PROVERBS & ECCLESIASTES

What a great evening we had with Dr. Jack Schaap last night.  A packed out church, and great excitement.  What a great truth was preached and it was a real help and blessing to all.  So glad to see many of my pastor friends and one pastor drove 17 hours with a van load of people from Calgary, Alberta, CAN!  Wow!!  What a blessing. Here are some thoughts: 1) BUY IT... DON'T SELL IT- Prov. 23:23, says:  Buy the truth, and sell it not: also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding."  Get the whole package and then do not sell off any of the items.  We need it all!  Truth, wisdom, instruction, understanding,.... all of it!  With all they getting, get wisdom!  Buy it... it cost something.... but don't sell it for any amount. 2) AND...- Prov. 25:22 says:  "For thou shalt help coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee."  I have never wanted to feed my enemies and give them water to drink (verse 21) just so that I could heap coals of fire upon their heads!  But... I am definitely interested in the last part of that verse... "AND the LORD shall reward thee."  I need the rewards of the LORD!  So, I will treat my enemies (I don't know if I even have any) with kindness and trust the LORD to reward!  Wow!  Wonderful truth! 3) IT IS GOING TO BE OK!  Whenever I talk with someone about life's problems, I almost always say:  "It is going to be OK."  I believe that.  I trust the LORD for that.  But here is a scripture that tells us that:  Eccl. 8:12 "... I know that it shall be well with them that fear God,.."  It is going to be OK!  Trust the LORD for the outcome.  As Dr. Schaap said last night:  Problems are not for solving, they are for growing!  It is going to be OK! 4) WHO ARE YOU EXALTING?  LIFTING UP?  Eccl. 10:7 says:  "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth."  Sometimes servants exalt themselves and think because they ride the horses, they are somebody.  Others are really princes, and yet, they walk like servants, humble before God and man.  Who do you exalt... yourself... or others!  The princes that walk like servants are serving others!  Let us learn and practice this! Have a blessed day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler