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For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity.  But fear God.

Ecclesiastes 5:7

Half done things mark the many roads I have traveled on in this life.

Not really searching for an answer, but how many things have I started and never finished?

When I first started reading the book of Ecclesiastes i asked myself one question.  That question was "When did Solomon write this book?"  

Was it in his early days as King of Israel?

His middle or primary years? 

Or, in the latter years of his reign?

In a sense, I have my answer.  The later years of his reign.

Many of my pursuits have been for the needs of my flesh.  Spiritually in some things I have failed, but my fleshly failures haunt me more.  If only I had known then "to seek and put God first", might they have turned out better?

In reference to Genesis 19:26  Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.  Preserved as a memorial for those led by the flesh.

Why did she look back?  Was it for the people she was leaving behind?  The material things?  Or did she want to see the coming destruction upon her soon-to-be former home?  

Needless to say her looking back led to a rather gruesome end.  Looking back served no purpose at all.

Am I looking for a time when I was more able to do and apt to change?  Can I go back and make a course correction of my life's choices?  No.

Now I seek wisdom.  Godly wisdom.  Change has not come easily and I still battle the old nature and tendencies to "do-as-I please" or "nothing-at-all" because it appears futile.

Should I stop living because of failures?  Not an easy question to answer.  Depression at certain times has paralyzed me.  Why try?  Other times I cannot get enough of life.  Nothing appears capable of stopping me.  But in the middle of all these happenings is my God.

I desire Him more and more everyday.  Yet, looking backwards does not keep me near HIm.  

There is a verse in the book of Isaiah where through the Prophet Isaiah, God says that the people of Israel are to seek new things from God and not to continue after the old.

That principle applies to both the human and spiritual man.

God has most certainly been a great provider for me.  Yet, there are times when I feel intitled to some form of assistance from Him.  Solomon in the latter days of his kingship had been pulled away from the God of his early days because of foolish pursuits and spiritual idolatry.
1st Kings 11:2-3 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.  

In the end Solomon, considered the wisest and richest man who ever lived, was turned away from God by the desires of the flesh.  His flesh.  As I recall the account of Lot's wife, it was her flesh that led her to look backward and receive the judgment of God for doing so.  It's only when we look forward to the return of Jesus can we know for certain the outcome.  All other pursuits and labors will not gain us any more in glory, except it be in the glory of fallen man.  But God however, will receive us into His glory.
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

God bless. 

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From time to time I get a chance to go to the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
On this particular trip while looking through the religious section of books I struck up a conversation with a man of God, about God.  We had the most wonderful time talking about theology and humanity and of course Jesus.  Before we parted ways we both had someone take a picture with our phones and agreed to keep in touch with each other by phone.  And we have.

It is always a joy to meet fellow believers and even those who do not believe.  The talks are always pleasant and who knows....this just may be the the time they ask that unanswered question or want to know more about salvation and what is going on with the world.

                             

                                                             Paul and I

          Let me ask you.  Have you had random encounters while out and about somewhere? 

The Moon Still Glows at Night

Sometimes at night, even in the winter months, I go for a walk to clear my head.

It is during these long walks that I try to clear my head and spend quality time with the LORD.  I talk, I pray, I listen and I wait.  The cycle is the same no matter the direction I go.

On this night the tears seemed heavier as the dragged along the edges of my face.  I stopped to pull myself together.  A couple of minutes pass and once again I start my trek to nowhere-in-particular.
Not much later and my feet grow heavy to the point that I seem to be dragging them.  My yoke is heavy.
Unless I was crossing a street or stopped under the weight of my shame, I kept my eyes on the ground before me.  All around me, the world was silent but busy.
A few feet in front of me there appeared a bright light.  At first I thought it was a street light I was preparing to walk into, but I looked up and nothing was there.
The cold winter air stopped dancing around my enclosed body.  I looked up and there before me, as if I could reach out and touch it, was the moon.

Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light for the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.  

With the darkness of night around me, and darkness of soul within, the Lifht of God still shines above them all.  There, in the symbol of the moon, was hope in my dark hour of need.

His name is Jesus.