PROVERBS & ECCLESIASTES

It is Friday morning, and we are praying for a great weekend.  I'm on my second cup of coffee and enjoying it as I have finished up reading in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.  Both written by Solomon.  Here are a few thoughts of the many things I underlined and took note of: 1) DON'T DIG PITS- Prov. 26:27 says:  "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:"  Also in Eccl. 10:8 says:  "He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it;" The idea of digging a pit was to make an ambush for an enemy.  You would dig the pit and cover it over so that your enemy would walk over it and fall in.  But, the Bible is making it clear that when you lay an ambush for someone else, you are the one most likely to get caught.  We fall in pits we dig ourselves!  How foolish to spend our time trying to "get even" with someone who has hurt you.  Let them dig their pits, but let us trust in our LORD!  Don't dig pits! 2) GOD'S PURE WORDS- Prov. 30:5,6 say:  "Every word of God is pure:  he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."  We are to trust in God's pure words and we can have complete confidence in them.  We should never add nor take away from God's Holy Word! 3) HE IS HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST!  Eccl. 5:8 says:  "for he that is higher than the highest regardeth;"  The context tells us that when we see the oppression of the poor and the violent perverting justice, do not marvel at the matter.  Don't get too upset, because know this:  He that is Higher than the Highest sees and regardeth it.  God will take care of those who oppress the poor and pervert judgment.  God will take care of them, because He is higher than they and He has the final court of appeals!  His decisions are final and will fix all of the injustices of life!! 4) THE PATIENT IS BETTER THAN THE PROUD- Eccl. 7:8 says:  "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:  and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."  Let us not be proud Christians, but patient and waiting on God's clear direction and timing.  5) KEEP CASTING- Eccl. 11:1 says:  "Cast thy bread upon the waters:  for thou shalt find it after many days."  Then verse six says:  "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand:  for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good."   The idea of these two verses is that in life we don't know what will being success, but we do know that if we keep trying.... it will come.  Keep giving out and you will one day receive.  Keep trying your best and God will bless!  Keep on Casting.  The great fishermen, know they must cast more than the rest to find where the fish are.  The successful people in life are hard workers that keep casting!  What a great truth! 6) FINALLY.... TIMBER!  Eccl. 11:3 says:  "...and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be."  What a truth!  Where the tree falls, there it stays!  This might be to remind us that when we fall, there we will be .... unless God comes along to move us and pick us up again.  Whatever the meaning, I like the simple truth God's Word gives us.  Timber! Hope you have a blessed day!  May God bless you and yours!   Dr. Mike Mutchler, Pastor