I love how Scripture is poignantly intentional to hit at the heart of the human condition. God designed us to be complete but when we allowed sin to entice and separate us from Him we became completely incomplete. We are all craving acceptance and identity and more often we define ourselves by what we do not have. I am not married, successful, loved, rich, or happy. What does God tell those who are lacking and incomplete? “‘Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,’ says the LORD.” Isaiah 54:1 God desires those who are incomplete to celebrate and sing for joy. Why is that? How can we sing for joy in the midst of our despair? Continue Reading…
Completely incomplete apart from God: Isaiah 54 and 55
And we will see the Lord in His glory: Isaiah 35
Are you broken and weary by the trials and trouble of life? Do you look upon your life and despair think that all hope is lost? I challenge you to aspire to hope again. “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.” Isaiah 35:1,2 Jesus Christ lives! That is your hope. You can never change the fact that Jesus gave up His life that you could live. Will you trust fully in His provision? Continue Reading…
A love between bride and bridegroom: Song of Solomon Summary
The words of Solomon recorded within Song of Solomon provide a poetical love song between Solomon and his bride. They both relish in each other and their love for each other is intoxicating and all consuming. It can be difficult to read through Song of Solomon because it can be very graphic as Solomon describes his love for his bride. In the midst of Song of Solomon there is a great picture of God’s love for His people contained in the view that Solomon has for his bride. God expressed such a great love for mankind when Jesus Christ died willingly on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world. It was a furiously passionate love that compelled God to restore the fellowship between mankind and Himself. Do you marveled at the wonderful love of God? Will you trust in the all sufficient power of God? Continue Reading…
Learn to love from the author of love: Song of Solomon 7 and 8
How does love effect us? Can love be controlled once it take root? “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.” Song of Solomon 8:6,7 When love takes over your thoughts it becomes all consuming. Once love is awakened it cannot be put out so the word of Solomon ring even truer, ”I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.” Song of Solomon 8:4 Have you stirred love before its proper time? Do you live with regret over your past actions? Will you trust the author of love to heal your hurts? Commit your way to God and trust in Him. Seek to love God and learn to know what true love is from the author of love. Continue Reading…
Experience the transformative love of God :Song of Solomon 5 and 6
Can you convey the love that you feel to the people around you? Can love be truly conveyed through words or speech? Love is contained within the summation of the heart, mind, soul, and strength. God has woven love into the fiber of our being because we were made in His image. ”I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. What is your beloved more than another beloved, O must beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us?” Song of Solomon 5:8,9 People cannot fully grasp the passion of true love unless they have first experienced such a love. We all long for the acceptance of true love but often a pale and shallow love is embraced before true love and fully blossom. Continue Reading…
What is true love, do you know Him: Song of Solomon 1 and 2
What is love? Does true love exist? Can we be worthy of love? Within Song of Solomon we are given a portrait of love. This love represented is between a bride and bridegroom. “My beloved speaks and says to me: ‘Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.’” Song of Solomon 2:10-13 How would you categorize the love expressed here? Is this love like the often casually expressed love seen throughout the world or is there a deeper passion evident? Continue Reading…
Our inherent need fulfilled in the sovereignty of God: Ecclesiastes 1 and 2
Solomon, the son of David, was imparted with great wisdom beyond measure. This king of Jerusalem did not lack anything in his life. This life of Solomon is truly what many people today are striving to obtain. If I could just have more money, family, friends, and fulfillment I would be complete. We desire to surround ourselves with items that promise satisfaction for our every desire. Will you listen to the words of the man who had everything? What did Solomon think of life? ”Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.” Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 The length and breadth of mans life is but a small ripple in the ocean of eternity. How do we reconcile the futility of our lives with the vastness of creation? What are we living for? Continue Reading…
God’s voice of wisdom calling out to you: Proverbs Summary
Wisdom abounds within the pages of Proverbs; no matter what circumstance you find yourself in you will find hope, direction, and help from the wisdom of Proverbs. Read through Proverbs and you will find that behind all of the experience and wisdom imparted there is a voice that is calling out for you to know it. The voice is that of God who is seeking to save you from your sinful existence. “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:3-7 Continue Reading…
Will you commit your way to the Lord and delight in Him: Proverbs 15 and 16
What does God see when He looks upon the lives of men? We make choices every moment of every day that give a clearcut perspective of who we are. ”The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good. A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit. A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.” Proverbs 15:3-5 Can we be sensible without the active grace of God working for our good? We are helpless apart from God’s interaction, participation, and direction in our lives. Do you fully comprehend the marvelous grace of God. Continue Reading…
The weight of hopelessness removed at the cross of Calvary: Psalm 139
What is the source of the inner hurt and pain that consumes your life? Do you ever think that no one cares about you or that no one has truly endured a life like your own? Deep down every person wants to know that there is someone who knows their hopes, dreams, fears, worries, pains, and desires. We search out someone who will fulfill that desire in our life and when we fail to find the perfect soul mate we turn to our idols to meet our needs. Do you feel a weight of hopelessness because no one is there to help you? Has everyone let you down and you dwell in a state of continual despair? Where can your hope be found? I can tell you today that there is someone who knows you better than you know yourself. God almighty the Lord of heaven and earth is the one that your are craving to know because He fully knows you. “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:1-4 Continue Reading…
