Tag: ecclesiastes

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Enjoy Life: From Meaningless to Meaningful

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Ecclesiastes 1 begins in a tale of hopelessness: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.  “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”  A strange beginning of my journey this year into taking to heart God’s word for me to “Enjoy” wouldn’t you say?  After hearing this guidance from Him in January I took to my Bible to find passages which would be key in supporting my success this year.  I found so many great scriptures such as:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians  3:23-24

One book, however, kept popping up – King Solomon’s study of the meaningless life – Ecclesiastes.  It’s not a book to tackle lightly.  In fact, when pastors and Bible teachers warn us about taking scripture out of context, I would venture to say two books might come to mind, both the book of Job and Ecclesiastes.  Wisdom is not always easily understood.  It uses metaphors, symbolism, parables, and logic.  Jesus, Himself, was prone to sometimes confusing bouts of wisdom instruction.  The disciples, in John 16, sounded relieved when they say to Jesus, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.” (Jn 16:29)  

But Ecclesiastes mentions “enjoy” throughout its pages.  In fact, you might say the entire book is figuring out how to enjoy this seemingly repetitive and mundane life.  Is it through knowledge?  Through wealth, food, drink, or other sensual pleasures?  Or maybe through wisdom – something God gifted King Solomon. This book’s sometimes confusing yet, intriguing study of life, drew me in wanting the keys to one of life’s greatest questions.  A question a new friend of mine said she googled just the other day, “What is the meaning of life?”

I hope you join me on this journey during the next 10 or 12 weeks as we let King Solomon’s in-depth look into the “meaningless” life work into our hearts and minds. I want to encourage you to read the entire book during the series. It’s 12 short chapters!  His truth-telling is sometimes raw and a little painful.  However, his honesty serves to strengthen our faith.  As Jesus once so famously admonished His disciples: 

“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  Matthew 6:25-26

In other words, love God and enjoy your life.

Enjoy Life: from meaningless to meaningful begins Monday, March 4.  Please encourage your friends and family to follow along by having them receive their weekly email post.  Sign up at Emboldened.net. 

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Treasures of God

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"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

Hello Friends! I’m currently working on my next series based on the book of Ecclesiastes. The idea was born of my word of the year, Enjoy. Enjoying every moment by seeking the Lord in every circumstance, whether good times or times of trial. 

In the meantime, I’ve joined a church Bible study group which will focus on the names of God. And as usual, the Lord is intertwining all my various times of study and prayer. The first name we looked at was Elohim, God the Creator of all things seen and unseen. In my longtime Bible study group we are digging deep into how our sins block spiritual revival. And lastly, in my devotional I’m learning how to grow in wisdom. Putting all these together I was struck with the concept that I need to remember who I belong to, who I was created by, and what my purpose is here on this earth. When I confess that I’m not in charge, God is, and when I remember that I was created in the image of God to do His will and give Him all glory, honor and power, it opens me up to spiritual revival.

Friend, you are a beloved son or daughter of God. You were created by Him through your earthly family. And even if that family has failed you we need to remember we are loved so immensely. None of us were created to go about our lives willy nilly placing our hopes and dreams in the idols of this world. When we realize that our sole purpose is to honor God the Creator, God the Sovereign Lord, we re-align our minds and hearts with the Holy Spirit.

I want to encourage you to sit in prayer during the next few days and ask God to reveal any roadblocks you have put up for receiving and surrendering to Him fully. Ask Him to help you remember who you belong to. Ask Him for a revival in your heart. Ask Him to make His will be done in your life. 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

One of the women in my church study group is a poet. She shared her amazing poem yesterday about being His beloved children. She gave me permission to share it with all of you. Enjoy.

Treasures of God’s Heart

By Jill Becker



I know I’m Your child, Lord, but what does that mean?

What treasures await me that I have not seen?

Many You’ve shown me, so many I know,

Others I let slip from my thoughts long ago.

You tell me of great things that You want to do,

Yet at times I take paths that I’ve chosen, not You.



Lord, since I am but clay, and You’re the wise Potter,

How could it be that You made me Your daughter?

You could have formed me into what I deserve:

A warped and cracked pot not even worthy to serve.

But You set me before You, Your grace made me able,

To be part of Your family and feast at Your table.



You sent for me Jesus, my Savior and Brother,

Who demonstrated love for mankind like no other.

He gave us His life, all that was heavens to give,

Then He sent forth His Spirit, so within me He lives.

Great riches He left me, those fit for a Royal,

No longer a pauper left to struggle and toil.



Amazing to me is what You’ve given beyond measure,

And more awesome than all is that I bring You pleasure.

You tell me I’m precious, the love of Your life,

A jewel set in this dark world to sparkle with your Light.

Lord, I know all that’s needed is mine for the taking,

To care for this beloved child of your making.



So, I’ll open the treasure chest to see what’s inside,

It is filled with God’s Word so I’ll grow and abide.

There are gems of Your mercy, Your faithfulness and more,

My heart and my mind can’t contain what’s in store.

For when I asked what it means to be a Daughter of the King,

My Father answered in one word, “O child, EVERYTHING!”
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Friendship

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Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;  Matthew 11:11

It’s been quite a few years but the period of time where I felt I had zero friends still brings a bit of sadness.  I was in the midst of mild depression, hormonal changes, medical issues and family changes.  As I evaluated the relationships I had outside my family I realized I lacked any true friends.  Many acquaintances, but no friends I could solidly rely upon.   There’s many of us that have gone through or are currently in that lonely place.   God, from the beginning, decided we shouldn’t be alone and when we are we feel that sense of incompleteness.

What I love about the quote from Jesus today is how He showed the world how much He loved and valued friendship.  Imagine a friend elevating you to such heights! When my youngest daughter went off to college she discovered this type of friendship.  I still remember the phone call when she told me she had finally realized what true, loving friendship means. 

“When she introduces me she starts out saying what an amazing writer I am and how talented I am.  She is so proud of me and excited to walk alongside me in life without jealousy or competition,” my daughter explained about her friend.  Isn’t that the type of friendship we all need?  Ones where we lift each other up and comfort each other when we are down?  People who jump at the chance to help us and just live life with us?  

If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:10

I’ve come a long way from that sad time in my life.  I turned to God and the Holy Spirit for help.  I asked for good women to come into my life and they have.  I’ve had to do a lot of work on my end – as God has revealed the reasons I was in that place to begin with.  I needed to learn to be the friend I desired to have.

Let’s thank God for giving us the yearning for friendship.  Let’s thank God for helping fill that yearning.  And although we are never truly alone because of our fellowship with the Almighty, He wants us in Christian fellowship to guide us in our sanctification journey.  Our first step is to ask Him to fulfill this need.  And then we need to go to work.

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Merciful Judge

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We are living in a time that the word “justice” seems to hold so many different meanings – at times almost opposite meanings.  “Justice” to some means punishing people for something they didn’t participate in and happened about 200 years ago.  To others it means being able to take what you want because you feel victimized.  In some cities, “justice” means releasing hundreds of people who are in jail for murder, rape, burglary and the like.  Some people judge in the blink of an eye based on a short video.  Others judge simply because they already didn’t like a person.   And yet others still believe in the idea of investigating a crime, bringing it to a court and evaluating all the facts before passing judgement.   I have a degree in Journalism and English.  I learned that passing judgement in the media was a no-no.  Somehow that lesson has disappeared from journalism school

We can’t seem to escape “un-just judgement” these days.  What you wear, what you drive, where you live, what your skin color is, if you have a college degree or if you are old or young, we are judged by our neighbors, our enemies and even our fellow Christians.  I recently posted on Instagram a picture of a surgical mask.  I stated, “This mask does not symbolize your: kindness, faith, politics, intelligence, wokeness or love.  It’s just a mask.”  The mask, as promoted by governmental officials, has become yet another way to be judged.  Our “Cancel Culture” is swift in its judgement and mercy is nowhere to be found.

Thank the Lord that His judgement is merciful.  I mean He has been trying for thousands and thousands of years to get the majority of humanity on board with His simple rule – Obey God.  He has yet to pass His mighty judgement over us.  It does feel as though that time is getting closer and closer, however.   

So often we want to take justice into our own hands.  But it’s important to understand the difference between daily justice that God calls us to and eternal justice.  At times we think we must step in for God – with acts of anger, revenge or spite.  God does not call us to scream a people in the streets. For one, I find most people screaming don’t actually know what “justice” they need or who should be held to account.  Rest assured that if it’s justice God wants you to accomplish you will have His peace.  Screaming in people’s faces and looting won’t be part of His plan for you.  As Jesus’ people, we are called to step in for the weak and downtrodden.  But we need not be the weak and downtrodden – because through Christ we are blessed and strengthened.  A Christian who obeys God is destined to experience hardship and suffering, but His love and mercy sustains us for greater work.  He asks us to judge others as we are judged by Him – with mercy and forgiveness.

Whether or not a person believes and accepts God and His Son, Jesus, he will still ultimately be judged in the eternal world.  We must believe that Truth.  

“I said to myself, ‘God will bring into judgement both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.’”  

Ecclesiastes 3:17

Until then, God gives us opportunity after opportunity through His mercy to change course.  I, for one, am thankful for the chance to continue my path of imperfect progress without the justice served I deserve each day.

How has God showed you His mercy? Share in praise of God today in the comments below!