Satisfaction

Nearly 3,000 years before The Stones recorded their #1 hit, wise King Solomon had already (and much more poetically) recorded these very same insights and conclusions in the book of Ecclesiastes.  Possessing fame and wealth beyond what Mick, Keith, and the rest of the band could likely even fathom, Solomon set out on his own journey to find meaning and fulfillment in life.  Throughout the early chapters of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon testing his heart with mirth and releasing it to indulge in pleasure (see Ecclesiastes 2:1-3).

Intelligence

Spiritual blindness is different from eyes that are not functioning properly or are ruined. Spiritual blindness has to do with allowing our lives to be the final authority on what is accepted and true. It is blindness because we are not the authority. When we make ourselves the authority, we can only reflect upon our projections of reality. So, we surround ourselves with a type of knowledge limited to ourselves. This excludes knowing what is beyond us because we cannot admit contradictions to the biases of our fleshly mind. Being impressed with ourselves is a little like being in a room of mirrors, wowed at the seeming infinite, while after all being in a small room.

The Love of Money

Paul says these selfish desires lead to temptations, snares, destruction, perdition, and sorrow. Wealth doesn’t add to happiness; it adds to sorrow. The desire for wealth or the appearance of wealth leads to bad decisions and the inevitable consequences. So says Solomon in Proverbs 28:20, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”

In the Garden

So, Jesus prayed in a garden, was arrested and fettered in a garden, died and was buried in a garden. That means he also rose from the dead in a garden, since that’s where the tomb was located (John 20:1ff).

There is Power

Just those three words probably remind most readers of this article of that old gospel song “There is Power in the Blood of the Lamb” that was used so often in days gone by in tent and revival meetings. And, indeed, those words are true, but let us consider some other thoughts about power. It seems that people are impressed with power whether it be political power, national power, mechanical power, electrical power, muscular power, etc., etc… the list goes on.

Offenses Will Happen

As a Christian, there is certainly one thing we can do in regard to our own spirits. We can determine to never be “offended” by another in this manner. In other words, we must endeavor to not allow anything another might say or do to keep us from walking with the Lord and being an active part of His body. If following the Lord is the most important thing in our life, we must make it true.

Christ is RISEN!

In studying through the gospels, it becomes clear that each writer presents tremendous evidence of Christ’s resurrection, but not always with the same details. In this article, I will present a chronological narrative of the resurrection encompassing all details provided by the four inspired authors. I pray you will find this aerial view helpful in your own study. Due to constraints, references will include only one gospel reference. Any additional commentary has been italicized.

The Beauty of Misery

On the other hand, productive misery is a lonely, but necessary, journey. It is guided by the hope of something better. We can take no one with us as we examine the fruit of our behavior. No one can think for us. No one can appreciate for us. No one can regret for us. No one can repent for us. No one can yield to the hope of good news for us. God will do none of those things for us. We must do it alone. However, God makes it possible for us to accomplish those things.

Enduring the Load

This verse is talking about temptations and our ability to resist them, NOT the overloads that life presents us with.  Terrible things that are beyond our control do happen and we might indeed legitimately say, “This is more than I can bear.”  But temptations are under our control; we always have a choice in the matter.  And there always is a godly choice provided.