Daily Encouragement

July 11, 2010 - Face Emptiness With Fellowship

Under Solomon's observation, life is unfair because many people are oppressed. They have no comforter. (v. 1-3)

Our lives are full of struggles and competitions. (v. 4-6)

Man's endless labor cannot resolve the deep problem of loneliness. (v. 7-8)

Only relationship and fellowship can help us face the tough struggles in life. (v. 9-12) Every human being needs social relationship. No man is an island. We must work together. Friendship is truly indispensable to a tolerable life. Therefore you need the church and her community. You need a home!

Even authority and advancement is meaningless for the rich, poor, young or old. For no one can guarantee his legacy will last. (v. 13-16)

May the Lord help you find what is truly meaningful in life.

July 12, 2010 - The Wisdom Of Life

Meditation on Ecclesiastes 7

This chapter is a new section which deals with wisdom. It contains gems of proverbs and comparison. For a beginning student of the wisdom literature of the Bible, it may be easier for him to read the interpretation of the Living Bible in order to understand some of the ideas. However through diligent digging of Bible scholars' commentaries, we can find a lot more wonderful teaching.

Generally speaking, Ecclesiastes 7 can be divided into three major discussions about wisdom:

A. Verses 1-10 Wisdom would make our living with better meaning.

B. Verses 11-18 Wisdom protects our life from ruin and waste.

C. Verses 19-29 Wisdom helps us face life with righteous strength.

For verses one to three, there are tremendous teachings for us to meditate on. In verse one; since ointment was heavily used for burial in ancient custom of Middle East, we should understand the meaning of this verse as such: a good name is better than nice burial. In verses two to four, the sage instructs us which occasion is more important, prudent, substantive, reflective, and instructive in life.

Verses five to ten teach us practically what kind of behavior, temperament, and attitude we should have in life. It is worthwhile for us to digest these concepts very carefully and internalize them.

Verses eleven to fourteen admonish us to learn from the teaching of God throughout our lives so it can protect us and submit to His wisdom.

Verses fifteen to eighteen tell us to avoid extreme actions in life. Confucius, the philosopher would readily agree with that.

Again, verses nineteen to twenty-two show us some very significant observations in life for sane living.

Verses twenty three to twenty five express our inability to grasp the meaning of all that God is doing in this world.

Verses twenty six to twenty nine point out the lack of righteousness in humanity in general. The zero in of woman's lack of uprightness seems to be an observation by Solomon himself among his wives and concubines. It is not a discrimination against woman from the Bible. For Solomon also speaks highly of women in Proverbs 12:4, 14:1, 18:22, 19:14, 31:10f and Ecclesiastes 9:9. Moreover, Solomon describes the all important wisdom with female pronouns in Proverbs 1:20, 8:1 and 9:1.

What have God impressed you in your reading? Any question? Send me an email.

July 13, 2010 - The Growth Of Marital Love

Meditation on Song of Solomon 4

The Song of Songs was written by King Solomon concerning his first love, the Shulamite. (6:13) This is a love poem that a married couple must read, even for a couple that is planning to be married.

Chapter 4 describes the beauty of the bride in detail as well as the deep love and attraction between the couple. We can see that their love relationship is pure and loyal to each other. (v. 12) It will take great study and tremendous imagination to appreciate this poetic language. Get some Evangelical Commentary from the Internet to understand this Song of Songs is necessary. Hudson Taylor the great missionary to China and spiritual giant had written Thoughts on the Song of Solomon.

To me, verse 16 explains how marital love can grow,

"Awake, O north wind,
And come, O south!
Blow upon my garden,
That its spices may flow out.
Let my beloved come to his garden
And eat its pleasant fruits."
(NKJV)

North wind comes from the mountains which may be cold. South wind comes from the desert which may be warm. Let them blow into the couple's relationship. Both can produce and spread fragrance for their love. One can see that in a couple's life, there would be little fox that wants to destroy their relationship. (2:15) or some misunderstanding, impatience, insensitivity or harsh circumstance that may hurt each other, (5:2-7) But true love will make the bond of love grow even stronger in all these circumstances.

May God bless your marriage today and as long as you live.

July 14, 2010 - Hope In The Midst Of Judgment

Meditation on Isaiah 1

From the opening, Prophet Isaiah brought strong judgment upon the nation of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. Since the people had constantly sinned against God who brought them up with His mercy and care, their land was repeatedly salvaged by their enemy, their country was in deep ruined economically as well as environmentally. Even when they came to God for help, God would not hear their plea. (v. 15)

The only hope they would be restored was that they would repent of their sins and change the direction of their behaviors one hundred eighty degree. Only when they stopped sinning against one another, acted righteously toward each other, practiced compassion and cared for the weak and poor, but get rid of immorality and idolatry then will God cleansed them and get rid of their filth in their midst. Then God promised His pardon through Isaiah, "Come now and let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though yours sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Thought they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (v. 18 NKJV)

The prayers of our Land will not be answered unless there is true repentance to turn away from the practice of sins and self entitlement. Only then, will there be real forgiveness which leads to hope of delivering us from the vast amount of disasters in the land and river and sea.

July 15, 2010 - The Prophecy Of The Virgin Birth Of The Messiah

Meditation on Isaiah 7

God sent Isaiah to King Ahaz to tell him to trust in God and not be afraid of the joint attack from King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel. When Isaiah offered a sign from God, Ahaz refused to ask for it. Since Isaiah was addressing to the whole house of Israel who had persistently sinned against God, he offered the whole plan of salvation for the nation and mankind in the future by giving the people of God a very special sign from God Himself. Verse fourteen recorded such sign, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel." (NKJV)

God is merciful always. He shall save the remnant of Israel and those who look unto Him. The Messiah, who will be born through a virgin, shall be our Savior. He is the Son of God.

He had come to this world to fulfill Emmanuel, which means "God with us." This was recorded and accomplished by Matthew 1:22-23 when Mary, the virgin, gave birth to Jesus.

For Jesus will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Through the unbelieving King of Judah, we all have been given hope and salvation from our sins today. God's judgment can be averted. Praise Him.

July 16, 2010 - The Light In Darkness

Meditation on Isaiah 9

Though the first thirty nine chapters of Isaiah major on judgments upon Judah and the gentile world, Isaiah keeps bringing up the theme of hope. God's invitation to reasoning and pardon was presented in chapter one. "God will establish Jerusalem" opens chapter two. The special and glorious "branch of the LORD" appears in chapter four. Though full of condemning words in chapter five, God still calls Israel his 'Well-beloved". God called Isaiah to preach His word to His people in chapter six. Both chapter seven and eight announce the prophecy of Emmanuel.

Now in chapter nine, Isaiah announces the light will be seen in darkness because there would be the birth of a Son for us. Verse nine describes that this Son shall be called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the everlasting Father and Prince of Peace." Jesus the Son of God has come to this dark world in Galilee to bring us light. (Matthew 4:14-16 has indicated the fulfillment of this passage.) He actually is God Himself!

No matter what kind of darkness anyone may be in today. Jesus is the light. Falling into the midst of the judgment in life because of sin may drive the sinner to Jesus who is the light that point to hope and salvation for him. Ask Jesus to come into your life today if you have not done so.

July 17, 2010 - The Fall Of Babylon

Meditation on Isaiah 14

As the prophet Isaiah judged the surrounding nations of Israel, he singled out the king of Babylon in a personal term. The whole song of lament is so highly descriptive that seemed like God was pointing out a personal being that was more than a human. Look at verse 12, "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn!" (NASB) The reason of his fall was in verse 13-14, "But you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High." This kind of statement can only be uttered by a being with super power.

Pride has caused this being to fall from his position. I believe this being would be the same being who was behind the wicked power of King of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:12f. He was the anointed cherub with great musical talents and a most beautiful being. He was none other than Satan who was originally one of the chief angels for God. So the fall of Babylon in Isaiah 14 was the allusion to the fall of Satan because of his pride and self exaltation.

Pride was the original cause of sin. Satan will inspire us to be proud and self centered. Let us all watch out of this prime sin. Not only God will not bless the sinful man but He will allow us to fall and be judged severely in the world and even in the future if we do not repent.