The king's command is supreme

*2*I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. *3*Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. *4*For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” 
Ecclesiastes 8:2–4.

Who can say to the king, let alone God - “what are you doing?”! 
I think we forget that. We often question authority and the decisions of our leaders, yet what gives us any right to do so?

The verses above show that we should be obedient and honouring of an Earthly king - of the monarchy, government and those in authority - we should honour and respect them, but do we?

How often do you hear people bemoaning the current leaders? Grumbling about government? How often are our leaders scrutinised and found to be lacking?
Yes, leaders may let us down, those in authority may abuse their power or make poor decisions, but they are the ones who have been given the authority by Almighty God. They have been put in their position of power for purpose. We have no idea of the difficulty of governing and ruling, our leaders have to make big, difficult decisions and they do it to the best of their ability and knowledge. They will, at times, make mistakes, just like the rest of us do in our everyday lives. I don’t know why we place those in authority on a different level to ourselves - they are just as human as we are and we should honour and respect them, if for no other reason than, ‘because of God’s oath to him’. God has ordained those in leadership, therefore if we believe and trust in God, we should believe and trust in Him for those in authority. God has ordained their position, who are we to question, “what are you doing?” Some may seem like they are the most ungodly characters around, appear stupid or irresponsible, yet God has His plan. He has allowed them in that position for a time, so, even we disagree with our leaders, their policies or decisions, what benefit is it to moan about it? What good does it do to question, “What are you doing?” Instead, trust in Him, the ultimate King as He has all power and authority.

As God is the highest king, and, ‘the word of the king is supreme’ - Are you following what God has asked you to do?

Are you being obedient to His instructions in your life? The words of the king are supreme - That’s an interesting concept isn’t it? God’s word is supreme - it is unchanging, unchallengeable and is of the highest authority. I guess that ties in with the previous verse where it talks about honouring our leaders and being obedient. The kings word outweighs any other agenda. God gives us commands and words to follow - He is the supreme authority, so what do you do when He asks you to do something?

Often, when God asks me to do something I feel fearful and try to back out of it, but I need to live more with the recognition that His words are supreme, they are the ultimate authority, outweighing any kind of excuse or emotional response that I may have. My feelings are not supreme, fear is not supreme, worry, joy, sadness, - these things are not supreme, but the words of our King are supreme. They matter, they have significance and power. Recognising the supremacy of His words should help us to, ‘Keep the king’s command’.

In summary then, God is ultimate, He is control and even has authority over the leaders in this world. We have no right to question the supremacy of God’s words, works or wisdom. When God speaks, when God acts, we should trust completely in who He is. The truth is, He is not just a King, but also a gentle, loving father. Whatever He does, He does with purpose, whoever He places in positions of power, He does for purpose, whatever he speaks or commands you to do, He does for purpose.

is God really real?

This is a question that is easy to ask periodically in life, it’s a good one too and it usually arises at times of difficulty, especially if you’ve been believing, hoping maybe even fasting and praying for a certain outcome that does not manifest.

What then?

Is God really real?

Is God as real when things don’t go your way as when they do? Can you believe and trust in Him even when the answer to your greater desire is no? Is God still good when the worst happens? Does He still love you or even exist when the answer to pouring your heart out is silence?

 These are the very real  situations that we all come face-to-face with at some point in our lives. Disappointment, loneliness, grief, debt, illness, failure - these things can all lead us to question the very existence of God. How can God exist or be considered good when there’s suffering in the world? When I’ve asked God for help and He didn’t answer -where was He?
These questions are heart-wrenching responses to the battles of life, in times where we feel confused, alone, overwhelmed and desperate - where is the one who’s meant to love us? Is God really real?

As a believer in God, I am not immune to these questions, to these very real, confusing and desperate emotions that are a result to the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Maybe now you expect me to give you an eloquent answer to all of these confusing questions interlaced with a bit of knowledge and theological input - well, I’m not, and I’m not sure I could if I tried. You and I need to work out our own answers in response to these things, your faith cannot rest on my answers - you need to work out your own and your own standing with Almighty God. I will, however, tell you a few thoughts of my own that keep me going through the terrible times;

1) God is either real or He isn’t - His existence is not dependent on whether today is the best or worst day of my life. I either believe He is real or I don’t, circumstances and feelings are irrelevant to this fact. I may become angry, confused, lack hope, but I cannot alter from the crux of this matter - either God is really real, or He isn’t.

2) Don’t tell my kids - but I don’t know everything! There are things that are out of my realm of understanding, there are circumstances I cannot predict or understand, I also make mistakes. Therefore I cannot tell what will happen long-term, and although I feel bad or sad about things, this does not mean that I ultimately know best and that God has got it wrong. I am fallible, God is not.

3) God is not in it for instant gratification like we are. God sees the long game, He knows the beginning from the end, and whatever is going on will bring about good for His people.
We do not like discomfort or suffering, yet God can see the effect of this and that it is actually for our benefit and for those around us too in the long-run.

4) God is good and loving always. I try to think of it like this; as a parent, I have to disappoint my kids sometimes, I have to say no, I have to limit them in some capacity - why? Well, sometimes they need to learn, they need to wait, they need to understand and grow, they need to develop relationships, forgive people, be patient, be aware of risk and probably a million other things! They need to learn to be responsible so that they become adults, not remain children. Therefore there are boundaries, and at times I will limit them, they will also have to navigate situations they don’t want to because I know that they are learning something in the process.
Now, God is a greater parent than I ever will be, so His reasons for our discomfort are greater than ours for our children. He wants us to learn, He does not want us to remain with a childish faith, but wants us to grow up, He wants us to realise who we are and who those around us are, this means we will have to navigate situations we don’t want to because we need to grow up!

5) God is God of the impossible.
We can easily miss what God is doing when we focus on our own emotions. In times of persecution I see the christians in the Bible praising God and even thanking Him for what He is doing in their lives. We have forgotten this lost treasure. We forget God’s bigness when we allow the bigness or our situations to override who He is. We can end up relying on our own capabilities, skills and resources instead of remembering who God is.
God is God of the impossible - He can answer 101 questions at the same time, He can turn around situations, He can bring rest and relief, He can resolve issues, He can breakthrough, He can wait, He can be silent, He can led you, and He can allow you to make your own decisions. He is Love, He is good. He never fails.
So, can you fail to trust Him?

Is God really real to you?

Can you hear?

I ask this as I am hopefully coming to the end of a bit of ear trouble - some discomfort and reduced hearing - but don’t worry folks i think it’s all clearing up!

This has caused me to think about our hearing and our spiritual ears, and leads me to ask - how well are you hearing God? 

Many people talk to God, ask God, thank God, grumble to God, but how many of us are hearing God too? An important part of prayer is listening, an important part of the Christian life is to understand what God wishes us to do in different circumstances - how can we do that unless we spend time discovering what it is God is saying? We can listen to God’s voice in different ways; prayer, reading the Bible, listening to preaching, obeying the Spirit (sometimes the internal prompt that nudges is to/not to do something), advice from wise, Godly people, prophecy. There are a multitude of ways we can hear God, sometimes the channels between God speaking and us hearing can get blocked - just like my actual ears got blocked, mine were blocked with wax (gross!), it could of been an infection, or even a physical blockage. Just like with our physical ears, our spiritual ears can get infected, waxy and blocked. 

Just like ear wax is meant to protect our ears, too much of a good thing can be bad for you (like in my case!). There are also spiritual routines and behaviours that are good for us like Bible Reading, prayer, giving, but they can get in the way of your relationship with God. By this I mean that although they are healthy practices, they can become mundane and ritualistic, for example; going to church because it’s a Sunday, giving 10% of your income because that’s what is advised to do and not questioning or valuing the purpose of those things. Why do you go to church? Is it a Sunday ritual or because you want to hear from God? Invest in His people? Be a part of the Earth’s version of the kingdom of God? How about, why do you give? Do you give generously? Do you give with purpose? 

I think the overall question about all of the routines and practices of the Christian life is; Do these practices actually change you? Do you approach these services with an open heart and mind that allows God to intervene? Are you open to letting God do something different? Are you ready to be challenged and changed when you go to church? Give? Read? Pray? 

Do you actively listen to what God says during these times and act on it? Or do you feel that because you’ve had half an hour of ‘God-time’ today that you’ve done your bit, you’ve checked that job off the list? 

These aspects of being a Christian are not an essential to do list, they are good for you, but are you allowing the natural Christian practices become a barrier to hearing from God by just doing them as if they are a chore? They are a privilege of being in God’s family. The fact that we can have God’s very words at our fingertips through Bible apps and iTunes means we have easy access, but are your heart and mind in it? Are you prepared to hear? 

Sometimes our ears get infected, it can start as a little boggle and then before you know it - full blown infections with all the funk and discomfort that it brings. Sometimes our spiritual ears can become infected too.this can happen if we are hearing things we shouldn’t. 

Are you exposing yourself to things you know you shouldn’t? Whether it be; an obsession, addiction, problem, habit or even just a preference. Sometimes I like to watch TV series, and I can quite like it and get into it and perhaps it gets a bit violent or risky, but I’ve got into it and become fond of the characters so it’s easy to keep watching because I want to find it what goes on next, then I can end up thinking “I hope ..... doesn’t walk in whilst I’m watching this”. That’s the danger zone. If you don’t want others to see what you’re doing then maybe you’re doing something that’s infecting you. I have stopped watching things and even stopped listening to some kinds of music because now the lyrics make me feel a bit uncomfortable even though I quite like the style of the song. It’s not that it would have the same effect on everyone, but in your heart and mind it does not feel quite right, and if it’s not right for you, don’t do it. Take a few minutes to assess what you’re listening to, is there something you know God has been encouraging you to get out of? 

If your ears are infected with things you know you shouldn’t be hearing then you are allowing those things to crowd out the voice of God. Your ability to hear His voice will weaken. 

Another way we can have our hearing impaired is a physical blockage like a foreign object in your ears. Something that has blocked your ability to hear through being a physical obstacle. Spiritually, this could be that extreme circumstances have impaired your connection with God. It could be that you’re overrun by the emotions of; a disaster, changed circumstances, bereavement, marriage, family, job situation, wealth, poverty or many other reasons. 

When our circumstances change, we change then our priorities can shift and we respond out of any number of emotions. We can focus on the immediate and whatever is facing us in those moments, we can be mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted by situations and can feel overrun and overwhelmed. We can naturally lean on our own resources rather that courageously leaning only into God’s. I think we do this because we know what little we can do - at least we know, we can control our own input, yet when we give it to God - who knows what He can do or will do?! It’s a frightening place to be. We can react out of impulse, we become confused and weary. What’s the answer? Well, sometimes we have to get our heads down and get through it, it will be difficult but it will reform your character, always we should trust God. We should humbly let him know how we are doing and decide to trust Him to do what needs to be done, even if your circumstances get worse, it’ll be for your better because that’s what God promises - He always works for the good of those who love Him, we just don’t always know or see what’s good for us especially in the long run. So, don’t let your circumstances carry you away emotionally, don’t put the obstacle in the way of you and God. He’s still there whether you hear Him or not, lean in and trust. Talk and pray. 

So, how do you feel now you e had a little hearing check? Are your ears blocked? Or are things becoming clearer? Maybe you need the help of others to help you (just like I did). 

Keep your hearing healthy - keep your channels clear, clear our the junk and always trust God. 

What's you work ethic?

He who digs a pit will fall into it, 
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. 
*9* He who quarries stones is hurt by them, 
and he who splits logs is endangered by them. 
*10* If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, 
he must use more strength, 
but wisdom helps one to succeed. 
*11* If the serpent bites before it is charmed, 
there is no advantage to the charmer. 

Ecclesiastes 10:8–11.

This Chapter of Ecclesiastes reads like a set of proverbs, so I think it’s important not to whizz through them but to stop and consider what is each verse really saying. It’s easy to skim over and get the gist of the message, but when we slow down and consider we understand and appreciate more. So, lets look at each verse individually;

V8; ‘He who digs a pit will fall into it, 
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.’
Why would you dig a pit? Usually because you’re laying a trap, trying to ensnare someone or something.
Why would you break through a wall? It could be because you're feeling destructive, annoyed or even as an act of vengeance, these are times when we usually like to break things!
So, what can we learn from this verse is that acting out of anger, plotting vengeance or revenge is only going to hurt ourselves in the end. Don’t try to trick people, trap them or hurt them because it will turn about that you will be exposed and punished. Trying to tear down others’ will lead to some kind of downfall for yourself.

V9; ‘He who quarries stones is hurt by them, 
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.‘
Basically, no matter what job you do, there’s danger! The reality is that there are risks all around us, living life can be a bit dangerous, but do you think the miner worries everyday if he’s cut by a stone? Or the lumberjack worries about the dangers of an axe? A policeman or fireman doesn’t go into work every shift consumed by their own mortality and fragility - they get on with it. Whatever job you do, whether it carries physical or relational risk, or even financial and temporal risk, life and work can be risky, but don’t spend your life worried about the ‘what ifs’. Keep on going, the more you practice the scary stuff, the less it’ll scare you.

V10; ‘If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, 
he must use more strength, 
but wisdom helps one to succeed.‘
I think this leads nicely on from the previous verse, considering splitting logs with an axe - if the blade is blunt, it is not going to be easy to use. A good lumberjack doesn't turn up to work with a blunt axe - he knows the work will be harder and it's just not sensible.
Therefore, when getting ready to work ensure the tools of your trade are ready for the work they need to do. Prepare, get ready, if you don't it’s going to take a lot more out of you than it needs to. The idle or foolish person is not ready, their equipment is inefficient so they can’t work properly. The wise prepare. There may be physical tools we need to look after, or it could be preparing the body and mind. If we purposefully do not look after our bodies, rest well, hydrate, then are you even ready? Is your mind sharpened or blunt? It takes a lot more effort to use a blunt tool than a sharpened one. So, whatever your hand finds to do, whatever your workload looks like, get prepared, be ready, be sharp!

V11; ‘If the serpent bites before it is charmed, 
there is no advantage to the charmer.’
Why would a snake do that? It seems to me that a snake would do that if it is not handled right. A charmers job is to ensure that the snake is restful and of no harm to anyone, the charmer has confidence in their capability but if they are not quick enough off the mark, they’ll get hurt.  It’s the same for us in whatever job we do. We shouldn’t be over-confident in our ability, we should take each day seriously, be alert, consistent and careful. Maybe the charmer turned up for late that day, maybe they were hungover or just could not be bothered to do what is necessary. Maybe they were lazy, despondent, annoyed or even a bit cocky about their abilities. This lax attitude clearly does not work out well, if you not working to your full potential it effects you and you could get bitten, don't be lazy or over-confident - you could get harmed.

It seems that these verses are really speaking about our work ethic. so, whatever job you do, take it seriously. Whether you think you get paid enough or not should not effect the effort you put into each day. There are no excuses to be lazy, unprepared, slow, inefficient or vengeful. In the end, the main person this will effect is yourself - you can get hurt. If you have slipped into bad habits, if your focus has not been on the job, if you’re frequently late, trying to trick others out, whose reputation is on the line? Who is responsible for the way they handle their workload, colleagues and clients? That’s right - you are! So, don’t let yourself down, don’t be caught out by unsharpened tools, or by the power of anger and resentment in your life.

Be wise
Be sharp
Be ready..

Forgotten Wisdom

'13*I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. *14*There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. *15*But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. *16*But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. 
*17*The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. *18*Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.' 
Ecclesiastes 9:13–18.

The verses above show that times have not changed.
Those who are strong and virile are upheld, honoured and celebrated, yet the poor and wise are overlooked, forgotten and ignored. This was true in Solomon’s time, Jesus’ time and is still true in our time. The world and humanity have not changed; we still celebrate strength, might, power, renown and wealth - we even have competitions and wars to prove who are the strongest. The poor, intelligent, weak, unknown and wise are all too easily forgotten. The strongest and fastest are commemorated and given great honour, yet the minds involved in incredible ground-breaking discoveries are often forgotten.

We can all probably name the fastest or strongest men of our time, yet how about the name of the person who has made a significant scientific breakthrough or incredible discovery? Who is the world’s most inspiring engineer? The wisest man or woman on Earth? I’m not sure many of us could name any - No-one remembers the poor wise man.

Don’t get me wrong, we do acknowledge some levels of wisdom - we can all name some of the most famous scientists of all time; how about Einstein or Newton? But they are only really remembered because we still use their formulas and theories. We can now recognise the great value of the wisdom they had. At the time they lived, the impact of what they knew was limited. Einstein, even though he was a Nobel prize winner, an acclaimed scientist, had an audience with government officials - we could consider that he was not forgotten, after all most people have heard of him, we can believe that he is remembered and revered - but did you know he warned US government of the danger of developing nuclear weapons? Yet did the countries listen to this wise man’s advice? Even though the wisdom of Einstein was acclaimed, valued and respected, like in the story Solomon relays, the words of the wise man fall on deaf ears, ‘the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.’ No-one seems  to of listened to Einstein. For we all know the terror of the use of nuclear weapons - the effects are still felt, yet one wise  man’s advice could of saved a city, even a nation from the havoc, chaos and horror of nuclear weapons. However, the advice of the wise is not heeded.

Consider the difference listening to Einstein would have made to the lives of many. This one poor wise man had stood up and made a recommendation to the rulers of the time to warn and stay away from the fatal effects of this power, yet no one listened. It is sad, isn’t it?
We can look back and see the folly of nations, and of humanity because they have failed to heed the small voice of wisdom that with great foresight and bravery has been spoken, yet time and again people have failed to listen.

Don’t be someone who fails to listen.

Don’t be like the fools. Don’t detest wisdom. If someone speaks the small voice of wisdom into your life do not despise it, do not turn away from it, even if it is something you do not want to hear, but weigh the words of the poor wise man (or woman). Let the wise speak and be valued in your life, you never know what nuclear disasters you will avoid by taking the road of wisdom.

Then, when you do take the advice of the wise, do not forget where that wisdom came from. Do not be one that forgets, but be one that recommends, honours and upholds the wise. Give them the credit they deserve. Don’t allow the wise In your life be overlooked and forgotten, repay them with your gratitude and honour them.

Don’t be someone who ignores or forgets the wise.

‘But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.’