The Truth about Heaven!

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

Would you like to win the lottery? Perhaps many of us have daydreamed about what we would do with the money if we won. Did you ever as a child imagine finding a buried chest full of treasure? Divers search the ocean floor for sunken ships and the treasure that they hold. But, in these instances the treasures in our imagination are physical. The greatest treasure we can ever possess is spiritual, and it’s for real and available to us.

Jesus was telling what the kingdom of heaven is like. Heaven is the greatest treasure a person can possess. Its value is emphasized in two of Jesus’ parables which teach the same truth.

The first parable tells about a man who discovered a treasure hidden in a field. There were no banks or safes in Jesus’ day, and people often buried their wealth in the ground to hide it from thieves. The man in the parable hid the treasure again. Then he sold everything he had and used that money buy the field.

The second parable says the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who was searching for fine pearls. He found one of great value, and he sold everything he had and bought it.

These two parables teach us the same truth. The kingdom of heaven is of such great value that a person should be willing to give up everything that he has in order to gain it. And this is what it takes--total commitment to God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Paul called upon us to be “living sacrifices” and called that our “reasonable service”.

We can look at the two parables from a different perspective We can liken the person who pays the great price to Jesus and the treasure to mankind. Certainly, Jesus paid the highest price ever paid for anything when He died on the cross for us. Knowing Him and belonging to Him is worth everything that we have to give--ourselves in commitment, service, and obedience. One hymn says, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.” Spending eternity with Him and God the Father and our constant companion, the Holy Spirit, is certainly worth everything we have to give.

Father, may we give ourselves to You in total commitment, with gratitude for all You have given us and with great anticipation for what You have prepared for us in heaven for eternity. May we realize that it is worth everything we have to give. Amen.

What You Need to Know to Live the Best Life

Ecclesiastes 1-12

“I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 1:13a (NIV 1984)

Ecclesiastes is one of the most practical, up-to-date books of the Bible. Solomon carefully examined the way to get the most out of life, the happiest way to live. I want the best life that I can possibly have. Don’t you?

Solomon’s purpose in Ecclesiastes was to find the answers to the big questions people have asked throughout all generations and are still asking today. Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Is there meaning, purpose, and value for my life, or is all of life meaningless? Does God exist? Is there life after death, or is this world all there is? Max Lucado writes, “Mine deep enough in every heart and you’ll find it: a longing for meaning, a quest for purpose. As surely as a child breathes, he will someday wonder, ‘What is the purpose of my life?’”

The author of Ecclesiastes--and the probability is that Solomon is the author--begins his writing by saying in chapter 1, verse 2, “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’” He gives four reasons to support that conclusion: 1. Life is monotonous; 2. Death is certain; 3. Wisdom is in vain; and, 4. Wealth is futile.

Solomon talks about the monotony of life. He says it’s the same old, same old over and over. The sun rises, and the sun sets. Then it rises again. Generations come and generations go. I have lived long enough to be seeing the fourth generation in my lifetime, and there is much repetition in the way people live from generation to generation. Solomon implies that mankind is just going around in circles but getting nowhere.

Twenty-seven times in the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon uses the phrase “under the sun”, denoting the human viewpoint, trying to understand life from man’s wisdom alone. But life and the world look very different from God’s point of view. I don’t see the reliability of the universe as being monotonous. Rather it assures us of the eternal unchanging dependable nature of God. Ecclesiastes 1:11 states an indisputable fact that Solomon abhors but cannot circumvent: we will all die and soon be forgotten. The wise and foolish alike will die. If a man works hard and does well, he will one day have to leave everything he has amassed to someone else. That is life under the sun. But, with God, what wonderful possibilities open up and give us hope for an incredible future with Him.

Solomon says if life under the sun is all there is, it doesn’t make a lot of difference whether we live wisely or foolishly. Both kinds of people will end up dead. But from God’s point of view, the way we live this life is the foundation and preparation for eternal life. It makes all the difference when we see life from God’s point of view! Contrary to human thinking, man's wisdom and education will not give him the answers he is seeking to the ultimate questions of life. No amount of human effort can explain life’s meaning and purpose or give man eternal life. Only God can do that.

Father, thank You that knowing and serving You is the purpose for our lives. It gives fulfillment in this life and prepares us to spend eternity with you. Amen.

Is life unfair? Surprising answer.

Job 1-42

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…” Job 13:15a (King James Version)

Life is not always fair. And there will be times when we don’t understand what God is doing nor why He is doing it. Have you ever felt like you have fallen into a pit too deep to climb out and people are throwing dirt in on top of you? Job must have felt that way when his life caved in on him.

Job was a man who always tried to do the right thing. Job 1:1b tells us, “This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” You might think that such a person would, and should, have smooth sailing all through life.

God had blessed Job abundantly. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 donkeys. He had many servants as well.

One day the angels and Satan came before God. God asked Satan if he had noticed Job and how upright he was. Satan said, in essence, why wouldn’t he be good? You have given him great wealth. But if you take it all away he will curse you. God gave Satan permission to test Job by doing whatever he wished with Job’s possessions, but Satan wasn’t allowed to harm Job’s body.

Satan struck Job with a vengeance. He destroyed all of his livestock and killed all of his children. Both God and Satan were watching closely to see what Job would do. What would you have done? What do you think Job did? He fell to the ground and worshiped God. He said, “The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21 The Living Bible “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” Job 1:22 NIV

God and Satan had a second conversation about Job. God bragged on Job, and Satan said if Job’s body were afflicted, Job would certainly curse God. God gave Satan permission to strike Job’s body, but he was forbidden to take Job’s life. Notice: it is God who sets the times and the limits to our trials and testing.

Satan afflicted Job with painful boils which covered his whole body. Job 2:8 give us a picture of how pitiful Job was when it says, “Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.”

Mrs. Job brought her husband no comfort. She said to him, “Are you still trying to be godly when God has done all this to you? Curse him and die.” Job 2:9 The Living Bible

Job’s friends came to visit and insisted he must have sinned for such calamity to befall him. Job told them, “What miserable comforters all of you are.” Job 16:2b The Living Bible With friends like that, Job didn’t need any enemies! This story tells us plainly that good, innocent people may suffer.

Job kept protesting his innocence and reiterating his faith in God. Since Jesus had not yet come and the resurrection had not yet taken place, Job wondered aloud, “If a man dies, shall he live again?” Job 14:14a The Living Bible Later he made this declaration of faith, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God” Job 19:25-26 NIV But, to me, Job’s most amazing statement of faith is found in Job 13:15a, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” Job passed God’s test with an A plus plus! He didn’t make the mistake many people make, letting their suffering embitter them against the only One who can help them. As a friend of mine once said, when her husband died, “I can’t afford to be made at God. I need Him too much!”

The story of Job had a happily ever after ending. God gave Job twice as much wealth as he had before. He also gave him ten more children and 140 more years in which to enjoy his children and grandchildren.

Father, may our faith in You be as strong as Job’s faith was, regardless of our circumstances. Amen.