Ambrose Brothers

I Got It All, Yet I Have Nothing

Ecclesiastes 6:1-6

Is this study beginning to sound like a broker record?  Solomon is still struggling with the things he has found with all his unsurpassed  wisdom.  Meaningless, a chasing after the wind, futile, pointless  are all words we have already seen used to describe our short lives on this Earth.

Today's passage again focuses on riches and possessions.  Things in life that God choses to blessed us with, yet if we use them to try to find satisfaction we will be greatly disappointed.  Solomon actually states it would better for a man to be stillborn than to go through life without satisfaction in what he has.  This passage describes how miserable a life is when we are never satisfied with God's blessings. 

During a Bible study I was in this morning I read a verse that fits perfectly with this passage.  Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

What Paul had learned, was what Solomon was speaking of.  It doesn't  matter the things we have, or the things we lack.  What matters is our relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is our relationship with the Almighty Creator.  The one who gives us each blessing, the one who created us out of His love, and died on the cross out of His love, and conquered death because of His love for us.  Our satisfaction, comes from our relationship with Him.

If we are walking right with God, it will not matter what we acquire here on earth, because or focus in on eternity.  We will be content with much, as well as little.  Whether we drive a Lexus, or a Escort.  Our satisfaction is in knowing Jesus Christ.  Not simply knowing of Him, but Knowing Him as you savior.

Action step for today.  Look around at your life.  Take a quick survey of the things God has blessed you with.  Your house or apartment, or whatever roof is over your head.  The food you eat. The steak and lobster, or the Ramen Noodles.  Stop and thank God for the things He has blessed you with.  And be satisfied with it. 

Lasting Comfort

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

In Ecclesiastes chapter 4 Solomon continues his complaining about things that just are not fair.  He takes a look at those who are in oppression and had no comforter.  It just did not seem right.  This is an interesting thought.  Who has no comfort?  Is it possible to find comfort during difficult trials and struggles?  Where does comfort come from?  Well let's jump ahead into the New Testament. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

In life there are really only two types of people.  There is only one big issue that separates us as human beings.   We can debate  a million different issues,  go round and round on the details.  But really what it all boils down to is there are those who know God, and those who don't.  Isn't that really what separates us?  Not race, or location, or blue collar, white collar. 

When we face hard times, those who don't know God will have no hope, no joy, no comfort, because everything in their lives that used to hold all those things has now fallen apart.  Those who know God their hope is built in things that are eternal.  The hope of eternity in Heaven.  The joy of salvation, the peace that what ever happens in this world will some day be over and we will spend eternity in a place of perfection.

Solomon concludes in Verse 2 that "the dead who had already died are happier than the living"  Amen and Hallelujah he is right.  In Philippians 1:21 Paul writes " For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  For those that know God, and have trusted Jesus Christ as their savior, it is far better for us to die, than continue with the struggles we face here on earth.  And we find comfort knowing that someday we will.  But what about those who don't know God, and have never trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior?  They are left uncomforted, with a death that will be far worse than any oppression one could face on Earth.

Action step for today.  Figure out where you have been receiving your comfort.  Is it in things that can be taken away?  Or is it the Truth of Knowing God and Jesus Christ as your savior.  Once you figure that out, take the following steps.

1)  If your comfort is in things that will pass, find the Truth that Jesus Christ is.  admit that you are a sinner and in need of Salvation.  Repent which means turn away from the things you know are wrong, and start walking toward Christ.

2)  If your comfort already comes from your of knowing of God, and you have already trusted Jesus as your savior, then start living like it.  Stop walking around like those who have no comfort, start walking in victory.  Start living what you say you believe!

Complete with Fear

About a month ago I had my first peace of short fiction picked up for publication. It’s been a very exciting time for me with that. Not only because it’s my first piece to be published, but also one of the few works I’ve completed. Now I’ve been writing for a number of years; since my early high school days to say the least. I’ve worked on everything from autobiographies and devotional booklets to epic fantasy and space opera. I have the first chapter and outlines of books all over the place. Yet I could probably count everything I’ve completed on one hand, and in those, none more then a few thousand words long.

Isn’t it good to know that God never leaves a work unfinished? Gods will always complete what he starts. This in part is what Solomon is happy for in today’s reading; Ecclesiastes 3: 9-15. In many ways today’s passage looks like Chapter 2 verses 24-26, again Solomon says "that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God."

But he goes on from that thought with some thoughts on God. Verse 14 says;

"I know that whatever God does,
       It shall be forever.
       Nothing can be added to it,
       And nothing taken from it.
       God does it, that men should fear before Him."

Here Solomon adds some truths about God, that he hasn’t done prior to this in Ecclesiastes. He shares with us that everything God does is Eternal. It is complete nothing can be added to it, nothing can be taken away. What peace we can take in these verses. It brings me back to Philippians 1:6 "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ". If God has truly started a work in you, it will be forever, he will complete these things. Life will hit us hard, sometimes we will stumble, sometimes we will fall, and sometimes we must continue to crawl towards our Lord. But he will give us the strength to do just that. He will not abandon us.

Verse 14 ends with the phrase that men should fear before him. Sometimes when we think of fear we get the idea of running scared, yet this speaks more of a healthy respect, to be in awe of the Lord if you like. A healthy fear of the Lord is a call of reverence and worship of our God. This view of God, sits against Solomon’s earlier of man, as pitiful and wholly inadequate apart from the Lord.

In today’s church we often leave out the fear of the Lord. God is reduced to someone’s "Daddy" or the more popular slogan where Christ is referred to as someone’s "Homeboy" God the all powerful creator of the Universe, who holds all things in his hands is more the your "Daddy". And Christ who came, bled, suffered, and died all well experiencing all trials and temptations and remaining sinless; who did this all so you may have eternal life, is more then your "homeboy".

I guess it’s probably time to get of my soapbox on that little issue. But let me offer you this action point today. Let us step back and get a healthy dose of "fear" of the Lord. Let us go to Him humbly and with respect and awe for who He is and what He has done. God loves us, and as we see again in verse 13 He wants us to enjoy those things He has given us, but let us remember apart from him we are nothing. Jesus Christ is so much more then you’re Homeboy. Your homeboy can’t save you; only Jesus can

As Good as it Gets

Have you ever heard the phrase; "as good as it gets". There was even a movie made with that same title a number of years ago. It brings to mind a thought; sure things aren’t perfect in my opinion. Yes there are still needs yes there is still suffering, but maybe this is as good as it gets, and we should find a measurement of happiness and joy in that.

This seems to be in part the point Solomon is getting at, as we close out Ecclesiastes chapter 2, verses 24-26. As a matter of fact Solomon has really panted us a rather bleak picture up to this point. Especially through the last few verses as he talks to the fact we spend our lives acquiring, yet we can’t take it with us. Yet as he finishes it off he lets us know, there is no problem in enjoying the good things life has to offer, as long as we do it in the right perspective. Verse 24 states "Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God."

It’s true apart from God that nothing we do here on earth has any meaning. Yet its also important to remember that God created this world for us, for our enjoyment, because he loved us. Our world has been corrupted, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying things if they fit with in the parameters god has given us. Philippians 4:8 tells us "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you".

I often think some Catholic Orders may have it wrong, as they spend there time trying to deny themselves each of life’s simple pleasures. Our God loves his people and from His hand, we get such gifts. It reminds me of the Israelite’s who were promised a land flowing with milk and honey. They were given houses they did not build, and vineyards they did not plant. God gave them good things to enjoy and asked only that they remained true to him. On the flip side of that we see the apostle Paul. The man had little to nothing as far as earthly treasures go. Yet he was still a man of joy as we see him praying and singing to the Lord (Acts 16:25), even in prison Paul was enjoying those gifts God had given him.

Today’s action point would be a simple one. Remember the words to that classic Sunday school song. "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it". Enjoy life. If you are laboring at work, rejoice that you have work. If you’re sick, be glad for the rest, maybe you’re stuck at home with sick children, be glad for your extra time with them. Find joy in those simple things of life and remember the words of Solomon "Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor".