Time with Jesus - Thursday, 10 May
2012
Hi all,
King Solomon is often referred
to as the “author” of the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs, sometimes
called Canticles. It is said he wrote Song of Songs as a young man, Proverbs in
mid-life and Ecclesiastes when he was old; true or false? Probably a bit of
both. I’ve always struggled with the fact that anyone as wise as he was
reported to be would have 700 wives and 300 concubines. That sounds like
madness rather than wisdom!
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Time with Jesus – Thursday, 10 May 2012
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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ABSOLUTELY
POINTLESS?
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During my first few months of being a Christian I
had a number of questions. What had I let myself into? How do I know that
it’s true? How can I be sure of Jesus Christ and His salvation?
My biggest problem was that every time I had a
question; someone would open the Bible and read. It was rather frustrating. I
felt like interrupting and saying, “So what?” To me they were reading words
from an old book that had little relevance for an eighteen year old male.
It took me about six months to find out that the
Bible was God’s Word. But that didn’t provide the complete answer. I quickly
found the Bible contained God’s Word. But which were written by men and which
by Him?
It took me about a year to realise that It was all
God’s Word. Then I started struggling with some of the things in His Word.
Why were they there? What purpose were they there for? In particular, what
about Ecclesiastes (Ecc) and Song of Solomon (SoS)? Ecc sounded like the
moans and groans of an old and disappointed man. As for SoS, I thought it a
bit too “racy” to be there anyway. How does a young man deal with such
questions? I assumed that these books were included for reasons that would be
apparent as I grew in my walk with God.
As a complication, back in those days, many
Christians were into what I termed, “Shotgun Theology” Texts would be
referred to that didn’t seem consistent with the overall content. For example
Paul wrote, 13 I can do all things
through Christ which strengthens me. Philippians
4:13 KJV
Then a rather crazy thought occurred to me. I can’t
fall pregnant. Men can’t do that. So here was something that didn’t apply.
Then I found out that nothing can change the past. Also, I’m not a brain surgeon.
I can’t do brain surgery tomorrow! So what was this passage all about? So I
read the entire passage and found that Paul was talking about financial matters.
Suddenly the verse made sense.
These thoughts took me back to SoS. By then I’d
grown a bit and found that it was a delightful love story about a man and a
woman. An allegory on the relationship between Jesus and His Bride. I hadn’t
realised that the Lord can love me physically and passionately.
Then I looked again at Ecc; I was bit older and started
to see the tragedy of an old man who had been sufficiently wealthy to have
been able to afford whatever he wanted. He tried them all. Sex, Power and
Wisdom. None of them brought contentment. Solomon was the wealthiest King who
has ever lived. He tried to find satisfaction in life, in the pursuit of
women. 3 He had 700 wives who were
princesses and 300 wives who were concubines.1 Kings 11:3 GW As
far as wisdom is concerned: 29 God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding,
and knowledge as vast as the sands of the
seashore.1 Kings 4:29 NLT King Solomon
concludes Ecc with the following: 13 That's
the whole story. Here now is my final
conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands,
for this is everyone's duty. Ecclesiastes
12:13 NLT Now I’m convinced that God’s Word is the inerrant truth.
Read and understand. You will never go wrong!
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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1 The words
of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem. 2 "Absolutely
pointless!" says the spokesman. "Absolutely
pointless! Everything is pointless."
Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 GW
9 You have been angry with us all of our days. We groan as we come to the end of our lives. 10 We live to be about 70.
Or we may live to be 80, if we stay healthy. But all that time is filled with
trouble and sorrow. The years quickly pass, and we are gone.
Psalms 90:9-10 NIrV
19 If only for this life
we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all others.
1 Corinthians 15:19 TNIV
14 We don't have a
permanent city here on earth, but we are looking for the city that we will
have in the future.
Hebrews 13:14 GW
6 "I am the LORD, and
I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already
destroyed.
Malachi 3:6 NLT
20 But our citizenship is
in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who will transform our
lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even
to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:20-21 ESV
20 For the creation was
subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one
who subjected it, in hope
Romans 8:20 TNIV
8 Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 GW
8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and
were covered with eyes, inside and out. Without stopping day or night they
were singing, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming." 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor,
and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, to the one who lives forever
and ever, 10 the
24 leaders bow in front of the one who sits on the throne and worship the one
who lives forever and ever. They place their crowns in front of the throne
and say, 11 "Our Lord and God, you deserve to receive
glory, honour, and power because you created everything. Everything came into
existence and was created because of your will."
Revelation 4:8-11 GW
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Absolutely pointless; It isn’t worth a
dime!
It isn’t going anywhere; and all of
space and time,
Are nothing but a journey from the
cradle to the grave.
It makes so little difference if you
spend, or if you save.
Life is filled with nothing. We may
live eighty years.
They’re over in an instant and filled with
grief and tears.
No sooner have we started than we are
dead and gone,
And wonder if there’s purpose for us
to carry on?
This is the normal attitude of those outside
of Christ.
For them life is a lottery, that’s far
too highly priced.
They’re never going to win it and even
if they did,
They’d squander it, or wasted it and
rapidly get rid,
Of every cent of winnings until they’d
lost the lot;
And brood about what might have been
if only they had not!
But those who’ve come to Jesus and
made Him Lord of all,
Find things not so pointless and life can
be a ball.
They’ll still have lots of trouble,
for they are not exempt,
To that which Satan’s demons would
bring to them; to tempt
And push them into foolishness and
knock them off their feet.
But if they stick with Jesus, then
Satan will be beat.
We have to change our attitude and
also, redefine,
The way we look at money in the light
of Christ Divine.
We have to see we’re citizens of
heaven, not the earth.
We have to know the glory of the
Christian’s second birth.
The city we are living in, while we
are still down here,
Will ultimately crumble and then will
disappear.
Our city is not permanent. We look for
one to come.
The lovely New Jerusalem, without a
single slum!
To be with Him Who’s changeless and be
conformed to Him;
To see Creation deathless; not subject
to the whim,
Of some religious monster who hates
what God has made.
To live in an environment where no one
is afraid.
Free from interference by the devil
and his crew.
To worship
God forever with everything made new;
To join the living creatures and sing
“Holy is the Lord”
To be alive in Jesus and never once
feel bored.
It never will be pointless to give the
Master praise;
For He gives inspiration, in so many
different ways.
Jim Strickland – Written 10th May 2012
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