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…
Learn to love from the author of love: Song of Solomon 7 and 8
What captivates your eyes and heart: Song of Solomon 3 and 4
The message of Solomon in Song of Solomon is direct and poignant about the quality of true love. The search for love is described as a passionate pursuit in chapter 3. ”On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not. The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. Have you seen him whom my soul loves? Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.” Song of Solomon 3:1-4 Continue Reading…
We live, breathe, and endure because of God’s will: Ecclesiastes 3 and 4
Popular culture reflects upon the word and wonder of God without acknowledging His hand at work in creation. In the song ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ by the Byrds they sing “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 The song by the Byrds is a melodic tune that easily gets caught in our minds but how often do we think about the true meaning to the words? What was Solomon imparting to us with these words in Ecclesiastes? 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…
Wisdom came to save mankind from the curse of sin: Proverbs 7 and 8
“With here many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life. Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths. for many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.” Proverbs 7:21-27 Sin brings about death. There is no way for us to escape the peril of our sinful condition through any action of our own. We are drawn into the snare of sin that captures our heart, mind, soul and strength. We must run away from the death but as we run we find ourselves completely trapped. Continue Reading…
What provisions have you made for your journey through life: Proverbs 5 and 6
The exhortation of Solomon bestowed to us in Proverbs 5 and 6 continues his plea and call for mankind to regard wisdom and know the peril of sin. Sin is seductive and very pleasing to our eyes. Sin tells us that we can claim whatever we desire at any moment if we just follow our own selfish desires. Solomon presents another voice that we can listen to and this voice is not at the outset as appealing but hope and sustenance are found by heeding this voice. Do you desire to follow your sinful lusts or the quiet steadfast voice of wisdom. “For the lips of and adulteress drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword… Now then, my sons, listen to me and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house.” Proverbs 5:3,4,7,8 There are two forces in this world that desire us wholeheartedly. Will you follow the path of sin and death or will you choose to submit your life to God and trust in true wisdom to save you. Continue Reading…
Are you counted among the wise or the foolish of this world: Proverbs 1 and 2
Life is a journey filled with moments of wisdom and insight built upon our collective successes and failures. We are consistently learning about life by the situations we encounter, our reactions, and the consequences we experience. Our parents often tell us to not do a particular thing because it will not be good for us. Did you heed your parents advice or did you follow your own insights right into calamity? How did our parents know that these circumstances were perilous for us? Whether we knew it or not wisdom was being imparted from our parents when they encouraged us to inaction or action. Did you embrace the wisdom of your parents and the elders in your life? Where does wisdom come from? Continue Reading…
Beloved of God, will you rest in His sufficiency: Psalm 127
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31 Is your outlook of life governed by your focus on God? Are the actions of your life enveloped by an inclusive relationship with God? Solomon’s God given wisdom expressed in Psalm 127 realizes that whatever we choose to do we can never exist apart from God. Have you built your life upon you skills and knowledge or have you abdicated the throne of your life to God? “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He fives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:1,2 Have you worked in vain throughout your life? Have you worried in vain about what the future holds? Beloved of God, will you rest in His sufficiency? God is always able and the work He begins will continue until its completion. Will the glory of God be your motivation today? Continue Reading…
Hope, help and happiness restored: Psalm 39
In Psalm 39 David observes the the futility of life and is compelled to plead for God’s help. The thoughts expressed by David are similar to Solomon’s expression of life in Ecclesiastes. There is no meaning to life apart from a relationship with God. All the material wealth we scurry after is completely worthless and has no lasting value. We by nature are inherently frail beings that are only on earth for a brief moment. The works of our hands are meaningless as we toil to build monuments to our greatness. The weight of our fleeting existence bears down upon us causing us to lose hope, help and happiness. Continue Reading…
Visit to find wisdom and a nation asunder: 2 Chronicles 9 and 10
In 2 Chronicles 9 and 10 the stories from 1 Kings 9 through 11 are retold. You have the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon because of his wisdom. I thought is was interesting how she needed to witness his wisdom firsthand with her own senses before she would believe it existed? The rumor of Solomon’s great wisdom proved to pale in comparison to the reality the queen found leaving her breathless. Why are the faults of Solomon left out as he is described in 2 Chronicles? We see the greatness and wisdom of Solomon but It does not speak of his ravenous lust for women which lead towards his downfall. Why the emphasis on the positive side of his life? Chapter 10 recounts the nation of Israel splitting into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and the rest of 2 Chronicles will follow the story of the kingdom of Judah. Continue Reading…
