Shut up

Ecclesiastes 5
2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Words to live by. Another, wonderful,  passage that echos the New Testament Fruits of the Holy Spirit. A good passage for starting a cool, sunny, November day...

Reality

Ecclesiastes 9
2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

This is an inarguable truth. Here is where Bible doctrine begins. No phony truths like the righteous win, the wicked loose. Ecclesiastes is a good place to begin a study of providence.

More From Ecclesiastes 912 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them

Jesus Is Coming

Luke 21
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Southern Gospel Song
There will be a happy meeting in heaven I know,
when we see the many loved ones we've known here below,
Gather on the blessed hill tops with hearts all aglow,
That will be a glad reunion day....

I was listening to this song on my mp3 while walking to work the other day, just filled with the Holy Spirit and got to thinking what a wonderful day it will be, when Jesus comes! I think that is what is suggested by this gospel song.

On the other hand, mostly, that's not how I think of the future. When I look at the future I see me living my life as best as I can, and passing and sleeping in wait of Jesus. And, when Jesus is ready, good and ready, he will come. And I will come with him, if that be his will. And then, finally, we will have that "glad renunion day."

1 Thessalonians 4
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Jesus, Divine

1 Peter 3
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Understanding Jesus, his life, his mission, his essence, is a life long task. Above is, by far, the bible passage I've spent the most time studying.

This passage is not about Jesus, the man, ministering to the people of Noah's time. It's about Jesus, divine, working divinely in a way we may not understand, from the very beginning of time.

Who is the Enemy?

Psalms 143
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

A Thought
As beautiful as many of the passagas in Psalms are, there are just too many references to enemies for me to spiritually or rationally comprehend. So, this post provides (maybe a little too much) background for my continued consideration on this subject.

Webster 1828
EN'EMY, n. [L. inimicus.]
1. A foe; an adversary. A private enemy is one who hates another and wishes him injury, or attempts to do him injury to gratify his own malice or ill will. A public enemy or foe, is one who belongs to a nation or party, at war with another.
I say to you, love your enemies. Matt.5.
Enemies in war; in peace friends.
2. One who hates or dislikes; as an enemy to truth or falsehood.
3. In theology, and by way of eminence, the enemy is the Devil; the archfiend.
4. In military affairs, the opposing army or naval force in war, is called the enemy.

Psalm 64 With John Gill Commentary In Italics1
Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.....David had his enemies. Saul and his courtiers, and was afraid of them; Christ had his enemies the wicked Jews, who sought his life before the time, and therefore he walked no more in Judea till near the time; and whose human nature was sometimes possessed of the fears of death, though they were sinless ones: the church and people of God have their enemies; as the men of the world, who revile, reproach, and persecute them; Satan their adversary, who goes about seeking to devour them.

Scattered Thoughts
Sorry, I just don't have enemies. I almost feel I should apologize. I think it's a genetic predisposition.

The essense of a normal life, Christian or non-Christian, may be a grand war against one's enemies, with God on one's side. Hense, references to enemies in the Psalms.

Me, I'm a spectator. I just can't seem to bring up those emotions necessary to consider one an enemy. It doesn't seem Christian...Satan, however, I do consider an enemy.

If enemy refers to a specific person or people, and it usually does, then it can be considered a metaphor for Satan, the enemy.

Rich Baptists From North Dallas

[This post is not in any way meant to be snide, critical or judgemental. Just some personal observations on a dreary, damp, chilly November day].

Ecclesiastes 3
12 I know that there is no good in them [enjoyments], but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

This passage reminds me of rich North Dallas Baptists. Decent people, God fearing people, no doubt, but with a focus on big houses, big SUV's, and 'better' Christian schools for the kids.

This just doesn't work for me. I'm better satisfied with the focus on Christian longsuffering, and a short wait for Jesus return.

A Little More From Ecclesiastes 3
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work

It just seems to me that mixing righteousness and riches is counter-intuitive, if not doctrinally unsound. Strike the last sentence. Mixing righteousness and riches just doesn't make sense. To me....

Bluegrass Gospel

Psalm 149
3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Gospel Song
If I'm not coming when rewards go around,
Please precious Jesus give mother my crown....

I love this song. I remember it from forty years ago. It's one of those songs etched on my heart. I note with some amusement that some gospel songs make no doctrinal sense. Above is such a song. But I have no doubt, whatsoever, that God approves of and enjoys this song....

Next Verse From Psalms 149
4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation....

God's Bounty

Ecclesiastes 2
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Here, the Preacher talks about God's great bounty. God's message to the Jew: be righteous and enjoy God's bounty. God's message to the Christian: tradition provides same message as for the Jews. But, this interpretation seems not to reconcile well to the basic teachings of Jesus in the Gospel.

I, in my later years, take little joy in the great bounty God provided to me. I am comforted by the in the saving grace that comes from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

David To Soloman

1 Chronicles 28
20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
From David, a man who spilt blood, to his son, who did not spill blood, and who, would be allowed, by God, to build the temple. But then, after the temple was built, Solomon's moral decline is painful to read about....
Such, is, I guess, the way of any man...

Musing On The Works Of The Lord

Psalms 143
4 ....my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

The nice thing about growing old, and tired....you get to look back, you've got perspective, and you see the futility of earthly life. You also see the wonder that is our Lord.

More From Psalms 143
7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Dear Lord, Make Me Rich

Psalms 144
13 [Dear LORD, pray] That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:

I think it is better for a Christian to pray for bread daily, than to pray for....ten thousand loaves of bread....

Prayer That Works For Me Dear Lord. Have mercy on my soul, and give me peace. Amen.

Thank You Hodijah And Jozabad

Nehemiah 8
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Understanding the word of God is not simple and straightforward. Understanding the word of God is not a self-help task. We should always be thankful for wonderful, learned men like Hodijah And Jozabad who help us poor sinners understand the word of God....

Here are some that help me: John Gill, David Kimhi, S. Yitzhaki, Roger Williams, Charles Sperry Chafer, Noah Webster, C. I. Scofield.

God Loves Singing

Nehemiah 7
67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.

This is from the geneology of the return from the captivity. It gives some indication that God loves singing. I wonder what he thinks of the Gaithers. I myself love Southern Gospel music.

Deep Places

Psalms 135
6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

M. G. Easton Definition of Deep
Used to denote (1.) the grave or the abyss (Rom 10:7; Luk 8:31); (2.) the deepest part of the sea (Psa 69:15); (3.) the chaos mentioned in Gen 1:2; (4.) the bottomless pit, hell (Rev 9:1, Rev 9:2; Rev 11:7; Rev 20:13).

Question: Does the deep, seem real, in 2009?

More From Psalms 1357 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

It's almost like life is moving too fast to even ask the question. But to me, it's real....

Songs And Sin

Psalms 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

Here, the Jews sit by a Babyonian river, and mourn their fate, indulge their sorrows, and give vent to their grief. We should, once in awhile, take take time to give vent to such feelings. Note, these Jews did not have the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We, thank God, at such moments, do.....

Prayer
Lord Jesus, what have l done with my life? Have mercy on me, a sinner.

Song
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.