Stupid Thoughts

 Psalm 92:1–15 (ESV):  

1  It is good to give thanks to the Lord, 

to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 

 2  to declare your steadfast love in the morning, 

and your faithfulness by night, 

 3  to the music of the lute and the harp, 

to the melody of the lyre. 

 4  For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; 

at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 

 5  How great are your works, O Lord! 

Your thoughts are very deep! 

 6  The stupid man cannot know; 

the fool cannot understand this: 

 7  that though the wicked sprout like grass 

and all evildoers flourish, 

  they are doomed to destruction forever; 

 8  but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 

 9  For behold, your enemies, O Lord, 

for behold, your enemies shall perish; 

all evildoers shall be scattered. 

 10  But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; 

you have poured over me fresh oil. 

 11  My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; 

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 

 12  The righteous flourish like the palm tree 

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 

 13  They are planted in the house of the Lord; 

they flourish in the courts of our God. 

 14  They still bear fruit in old age; 

they are ever full of sap and green, 

 15  to declare that the Lord is upright; 

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 

Do you have stupid thoughts? Do you ever believe that the wickedness in the world is going to prevail? If so, this is a stupid thought (v6-7). ‘Though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish; they are doomed to destruction forever’! ‘But you, O Lord, are on high forever’. Notice how both of these verses talk about ‘forever’. There is an assurance for the wicked and for God for eternity. Both will last forever, but there is a difference in their eternal destiny.

God is inviting you to have a longer viewpoint. Instead of worrying about the evil that is around and what is going on in the here and now, consider what will be forever. The present is only relevant for this moment, tomorrow it is history. In the here and now evil exists and there are people that perform wicked deeds. Yet the promise for eternity is that God’s ‘enemies shall perish, all evildoers shall be scattered’ and ‘the righteous flourish like the palm tree’. This is the long view, this is what you should focus on. The things that are evil are, ‘doomed to destruction forever’. They have eternal death as their promise. So, ultimately they will not prevail, therefore do not waste time concerning yourself about such things. Instead consider God who is on high and will be forever. 

When you fix your eyes on God, give your life to Him and follow Him you will, ‘flourish like the palm tree’. That sentence at first confused me for i did not understand the sentiment. Then i considered and researched and discovered that palm trees can grow in difficult conditions. Surviving droughts, storms and floods because of their root system. In fact, in a storm even if they are bent over horizontally by high winds, looking deformed and destroyed, they straighten up afterwards and can grow stronger roots as a result. This makes the palm tree more stable after a storm than it was before it! So, think of yourself as that flourishing palm tree, ‘planted in the house of the Lord’. Storms may feel like they are destoying you, but you'll straighten up again, you will be upright and have deeper roots if you weather the storm ‘planted in the house of the Lord'. So rather than concerning yourself with the wickedness of the world, focus on living with God; being righteous, stable, growing strong and fruitful. Knowing that even in the troubles of life that knock you sideways, when you stick to God, you will become stronger and straighter in the long run. For God says you will ‘flourish’. You will not be destroyed when you depend on Him, instead you have the promise of fruitfulness and favour for eternity. 

Consider then what you allow your mind to dwell upon. Are your thoughts sometimes stupid? Do you allow worry to consume you or concern yourself with the news and wickedness? For, 'The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand'. If you insist on focussing on what is temporal rather than what is eternal, you will be stuck. Your progression will be limited as your view is too short, it is in the here and now and God is wanting you to play the long game. Think about someone who knows they have exams in a few months time. They could think that it's too far away to concern themselves with it today. Instead they eat, drink, have fun, go out, giving no thought to what is coming up as it is in the future. How are they going to fare in exam season? What about if they chose to revise now, to practice, look at exam papers, research and prepare for the day they know is coming. Although it may seem far off and other people are not doing the same kind of preparation, how would you expect their exams to go? How about you? Are you thinking about the long game of faith? Are your thoughts overrun by the knowledge that God exists and is righteous, good and on High, or do thoughts about the reign of evil darken your mind? Set your mind to consider the long game. You get to decide what you think about, so don't entertain stupid thoughts. Remind yourself that no matter what is going on now,  evil won’t last for it is ‘doomed to destruction forever', ' but you, O Lord, are on high forever'.

So set your mind to have the long view - evil loses and righteousness wins, forever. You will never understand God or His ways. He has greater insight and foresight than anyone because He sees the eternal perspective not only the present. He was there at the beginning, has been all the way through and will continue to be and He has known what He is doing all that time. He planned for there to be an Adam and Eve, Noah, Josiah, Hosea, Ruth, Isaiah and Jesus. He saw all they would face and the eternal impact of their obedience. He has the same knowledge and understanding for your life. Your life has impact beyond your years, so learn to trust in Him and follow Him even when life gets tough and confusing. God sees the storms as opportunities for you to be strengthened, your relationship with Him deepened and your life to display fruit. Keep your focus on Him, not on the storm. For God is good, He is intelligent, He has a plan and a purpose and sees the end goal. You do not. Therefore give up the stupid thoughts and lean into God and His understanding. The storms of life will then make you taller, straighter and stronger, forever.

How you live matters

 Psalm 49:1–20 (ESV):  

1  Hear this, all peoples! 

Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 

2  both low and high, 

rich and poor together! 

3  My mouth shall speak wisdom; 

the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 

4  I will incline my ear to a proverb; 

I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 

5  Why should I fear in times of trouble, 

when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 

6  those who trust in their wealth 

and boast of the abundance of their riches? 

7  Truly no man can ransom another, 

or give to God the price of his life, 

8  for the ransom of their life is costly 

and can never suffice, 

9  that he should live on forever 

and never see the pit. 

10  For he sees that even the wise die; 

the fool and the stupid alike must perish 

and leave their wealth to others. 

11  Their graves are their homes forever, 

their dwelling places to all generations, 

though they called lands by their own names. 

12  Man in his pomp will not remain; 

he is like the beasts that perish. 

13  This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; 

yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah 

14  Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; 

death shall be their shepherd, 

and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. 

Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 

15  But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, 

for he will receive me. Selah 

16  Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, 

when the glory of his house increases. 

17  For when he dies he will carry nothing away; 

his glory will not go down after him. 

18  For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed 

—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 

19  his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, 

who will never again see light. 

20  Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. 

This psalm is a call for people to listen and learn, to consider life and death and what they are living for. I have considered this psalm and written it in my own words, hopefully this will help convey the meaning and give you insight as you read it:

Listen up because I am going to tell you some important and intelligent things. I am willing to listen and learn, considering what I hear and I want to share with you what I know.

Why should I be scared when trouble comes? When people lie, cheat and do wrong things? Or even worry about those who have more than I do, as they trust in material things? Nobody can really buy off another person, or pay off their debt of sin with money. No-one can pay God the debt they owe for their life. No matter how much wealth people may have or what they generously give, it will never be enough to make up for all they have done wrong. Sin has a hefty price that no-one can pay. There is no way anyone can buy their way out of trouble, out of hell (‘the pit’) and into heaven. It is impossible.

Even those with lots of money and material things see other people die without enjoying their riches. Whatever they seemed to have on Earth is quickly taken by others. It doesn’t matter if you are wise or foolish - everyone dies - and their things get left to other people. Whatever is accumulated in life doesn’t remain in your hands for long, yet death outlasts life! You have an eternity where you will not be on this Earth. This is true for every generation. It doesn’t matter if buildings, places or stars are named after you, you still die - Just like all the other animals. 

As for those silly people who go about falsely happy and confident, listening to the flatteries of those that approve of their lifestyle - They are like sheep appointed for the butcher! They are destined for death. Everlasting death. The land of doom and deep darkness is all that is awaiting them at the end of their earthly existence. In the end, it will be those who have lived good, godly, honest lives that will be in authority over them. As God will take care of and receive His people. He saves them from eternal doom and darkness. 

Therefore do not be frightened of those with riches or power, or of those who have many material goods and authority, for what do they take with them when they die? Their authority, riches and power don’t last long and are of no use to them once life is finished. They may consider how wealthy, happy and flourishing they are whilst they are alive, and others may admire and tell them how great they are, yet their soul will not see light after death. Once no longer living on Earth the riches and material things have no importance or value. It is the soul that lives on - where shall it go - to God or to ‘the pit’? So, do not act like one that has not been informed or who is unaware and silly, but take note and understand that we all die - what are you doing to prepare for that?

Hopefully. that re-write shows the powerful persuasion of this psalm. Those that wrote it recognised the importance of taking time to consider life and death and they wanted others to do the same. They remind us that life is short and death is long, so your priorities in life should reflect that reality. Your major investments should not be in the kingdom of Earth, but for the life that follows as that is more long-lasting and significant. You have an eternal future, are you preparing for it? Or are you busy accumulating experiences, wealth or relationships on Earth? There is nothing wrong with having and enjoying these things, but if it is all that you are focussed on and aim for, then when your life ends there’s not going to be much to take with you. There is not a problem with these things in themselves, but the way in which you view things is important. How you live matters. Your attitude, behaviour, values and beliefs have long-term effects. It impacts your experiences now, and after you breathe your last breath. Your values, beliefs and behaviour in this life determine your destination after death. There is more meaning to life than your wallet, relationships and reputation. Are you living with that mindset?

There needs to be an eternal edge to how you live. What you believe and live for has eternal impact. If you live now without any consideration for others or God then your eternal reality will be doom and darkness without God. 

As well as considering your enjoyment and achievements in life, you know one day your life will end. what are you going to be leaving when your numbered days are up? Is it going to be a fortune, reputation, your name plastered around different areas - things that will have no value or use to you when you’re not around any more and in reality, things that have little impact on those left behind. The money and memories may last a few years but they fade in time. Is it not worth investing your time, energy, effort and finance into something that will have eternal benefit to you and to others? 

In order to do that, you need a mindset that is not bound by life, but one that also considers death. You require an attitude that has an eternal mindset. A mindset that acknowledges the truth that life exists beyond your time on Earth. Do not be one of those that live for the here and now and for the speculative future they hope to enjoy on Earth - it is not guaranteed. Yet death is! Life is more than your existence on Earth. One day you will breathe your last. Yet did you know that life can be enjoyed after that? If you live your life following, believing, trusting and obeying God on Earth, then you will have an eternity to enjoy beyond the grave. 

The promise for this psalmist is that, ‘God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me’. For the one that considers and lives for God now this is a certainty. So consider today the kind of life you are living. God promises that you can be received by Him if you live this earthly life with Him and He will help you prepare for the life to come. If you are living with God now, then you’ll be choosing to live with God in the eternity that follows. You will avoid ’the pit’, darkness and eternal doom. How you live now matters. This psalm implores you to consider what you are doing with your life. As how you live now influences your final destination after death. So do not live , ‘in foolish confidence’ because now you know, you have been told. Instead you can live with God and be received by Him. What are you going to choose? 

keep yourself in God's love

 God is kind. He has warned us that such things as Jude writes about will happen. God allows us to know that there will be people that try to take His ‘beloved’ ones off task. That there will be false teaching and people professing that they are believers leading ungodly lives stuck in sin. God shows us this in different books of the Bible, through different people because He wants us to be aware. Not scared, but prepared, and ready for what is going to happen. God is kindly preparing us and showing us how to live, and He uses authors such as Jude to explain these things to us. 

Jude tells us that this we will see these people living irreverently as the ‘last time’ approaches. A reminder that the world we live in will not last forever. Jude is reminding us that the world is finite, not to cause you to be afraid, but so you can get prepared for not just living in this world, but so that you're ready to live for eternity. He has already mentioned the destination of those who lead others astray by their teaching and untamed sin- where do you want to end up? This is an opportunity for you to assess your life and refine your behaviours and beliefs as necessary. We all make mistakes and can fall into believing things that are not true, being swayed by tempting talk and inviting actions. Today is a chance to put some things right as Jude has shown what the consequences of living a false life of faith are. Therefore be aware of how things can creep in and distance you from God. Be on guard for what is un/helpful in your life and use today to make a change.

*17*But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. *18*They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” *19*It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. *20*But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, *21*keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 

Jude 17–21.

Again, Jude reminds his readers how important and how loved they are as he reminds them that they are, ‘beloved’. He repeats this because he wants them to recognise that they are dear to him, this is why he is instructing, guiding and warning them in the way he is. The contents of this letter would seem pretty scary if it wasn’t enwrapped with love. It is from this affection that Jude is asking the readers to remember their faith, remember the past, remember the prophecies. So that they can all come into right alignment with God's will. So that their eternal destination and treatment by God is what they wish for and expect. In order to help them live a life of faith and help them avoid the inviting instructions of those that have led people of faith astray, Jude here gives three instructions to keep them, and us, on the right path as believers in Jesus;

I) ‘building yourselves up in your most holy faith’

In this world where we lean on the understanding of others and seek the opinions and expertise of one another, here, Jude is telling us to figure it out ourselves. You are responsible for how you learn and grow in faith, not anyone else. Jude tells you and I to build ourselves up. It is not the job of a leader, pastor, speaker or writer, but you yourself are responsible for the faith you have. Therefore make an effort to learn about it; read, pray, interrogate the scriptures, discuss with others, listen - know what the Bible says, and what it doesn’t. Don't just trust others and their understanding, but figure things out for yourself. Research, ask, and consider what this faith in God, through Jesus and with the Holy Spirit is about. Through that you will gain a better understanding of who God is and will gain confidence in what you believe. Jesus did. So that when he faced temptation in the wilderness he was well equipped to face it and succeed. You too will face temptation, are you well equipped for when it comes? Have you built up your confidence in God and understood how He wishes you to live?  You are responsible for building your faith. How are you doing that?

2) ‘praying in the Holy Spirit’

Praying in the Spirit bypasses the brain, we may start off with an idea of what we want to pray for but then get carried to pray for something else, or end up praying in tongues. Both are guided by the Spirit. Prating in the Spirit and having the gift of speaking in tongues is a great thing that makes no sense to others not of faith. It is something inside of us that communicates with God, it connects us with His heart and strengthens our own faith and resilience. If you do not currently pray in the Spirit, then give it a go. It strengthens the connection you have with God and strengthens you. Romans 8:26-27 says, 'the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.' Allow the Spirit to help you to pray.

3) ‘keep yourselves in the love of God’

 Once you have recognised and accepted the love of God, do all you can to remain mindful and accepting of it. We are told and convinced of the fact that God loves us throughout the Bible and since the creation of the universe, but have you ever considered that you have to be mindful of keeping yourself in God's love? keep yourselves in the love of God’ is a command. This is telling you that despite what comes your way, God's love is always available, but are you keeping that in mind and is your heart still focussed on following God? Life happens, you make mistakes, you have desires, you may get bored, fed up, lose the passion you once had, encounter tragedy, feel burnt out. Yet, when you encounter these things ensure you remind yourself of the truth, and that how you live, what you do and think matters. Do not turn your back on or wander away from God. It will not go well for you - look at the previous verses for how that pans out - for humans and angels alike. Even if you don’t feel like it, stay obedient. Keep reminding yourself of who God is, keep meeting and talking to other believers, keep praying and keep going. Keep yourself in God's love - lead a life that makes it easy for God to love you. We all see the different moods, characters and behaviours of children. Sometimes it is so easy to see things to love in them, when they are kind, generous, supportive, fun. Then there are other times! Times when it is easy to dislike them, and it takes work to love them. It is the same for us in our relationship with God. Are you acting like His loveable child, or are you making it difficult for God to love you? Keeping a loving relationship with God alive is your responsibility as well as God's. God will do His part, will you do yours? Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:9–10). Jesus, the Son of God tells us how to keep in the love of God -through obedience. Children show love and trust when they do as they are told. It is not something any of us probably like, but it is still true. As God's child, are you remaining in His love and doing as He asks? 

'you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, *21*keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.'

Psalm 49

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 

*1* Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 
*2* both low and high, rich and poor together! 
*3* My mouth shall speak wisdom; he meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 
*4* I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 
*5* Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 
*6* those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? 
*7* Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 
*8* for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 
*9* that he should live on forever and never see the pit. 
*10*For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 
*11*Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 
*12*Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. 
*13*This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. /Selah/ 
*14*Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 
*15*But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. /Selah/ 
*16*Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 
*17*For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 
*18*For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 
*19*his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 
*20*Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. 

Who is this message for? 

‘*1* Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 

*2* both low and high, rich and poor together!’

Everyone! All people can learn and appreciate what the sons of Korah have learned, all people can benefit from their understanding and observations - are you going to as we read this psalm?

‘*3* My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 

*4* I will incline my ear to a proverb; ‘

V3-4 The writers of this psalm, the sons of Korah, are confident in what they are bringing. They have experienced life, and have observed and learnt enough to become wise about what they are sharing with us.  I like the fact that this psalm is written by ‘the sons of Korah’. This implies that it is a group effort, a combined understanding. They must have reflected and considered together the composition. The result is the combined wisdom of a group of men of God. They have become men of understanding anf wisdom because they listen to one another and are still willing to learn as they declare ‘I will incline my ear…’. They are practicing what they preach, willing to learn, obey and understand more. Are you willing to take onboard their knowledge?

Here is the crux of the matter these sons of Korah have identified and want to speak about in this psalm ;

‘*5* Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 

*6* those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? ‘

These men have realised that rich people can be scary. It gives people who have wealth a power that they would not usually have, and others are afraid of it. Those that are sinful and dishonest are also scary, but what good does running scared do? If people who are cheats, rich or wrongdoers come against us, why does that rock us? Can you not see what they are trusting in - money?! what good will that do them long-term?

‘*7* Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 

*8* for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 

*9* that he should live on forever and never see the pit. ‘

The reality is, that no other human being can own your life, no matter what schemes or tricks they try to use to make it seem like it. No man's wealth can own you or your soul. It is your life, and God is in ultimate command and in control. The length of your days is determined by Him, no-one else - no matter how much or little money you have. You cannot pay a thing to extend or shorten your days. In the same vane, you cannot buy your salvation, or that of anyone else either, ‘the ransom of their life is costly’. This is not in terms of money, but a far greater cost. We know that it was immensely costly to God as he sacrificed His only son Jesus, so that we all can have the ransom for our souls paid. Only the death of the perfect son of God was enough to cover the debt of our sin, and it is paid. Through Jesus is the only way that we can escape ‘the pit’. Have you accepted the price paid for your life? For your soul? 

*10* For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 

*11* Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 

*12* Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish. 

If you take a look around and observe the community/world you live in, you will notice that the wise and the foolish both die. The kind and the horrid, the rich and the poor - all have the same destination and that is death. They take nothing with them, all the things that were important in their life are now insignificant. the things they owned cease to be theirs no matter the importance, wealth, or renown of the individual when they were alive. It does not matter what stuff you had in Earthly life once you are dead. The reality is - just like the animals, we too die and are forgotten. 

*13* This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. /Selah/ 

*14* Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 

*15* But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. /Selah/ 

The foolish people do not listen, they go their own way and do not consider that death will one day come to them, or consider how that should impact their life. Instead they go, unprepared for eternity into the grave. 

This is not the same for everyone, “God will ransom my soul’- Some people can have confidence as their life on Earth draws to an end that God will save them. Those that have lived in such a way to be acceptable to God through Jesus; when their time on Earth ends, they know God has a plan for them. Those who endeavour to live a life of wisdom; following God, not money, stuff or others they can have confidence that God will receive them. Where do you think your eternal destination will be? Are you living to receive God’s ransom and reception?

*16* Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 

*17* For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 

*18* For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 

*19* his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 

*20* Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. 

Another reminder that we need not be afraid of one another - of those who have much (or those who have little). When others do well for themselves, do not worry about it, but remember that all earthly things are temporal whether that be money, possessions or property - none of it is owned when the person’s life ends. The reality is, people will admire and commend those who have nice things (v18), but even that praise is short-lived. What is long-lasting is death. What will happen to the rich and poor, the wise and foolish and all those in between is that all will die. The praise of people will no longer be heard on that day, the honours and blessings of Earth will have disappeared - what will remain? 

What are you living for; th temporal comfort on Earth with people's praise? or are you living life focused on receiving the ransom and reception of God? 

Are you heading for your allotted place?

 The last verse in the book of Daniel reads thus;

*13*But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” Daniel 12:13.

After all of the experiences Daniel has had throughout his life, both miraculous and mortifying, he is encouraged to, ‘go your way til the end’. What a beautifully simple instruction. God is telling Daniel that he just needs to keep doing what he has been doing. God has confidence in the way Daniel lives his life, there is nothing more that he needs to do so God exhorts him to keep it up. Daniel had many challenges and triumphs throughout his life, and he remained steadfast in his trust in God. Daniel sought God and listened to Him, and learned to care about what God cares about. So the greatest instruction that God could give Daniel at this stage of his life is to keep going in that way, with the confidence that he has a place reserved for him in eternity. Daniel is on the right path and almost there, he has an, ‘allotted place’, a secure position assigned to him because of the faithful and faith-filled life he led, he just needs to keep going.

Wouldn’t you like a word from God like that? 

I would. The simple assurance that the way you are going is right and the confidence of your eternal place. What relief, satisfaction and hope that must have brought Daniel. Towards the end of his Earthly days, he is reminded of eternal security and encouraged in the long road of life that he has been on. Daniel is assured that he will be able to ‘rest and shall stand’. Meaning that he will have relief from struggle, peace of heart, and the right to be there. When we accept Jesus as our saviour and live our lives with a God-first mentality, we too earn the right to rest and stand in our allotted places when our time on Earth is done. 

Are you living to earn that eternal reward? 

This instruction for Daniel shows us the generosity of God. God not only provides us the salvation we need - forgiveness from all our wrongs through Jesus - but He also gives us a place of honour in eternity when we live focussed on Him. God delivers us from the sin which causes separation from Him, so that we can walk life and the life after with God  Yet, like the generous father that He is. God is not satisfied with just that. God did not stop at offering us all salvation and restoration, but He also secures an eternal place for those that believe in Him and live for Him. Not only can we be free from condemnation, but we can also have relationship with God, and be given an, ' allotted place' like Daniel was. 

I think this verse is an apt way to end the book of Daniel. The genuine faith of Daniel has lasted through many trials, roles, responsibilities, persecution and revelations, and he is pretty old now. The faithfulness and boldness of Daniel has a promised reward. Daniel did not get the reward or the promise of it at the start as a young teenage exile, but at the end of an eventful, faith-filled life. Daniel had to keep going through his life doing his best to honour God in the midst of many trials, and now he receives a wonderful assurance from God. Daniel has not much further to go - the end is in sight - he is heading in the right direction, so he just needs to continue so that he gains his 'allotted place at the end of the days'. 

One day, we too will face the end of our Earthly lives. What will be the assurance God gives you then? Will you will be given rest and an eternal, appointed position because of the life you have chosen to live?

*13*But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” 

What power do you have?

In this world, what do we seek?

I think that many of the things we seek after ultimately come down to the desire to have more control - more power in our lives.
We all like to have a bit of power, and usually we’d like more of it. Even as children we wish for more power - many of our battles with our daughter at the moment involve the reality that she wishes to do her own thing no matter what’s going on or who that effects - she wants greater control and to exert the power she has. At heart though, aren’t we all the same as our girl? Aren’t we all stuck in a rhythm in which we desire more power and want our own way? We want the control and power to get life going the way we want it to.

One way we can do this is by seeking an increase of money because we want the opportunity to have different options, really wanting more control in our lives - the power to make different choices. Some desire to make their way up a career pathway, they will end up with more power and control as they increase in responsibility and influence. They then have power over others as well as themselves.

For myself, I have never desired to be the top of any career ladder, I have  not sought money, reknown or progression in the jobs I have had. So, you may think I have escaped this power-lust, but I haven’t. I am quite happy to be part of a team and work hard, yet I do not want the power or responsibility of being in charge. I am quite happy with being an assistant, not being top dog at work, because what I actually want is control over my home life. I do not want my life to be dictated to by work. So, you see, even this decision is showing that I desire authority and power, but over life outside work.
It seems that none of us can escape - we are all a bit power-hungry, no matter how we convince ourselves otherwise -  we all like control, we all crave power as we yearn to make our own decisions for our own lives. None of us are immune.

Considering this has caused me to consider - how much power do we really have?
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8:8 (several translations coming up);

English Standard Version
No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.

New Living Translation
None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.

King James Bible
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Good News Translation
No one can keep from dying or put off the day of death. That is a battle we cannot escape; we cannot cheat our way out. 

These verses are all different interpretations of the same verse. They all show that our power is limited. Our ability to control or have power over things has boundaries. Over one of the true major events of life - we have no say. The day we die is already determined and it doesn’t matter how many ways we try to avoid it, elongate it or ignore it, we still have no power to change it.

Some of these interpretations state that we cannot ‘retain the spirit’. Our spirit, the essence of who we are, cannot be imprisoned or controlled, it will depart from our earthly body on the day we die. It cannot be held captive in a vessel that no longer breathes - it lives on, not aimlessly, but moves on to what is next - so where is your spirit going when the guaranteed event the comes to us all comes to you? What is going to happen to you when you die?

Well, there is good news - you do have some authority and power to choose the eternal destination of your spirit. It all depends on what you do now.

There are two options for your life after death -  With God or without Him.

It’s your call. You may not have power over your dying moment, but you do have the ability to choose where you are going afterwards. You cannot control how, when or where you die, but you can make a decision now that determines where your life hereafter will be.

So, where will it be?
Where are you choosing to go when you die?
With God? Without God?

You have the power and right to choose for yourself, it does not depend on anyone else to seal your eternal fate, this decision you have the power and authority to make yourself.
It is all about if you accept and live out the forgiveness Jesus gave when he died on the cross. If you believe in him, accept his forgiveness, and live out a new life in him then your spirit will live on with God. So, on the day of death, when the spirit is released from its earthly cage, you have a guaranteed future with God, and the reality of that day approaching should hold no fear for you even though you cannot control it.
What about if you don’t believe in God? Well, then, it is an eternity without God for you. As you choose to live your life now, without Him, so will your life after be. Considering that God is love, that’s not going to be a very pleasant place to be. Imagine living in an environment that is completely devoid of love, the complete opposite to a loving environment, that is what you are choosing for yourself.

Some may read this and think they will put on hold a decision about this, but you and I do not know how long we have to make that decision. You have no power to decide how long you have left, you may not have another chance to decide on your eternal destination, so what will it be?

Day of Death

A good name is better than precious ointment, 
and the day of death than the day of birth. 
*2* It is better to go to the house of mourning 
than to go to the house of feasting, 
for this is the end of all mankind, 
and the living will lay it to heart. 
Ecclesiastes 7:1-2

It seems odd, doesn’t it, that Solomon considers the day of death better than the day of life? Death better than birth?

These verses can seem a bit hard to read as we don’t like to think of death, particularly in the sense that Solomon mentions - that mourning is preferable to celebration, but death is a reality that is coming us all. It is more certain than most things in our lives. It’s more certain than many things in life like; marriage, kids, job, holidays or even if we are going to eat today. Most of these things we take for granted, we expect them to happen to us and we can spend a lot of time preparing for them.
So, considering the verses above - Are you spending as much time (or any) preparing for the one event that is most certain of all - your dying day?

I am not trying to be morbid here, or to imply that we should have detailed funeral plans laid out, but lets consider the fact that we are going to die for a few moments - are you ready for it?

I realise some people will think this a morbid topic to ponder on, but I think it’s an essential one to recognise. One day our Earthly life will end, and our life after will begin.
If you are a christian it’s not bad news as you expect to live beyond your Earthly death. If you believe and trust in God and Jesus, Jesus himself said that he’s preparing a place for you (John 14:3). This fact should fill us with hope. It should be something that we are looking forward to - Jesus is getting ready for us - that’s kind of exciting!

Yet the reality is that at the point of death we then enter into the unknown - that’s the bit that scares me. We do not know exactly what happens at that point, but I, like Solomon I guess, link the day of death to the day of birth. I imagine our dying day to be like when we are born. As a baby, we are alive in our mother’s womb, then the day comes when our womb days die and we are born into another reality - it’s scary and different. Could death be like that?

Our earthly days are those of preparation for being born into a new reality that we couldn’t of previously conceived. It is not that we cease to exist, but that we are birthed into a new realm, an eternal one. Just as our days in the womb were relatively few in number compared to our life on Earth, so our life on Earth is relatively short compared to our eternal life. Therefore, shouldn’t we be preparing for this eternity more than we are settling and making comfortable our lives on Earth?

It is great to prepare for life, to make plans and organise things, it is good to celebrate too, but are you prepared for what happens after all these things end? Are you prepared for the time when celebrations end and the life that is mourned is your own?
I do not mean that we should have all our funeral plans wrapped up and ready, but  what I do mean is; Are you living your life in such a way that you are ready for the end of it? Do you know what’s coming next and live in light of that?

None of us know when our last day will be, and we don’t like to think about it, it’s a kind of taboo. Yet, this event is certain. The day of death is coming, and it shouldn’t be a day to fear.

Solomon is encouraging us through these verses to not get caught up in the events of this Earth unless you are taking them into consideration of the wider eternal plan. We can get mixed up in  many distractions, that if we consider them on an eternal perspective probably will not have much significance. What is your focus and aim of your life on Earth? Do these objectives have an eternal perspective?

This is why Solomon is saying that the day of mourning is better than the day of celebration because it causes us to pause in our lives and consider. He has observed humanity throughout his life of wisdom and made some conclusions. He sees that when a baby is born, we celebrate, we congratulate, people are generally happy, it is fun and joyous to have new life in the world and we focus on this event and the opportunities it brings. On the day of death, the people present mourn, feel sadness, maybe regret and acknowledgement that there may be unfinished business. These people are considering death, and have an opportunity to recognise their own mortality. They may consider the meaning and purpose of their own life. They could contemplate how they wish to be remembered and what is going to happen when they die. We face some of life’s big questions when we think about a life ending. These kind of questions are not usually faced on a daily basis, and rarely come up in times of celebration. The day of mourning can bring long-term life-changing considerations. Whereas the celebrations of birth bring a temporary joy. This is why Solomon values the days of mourning more. Not because he’s morbid or likes a good cry, but because the meaning of your life can be challenged, and that can effect the rest of your life.

Have you considered your life in this light? Have you ever thought about the big questions of life - where is your life going and even more importantly where are you going after this life?

There are two choices on how you live your life now and hereafter - with God or without God. How you live your life now, here on Earth, will determine where your life after death will be. Are you going to be with God or not?
The day is coming. For those who believe in God and trust in Jesus, it’s not a terrifying day (or shouldn’t be). We have assurances that Jesus has gone ahead and prepared our place - has he prepared yours?