Ecclesiastes_2

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26²⁴ A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 

Observation

King Solomon seems to be documenting his struggle to find meaning in his life. He documents his pursuit of things other than God – projects, houses, properties (even beautiful ones), stuff (from slaves to animals to gold and silver), women, selfish/personal ambition, wisdom, etc.  Yet, he found the pursuit of pleasure to be lacking and “meaningless.” In part this is because it ultimately all ends in death – the great equator, making equal the wise and fool, the rich and the poor, the evil and the good.  [That is, if you believe that life ends when our time on this earth is up.]  He seemed to wrestle with the belief that death defeats all accomplishments and, if true, lends the time here on this earth nothing more than meaningless toil and trying to maintain some sort of positive air despite the despair.

Understanding

These verses struck me because it’s the complete opposite of anything that rings true in my heart.  Yet, it reminds me that there are people out in the world RIGHT NOW searching for meaning, trying everything they can think of to feel fulfillment, people that may be passing along the time in despair. The good news, though, is that WE have the answer to what they are searching for.  So, may we be about the mission…“…to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,…to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve…”“…everlasting joy [can be] [theirs].”

• Isaiah 61:1-3, 7

Life Application

I’ve loved the focus on sharing the gospel these last few weeks.  May we embrace and implement what we are learning.  We don’t have to have it perfect; God is great at preparing hearts and taking over our tongue when we don’t know the words.  All we need is obedience and an open heart and eyes to look for, here and respond when God reveals opportunities or presses on our heart.  So, will you take action today?  May we Pray, Invest and Invite; may we be on mission to share God’s love in big and little, tangible and spiritual ways. God, thank you for calling me, finding me, pursuing me.  I know you have so many more than you want to encounter, so many more that you want to experience your incredible love.  Show me ways where, how, who you want me to do my part.  Impress upon my heart your heart for those I meet, see or spend time with today.  May I be humbly bold and obedient in my response.  ReiTo check out the discussion or to join in click here.

28 Days 2020: Day 27

Spiritual Battle

If we are to operate in victory over the evil one so that we can win the battle for people’s souls there are some things we need to know and do.

Yesteday we talked about putting on the full armor of God.

We also need to pray with faith and power.

We need to remember that the power and authority is from God and not from us so we pray with confidence that it is God at work in and through us.

Today I want to end with us realizing or reminding ourselves of who we are.  To be victorious in the fight we must know who we are.

Read them out and declare them today and everyday.

• I am a child of God.  John 1:12
• I am a friend of God.  John 15:15
• I am the light of the world.  Matthew 5:14
• I am Jesus’ personal witness sent out to tell everybody about Him.  Acts 1:8
• God is my Father.  Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 3:26
• I am a coheir with Christ.  Romans 8:17
• I am a temple – a dwelling place – for God.  His Spirit and life live in me.  1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19
• I am a new person.  My past is forgiven and everything is new.  2 Corinthians 5:17
• I am a part of the family of God.  Galatians 3:26, 28
• I am a saint, a holy person.  Ephesians 1:1 Colossians 1:2
• I am God’s masterpiece, created in Christ to do His work.  Ephesians 2:10
• I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved.  Colossians 3:12
• I am a child of light not of darkness.  1 Thessalonias 5:5
• I am a citizen of heaven.  1 Peter 2:11
• I am blessed with every spiritual blessing.  Ephesians 1:3
• I have the mind of Christ.  He gives me His wisdom to make right choices.  1 Corinthians 2:16
• I am free and no longer condemned.  Romans 8:1
• I have been given a spirit of power, love and self-control.  2 Timothy 1:7

28 Days 2020: Day 26

SPIRITUAL BATTLE

 

As we go about fulfilling God’s mission here on earth we find ourselves engaged in a battle.  We have become soldiers in the army of God contending for the lives of people.  There is an unseen spiritual world where a guerilla warfare is going on as the moment and that warfare spills out into the physical world in which we live.  The spiritual battle determines the outcome of the physical world.  Our ability to really reap the harvest (see people come to know Christ and live in His fullness) hinges on our ability to fight a spiritual battle.

• Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

We talked about the fact that we have been authorized and empowered – given exousia and dunamis.  We have authority over the authorities and the power of the Holy Spirit against the powers and spiritual forces of evil. 

One of the descriptions of a believer in the NT is that of a soldier. 

Read the following verses and write down what are some of the responsibilities of a soldier.

• Ephesians 5:11 (NIV)  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
• Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. (Read verses 10-18)
• 1 John 2:12-14 (NIV) ¹²  I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. ¹³  I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. ¹⁴  I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

So we are in a battle and should be prepared for it. 

 

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 and write down the different parts of the armor we need to put on and how you think it helps us to overcome the evil one.