“Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.” Ecclesiastes 7:29 Devices – Pink Floyd gave us the right lyrics for this verse. “Welcome – to the machine.” The implications of this verse, hidden away in a lament about the futility of life, should hit us…
“Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.” Ecclesiastes 7:29 Sought Out – Solomon, the wise, discovers something absolutely hideous. God made men upright (yashar – straight, right). God designed men to have a perfect relationship with Him. He created men in His image, completely…
When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.” Psalm 27:8 Seek – You will never find God by accident. Jacob learned that lesson when he spent the night in the wasteland. God found him! “Accidental” encounters with God are only human descriptions of our insensitivity…
Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. John 6:26 Seek – Have you ever misplaced your keys? You know they’re around somewhere, so you go hunting. Pretty soon, you find them just where you left them, inside the…
Now I Paul myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:1 Gentleness – Don’t be fooled! Epieikos (Greek for “gentleness”) is a far cry from quiet calm and tranquility. It’s not about soft tones and balmy breezes. This word is about power; the power to do what is right even…
Now I Paul myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:1 Meekness – Sometimes the children’s songs we teach in Sunday School are nearly blasphemous. “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” certainly paints the wrong picture of the Man of sorrows. Just look at Mark 3:5. Jesus is angry. Does that…
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit Philippians 2:3 Empty Conceit – What images come to mind with “empty conceit?” Did you picture an arrogant, boasting person, full of opinions without substance?” Or did you think about someone who is never wrong – and therefore, never humble?” I remember a greeting card years ago that…
that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality 2 Corinthians 8:2 Joy – Talk-show host Michael Savage once commented, “There are no rules for happiness.” He’s right, but not for the reasons he suggested. Happiness has no rules because happiness is…
Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden to Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 Put – There are two fundamentally different views of life’s purpose, but they are hidden in the same methodology. Because the process needed to reach these goals looks identical, it is easy…
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20 Companion – Life is really pretty simple. God’s way is not obscure, confusing or exhausting. In fact, God actually promises to assist us in every way when we wholeheartedly obey Him. Since human beings are creatures…
