What is the meaning of life? Solomon was determined to find out God's ultimate scheme of things. Like a great research scientist, Solomon said, "I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things" (7:25). "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things" (7:27). But despite his determination, he had to admit, "this was beyond me. Whatever (God's ultimate) wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound- who can discover it?" (7:23-24). But he did find some things along the way- "I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare...(7:26). "I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all" (7:28). Some have accused Solomon of being down on women. But perhaps he simply needed to expand his sampling data beyond the confines of his huge harem of 700 foreign wives and 300 concubines (see 1 Kings 11:3). Solomon had so many women, yet found that to be empty as well. Playboys need to realize they are on a dead end pursuit chasing sexual encounters (7:26).
Men are no better than women. Solomon found that too. "God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes" 7:29. The Hebrew word here for "schemes" is chishshabon. It's used only one other place in the OT (2 Chron.26:15), and it has the meaning of inventions. Lost man would rather search for and invent their own meaning in life, than follow God's meaning and will for their lives. Want evidence? Vicktor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning has sold over 10 million copies and has been translated in 24 languages. I'm not bashing the book. His tales of concentration camp life and death are gripping. But many people have gone in search of their own meaning, having turned their backs on their Creator, who offers them meaning. Man invents his own meaning for life. It's like buying a dictionary with terms in it, but no definitions. Those are left for each person to invent and fill in. How crazy is that!
How much better to search through God's book to find the meaning for our existence. One place it's revealed to us is in a story, not set in a concentration camp, but in a wilderness. The devil sought to lead the Son of God astray from the meaning and purpose God had for him and for all of us. He sought to get Jesus to bow down and worship him. But Jesus declared, "Away form me Satan! For it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only'" Mt.4:10. There it is! Man's search for meaning is over. What is the meaning of my life- "Worship the Lord your God and serve him only." I am not to search for and invent my our meaning, but to embrace the meaning and purpose God has created and redeemed me for. Thank you Lord, for it is a good, pleasing and perfect will and plan that you have for my life.
1.- Read Eccles.7:15-29 and pick out a verse or phrase and share it and some of your thoughts about it.
If you search in the Webster's dictionary for the definition of manly, you will find this: "having the qualities generally regarded as those that a man should have..." But once again, that leaves man to search for his own meaning. Instead, based on God's revealed word, I believe the following acronym reflects God's meaning and purpose for our lives. Man's search for meaning is to be MANLY:
Mature in character- for example- Hungry, Obedient, Unstoppable, Strong in the Lord, Encouraging.
Active in mentoring- pursuing G.R.E.A.T. things to help ourselves and others mature and multiply.
Noble in battle- being at W.A.R. to live Worthy lives, to Activate the sidelined saints and to Release the locked up lost.
Loving in relationships- for example, seeking to devotedly love my family
Yoked to Christ and a band of brothers- being devoted to Christ and your fire team, squad and the men of M3 to advance God's kingdom.
Yes, we certainly have reviewed that MANLY acronym before. But do you know it? Our mission is to Multiply MANLY Men. So do you know the meaning of a MANLY man? Could you share it with someone who asked you, "What is a MANLY man?" I use it often as a guide for praying for men we want to recruit and for ourselves. Please try it. I do.
2.- What's one aspect of our MANLY acronym that you're glad we focus on?
Did you know former fire captain, George Rabiela runs O'Leary's Fire Truck Tours? Here's what he wrote recently. "Took some people out on a tour, but didn't have any business cards, so I gave them a mini movie card with my telephone number on it." Way to go George! Each man in M3 can now have his own sharp looking, personal business cards.
How does the death of Al Capone relate to Ecclesiastes and to us today? We'll discover that together Monday.
Enjoy the weekend and make sure to get all your points on the board for the sake of your team, yourself and even me. And text me if you're joining me for a walk tomorrow (8:00 AM starting at 9541 S. Oakley. Thanx :)
Please send a birthday greeting to Rick Barrera. His big day is tomorrow, but please encourage him today- c.309-242-0843.
Also please send an email to Ed Lake whom we've missed all this week as they are getting settled in to Kazakhstan from
Singapore- edwardlake2006@gmail.com.
1. Eccl. 7:19 "Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city."
ReplyDeleteTo me this verse sums everything up... Only the wisdom that comes from God is going to give us strength and meaning to our lives and is what we should pursue.
2. I believe we have focused on all the points on the acronym, but I am glad we have paid special attention to being active in mentoring.
Good verse! You truly are stronger then ten rulers brother. God bless you.
DeleteGood verse and thoughts, Roger! I agree I'm glad we have focused on "Active in mentoring" too.
Delete1.Ecc 7:29 This only have I found:
ReplyDeleteGod created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.
God has created his to be creative. But in our sinful and ignorant states mankind has created things, gods, to attempt to fill the hole for that true meaning of life.
Ish. 53:6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
Yet, only if we just took a moment and looked at the world around us, I believe we would see the bigger picture and understand that there is a way that leads to death and a way that leads to a uninterrupted life with our Creator.
Romans 1:20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
2. Mature in Character. Although it is hard at times allowing God to chisel away at certain areas of your character, I love the privilege and opportunity to mature into Christ like character.
Good cross verse to remind us how great and forgiving are God is. Have a good weekend bro.
DeleteEddie, that's a good comment on "mature in character".
Delete1. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
ReplyDeleteA great reminder that we are almost human and not perfect. We are all born with sin and we should never ever think we are better then anybody else because in God's eye's we are all loved the same.
2. Active in mentoring- pursuing G.R.E.A.T. things to help ourselves and others mature and multiply.
Reading the acronyms above this one is very important. Active in mentoring should not stop with just men. We have a lost generation out there and we must be active in thier lives too. I'm embarrassed of my peers that don't want to be a patent to their children but a friend. They show no respect for themselves or anybody at that. I believe we should be mentoring our youth and show them what it really means to be a man. Many lost souls or their that just need positive reinforcement. A simple thank you, or great job, or you can do it can go a long way. This is a generation that will take care of us later so why not invest a little time in them.
Amen we are all loved the same in God's eyes.
DeleteThank you Lord Jesus because through your precious blood we are made clean.
DeleteI agree with you, Horacio. Parents. Should be very close with their children . A manly man has an important task , and that's to raise his child respectful , obedient and wise.
DeleteGood post, Horacio! :)
DeleteEcclesiastes 7:29 (NIV) This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
ReplyDeleteMatthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
We have been given the meaning of life. I pray that other things don't distract us. I pray that we continue to open and follow the God breathed, living word of God.
I believe we do a great job of being Yoked to Christ and a band of brothers- being devoted to Christ and your fire team, squad and the men of M3 to advance God's kingdom.
Happy Birthday Rick. God bless.
Amen may we not be distracted in life but live with true meaning in Christ.
DeleteGood words of "yoked to Christ", Sam!
Delete1. "Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins." Ecclesiastes 7:20
ReplyDeleteReminded me of Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and Luke 18:19 "“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone."
2. Mature stands out to me, though all of them are good!
Great cross reference verse bro.
DeleteLove seeing your faithfulness Robert! Have a blessed Friday!
DeleteTo my M3 brothers and squad team...
ReplyDeleteWant to give an apology for me MIA last two days as today will be a long day as well (not a broken arrow)but it will not stop me from blogging but most importantly stop me from continuing my reading my daily bread, relationship with Christ and my mission. Blessings
Brother Ish, I'm proud of you! No retreat, no surrender! God bless you and your family :-)
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DeleteStay strong Ish! You got this with the Lord!
DeleteThanks for letting us know Ish. You are indeed faithful
DeleteIsmael, glad you're still in . Stay strong in the Lord.
Delete1. “See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” Ecclesiastes 7:29 ESV
ReplyDeleteThis verse reminds me excatly what Adam and eve did. They sought out the forbidden fruit instead of listening to God. We as humans still haven't changed. We continue to seek out what we want and not what god wants. Due to are sinful nature. We must continue to fight and seek him for wisdom and knowledge.
2. Active in mentoring I like because we should always be sharing the gospel to others.
Great example on sin and fallen human nature bro. Stay strong.
DeleteAmen may we always share the gospel with others.
Delete1- Ecclesiastes 7:29
ReplyDeleteSee, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. -ESV
Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things. -MSG
I feel this verse is very straight forward. We just suck, plain and simple. We make our own mistakes and its our own fault. We can't and shouldn't blame anyone or God for our shortcomings.
2- Mature in Character: I feel that for me that's an area that's super important on improving. To have more of a godly character. I've seen spiritual fruit in my life over the past year and joining this group has greatly helped me.
Proud of all you do and pursue Lou! Definitely a great example to me. God bless you good brother of mine :)
DeleteLuis glad you are part of our group so we can all grow together in the Lord.
DeleteI am ver thankful for you and your encouragement brother.
DeleteLuis , associating with a band of Godly brother has given me a change in life. A life more closer to God.
Delete1) the verse that stuck out to me had to be:
ReplyDeleteEcclesiastes 7:29 “This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
That we could be upright like God intended in the beginning of creation. This reminded me so much of that video I watched the other day, "Falling Plates". Really just praising God that He didn't leave us here in our shame, but even after being deliberately betrayed, He still sent His son to save us. God is Good, All the Time.
2) I love that we focus on "M"ature in Character - - - it is a refreshing feeling to be in a band of Brothers that I feel are truly hungry for the Lord and pushing themselves to live Holy before Him. This is such a value to me, and I am encouraged greatly. In this day and age, if you don't see it in front of you, it feels like it doesn't exist. That was the fear of my heart before finding MANLY Men like this in M3. Thankful for you guys. Stay strong in the Lord and continue to keep each other in prayer always.
William, it make me glad that you have much trust in God. He is the creator of the stars , the new moon and the for unknown areas of the universe. So Great is he and he still loves us.
DeleteGood verse choice, Will. I almost chose that one as well.
Delete1) “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”
ReplyDeleteEcclesiastes 7:20- great verse, and yet very true. In this world and times today it is so hard to live a sin free life, let alone a sin free day! I know I struggle every day
2) "living in relationships" is the acronym I believe I live by. I am a father of 7 and my father passed in January so I am constantly intervening or just encouraging one of my kids or mom n sister. It can be overwhelming but I am so grateful and blessed to be able to have such a big family and not alone
Ricardo, it was good talking to you this afternoon. Stay in the path of the Lord. Do not go left, do not go right. Do not stop to rest. Stay strong and courageous. Your race will be victorious!
DeleteYou are truly blessed, keep intervening and encouraging.
Delete1 Eccles 7:19. Wisdom does more for a person than ten rulers can do for a city .
ReplyDeleteWisdom is greater than a large armed force. It could also mean God takes care of those who trust in him. Years ago as a union carpentry contractor , I was faced with a difficult situation with the carpenters union. I felt as though I was backed into a wall. I would ask " what is the solution Lord". After much effort to solve the problem, I finally said " I've done all I can do. Lord , I leave it in your hands". The outcome was not what I expected . They dropped the case and I was at peace.
2. I've been more into "mature in character". These characters of a manly man are what I strive for. Hungry for the word, obedient, unstoppable, strong in the Lord, and an encourager.
1.Ecc.7.26. "I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare." Mixed thoughts on this first here. I know that I need to please God more in things I do in my life.
ReplyDelete2. Mature in charator I have been in the Lord over 25 years and sometimes I am very immature.
1
ReplyDeleteI was paying attention to Ecc 7:20 as this reminds me of our depravity. The total reason why we need christ who is our focus
"Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”
Along with another reminder which is even more humbling
Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
2
Active in mentoring is something that I wold ned to pay attention to and intentionally focus on the man in need
1) Ecclesiastes 7:20 > Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
ReplyDeleteI selected this verse because it was one of the few verses that made sense to me from this passage. The truth here is so clearly stated that all, everyone, everybody has offended God our creator. Romans 3:23 parallels this so closely. As to the other verses in this passage, my mind seems sort of dull to understand the significance. I suppose that at the time when it was first written in it's original language and cultural context that it communicated brilliantly many fascinating thoughts,observations, and ideas. But I wonder if much got lost in the translations. I see such a wide interpretation of meanings even between our various English Bible translations. Open my eyes Lord to understand Ecclesiastes better so that I can apply it according to Your purpose.
2.- What's one aspect of our MANLY acronym that you're glad we focus on?
I like all the aspects but to just name one I'll select “N” Noble in battle- being at W.A.R. to live Worthy lives, to Activate the sidelined saints and to Release the locked up lost. I selected "N" because consistent outreach to the lost has been one weak area in my Christian life and I'm glad it is focused on in M3.
David, I'm glad you brought up " noble in battle". You bring up some very good points.
DeleteDave, I understand how you feel about the translations. I feel the same way too when looking at different translations of the same verse I sometime wonder how they can be so different.
DeleteDavid, I'm glad you brought up " noble in battle". You bring up some very good points.
Delete1.“Even though a person sins and gets by with it hundreds of times throughout a long life, I’m still convinced that the good life is reserved for the person who fears God, who lives reverently in his presence, and that the evil person will not experience a “good” life. No matter how many days he lives, they’ll all be as flat and colorless as a shadow—because he doesn’t fear God.”
ReplyDeleteEcclesiastes 8:12-13 MSG
There is only 1 way to the good life. That's through God.
2.Yoked to Christ and a band of brothers
I can not imagine living without God. And yet there are many people who live that empty life without God. Thank you , Dave.
Delete1. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,o one who does what is right and never sins.
ReplyDeleteSo true. This observation is a reminder that we all are sinners and we must accept God andask for forgiveness.
2.Yoked to Christ and Band of Brothers. This gives me motivation to blog because I hate to disappoint when I dont do it. Plus, I'm learning so much from the Bible.
Chuy, Very good on "yoked to Christ ". Continue strong and courageous on your journey with Jesus.
Delete“And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.”
ReplyDeleteEcclesiastes 7:
It's easy to be captivated by the evil woman but she holds snares and chains. It's a hook in the mouth and she reels us in. We are netted and struggle as a fish in a net. It's feels so good to be free from lust and love addiction.
2. Mature in character- for example- Hungry, Obedient, Unstoppable, Strong in the Lord, Encouraging.
That is who I want to be.
Amen brother, your well on your way to achieving that goal. Our father will recognize our hard work, and he will bless us for it.
Delete1- Ecclesiastes 7:29 New Century Version (NCV)
ReplyDelete29 One thing I have learned:
God made people good, but they have found all kinds of ways to be bad
God is good all the time and all the time God is good. One thing that came into my mind when I read this verse a couple of times was the love of God. God made us. He never makes a mistake. It assures me that God knows what he is doing.
2- Mature in character- for example- Hungry, Obedient, Unstoppable, Strong in the Lord, Encouraging.
M3 has really matured me, but I am still a work in progress.
Amen, brother. We are all men of God in the making...still works in progress.
DeleteBrother vince, you are already all of those listed above. You are a very strong brother in god as are the rest of us. One day we will all reach our spiritual goals in life.
Delete1) Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Ecclesiastes 7:19
ReplyDeleteGods word and wisdom is above any ruler or all rulers put together. We should never seek wisdom from kings that are not sent from the lord and so the only one we seek to is Jesus him self kings of all kings.
2) mature in nature- because scripture is not just about hearing and reading it is about doing and leading. We all should strive to be leaders that are mature enough to lead more men.
Good advice Andre - We all should strive to be leaders that are mature enough to lead more men.
Delete1. "Indeed there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one on earth that does what is righteous and never sins." ECC 7:20
ReplyDeleteNone have ever lived up to The perfection of Jesus Christ-- but we strive to live like him and lead others to his ways.
2. Yoked to Christ and a band of M3 Brothers-- to focus as encourages to live like Christ and show love and support to each other always through our brotherhood.
Jack, I'm glad to have you as my squad leader. You set a great example.
DeleteEcclesiastes 7:21 "Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you—22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others." The caution this verse speaks of, to me, is caution to avoid hypocrisy. Nobody likes being talked about behind their back, much less when others speak curses upon them behind their back, but how often do we not do the same. Why should we ever have cause to curse another person when God is calling each of us to forgive forty times seven times? The truth is, there is no reason why we should ever speak ill against others. We are all far from perfect and certainly unworthy, and yet our Father in heaven recognizes this and loves us regardless. The next time someone angers me or speaks badly of me, and I get the urge to retaliate, I will remember the wisdom of this verse. Who am I to condemn...I who am just as much a sinner and just as imperfect? Those who seek forgiveness must first learn to forgive. How else would they ever know forgiveness unless they've experienced before?
ReplyDelete2. Noble in battle- being at W.A.R. to live Worthy lives, to Activate the sidelined saints and to Release the locked up lost. The WAR we fight is for our souls and the souls of our fellow men. The surest way to win a war is to win the hearts and minds of the afflicted...to give people a reason to support you and your cause. Our cause is clear. Every heart and mind we win, we win for the Father.and for the kingdom. Achieving this requires us to live worthy lives, activate the sidelined saints and releasing the locked up lost. By being MANLY men ourselves, we can inspire others to join us and renew their relationship with the Father.
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DeleteOsiris, I like how you put it - "we can inspire others to join us and renew their relationship with the Father." We can lead others to Christ by example.
DeleteEcclesiastes 7:26 I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.
ReplyDeleteA women was the first to be deceived by the enemy. A women can make you fall in love to the point where your blind to sinful living. Through her the enemy will always have a hold on you. But the man who follows god will be free from the wicked.
2: Be devoted is what I'm most thankful for. My faith often feels weak at times but staying devoted has help my faith to continue to remain strong.
Jose, I'm glad you've stayed strong in your faith in Christ.
Delete1) Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 "Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others."
ReplyDeleteThis verse really reminded me of Matthew 7:4 "How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"
I think these are important verses because we sometimes look down on others for their mistakes while we are blind to (or forget) the fact that we make the same mistakes as well. As a result, we should be more proactive dealing with our own sins and treating others the way we would want to be treated.
2) I like the "Active in mentoring" part of M3 because it helps me be more proactive in encouraging others.
Good cross reference Alex and a good reminder to look at ourselves before we criticize others.
Delete1 - Ecclesiastes 7: 20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. There was only one person who was sinless, his name was Jesus. While I feel that it is impossible to be sinless, I can still try to be more like Jesus.
ReplyDelete2 - Yoked to Christ and a band of brothers, it’s good to know I have the men of M3 standing behind me if I need them.
Amen George! We learn alot from each other!
Delete
ReplyDelete1.- Ecc. 7:24
Whatever exists is far off and most profound --- who can discover it?
Hope I do justice to this verse, it was challenging. I believe this says that only God understands the way of wisdom and knows the place of understanding. God alone is the Master & source of wisdom.
(Bible Hub)
1 Cor. 2:9-16 Niv
However as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him --these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
Job 28:28
And he said to the human race, " The fear of the Lord --- that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding."
2.- All aspects of our MANLY acronym are vital to each other, therefore establishing a strong foundation.
Mature in character is a virtuous trait to always strive for, to solidify my standing with the Lord, to always seek knowledge and understanding, to be a faithful obedient servant.
Armando, Mature in character is a good one. Without it I could see all the rest falling apart.
DeleteWell done my brother!
DeleteSo glad to see you study the word of God my brother, like using "Biblehub.com" to help break down scripture. Keep it up and watch God continue to strengthen your faith and Maturity in Christ :)
Delete1. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
ReplyDelete2. Loving in relationships- for example, seeking to devotedly love my family.
1. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as a perfect believer. No matter how strong we are in the faith it is important to remember that because it keeps us searching after our God.
2. Mature in character- for example- Hungry, Obedient, Unstoppable, Strong in the Lord, Encouraging.
I'm glad we focus on this because it keeps me seeking after the Lord at all times and reminds me of the type of man I want to be.
1. Ecc. 7:16 says "Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself?" --- for many years in my Christian life, I really tried to be over righteous in my conduct and speech, like a Pharisee , and I discovered misery and Great Depression in that type of life. I totally missed the opportunity to experience "God's unmerited Grace" in my life. My intent was to not sin and avoid every situation that may cause me to sin. That in and of itself is a good objective but I was trying to do that on my own effort in order to please and find more favor with God. What I found is this, fall in Love with Christ and learn To depend on and lean on His word for your life and you will never go wrong :). " Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God :) "
ReplyDelete2. " Loving in relationships " -- believe it or not, this takes much work for me :( and does not come to me as naturally as it does for others. I tend not to get too involved in other people's lives and activities and not really care what is happening in their lives. By focusing on this "L" , it helps me care more and pray more for others :)
1. Ecclesiastes 7:1519 wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city. That is what I need wisdom to lead my family and continue to serve God. Amen.
ReplyDelete2. MANLY acronym, Loving in relationships- for example, seeking to devotedly love my family. Now I am married and I need to devotedly love my family. I pray to be MANLY and be loving. Amen.