Wisdom

The Bottom of the Glass

Dan

It has been my observation while reading Ecclesiastes that Solomon struggled to find meaning in Life. He had the resources to explore a wide range of avenues looking for wisdom and meaning. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 Solomon leaps into the fray with the following observation, “I said to myself ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ But that also proved to be meaningless. ‘Laughter,’ I said, is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish? I tried cheering myself with wine and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.” [NIV]

Solomon was struggling, trying to put his finger on the nature of wisdom and the fullness of meaning in his life. He tried pleasure (a form of hedonism) to determine if there was something to be learned. He pursued anything he wanted, any woman, any object, any experience. Nothing was out of bounds for the king. Yet this failed. Both pleasure and laughter were unable to calm the angst in his heart as he searched for peace and meaning in life.

He filled up vessel after vessel with wine, hoping the buzz would dull the angst. As many people do, he looked for wisdom at the bottom of an empty glass. Finding none, he turned to other things, see Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 “I undertook great projects: I built houses … planted vineyards … planted all kinds of fruit trees … made reservoirs … owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem … I amassed silver and gold …. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me …. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” [NIV]

 So, what happened? He had achieved all we could imagine when defining success. He had money, possessions, power, prestige, and pleasure. He had it all, and he had done it all “for himself.” There was a reason he struggled to find purpose. This reason was simple – God was not part of the plan, rather Solomon was busy working on self, building for self, looking for satisfaction of self with little regard to the negative impact on others (effort and taxes of the common folk to build stuff) or benefit to anyone else but himself. 

He learns the hard way that leisure and entertainment are not valuable to anyone including himself if there is no intent or external goal associated with the effort. It is not enough to see a new thing, do a new thing, or experience a new thing; if all we are accomplishing is the receipt of something, then we are left with angst.

Giving is not just a mantra, it is central to the way we are made, the way we think, the way we find meaning in life. When we think of others before self our angst begins to dissipate. When we give to others, our angst begins to dissipate. As a man thinks – a Man is (implied in Proverbs 23:7). As the Father gave to us – we are designed to give to others. After all, we are created in his image. Giving only to self is counterproductive to who we are, why we are, how we are designed to function.

What do we do? Isaiah 43:6-7 says, “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” [NIV]

What do we do? We respond to the call!

I choose Jesus.

There is a Time for Everything

Dan

It was my observation while reading Ecclesiastes chapter 3, that Pete Seeger created the song ‘Turn Turn Turn’ from the first 8 verses. Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”[NIV]

It is clear there is a plan for us, a plan that has been in place for eons, a plan that includes ebbs and flow of life events, a plan that carries us from birth to death. This plan was built from God’s foreknowledge, (God’s awareness of our choices and decision nuances), he integrates our free will decisions with His goals and forms the plan. Solomon pens the ebbs and flow of life in the context of God’s plan for us. We read about the rhythms of joy and sorrow, tearing down and building, scattering things and gathering things all playing out in our life and the life of our community.

Everyone reading this essay knows that life is full of turns. Not all the turns lead us to smooth waters. Some lead right through the valley of death, complete with tragedy and deep troubles. We know that God provides comfort and protection, but the bumpy road remains. Not all death means the termination of human Life. The death may be of things that matter, or relationships, or feelings, or other things. He uses these troubles to draw us over, around, or through walls that keep us from a deeper trust of his love for us. He uses events (good and bad) to strengthen our character.

There is more — Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 3:11) “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” I think that we know about some things, but there is much knowledge that God keeps tucked away, out of our reach. Human wisdom is real, is true, and extremely useful, but it is built on a limited knowledge structure – the things and ways he chooses to reveal to us. But, for sure, there is not one thing that we can know or ever know apart from God. Everything we experience, encounter, embrace – the good and the bad – is allowed from God. We discover things, we experience all that life brings us and we find trust. His timing is his business; in the end his timing reflects His glory.

Solomon says (Ecclesiastes 3:12-14) “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to His plan, and nothing taken from His plan.” I think — if we knew everything that God knew it would create a burden that could not be carried. Consider the initial shock that Adam felt after they realized they were being evicted from Eden – I bet it took a while to adapt to their new surroundings. They had two sons, one of the sons killed the other son. This early example of evil is difficult to assimilate. How did things get so far out of control so quickly? I suspect this is why so much is hidden from us.

Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are amazing blessings that are gifted from God to us. With Jesus, hope abounds. We can face a myriad of experiences (good and bad) with hope, knowing we are secure in his grace. I really like the song ‘Turn Turn Turn’. Solomon wrote the lyrics long ago; the 1965 ‘Byrds’ recording holds the distinction of being the oldest known lyric for a #1 U.S. hit on the pop chart. But I think God’s Grace is infinitely better. I choose Jesus.

A Still Small Voice

Dan

It has been my observation while trying to make sense of the Book of Job that sometimes God speaks to us with an audible voice, a whirlwind, an angel, a prophet, or a dream. He even writes stuff on a wall (Daniel 5). If we hear an audible or see a big sign, we feel more confident stepping out – we will follow the plan. When he is subtle, we can often get timid. It is easy to doubt what we are hearing. For sure we need to confirm all messages with scripture, but the truth is simple – God speaks in the way he decides is best for the specific situation. We are wise to trust his judgement.

We all experience confusing circumstances (1 John 4:1). Sometimes we just want God to send a text message to tell us what to do. Maybe you feel far from God and want Him to reach out to reassure you He is still there. Maybe you have heard people say the God of the Bible is personal, but you have never interacted with God before and wonder how to begin. The one true living God communicates with each of us.

This communication mode is central to the notion we are created in the Image of God. He always reaches out in the way that is best for us and best for the circumstances we are in (implied in Psalms 143:8). However, never assume he will communicate on your timetable. When you say something to another person, we wait for a response. If nothing ensues, we rapidly follow up – Did you hear me? What say you? Yet when talking with God, a timetable and polite responding is not part of the game. The communication plan is his, the schedule to communicate is his, the message is his. We are told to rest and be still. Wait. Help is coming!

So how does God speak to us? On the night Jesus was arrested, He spoke to His closest friends. He knew that He was going to return to His Father (implied in Matthew 26:47-56). His friends, the disciples, had spent several years with Jesus every day. They never struggled to hear His voice. But this was changing. Soon, His disciples would need guidance every day to make decisions about where to go and what to do next.

Jesus told his disciples — I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own authority; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:12-15). The comm plan emerges! And the wait begins. They barely understood what the spirit of truth was all about. But they waited. They trusted Jesus to do what he planned on his timetable.

Fast forward to now – after the second chapter of Acts (the arrival of the Holy Spirit is documented in Acts 2). The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life changes everything about hearing God’s voice. His presence delivers complete confidence that He lives within you and is always ready to deliver guidance. The Holy Spirit is our communications portal.

We read in 1 Corinthians 2:9-13 a description of the communication portal — What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love himthese are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. [NIV]

However, if we are not focused on God regularly, it is implausible to expect clear communication. God often speaks through the Bible. He uses scripture (coupled with insight from the Holy Spirit) to help us live the life we are called to live (implied in 2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible is full of lessons, experiences with God, wisdom, truth, and the message you need to hear to enhance and give direction to our ‘walk with God.’ Reading scripture on a regular basis is paramount. Getting to know the message is paramount. Learning the vocabulary of God is paramount. The message we hear will always align with Scripture.

Studying the Bible, spending time in prayer, and talking with other followers of Jesus are not just part of our to-do list – these actions are paramount. God encourages us to do these things because they help us to learn about His character and learn to recognize His guidance. However, I would be remiss if I did not say in clear language — If you think you have heard God speak to you, but it seems to be inconsistent with scripture, it is unlikely the message you heard came from Him. Pay attention, verify, then act on the message (implied in 1 John 4:1). Do not let Lucifer or your imagination get you into trouble.

AW Tozer said – the voice of God is a friendly unassuming voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it… Whoever listens will hear [God in Heaven speaking].

I think we are incredibly blessed be in contact with the one true living God. The more I learn and write about his attributes the more astonishing I find his attentiveness to our personal needs. Words fail me. We worship a God with undefinable range and power. Then comes us; finite and incredibly frail – needy. Goodness. I am prostrate on the floor. No place else to be. No words left except…

I choose Jesus.

Do not be Hasty!

Dan

It has been my observation while reading Solomon’s thoughtful epistle Ecclesiastes, he recommends we guard our steps when we enter the house of God to worship. Being near to each other in corporate worship helps us to draw from the common expression of adoration towards Elohim by the community of God. On Sunday morning we move about with quiet expectation, we allow the lion within us to sing, but also to listen, we avoid haste and lack of self-control in our heart, guarding and measuring our thoughts before we utter anything to God. Please understand, He is close, not because we are in the House of God, but because He is close 24/7. He hears our thoughts even before we think them, he surrounds us with his presence; Under his protection, we rest and lean into his shelter. We are wise to let him envelop our worship, and then, in that framework, offer up a respectful sacrifice of praise, embracing and expressing the fear of God (massive respect for the formidable nature of God) in our worship.

Solomon writes — Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:1-3).  

Solomon’s focus is to guide us away from the world, by showing us the vanity of human-ness, we find the path to God and to our calling, that we may not walk in the way of the world, but by God’s will, nor depend upon the wealth of the world, but focus on prayer, praise, worship and doing the will of God for others. This is why we linger with the community of God; this is why we listen more and talk less.

Consider the fact that Solomon is nudging us towards the House of God; our place of public worship, created by men and women – at God’s direction. Notice in Ecclesiastes that Solomon reflects with regret on much of his life activities (implied in Ecclesiastes 2:4) claiming they were meaningless. I do not recall Solomon regretting creating God’s House, rather he indirectly reflected on God’s House with pleasure, completing the task his father David had assigned years earlier. This observation is not openly discussed in Solomon’s epistle lest it appear to be a point of pride. I think he did find quiet pleasure in building this focal point for the community to gather and worship the one true living God. Some things do not need to be spoken about in detail to be clear.

When David was anxious or confused, he went into the sanctuary of God. David wrote — If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood (Psalms 73:15-17).

We read in Proverbs – Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way (Proverbs 19:2). We should render our approach to the one true living God with a quiet pause, take time to compose our heart, avoiding carelessness and haste with our feet. During worship preparation we should harness our thoughts from roving and wandering from the task; for when we worship the one true living God – our sacrifice should be an all-encompassing effort. Some think this level of worship embodies the request from God for Moses and Joshua to put off their shoes (Exodus 3:2-6, Joshua 5:13-15) as a sign of subjection and reverence. I suggest you keep your feet clean (Exodus 30:17-21).

The Deeper Truth is — our sacrifice should not be the sacrifice of fools, that we bring our passive attention, lame thoughts, and careless words (implied Proverbs 15:7-9). We should not bring second best to the table, we should not revel in the sign, ceremony, and performance, without embracing the sense and full meaning of it, for that would be the sacrifice of fools not the sacrifice of praise.

You all know I am a musician; I have spent considerable time on worship teams; I have struggled with this. But, in the end, God accepts our meager offerings. He knows we are broken people who bring a ‘less than perfect worship’ to his alter. If our heart is in the right place, God’s mercy washes over all our failure and brings the true worship to surface. We are blessed to have permission to enter into the temple. Embrace it. Humble yourself and worship the one true living God…

I choose Jesus.

Do Not Be Hasty

Dan

It has been my observation while reading Solomon’s thoughtful epistle Ecclesiastes, he recommends we guard our steps when we enter the house of God to worship. Being near to each other in corporate worship helps us to draw from the common expression of adoration towards Elohim by the community of God. On Sunday morning we move about with quiet expectation, we allow the lion within us to sing, but also to listen, we avoid haste and lack of self-control in our heart, guarding and measuring our thoughts before we utter anything to God. Please understand, He is close, not because we are in the House of God, but because He is close 24/7. He hears our thoughts even before we think them, he surrounds us with his presence; Under his protection, we rest and lean into his shelter. We are wise to let him envelop our worship, and then, in that framework, offer up a respectful sacrifice of praise, embracing and expressing the fear of God (massive respect for the formidable nature of God) in our worship.

Solomon writes — Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:1-3).  

Solomon’s focus is to guide us away from the world, by showing us the vanity of human-ness, we find the path to God and to our calling, that we may not walk in the way of the world, but by God’s will, nor depend upon the wealth of the world, but focus on prayer, praise, worship and doing the will of God for others. This is why we linger with the community of God; this is why we listen more and talk less.

Consider the fact that Solomon is nudging us towards the House of God; our place of public worship, created by men and women – at God’s direction. Notice in Ecclesiastes that Solomon reflects with regret on much of his life activities (implied in Ecclesiastes 2:4) claiming they were meaningless. I do not recall Solomon regretting creating God’s House, rather he indirectly reflected on God’s House with pleasure, completing the task his father David had assigned years earlier. This observation is not openly discussed in Solomon’s epistle lest it appear to be a point of pride. I think he did find quiet pleasure in building this focal point for the community to gather and worship the one true living God. Some things do not need to be spoken about in detail to be clear.

When David was anxious or confused, he went into the sanctuary of God. David wrote — If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood (Psalms 73:15-17).

We read in Proverbs – Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way (Proverbs 19:2). We should render our approach to the one true living God with a quiet pause, take time to compose our heart, avoiding carelessness and haste with our feet. During worship preparation we should harness our thoughts from roving and wandering from the task; for when we worship the one true living God – our sacrifice should be an all-encompassing effort. Some think this level of worship embodies the request from God for Moses and Joshua to put off their shoes (Exodus 3:2-6, Joshua 5:13-15) as a sign of subjection and reverence. I suggest you keep your feet clean (Exodus 30:17-21).

The Deeper Truth is — our sacrifice should not be the sacrifice of fools, that we bring our passive attention, lame thoughts, and careless words (implied Proverbs 15:7-9). We should not bring second best to the table, we should not revel in the sign, ceremony, and performance, without embracing the sense and full meaning of it, for that would be the sacrifice of fools not the sacrifice of praise.

You all know I am a musician; I have spent considerable time on worship teams; I have struggled with this. But, in the end, God accepts our meager offerings. He knows we are broken people who bring a ‘less than perfect worship’ to his alter. If our heart is in the right place, God’s mercy washes over all our failure and brings the true worship to surface. We are blessed to have permission to enter into the temple. Embrace it. Humble yourself and worship the one true living God…

I choose Jesus.

Learning God-Speak is Important

Dan

It has been my observation that Deuteronomy 30:14 can be approached from two different viewpoints. Let us look at this interesting passage. Moses said — The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it (Deuteronomy 30:14).

Viewpoint One — Moses is telling us the Word of God (scripture) is close to our heart, we should speak scripture all through the day when we interact with others, and we need to yield to the wisdom of scripture.

Viewpoint Two — builds on an alternate meaning of the term ‘the word’. We could view ‘the word’ as a veiled reference to Jesus. With this alternate view, Moses is telling is that God is extremely near us and God speaks through us and controls our actions.

I think there are elements of truth in both viewpoints. Within the historical context of the verse, the first viewpoint is the right choice. The viewpoints are remarkably similar but not identical. It is here that I begin this essay. Our understanding of scripture is directly related to our understanding of scriptural terms. The more we learn about the individual words and phrases used in the bible to build verses, the easier it is for us to learn the meaning of a verse.

We start with individual words, we progress to verses, we expand to passages (multiple adjacent verses) and then we learn the message in a chapter and how the chapter fits into a book. Finally, we look at how the message in the book or letter fits into the new covenant.

We learn to read by learning how to talk in conversations. Talking with others helps us learn the varied meaning of each word we speak. Then we learn how sentences work. Finally, we learn how to recognize the words we speak on a printed page. Similarly, we can view scripture as a collection of books, then a collection of chapters, then verses, and a verse as a collection of words, with each word rich in meaning.

We go to a Bible study, such as our men’s group on Saturday morning, and we listen, we talk, and we share ideas. Someone brings up a subject or comments on an experience they have had through the week. Others bring God’s word into focus on that subject. We call this iron sharpening iron. But the question is — if the person who is offering advice uses the language that no one understands, how can we expect that the person who is hearing the message to understand anything that was said?

This is where vocabulary plays a role. It is necessary for a person who is an expert in economics to learn the vocabulary of the economist so they can communicate with other economists. It is not that economics is a particularly challenging science, it is not. However, the ‘economic vocabulary’ presents a considerable wall to climb if we want to comfortably communicate with an economist. The same is true in the medical field, they have a very precise vocabulary used to communicate succinctly when they are dealing with colleagues. To communicate with a doctor and the hospital staff — it is necessary to overcome the language barrier and the technology barrier. Once you get over these two walls, you can properly converse with nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals.

Scripture is the same way. There is a language wall you are asked to climb, a vocabulary of biblical terms. Learning the meaning of the terms in scripture matters. When it comes to studying scripture, our technology wall is built from things like a Bible dictionary, reference Bible, concordance, and commentary. Recently, electronic search tools for the web have entered the fray. Studying God’s Word is a form of prayer, but rest assured, it is interactive. You think about stuff, you ruminate on the word, you do some homework, you talk with others, you ponder how to apply the word. The Holy Spirit guides this effort, He writes the word on your heart. We learn by doing. Our craftsman friends say –Measure twice, cut once. You are wise to read a lot, take your time, and then gradually develop your viewpoints. Learning ‘God Speak’ helps the learning process go a little easier.

I choose Jesus.

A Basket of Fruit

Dan

It was my observation in Galatians 5:22–23, Paul points us to help, he says — But the fruit of the Spirit is…  What follows that initial statement are nine characteristics of the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of a believer. The nine characteristics are part of a unified package. A believer does not have some and not others, though their relative strength may vary based upon our yielding to the Holy Spirit. What is the package of fruit comprised of?

Love is poured into our hearts (Romans 5:5). The Greek word is agape. This is a responsive love that evokes in us a love for God and a desire to please Him, guard our family, help our neighbor – always putting their needs in front of our needs (Galatians 5:13). Worship, serious surrender, and obedience are the core of pleasing Him. I think that the other eight fruits are focused expressions of agape.

Joy emerges from of God’s mercy and kindness to us. It cements an anchor in our life that keeps us from being swayed by the winds of change and trouble. We rise above drama, hard times, and circumstances that stand in front of us beckoning our attention. Unlike happiness, its ‘wanna be’ equivalent from human logic, joy does not depend on favorable circumstances. Joy just is.

Peace is resting on the one true living God’s lap, not just the absence of combat. Tranquility abounds in our heart, even if we are standing in a Hurricane, pushed to our limits to stand tall. The firm grounding, no matter the situation is rooted in God’s power, mercy, and the absolute iron clad awareness he will keep his word. He is the center post of peace. We are blessed to be sheltered by his peace.

Patience comes when we can see life through God’s eye. His eye sees beyond the ‘here and now’, to the cause and effects of actions (or reactions). Patient people are not easily offended or riled by drama or circumstances. They see God in everything, action, reaction. Kindness is our response to everything. We love the unlovable and treat them with kindness no matter what drama they bring to our life. Kindness is persistent, it resists harshness and unpleasant behavior by seeing God in the moment.

Goodness helps form the outcome from cumulated effort of joy, peace, patience, and kindness. Goodness in our actions is an expression of moral excellence. We do things with no expectation of any return. Faithfulness is all about being a person who can be trusted. We stand on the truth, speak the truth, defend the truth. We are dependable, reliable, and live a quiet life. Gentleness is not the absence of strength, it is not arrogance, it is not bullying, it is measured, controlled actions to achieve desired outcomes; it is considerate and measured in when enthralled in drama.

Self-control speaks to both the mind and the body. It centers observing, assessing, and thinking first and then doing second. It applies to all things we think, speak, and do. It represents exercising control over our passions – no matter what they may be.

Oh my. That is a very tall list of behavioral management tools. Who can do this? How? The answer is – more of God less of us. The more we give the Holy Spirit control, the easier it becomes for God to work his gentle control in our life. To be sure, we need to want the Fruit. But we have the helper, the Spirit of God to bring the fruit to the foreground of our daily thoughts, speech, and actions.

The fruit is a spiritual event, it happens over and over, every day of our life; it grows gently in our heart, maturing over time. The fruit has both a personal impact and a community impact. God brings these tools into the community life so we can find ways to get along, no matter what is happening around us.

I choose Jesus.