Date: Friday, July 18, 2014
Today's Chapters: Ecclesiastes 9-12
Message Title: Trusting God Without Understanding

I think that one of the hardest things of being a Christian is understanding God. We all have a plan for our lives, but quite often that plan does not agree with God's plan for us. There is something that we must understand, God sees the bigger picture of our lives, and He is going to make the best decision for our lives. It is the times that we do not understand God when we have to learn to trust His decision, He will always bring something good out of every situation. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” - Job 23:8-10.

Solomon, went through a great deal of suffering to figure out what God was all about, although he was no closer to an answer, he did figure out that everything was in His hands. He stresses the importance of us realizing that man's plan contains a great deal of wickedness, even if we do not know it. “This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.” - Ecclesiastes 9:3,10-12.

The children of men, these are those who have not accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as their Savior. These are those who claim they are who they are by their own devices. These are those who refuse to acknowledge that God is the source of all that they have. It does not matter how little we work or how much we work, how little we have or how much we have, how wicked we are or how good we are, we all will die. In order to find life after death we need Jesus. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” - Hebrews 9:27,28.

Solomon also figured out that the same opportunities are given to all, whether we believe in God or not. “If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” - Ecclesiastes 11:3-6.

Chance, something that may or may not happen, there are some things that we know will happen, others are not so easy to figure out. God has made everything in His time, all the things we go through are in His time, all the waiting, the crying, and the joy, are things that happen in His time. God is not a God of chance, He is a God of hope. God wants us to get to the point that it looks hopeless so that we can understand that He is our only hope. Why? He wants the glory. If you have not received the outcome that you thought for sure you would get, you must trust that God has your best interest in mind. “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:27,28.

While we may not understand all of God's ways, we must understand that there is only One God, and that Jesus is the only way to God. There will be a time when all the earth will learn that the hard way. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:1-3,11-14.

Jesus will return one day, and it is He who will judge us according to our works. This does not mean that a saved soul will be cast into the lake of fire, it does mean that whatever good we have done here after we got saved will account for the life we live in His Kingdom. Those who have not received Jesus Christ as their Savior will have it much worse, they not only be accountable for all the wicked things they have done, they will see the times they could have known Him, but rejected Him. “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” - Matthew 12:35-37.

Today's Prayer: God, I know that everything You do for me is in Your best interest, things I longed for, but have not gotten are only opportunities for something better. It's easy for me to say I trust You, but it's not so easy for me to understand Your decisions. Lord, I do want to trust You at all times, even when I do not understand Your ways. Help me Lord, to trust and obey all Your decisions, and let me not get discouraged or disgruntled over things that I do not understand. Keep me looking for Your blessed hope and assurance, because I do know that You will always supply me with every single thing I need, and then some. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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