… “What Is Our Life If Not Lived for The Lord ?”.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Eccl 12:1-7
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (2) While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: (3) In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, (4) And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; (5) Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: (6) Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. (7) Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
Folks, as we grow older we find ourselves changing and, in most cases, the change is not for the better. These changes take place due to mankind’s fallen condition and the effects of sin that touch each of our lives. Solomon, as he observes the world around him, explains the need to serve the Lord while we are yet in our youth…
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say,
In Eccl 12:1-8, King Solomon reminds us of the need to always keep our Creator, and His desires for us, in the forefront of our minds, especially during our days of youth.
Solomon backs up his statement by explaining that as we progress in life it gradually becomes more difficult to serve the Lord. He gives this advancing time of life the description of “the evil days” (ie the days of adversity and distress). He calls them evil days in the context of aging’s devastating effects on both our physical and mental health.
He goes further and explains the effects that aging brings upon us, He does this by using the symbolism of a vibrant city, and its individual citizens, that slowly become inactive and finally deserted…
I have no pleasure in them;
Physical aches and pains take the pleasure out of many of the activities that we used to find enjoyable. As the aging process continues, for many of us, pleasurable days seem to become scarcer with each passing day.
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened,
As we age, our eyesight grows dim, causing many sources of light to become darkened as we find it much harder to see.
nor the clouds return after the rain:
Old age has a tendency to bring with it a series of health problems that return on a consistent basis. Instead of having physical issues “every now and then”, they begin to appear more frequently, and in many cases become chronic.
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble,
Our immune system begins to struggle and we find ourselves becoming ill more frequently, and acquiring illnesses that we had previously resisted.
and the strong men shall bow themselves,
Our physical strength begins to wane, as we can no longer do the heavy manual labor that we were used to doing. Our weakness progresses until we cannot hold ourselves erect and we begin to stoop.
and the grinders cease because they are few,
Our teeth decay and we lose them until only a few remain.
and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
We can no longer see clearly with our eyes. Not only do we need more light to see (vs 2), but also our eyes become cloudy with cataracts and other eye ailments.
And the doors shall be shut in the streets,
The doors of our mouths and lips are closed (Psa 141:3, Micah 7:5), no longer able to receive or digest the nutrients we need to survive. We are no longer able to eat the foods we enjoy due to digestive distresses and, eventually, we struggle to eat any food at all.
when the sound of the grinding is low,
Aging brings upon us gradual hearing loss (and deafness) that does not allow us to hear ourselves chewing our food.
and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird,
Arising early due to an inability to sleep due to worries and light sleeping that is awakened by any small noise are common as we grow older.
and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
Our natural talents and abilities are gradually lost. Those who could sing joyous songs can no longer praise their Lord and bring joy to the heart of their listeners, as their talent to sing is taken away from them.
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way,
Fear of accidents, falling, etc seem to dominate old age. In our youth we could climb ladders to high places, now we are afraid of falling off a simple stepstool. These fears have a tendency to stop us from attempting to perform activities to which we did not give a second thought.
and the almond tree shall flourish,
The almond tree has gray white blossoms. This speaks of us losing our youthful hair color as gray hair replaces it.
and the grasshopper shall be a burden,
In our youth, we could easily deal with small pests by catching them and/or stepping upon them etc. Now, as we get older, our reflexes are slowed. These creatures evade our efforts to catch them and we have difficulty stepping upon them.
and desire shall fail:
As our age advances, we find our desire for activity and service reduced due to the pain and suffering that accompanies them. Even our very “zest for life” is stolen by the aging process, stealing away our enjoyment of life itself.
These effects of aging come to dwell within our bodies like companions who move into our home and begin to reside with us. With the passage of time, these companions increase in number and length of their stay, until they finally reside with us on a permanent basis. They leave us only when, through their presence within us, they bring our life to an end…
because man goeth to his long home,
Our physical death
and the mourners go about the streets:
Our funeral
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
Our death described as:
- the silver cord binding our spirit to our body is broken, releasing our spirit to depart.
- the golden bowl of our body is broken taking away its usefulness and ability to perform the purposes of its creation, to glorify God in all we do.
- the pitcher of our body is no longer able to retain the spirit within it.
- the wheel of our body is no longer useful to anyone desiring water from the cistern. Once dead our ability to serve others come to a complete end.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
As aging brings about physical death, the spirit departs from our physical body. At that point in time, our body returns back to the ground and our spirit enters into the presence of God for its eventual judgment and consignment to its eternal dwelling place.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
In this passage, Solomon explains in great detail the devastating effects of the aging process on all of us. He does this in an effort to emphasize the need to live for the Lord while we are young and not hindered by the many ills that aging brings upon us.
May we all take Solomon’s words to heart and seek to serve our Lord throughout our lifetimes. No matter what our current age, we should serve the Lord now… before the aging process takes a greater effect on each one of us with the passing of time.
Solomon’s pursuit of the meaning of life included:
| 1. | 2:1-3 | The pursuit of carnal desires (the base pleasures found in a fallen world) |
| 2. | 2:4-11 | The pursuit of material possessions through human labors |
| 3. | 2:12-17 | The pursuit of worldly wisdom, madness and folly |
| 4. | 2:18-23 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #1 |
| 5. | 2:24-26 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #2 |
| 6. | 3:1-8 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #1 |
| 7. | 3:9-15 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #2 |
| 8. | 3:16-22 | A recognition of our need of Christ to see the nature and purpose of our life. |
| 9. | 4:1-3 | A recognition that never being born is better than the sufferings of this life. |
| 10. | 4:4-16 | The pursuit of earthly wisdom, diligence and living responsibly |
| 11. | 5:1-7 | The pursuit of worldly vows, contracts, and promises |
| 12. | 5:8-17 | The pursuit of worldly riches |
| 13. | 5:18-20 | A recognition that enjoyment of this earthly life is God’s gracious gift to man |
| 14. | 6:1-2 | A recognition of man’s inability to enjoy that which God has given to him. |
| 15. | 6:3-10 | A recognition of man’s sinfulness, mortality and need of humility before God |
| 16. | 6:11-12 | A recognition of the vanity of all that lies under the sun. |
| 17. | 7:1-10 | The pursuit of prideful living |
| 18. | 7:11-23 | A recognition of the value of Godly wisdom |
| 19. | 7:24-29 | The pursuit of Godly enabling |
| 20. | 8:1-5 | The pursuit of proper submission to authority based upon Godly wisdom |
| 21. | 8:6-15 | A recognition man needs Godly wisdom because he cannot control his own life nor see the eternal benefits of service to the Lord. |
| 22. | 8:16-17 | A recognition that men cannot fully understand the work of God on earth |
| 23. | 9:1-3 | A recognition that righteous and wicked share common life events |
| 24. | 9:4-12 | A recognition that life is better then death |
| 25. | 9:13-18 | A recognition of the excellence and rejection of Godly wisdom |
| 26. | 10:1-15 | A recognition of the dangers of foolishness |
| 27. | 10:16-17 | A recognition of principles for good rulership |
| 28. | 10:18 | A recognition of the dangers of slothfulness |
| 29. | 10:19 | A recognition of the value of money |
| 30. | 11:1-6 | A recognition of the need to sow our seed for the benefit of others. |
| 31. | 11:7-8 | A recognition of the need to enjoy the days of blessings and expect the troublesome times of life. |
| 32. | 11:9-10 | A recognition of the need to use the blessings of youth in service to the Lord. |
| 33. | 12:1-7 | A recognition of the devastating effects of the aging process on all mankind. |
Homepage… http://www.settledinheaven.org
Text Blog… http://www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com
Video Blog… http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
Email… settledinheaven@gmail.com
Don’t Waste The Blessing Of Youth!
Eccl 11:9-10 – (9) Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (10) Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/ecclesiastes-chapter-11-verses-9-10
Ecclesiastes: Chapter 11 Verses 9-10
What Is Your Life If Not Lived For The Lord? (Part 38 )
INTRODUCTION:
Solomon addresses himself as “the Preacher”. He is the one that will proclaim the spiritual truths of God to those in his nation and to Christians throughout time.
Keep in mind, Solomon learned these truths by trying to find the meaning to life through experiencing all this world has to offer. Solomon was uniquely suited to learn these lessons and share these truths with the people of God…
First of all, very few men possess sufficient wealth and power to be able to sample all this world has to offer (1 Kings 10:23).
Secondly, only Solomon and a few others throughout time, have been universally respected causing his teachings to be taken very seriously and thoughtfully by all (1 Kings 4:30-34). (Keep in mind, even Christ Himself and His teachings were rejected by many of those around Him.)
Solomon was God’s man, in God’s place, at God’s time, by God’s grace, to learn this most important truth and proclaim it with authority to those he loved. May we all listen carefully as Solomon reveals to us the true meaning to life and answer the question… “What Is Our Life If Not Lived for The Lord ?”.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Eccl 11:9-10
(9) Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (10) Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Solomon is sarcastically warning us of wasting our youth with enjoyment in the sinful pleasures of this world. He describes this attitude as:
- rejoice – live for pleasure
- let thy heart cheer thee – allow your desires to center on worldly, carnal pursuits
- walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes – follow your desires and live your life in pursuit of the carnal desires you hold within.
All three of these summarize the steps that lead us from the Lord’s will for our lives. We determine to find carnal pleasure. We allow our minds and desires to center on sinful ways to find that pleasure. And then, we live our lives driven by our carnal desires.
Solomon tells young people, “Go ahead, live for the things of this world and enjoy the pleasures found within it…. but keep in mind, you will give an account to the Lord for your attitude and actions.
This is clearly a warning and not a piece of good advice!
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Now Solomon shares his words of wisdom (good advice) with us….
Because we understand we must give an account for how we live our youthful lives, we should change our desires to that of the things of the Lord. In doing so, we are ridding our lives of the sorrow of desiring the things of the world while pursuing the things of God. As we live for the Lord, with a new set of desires, we can enjoy life and be confident of our future with the Lord.
Childhood and youth will quickly pass away… this is why we are to use these blessings wisely in service to the Lord and not in service to the carnal desires of our flesh.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
May we all learn to use our youth wisely. It will pass away very quickly. May we seek to live our youth for Christ and not waste it on living for the sinful pleasures of this world.
Also, lets use the knowledge that we must stand before the Lord to change our desires throughout our life. May we always seek to please the Lord and put the sinfulness of this world behind us. In doing so, we can look forward to our future with confidence knowing as we stand before the Lord, we lived our lives for Him.
Solomon’s pursuit of the meaning of life included:
| 1. | 2:1-3 | The pursuit of carnal desires (the base pleasures found in a fallen world) |
| 2. | 2:4-11 | The pursuit of material possessions through human labors |
| 3. | 2:12-17 | The pursuit of worldly wisdom, madness and folly |
| 4. | 2:18-23 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #1 |
| 5. | 2:24-26 | The pursuit of responsible (frugal & wise) living to retain worldly goods Prt #2 |
| 6. | 3:1-8 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #1 |
| 7. | 3:9-15 | A recognition of the Lord’s sovereign control over all life events Prt #2 |
| 8. | 3:16-22 | A recognition of our need of Christ to see the nature and purpose of our life. |
| 9. | 4:1-3 | A recognition that never being born is better than the sufferings of this life. |
| 10. | 4:4-16 | The pursuit of earthly wisdom, diligence and living responsibly |
| 11. | 5:1-7 | The pursuit of worldly vows, contracts, and promises |
| 12. | 5:8-17 | The pursuit of worldly riches |
| 13. | 5:18-20 | A recognition that enjoyment of this earthly life is God’s gracious gift to man |
| 14. | 6:1-2 | A recognition of man’s inability to enjoy that which God has given to him. |
| 15. | 6:3-10 | A recognition of man’s sinfulness, mortality and need of humility before God |
| 16. | 6:11-12 | A recognition of the vanity of all that lies under the sun. |
| 17. | 7:1-10 | The pursuit of prideful living |
| 18. | 7:11-23 | A recognition of the value of Godly wisdom |
| 19. | 7:24-29 | The pursuit of Godly enabling |
| 20. | 8:1-5 | The pursuit of proper submission to authority based upon Godly wisdom |
| 21. | 8:6-15 | A recognition man needs Godly wisdom because he cannot control his own life nor see the eternal benefits of service to the Lord. |
| 22. | 8:16-17 | A recognition that men cannot fully understand the work of God on earth |
| 23. | 9:1-3 | A recognition that righteous and wicked share common life events |
| 24. | 9:4-12 | A recognition that life is better then death |
| 25. | 9:13-18 | A recognition of the excellence and rejection of Godly wisdom |
| 26. | 10:1-15 | A recognition of the dangers of foolishness |
| 27. | 10:16-17 | A recognition of principles for good rulership |
| 28. | 10:18 | A recognition of the dangers of slothfulness |
| 29. | 10:19 | A recognition of the value of money |
| 30. | 11:1-6 | A recognition of the need to sow our seed for the benefit of others. |
| 31. | 11:7-8 | A recognition of the need to enjoy the days of blessings and expect the troublesome times of life. |
| 32. | 11:9-10 | A recognition of the need to use the blessings of youth in service to the Lord. |
Homepage… http://www.settledinheaven.org
Text Blog… http://www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com
Video Blog… http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
Email… settledinheaven@gmail.com
Appreciate The Days Of Gladness
Eccl 11:7-8 – Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/ecclesiastes-chapter-11-verses-7-8
Settled In Heaven Blog 