September 19, 2006 - Ecclesiastes 1-3 and II Corinthians 11:16-33
Reading the book of Ecclesiastes can be kind of depressing or confusing, if you don't read it very carefully. However, once you see the real meaning, it will help you have the right focus in life.
Ecclesiastes 1-3 makes one point very clearly, and we all need to hear it. What man does will pass away, but what God does is eternal. (3:14) Solomon, who is the writer of the book, had the resources and wisdom to search out everything man does under heaven, and he came to that correct conclusion. Therefore, we must not invest our lives in the temporary things of earth. We must join God in doing His work which lasts for eternity. Another good thing is that God has put eternity in our hearts. (3:11) We all know that this world is not the end. When we die, we do not cease to exist, but we go to an eternal place. Those who know the Lord go to be with Him, and those who reject Him are separated from Him forever. That is why we must live in this world, but we must have our eyes on the Lord's will and on eternal things, instead of the things of this earth. Think about this as you read Solomon's conclusions. Life can be very wearisome, if we just live for now. It is only when we focus on the eternal that we find fulfillment.
II Corinthians 11 shows Paul's frustration with the believers at Corinth. They were rejecting him and listening to men who were taking advantage of them. (v.20) He had never taken advantage of them. He had brought them the gospel and tried not to be a burden to them in any way. He had served all of the churches he had founded with a deep concern, and he had gone through a lot of suffering in the process. Now, these false apostles come in later, and they try to steal the sheep. Paul wants them to see the difference clearly, so the believers will follow the Lord and not these false apostles. This same thing happens all of the time today. People get a good start in the Lord, but then, someone comes to deceive them and to lead them into a way that is not according to God's Word. We must stand up for God's Word and try to show them what is going on like Paul did here.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ecclesiastes 4-6 and II Corinthians 12.
Ecclesiastes 1-3 makes one point very clearly, and we all need to hear it. What man does will pass away, but what God does is eternal. (3:14) Solomon, who is the writer of the book, had the resources and wisdom to search out everything man does under heaven, and he came to that correct conclusion. Therefore, we must not invest our lives in the temporary things of earth. We must join God in doing His work which lasts for eternity. Another good thing is that God has put eternity in our hearts. (3:11) We all know that this world is not the end. When we die, we do not cease to exist, but we go to an eternal place. Those who know the Lord go to be with Him, and those who reject Him are separated from Him forever. That is why we must live in this world, but we must have our eyes on the Lord's will and on eternal things, instead of the things of this earth. Think about this as you read Solomon's conclusions. Life can be very wearisome, if we just live for now. It is only when we focus on the eternal that we find fulfillment.
II Corinthians 11 shows Paul's frustration with the believers at Corinth. They were rejecting him and listening to men who were taking advantage of them. (v.20) He had never taken advantage of them. He had brought them the gospel and tried not to be a burden to them in any way. He had served all of the churches he had founded with a deep concern, and he had gone through a lot of suffering in the process. Now, these false apostles come in later, and they try to steal the sheep. Paul wants them to see the difference clearly, so the believers will follow the Lord and not these false apostles. This same thing happens all of the time today. People get a good start in the Lord, but then, someone comes to deceive them and to lead them into a way that is not according to God's Word. We must stand up for God's Word and try to show them what is going on like Paul did here.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ecclesiastes 4-6 and II Corinthians 12.