The Devotional – A Look at the Book #643

by Jesse Abel

The Devotional – A Look at the Book #643

Meditate on this!

After the wedding in Cana and the Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus returned to Galilee. Now, He was not seeking to have Himself honored above his Father’s Plan. His purpose was to reveal the hardness of heart found in familiar surroundings; such as religion and relatives,  John 4:43-45 and Matthew 13:53-58.

Thoughts about Life

Even though I was on the local fire department for a number of years and climbed to the roof tops of several chimney fires, I have always been fearful of height. Yet here we were in Ukraine, in a small village where this new church was being built. There was not one manufactured ladder in the building, all of the climbing and walking about near the ceiling was done with makeshift scaffolding and ladders put together from excess wood. None of these climbing devices were balanced or safe, yet most of us climbed around on these objects as if all was well. The pastor who spent most of his time high up on the scaffolding asked me to join him one day when his partner was on another project. I went to the top and the swaying of the platform was so bad I actually felt sea-sick. I could not go any further and came down. Later that day the scaffold collapsed with the pastor on board. We all came to his rescue and he had hurt his leg. In all; this did not seem to bother him, after the repair of the scaffold he was back up there putting in the ceiling. Just to let you know, I was putting in ceiling too, but it was on the lower sections of the sanctuary and the “dropped ceilings” in the class rooms and hallways. Ecclesiastes 9:10 I like the word device in this passage since I feel that staying off that scaffold kept me out of the grave for the time being.

Ecclesiastes 12

Verse 9 – Well here we are at the end of a wonderful section of God’s Word. If you have ever been outside of God’s Will for your life while being saved. Then as His child you know first hand what King Solomon is saying in these final words of his book. The preacher is not wise in his own making. 2 Chronicles 1:1-12, God granted to Solomon his request for wisdom, God honors all such prayer; see also James 1:2-8. The only prerequisite is that the person asking must ask with solid faith. Those that have know that the wisdom that comes to them is of God and they also know that it is not lost when walking in darkness, just as one knows that they have not lost salvation.

Verses 10-11 –  The wisdom that Solomon projects to his readers was not only godly, it was also tested by Solomon. In his natural mind, he practiced sin as he said for a season of time, but his wisdom did not leave him – Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 in this he pondered and sought out another book; Proverbs. He states that he to used acceptable or delightful words of upright truth in all his books. Words like those that challenge the reader. Also; words that are like well driven nails, solidly fixed in the object with purpose; words that come from one Shepherd of truth and love; this must be true as the books are in the Living Word of God.

Verses 12-14 – Lastly, know this; of making many books, which many seem to do! We search for wisdom; there is no end and of the much study we do wear out our ambition of living life in the flesh. The conclusion of the matter… no matter how far you take life in the flesh or in the Spirit, it is the WHOLE duty of man to FEAR God (He alone is awesome) since He alone will bring every work to His judgment Seat for evaluation. Sin is not an issue; but evil is… what is done under the sun will be evaluated, the flesh profits nothing, only what is done in the Spirit will be rewarded. 1 Corinthians 3:5-17.