IS THIS ALL THERE IS? ~ ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 2

In Chapter 2 of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon contemplates pleasure, attainment and labor, first from hedonistic, then from materialistic points of view.

he·don·ism (hēd'n-ĭz'əm) n.

1. Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.

2. Philosophy of hedonism: The ethical doctrine holding that only what is pleasant or has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good.

3. Psychology of hedonism: The doctrine holding that behavior is motivated by the desire for pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Vanity of Pleasure: In verses 1-3, Solomon briefly examines pleasure and quickly comes to the conclusion that happiness is not found in entertainment. Just because you laugh, drink and enjoy your pleasure, does not mean you have found true happiness. Often times, pleasure is used as an escape from the things in life that are unpleasant and when the entertainment is over, you crash back into the reality of your unhappy life. Pleasure is in vain as it pertains to the meaning of life.

I blame my generation for making pleasure the epitome of our existence. Shame on the flower children. How did my generation justify the pursuit of pleasure? There was an expression – “If it feels good, do it.” Sad but true…this expression was on almost everybody’s lips of the day. They justified sexual gratification by declaring that “God is Love”. Some went even further by using just enough scriptural knowledge to form communes to live out their hedonistic philosophy. In the commune lifestyle, it was “free love”, drugs and a combining of resources so that the commune community could spend all of their time in the pursuit of pleasure and not materialism. Hmmm…this leads us to the next point. It seems that Solomon had an opinion about materialism as well.

Well, Thank You God that You gave me the parents that You did because I was not really a citizen of that world. No siree….my parents would have yanked me out of such a lifestyle and made me wish I had not even glanced in that direction. I am grateful that I had such parents.

ma·te·ri·al·ism (mə-tîr'ē-ə-lĭz'əm) n.

1. Philosophy of materialism: The theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena.

2. The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life.

3. A great or excessive regard for worldly concerns.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Vanity of Attainment: Solomon acquired much in his life. His wealth and possessions were great and he excelled more than all the Kings of Jerusalem who lived before him (vs. 9) and his wisdom remained with him throughout his reign. Yet, when he looked upon all he had attained, Solomon realized that all was, once again, vanity.



Then I looked on all the works
That my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed, all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:11


I can relate… I worked from age 18 until 60. During this period of time, I attained much. Sometime during my 50’s I came to realize that possessions did not make me happy. I was and am a very happy person, but not because of all I owned. In fact, possessions began to feel like a burden. All I wanted was to simplify my life and that meant getting rid of “things”. I find it ironic that I spent approximately 35 years acquiring “things” and then I didn’t want them. And, how much better it would have been if I had kept it simple from the start and saved all the money I spent on “stuff”!!! It was all vanity… “Stuff & things” do not hold the key to the meaning of my life.

Likewise, Solomon’s possessions did not give meaning to his life. And, as he considered further, he examined wisdom compared to folly. He reasons that, in the end, the wise man is no different from the fool.

For there is no more
Remembrance of the wise
Than of the fool forever,
Since all that now is will be
forgotten in the days to come
And how does a wise man die?
As the fool!
Ecclesiastes 2:16

Solomon concludes his contemplation of attainment with this pronouncement that it was not worth the work and stress:

Therefore I hated life because the
work that was done under the sun was
distressing to me, for all is vanity and
grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 2:17


The Vanity of Labor: Prior examination of “attainment” leads, naturally, into thought about labor. Solomon examines labor – for what? He makes no secret of the fact that he hates that he worked so hard, but only to die and leave his wealth to someone who did not work for it. He reasons that he attained all of his wealth through wisdom, knowledge and skill, yet he must leave his heritage to, not only someone who did not work for it, but quite possibly a fool.

For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?
For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest.
This also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 2:22-23

So far, Solomon has examined the reason for life intellectually, hedonistically and materially. Regardless of how successful he was, how much he attained materially, how much pleasure he found; I suspect that Solomon still felt emptiness in his life. I’m thinking that Solomon was thinking….”Why did I bother?” I’m also thinking about that expression “he who dies with the most toys wins”… I think NOT.


Solomon recognizes that, possibly, the key to the meaning of life can only be found in God, but that causes him to consider the difference in what God may give to each… the believer and the sinner. And that this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy

to a man who is good in his sight;

but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering

and collecting, that he may give to him who is good

before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

Enjoy life: Solomon comes to the conclusion that there is nothing better than that man should eat, drink and be happy. Solomon’s message is that we should enjoy life because it is a gift from God and that without Him, our life is labor without joy, which he also concludes is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
and comes down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no variation

or shadow of turning.

James 1:17

Is this all there is? The answer is blowing in the wind…it remains a mystery. We come to realize all of life is vain or in vain. Our world is flawed and can’t be fixed. We must live our lives the best that we can live it… The empty feeling inside cannot be filled by intellectualism, hedonism or material possessions.

As a happy Christian, I can tell you that empty feeling can be filled by God. And instead of continually striving against the world? King Solomon had some good advice... He decided it is better to enjoy life. My advice? Don't waste your life... Take the time to smell the flowers...

Thank you for joining me in the study of Ecclesiastes. Chapter 3 will be up by the end of the week.

GRASPING FOR THE WIND ~ ECCLESIASTES, CHAPTER 1

As we wait for our future to play out, many are holding their breath while waiting. Questions swirl around and around in our minds because of current economy issues. Fear abounds. Some are floundering or sinking. Many are homeless. Holding your breath won’t help…it will only make you feel faint. And this is no time for the faint-hearted. JUST BREATHE…You won’t make it through this hard time if you don’t JUST BREATHE.

I think often about a question that was popular with the flower children of the ‘60’s. The question was phrased differently by some, but basically it was this: “What is the purpose of life?” Unfortunately, the flower children of the ‘60’s thought the answer could be found in some drug induced stupor… Shame on them…. No… no one has, nor ever will be able to answer that question in the natural, but the person who came the closest was King Solomon.

King Solomon was renowned for his wisdom. He pondered the question of our existence and we can read his very thoughts on the subject today in the Book of Ecclesiastes. This particular book of the Bible is short, but powerful. The book flows and the thought pattern is fairly easy to follow. So, I have it in my heart to share Ecclesiastes with whoever is willing to study along with me.

My love for the Book of Ecclesiastes began in January 2004. My Father had congestive heart failure for many years. He entered the hospital in January for valve replacement. The day that my Dad entered the hospital, the Lord placed a burning need in my heart to study – REALLY STUDY – the Book of Ecclesiastes. I began the study the same day and I finished the study the morning that the Lord took my Dad home.

Just a little bit of information is necessary here….I was a Daddy’s girl… Oh yeah…big time! My Mom said that the attachment was strong from infancy. To this day, I am certain that the Lord was preparing me for the death of my Dad. The Lord knows my heart better than I do. He knew that certain questions needed to be answered before I faced what I was to face. He knew that without the prior study of Ecclesiastes, that my faith might not survive the death of my Father. God knew that. I didn’t until my faith was shaken to the very roots. It was because of my in depth study of Ecclesiastes that I was able to cling to my faith through the storm. And God showed me through circumstances that it was positively Daddy’s time to go home. (I am saving the details for a later blog.) My loss was great, but the Lord comforted me through His leading for this study at that critical time in my life. God is merciful… JUST LIKE THAT!

Maybe it is due to my upbringing, or maybe it is something that God put deep in my spirit, I can’t tell you which, but I have always been an optimist. I think there are a lot of optimists… More than the pessimists…I think. I think it is human nature to be more optimistic than pessimistic. We take our optimism and add expectation – mix it up and we have a blended mixture of what we think our life SHOULD be. Well, Solomon said it best:

“Vanity of vanities”, says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”.
Ecclesiastes 1:2

The Preacher (Solomon) then lists the “vanities”, expounds upon each and concludes with TRUTH.

The Vanity of Human Accomplishments: First, Solomon questions what profit has a man from his labor “under the sun” (in the physical life). Then, we are reminded that generation follows generation – the same as the earth continues to cycle…sunrises, then sunsets, the wind whirls around continually, all rivers run into the sea, says Solomon, to the place from which rivers come, there to return again.

All things are full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
Ecclesiastes 1:8

We work to achieve those things we wish to achieve, but we can never circumvent the cycle of life. We all will die…eventually. Solomon concludes this portion by reminding the reader that there really isn’t anything “new”…it is as it always has been and always will be.

Does anyone know their great great grandfather? Do you even know his name? What was his occupation? What did he accomplish in his life? Do you really know what he was like? You are from his blood line, yet you know little to nothing about him. Most of us don’t even have a picture of him for reference. Even if we do have a lot of old pictures, we don’t know our great great grandfather from Adam. Case in point… We will be forgotten after a while… A couple of generations later and you are only a name in a lineage without any memory of you.

We are born, we live and then we die; our remains returned to the earth, as the earth continues to cycle through time. The memory of us lingering briefly, then to fade into forgetfulness. And yet, knowing this, man strives to achieve because he is never satisfied in life. I think it is better to love. Love is remembered longer than the material thing.

The Vanity of Wisdom: Here we see Solomon use past tense when telling that he was king over Israel. This tells us that Solomon wrote this book when he was old. He had already lived most of his life. Right about now, the flower children of the ‘60’s should be coming to understanding “why we are here”… without the drugs!

Remembrance, ponderings and reasoning seem to come more frequently as we age. And, for the most part, that can be a good thing because, in my experience, time and distance has added perspective. I just have to be careful that I stay away from the would’ve, could’ve, should’ve thoughts because those thoughts are completely unproductive and THAT is also vanity.

In the book of Kings I, Chapter 3, Solomon asked God for wisdom so that he could be a good king. God liked that Solomon did not ask for long life, riches or the life of his enemies, but only asked for understanding to discern justice. So God blessed Solomon with the wisdom as he asked and then, because God was pleased with Solomon’s request, God added riches and honor to Solomon’s gift of wisdom.

I have seen all the works
That are under the sun;
And indeed, all is vanity and
Grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 1:14


In his life, Solomon had attained all he desired. He had great wisdom, knowledge, wealth and successes. But, he loved women – many foreign women. Solomon married 700 princesses of royal birth and he had 300 concubines. Solomon had a pattern of using political marriages to establish good foreign relations, but it was contrary to God’s will (see Deuteronomy 17:17). Solomon’s wives turned his heart to other false gods; therefore, his heart was not fully devoted to his true God. (I Kings, Chapter 11) He concludes this portion by confession that he had set his heart to know, not only wisdom, but madness and folly. This he also perceived to be grasping for the wind.

For in much wisdom is much grief,
And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Ecclesiastes 1:18

As you may have guessed, I am a product of the ‘60’s. I love all of the “philosophical” songs of that era. My generation could be best described as seekers of the truth of life. Many songwriters expressed those questions in song. But, of all the philosophical songs, I think one comes closest to the truth. It was this: “The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind...the answer is blowing in the wind.”

In our old age, we often reflect on our lives… Well, I do… I think many do. Also in our old age, God gives us a little extra wisdom and that added wisdom sometimes causes sorrow in the remembering. But, even so, we are left wondering just what is the reason for our life…

In conclusion, Solomon has thus far learned that the reason for our life cannot be found in accomplishments or wisdom. What he does know is that he will live, eventually die and ultimately be forgotten.

If you have not already read Chapter 1 of Ecclesiastes, I encourage you to do so and, if you would read along with me, that would be GREAT!

Solomon has explored the meaning of life, intellectually, in Chapter 1, yet we haven’t learned the meaning of life yet. In Chapter 2, he will determine if the meaning of life can be found in hedonism or materialism.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18

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March 19, 2009

Dear Lord,

I just want to say “Thank You”.

Thank You for loving me enough to save me from myself and the world. Thank You for giving your own life on the Cross for me and my sin. The devil thought he won, but You arose on the third day just like You said You would. Thank You for giving me the same Victory in You. Even so…I am unworthy.

Thank You Lord that I can always believe Your Word because I know the Bible is the inspired Word of God – Your Father and mine by adoption. I am unworthy of adoption into Your family, but I accept…with gratitude.

Thank You for Your mercy and grace. There are not enough “Thank You’s” in me to match your mercy and grace. To Thank You as much as I can in the physical, I pledge my life to You. I will serve You. When I am still, please show me how You want me to serve You. And if I am not still – please remind me to be still.

Lord, I love You as much as the capacity of love You have given my spirit to hold. My spirit is full of love. I pledge to share Your love with those who occupy the world with me. I Thank You that for all the love I give away, you give me more.

But, as You know better than I do – I am imperfect. I don’t want to stumble and fall, but stumble and fall I will ~ ‘WILL’ being the key word. You gave me FREE WILL. I just wonder why You gave me so much. Thank You Lord that my free will is nearly exhausted by long life, experience and circumstances. Whew! You gave me many lessons and quite an education. I pray that You will continue to teach me righteousness ~ even unto death. I do not need a refill of FREE WILL… Thank You very much!

Well, Lord, these are my morning thoughts as I linger in prayer for a few more moments before I begin reading my Bible. I know I’ve said this many, many times over the years, but I want to say this again and again in awe of the very fact that Your Word has survived centuries, wars, banishment, destruction, sneering, disbelief, etc. Yet Your Word has survived it all! So, once again, I Thank You Lord for preserving Your Word down through the ages, in every circumstance, so that I can read it today. I need Your Word like the very air I breathe…

Lord, I lift my family and friends up to you and I ask that You give each person what he or she needs, for You Lord are the only one who knows the real needs in their lives. I do not presume to know what those needs are, so I won’t tell You what I want for each person. But I know You do know each need and I trust You completely with the lives of my family and friends… and my humble life, as well.

I Thank You for the most recent mercy and grace You have shown me and my family. I am grateful ~ My gratitude is HUGE. Thank You for sustaining the life of one so dear to us. I Thank You that the life threatening condition was found through pure GRACE. I will ALWAYS THANK YOU for the life of the one I love.

Finally, I Thank You for washing away recent anger. I am grateful for your grace and mercy in the situation. I am grateful that you gave me what I did not deserve instead of what I did deserve. I am not proud of that… thing… that I fell into.

I Thank You that You walked with me, counseled me and loved me while I stumbled in pain. I Thank You for forgiveness when I have totally behaved like the flesh that I am. I Thank You for the assurance that though I stumble and fall, that mercy, grace and forgiveness is there… After I have been allowed to suffer for a while….

I love You, Lord.

In eternal gratitude,
Darlene

RIPPLES

Everyone knows that if you throw a stone into a pond, the impact of that stone will start ripples on the surface of the water. These ripples may smooth away quickly in the case of a small pebble, but have far-reaching affects when the stone is large and heavy, the ripple continuing on and on, circle after circle until the ripples begin to lap the very edges of the pond. The decisions we make, both small and large, very often turn into ripples across our lives and the lives of others whose lives touch our lives, even indirectly.

There was a very young lady who married a young widower with two of the most precious little daughters that you ever met. The young woman was a Christian from her youth, but not mature in her beliefs and faith. Soon into the marriage, small problems appeared. Except for the small problems, their home was full of love and laughter. Neither husband nor wife recognized the problems as the beginning cracks in the fragile foundation of a young marriage. Cracks, not repaired, will weaken a foundation until it can no longer support a home. Lacking maturity and wisdom, the young lady gave up just 3 years into the marriage. She loved her little daughters with all her heart, but had no legal rights to keep them. Sadly, she let them slip away with the marriage. The decision to end the marriage was like a heavy rock, carelessly tossed into a pond. The ripples from that particular decision began.

The woman, emotionally damaged by her own decision, continued on in life in an unhealthy way. She drank too much the first seven years following the divorce. Although she stopped drinking after 7 years, she continued on an unhealthy emotional path. She focused on a career, was self centered and had difficulty maintaining relationships. During those years, she managed to marry her second husband three times, having divorced him twice, and was clearly headed towards another divorce. Steeped in pain, she was her own worst enemy and, in her pain, reached out and inflicted pain on others.

Her first husband remarried and had two more beautiful daughters. The woman imagined that her first husband had a perfect life and had found happiness. As much as she wanted to see her lost daughters and know that they were well, she did not want to be the cause of problems in his new marriage, so she carefully stayed away, forfeiting all contact with the two little girls that she loved so much.

Then one day in a moment of clarity many years later, she picked up her dusty Bible and began to read. Soon, she returned to the Lord, returned to church, continued to read her Bible and began to mature in her faith. She began to see how the Lord had blessed her in so many ways - completely undeserved. She saw her past mistakes, bad decisions and bad behavior that had stolen her happiness like a thief in the night. She also realized the ways the Lord had tried to bless her and how she carelessly, willfully, threw it all away.

Faced with what she had become, the hurt she had inflicted and all the damage she had done to self and others, a regret stronger than grief set in and began eating away at her very soul.

She was in her third marriage to her second husband and headed for another divorce when revelation set in. She had wasted so many years of her life and she had hurt so many people! Suddenly, she knew that her life had not been a life that could be pleasing to the Lord. She began deliberate change with herself and her marriage, amending where amends were needed, changing things that were not pleasing to the Lord and, in general, cleaning up the wreckage. Slowly, with God's help, she healed of past hurts. Her marriage grew stronger and, eventually, healed.


Over the years, the woman continued to mature in her faith and wisdom. As time went on, the yearning for the lost daughters got stronger and stronger. As she aged, she knew that she had to see or speak to them at least one more time. The need to apologize and tell them she loved them was almost more than she could bear. But, years passed, one by one, and she was afraid to reach out. The fear of rejection was great.

Finally, the day came when the woman could no longer bear the pain she had inflicted upon others during the many, many years that she had been selfish, willful and disobedient to the Lord. The need to apologize became so strong as to be a driving force in her life. So, after 35 years, she humbly sought out her precious daughters, intending an apology and hoping for a relationship. She apologized to her first husband as well.

Right here, I wish I could say that everything was happy ever after, but it was not. It was at this point in the woman's life that she learned the extend of the damage one decision can make. She thought the first husband lived happily ever after, but found out that he did not. She learned that he never stopped loving her and that it had been a point of contention in the subsequent marriage. More people hurt... The ripples continued... Will the selfish and willful damage done by one young lady, now touching lives of persons she never knew, extend into a third generation as well? Ripples - where will they end?

But the most devastating revelation of all came when each precious daughter separately and individually confided to the woman the hurts and harm they had suffered following the divorce. Hurts and harms that would never have happened to two little girls safely protected by two loving parents. As I said, the man and woman had small problems, happily married otherwise, but lacked maturity to successfully overcome the differences...far smaller differences than each experienced in subsequent relationships and marriages.

Had this young couple sought the Lord all those many years ago, read their Bibles and lived according to the Word of God, the outcome would absolutely have been very different. The changes in the woman only came about when she began reading her Bible and seeking the Lord. I can't tell you at just what point the reading of the Bible became a passion to study God's word. When you pursue the wisdom of the Lord, you find it and all the blessings that God is waiting to bestow upon you. The Bible is full of wisdom and instruction. Bible stories have a point - always. Best of all is that when you turn control of your life over to God, in many ways, He restores what was lost. You learn the ways of the enemy and are able to avoid the ensnaring traps of satan. I would encourage you to begin reading your Bible.

A good beginning is to read a chaper in Proverbs each day. In one month, you will have read the whole book. Don't stop there...read it again the following month and the month after. Keep reading until you are able to see the wisdom afforded by Proverbs, you get it into your heart and until it shows in how you live your life. There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs. Begin on the first day of the month with Chapter 1, then read whatever chapter corresponds to the day of the month. It is easy to remember where you left off if you read the chapter corresponding with the day of the month. A wise man shared this secret with me and I am witness to the fact that it WILL make a difference in your life. Also, daily, read the gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John so that you will understand how much Jesus loves you. You may not be drawn to the Old Testament right away, but once the passion for God's Word sets into your heart, you will want to read it all! Spend time with God and He will bless you.

II Timothy 4:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

So, here's the end of the story: Today, the woman enjoys a loving relationship with her daughters. She is Mom again and loving every minute of it. She is also Grandma and Great-Grandma. God has restored her relationship with her daughters and added grandchildren to her happiness. Her marriage is still rock solid. Sadly, the first husband died within a year of her apology. She is grateful for the opportunity to make peace with him before his death and is more than grateful to be Mom again. The woman knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that her relationship with the Lord through His Word, meditating on His Word and prayer are the only things that saved her from pain and sadness for the rest of her life. Best of all, God gave back what satan stole!....

This is a true story. I know because I lived it. ....

Written by Darlene

6/30/07....

Bitter Roots

BITTER ROOTS

Several years ago, there was a shrub growing too close to my front door steps. It was an ugly shrub and it had to go. So, I got my shovel and began to dig the shrub out. The shrub had been there so long that the roots had become very deep and strong. I tugged and dug, but I could not get that root out...

I was thinking about this after my morning devotional today. While reading my Bible, the words "root of bitterness" came to my mind and would not leave. I know when I am hearing from God, so I immediately began to look up scripture to see what the Word of God says about bitter roots and bitterness in general.

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; …" Hebrews 12:14-15

I searched the word "bitter" in my favorite online Bible - BlueLetterBible.org. I see that several scriptures refer to bitterness as a curse. I see that Job knew bitterness well. Esau was bitter. The Israelites were bitter. There will be bitterness in the end days. And….there is all that bitterness in between.
Our lives can be spent in bitterness…

In complaining…. As did Job…

"Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:11

"My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. Job 10:1

We may question God:

"Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul, Job 3:20

We may blame God:

"As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, Job 27:2

You may have noticed the reference to our soul in these scriptures. That is because your soul is separate from your spirit. Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. Clearly these are attributes in the physical. Your spirit comes from God and will return to God. (Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:6-7) I clarify this because some people use the terms "soul" and "spirit" interchangeably. This is not so. Bitterness is an emotion, therefore, it would be soulish behavior.

Bitterness can lead to depression:

"Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is listless because of my groaning. Job 23:2

We can die with our bitterness intact:

Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure. Job 21:25

Yet, the Lord will still contend with you...

So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. Ezekiel 3:14

Envy is bitterness:

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. James 3:14

Bitterness makes your words bitter:

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows--bitter words, Psalm 64:2-3

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Proverbs 5:4

Bitterness will lead to loneliness - the truth is that people will avoid bitter people…

The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. Proverbs 14:10

I also started thinking about how roots become bitter. A potato is a root vegetable. When harvested at the right time, a potato is light skinned and full of moisture. If neglected long in the ground…or even if left in your kitchen too long, the potato will develop a thick, dark skin. It will be harder and the taste will lean towards bitter. Worst yet….if it begins to sprout, it becomes even more bitter. The carrot is another example. The carrot is a sweet root that will grow bitter if neglected long.

Neglect not your spirit, lest a root of bitterness begins growing in your soul.

So…back to the shrub with the stubborn root…I decided I needed some leverage, so I went to the tool shed and retrieved a pick axe. I wedged one end under the root and shoved with all my might. It would not budge. So, thinking I could make it work, I started jumping on the other end of the pick axe. It broke that hard root and flipped the pointed end into my leg. Oh yeah…that was nasty and required a trip to the emergency room. I still have a scar some 30 years later to remind me that there most surely must have been a better way to remove that root. People can get hurt from strong roots.

I did not have to think long about why the Lord wants me to focus on roots of bitterness. Recent events have caused me to feel some bitterness and rejection and put a general "stink" in my spirit. Today, NOW, I reject those thoughts and feelings. I reject the root of bitterness.

Like that shrub root, I may not be able to get the entire root out at one time, but I know that, with God's help, I can bury the root and watch for shoots coming off the root. Then, the same as I did with the shrub root, I will destroy those shoots before they grow strong. Eventually, the root will die…

After this study, I whispered to the Lord…."I already knew this, Lord. Have I not seen firsthand the devastation left in the wake of bitterness?" He whispered back to me… "Yes, my child, but you needed reminding."

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. Ephesians 4:3

Soul Ties

Soul Ties

An old woman sits in a travel trailer nestled in a stand of pine trees, a guard against thieves. The cold November wind whistles through the stand of pines. She is there because of soul ties...

Her daughters begged her to come home to her nice, warm home in the south, but she dug in her heels and refused to be budged. Her daughters loved her more than the land. Her daughters were not loved more than the land. The daughters have known this for a very long time. Hearts are broken when love of possessions exceeds the love of family.

Last winter, thieves broke into the old family homestead. The drafty old farm house and the property have been in her family for more than 200 years. The house contains her "treasures". She is the guard. She is determined that she will prevent further loss. Then there was fire… Fire has no regard for life or possessions. The losers are her family.

We learn from the Book of Ecclesiastes that life is all vanity…

As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a severe evil – just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger. Ecclesiastes 5:15-17

Soul ties….those things we hang on to, those things we treasure, those things that master over all others……They are JUST THINGS…

Soul ties are not always bad. I have a soul tie to my Bible. My Bible is worn. Pages have fallen out. Most pages are scribbled with notes. I bought a new Bible in 2004. I tried to use it. I put it back in its box – brand new like the day I bought it. I thought maybe it was because it was NIV and my old Bible is NKJV. The many notes in my old Bible have become a distraction from the Words of God. Last year, I bought a new NKJV Bible from the same publisher – Nelson. I thought that would work. I have used it only a little more than my NIV. It sits here – practically new – unused as I caress the pages of my old worn out Bible and try to ignore the scribbles. I don't think this is a bad soul tie. I certainly would not allow myself to lose my life over it. If my house were on fire and if I could grab it as I go, I would take it. I would not risk my life for it. I do not love it more than family. There is the difference…..

I am no different from other people who have tokens of remembrance from loved ones both here and gone. They do not rule my life. In an emergency, I would grab my Bible before exiting my home. I would not bother with the THINGS. I know myself…I know this…

The old farm house still stands straight and tall. The foundation is shifting again. It needs more repairs. It has become a soul tie for other family members – I know not why. It drew the life out of their Mother/Grandmother. The danger is there. The evil is there. The property survives to claim another generation who will work and toil for it…for what? It is a money pit and it will consume all who value it more than life…more than family. It is a THING. It has no value except as a soul tie that consumes. It divides…it destroys.

A burned shell of a travel trailer sits behind the house in the stand of pine trees. It is a reminder of the terrible cost of soul ties.

Jesus spoke of soul ties in Luke 12:13-34. I hope each reader will read this portion of God's Word as it is long to add here. I will, however, quote a portion…

Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." Luke 12:13-15

Jesus followed with a parable of a rich man, then instruction to His disciples about simplicity of trusting God over soul ties, culminating in the following verses…

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:32-34

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus instructs us to put God first. He said "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Soul ties shattered a family, and then divided a family. Soul ties bind us to the world. To loosen those ties and let them go is freedom. Can you not see?

I Didn't Vote for Obama Either...

I was reading a blog written by HerSoul today. Excellent blog... It really got me to thinking.

The Lord has done quite a work in me since the election. I was compelled to comment on HerSoul's blog, then the Holy Spirit convicted me to share the comment in a blog of my own. So, as obedient as I can be, I am posting the comment here:


Hi, Tonja,

I am a new reader to your blogs and am so glad I found you. I did not vote for Obama either. I woke up Nov 5th feeling a deep grief. Not because my candidate did not win, but for the unborn children. I was so grieved that I went to God's Word and stayed there for about 3 hours.

Here's what the Lord gave me: First I went to Romans 13 to remind myself of my Christian responsibility towards our government/leaders. Much time in Revelations reminded me that though the Lord's coming is eminent, it is not immediate. And then I Thessalonians 4:9-12 reminded me that while we wait for the coming of our Lord, we must love each other, lead a quiet life, mind our own business and work. We are to be a living witness to the lost.

Refreshed and renewed by God's Word, I began to pray for Obama. I will not stop praying for him. Since I have been praying, I am seeing him in a different light. With all the campaign boloney over, I see a different man and you know what? I think I like him. I know I am 'in love' with his beautiful daughters! (May God bless and protect them!!!)

So, I pray every day for God to soften Obama's heart regarding the unborn children and to give him wisdom to do his job as president of our nation. I pray for protection for him and his family.

So, while I felt like our Christian nation had ended on 11/5, by the afternoon of 11/5, I had peace in my spirit once again and the assurance from the Lord that all is as HE WILLS. I CHOOSE to believe that Obama will be a good president. I CHOOSE to believe that his office is by divine appointment. I CHOOSE to believe that Obama wants the best for our nation. I CHOOSE to believe that racial healing will soon be complete. I CHOOSE to believe that GOD WILL convict Obama's heart to the point that he supports protection of the unborn innocents.

I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE!!! AND I PRAYERFULLY SUPPORT!

Glad to meet you, Sister! May God bless you wonderfully!!!

Darlene


In addition to the scripture used in the comment, I would also encourage you to read, meditate and pray upon the following scriptures:

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. (I Peter 2:13-19)

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I am also reminded of a portion of scripture in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 22. In this chapter, the Pharisees continued to try to entangle Jesus in His talk, so they questioned Jesus about if it was lawful to pay taxes...which was their sneaky way of asking if man made laws should be followed. Jesus said:

"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21)

For those of you who may be struggling in your own spirit about the results of the election, I pray you will find the same PEACE in your spirit that I have found in mine.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!



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Ever Tilting, Ever Turning

Sometimes poetry simply jumps into my head. This morning while walking my dogs, I looked to the sky - searching the air for a hint of fall - and the poetry began to flow. I was afraid it would be gone before my two tiny terrors were done sniffing everything in the neighborhood! But, as soon as I sat down to my computer, it came fast and strong. So, I share with you.....

THIS WORLD

EVER TILTING
EVER TURNING
ALWAYS AGING
AS I AM YEARNING

FOR THAT PLACE
BEYOND THE SUN
WHERE GOD'S PEACE REINS
WHERE GOD IS ONE

I LOOK AROUND
I SEE GOD'S HAND
AWESOME CREATION
IN THIS LAND

I WONDER HOW
HEAVEN WILL BE
JESUS PREPARED
A PLACE FOR ME

THE BIRDS CRY OUT
THEY DO NOT KNOW
FROM WHENCE THEY CAME
OR WHERE THEY'LL GO

BUT I HAVE PEACE
I'M NOT UNDONE
I TRUST MY LORD
TIL KINGDOM COME

I STAND ON GOD'S WORD
AND REST ASSURED
THAT ONE DAY I WILL SEE
THE PLACE JESUS HAS PREPARED FOR ME

BUT FOR NOW
I LIVE FOR HIM
WHILE LIFE GOES ON
NOTHING LEFT TO WHIM

THIS WORLD IS:
EVER TILTING
EVER TURNING
ALWAYS AGING
AS I'M YEARNING

Darlene
9/17/08

Apathy and Compromise

I have suffered with a serious illness – just like many, MANY fellow Christians. My illness was APATHY AND COMPROMISE. I'm here to tell you that APATHY AND COMPROMISE will cause the death of our nation…..

If your idea of Christianity is to go to church, sing our little songs, listen to a sermon, then go home and live the way your flesh wants to live, you are WRONG. You should be living out your Christianity every minute of every day. Yeah…I know…it's too hard…yada, yada, yada. We all have flesh and we all fall down. JUST GET BACK UP AND THANK GOD FOR GRACE!!!

What if Jesus lived his life on earth like us happy little Christians? What if Paul lived his life like a happy little Christian? How about Dr. Luke and Peter? You HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONVICTIONS!!! YOU MUST STAND UP FOR YOUR CONVICTIONS AND BE HEARD!!!

OK...Now that we understand each other, here is the REAL DEAL. Our nation has been railroaded – BIG TIME! We have been lead to the slaughter – cleverly and cunningly. We have stood by while prayer has been removed from schools, Roe vs. Wade gave women choice, our American Flag has been desecrated, same sex marriages…the list goes on. Our youth are deep down the rabbit hole of drugs, alcohol and sex. WHY???? APATHY AND COMPROMISE!!!

IF YOU THINK FOR ONE MINUTE OUR NATION WILL NOT OR HAS NOT ALREADY COME UNDER THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD, YOU ARE IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING!!!

We have looked the other way. Most of us have done nothing to rock our little world. I have been as guilty as the rest of you. We have lived in our "I'm a happy little Christian…just let me sit here and sing my little songs, hear my weekly sermon… not my problem…, see...wearing my Jesus pin... " world. We let things happen - laws passed - morals sliding while we DID NOTHING to uphold moral standing in our great nation!!!

Well, I am about done with my rant. I just want every Christian to research the candidates and pray before you go to your polling place. God is NOT going to help us unless we ASK. We can stay in our little APATHETIC , COMPROMISING ruts or we can RISE UP and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!

HOW? Don't vote without doing your homework. KNOW what your political candidate stands for. Don't let other people do your thinking for you. God gave you a really good brain…USE IT! Do not let yourself be fooled.

Please do not let your current dissatisfaction with the state of our nation be your building block nor your stumbling block. PRAY…THINK….EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!

MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN YOUR DECISIONS FOR PRESIDENCY. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON OUR NATION.