Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 6:9

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 5:18-6:9, which covers the second part of second division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Antidotes to Satisfaction in Money, with the first second part referred to as Contentment and Joy in What God Has Given You. The commentary shares how "what you have, where you are in life, and the ability to enjoy those things are all from God. It is not just what you have that is a gift from God; the ability to enjoy it is also a gift. To be able rightly and fully to enjoy the things of this world is a gift of God’s grace (Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, 315). God gives this ability so that you do not remember the misery of this cursed world because time flies when you are having fun. The key factor to all of this is God. One can only enjoy material blessings as rightly intended and designed in dependence on God." The commentary for 6:1-2 describes how God can withhold joy of one's wealth and possessions as a means to draw someone to Himself.  The commentary shares: "He gives some the inability to enjoy what they have because in His goodness He will not give you something that drives you away from Him. He knows there is no such thing as happiness apart from Him." The commentary then shares how regardless of whether we are rich or poor we all face the same predicament - often desiring more than what we have...and this is futile and ungodly. God wants us to focus entirely on satisfaction in Him and to bring Him glory.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me joy and satisfaction in You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such rich blessings and for my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 6:9

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 5:18-6:9, which covers the second part of second division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Antidotes to Satisfaction in Money, with the first second part referred to as Contentment and Joy in What God Has Given You.  Here, as the commentary titles describe, the text today emphasizes how, while God gives us money and possessions to enjoy, we are not to lust over more money or possessions such that they become idols.  V5:18 shares that it is "good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot."  V19 shares similarly: "[e]veryone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil--this is the gift of God." V20 is interesting and worthy of reflection because even after few reads it is less clear: "[f]or he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."  Clearly, Solomon is connecting v20 to v18-19; how he is occupied with joy in his heart is less clear.  My sense is that he is making this connection to describe how God gives humanity money and possessions to enjoy, much like he gives us the natural world to enjoy, and this joy that God gives us is consuming. Then, starting in chapter 6:1-2, Solomon describes an evil where a man is given by God wealth and possessions but then God does not give him the power to enjoy them and they are enjoyed by a stranger.  The meaning of this is not clear after reading one or two times.  Perhaps this stranger stole them, and Solomon is describing how things of this world are fleeting and we should not too much hope in them because of circumstances such as theft, etc. Continuing in vv3-6, Solomon describes how one can have much money, possessions, and children, and also live a long life, yet "his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial."  This proves the futility of life focused on money and possessions - we should enjoy them but focus on finding satisfaction in God first and foremost and see how all things are from Him (see James 1:14-17). The text for today ends with a gem from Solomon who shares how what we have and can see with our own eyes should be sufficient for our satisfaction vs what we cannot see but lust after. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who provides all that I need for my joy and satisfaction.  I am not deserving of how You bless me, most importantly for my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

1 Peter 2

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

I paused my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which focuses on lust. Here, Piper provides a stern warning to believers to make war with lust as it deserves such a posture as we can lose our salvation over such sin.  More so, Piper provides Colossians 3:5-6 as another text to support this view - here Paul describes that God's wrath is coming "on account" of "sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."  We are to take these sins seriously and as an example of the seriousness, Piper provides Matthew 5:29, where in the context of lust (Matthew 5:27-28) Jesus urges us to gouge out one of our eyes over such "wandering."  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - You have helped me with my battle over sin, including lust - thank You Jesus!  Thank You for sanctifying me and for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love, compassion and grace.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me.  Help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Hebrews 11

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. Hebrews 11:24-26

I paused again on my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which focuses on "How to Defy Sinful Desire."  Piper first starts by contrasting sinful desire as offering only "fleeting pleasure" vs the lasting and permanent joy of Jesus Christ.  He then offers several scripture examples that arm us to defy sin and point us to this more lasting and permanent joy:

• It is better to gouge out my eye than to lust (Matthew 5:29).
• If I think about things that are pure and lovely and excellent, the peace of God will be with me (Philippians 4:8–9).
• Setting the mind on the flesh brings death, but setting the mind on the Spirit brings life and peace (Romans 8:6).
• Lust wages war against my soul (1 Peter 2:11), and that the pleasures of this life choke out the life of the Spirit (Luke 8:14).
• God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11), and that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). 

I also understand how the sanctification process works and reflect on Romans 12:2 where Paul describes how God transforms us by renewing our mind - this renewing of the mind occurs as we grow closer to God and our thoughts turn to pleasing Him vs self. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into my life and my heart and for the sanctification process as You help me defy sin.  I am not deserving of how You love me in this way or any other way - my sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus of my sin today and help me overcome and turn from it towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Portions of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Day 59 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on directives from God through Moses (Moses' Laws) for marriage, divorce, and sexual relations. 

Sexual sin in particular is a rampant problem in both society and as a result for the church.  DesiringGod.com has nearly 150 posts on the subject.  At its base, the sexual urge is a selfish desire (or pride)- a desire to satisfy self first and foremost.  Hence, the problem with pornography as selfish desires can be satisfied very easily and it is thought that sin can be hidden.  Yet God sees both our hidden sin and the underlying heart condition.

During this period of "shelter-in-place" with a global virus pandemic we have more idle time, time with our thoughts and John Piper reminds us that we must focus on the good works God created us to do - check out this post where it highlights not only this strategy for combating lust but other strategies.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has done a work in me to help transform how I think about sexual relations so that I am equipped to defeat sexual sin.  I am grateful for Your work in my heart and my life.  Yet I am undeserving for the grace You provide for my sin, past, present and future.  As long as I am on earth I will sin - this I know.  Please forgive me for my sins in many areas, including my sins of arrogance and pride.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

Numbers 25,31

While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them. Numbers 25:1-3

Day 42 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on God's wrath against both the men of Israel who lusted after the women of Midian and yoked themselves to their god, as well against Midian itself, which was completely destroyed save young virgin girls and plunder of livestock and valuables. 

Lust and sexual immorality are enticing sins for many and per my link (which is not exhaustive) the Bible addresses it quite often.  John Piper offers advice to man struggle here.

Jesus refers to adultery or sexual sin as a matter of the heart - even your illicit thoughts are sinful (Matthew 5:27-30).

John Piper's post is spot on here as I have felt the power of the Spirit to gain victory over sexual sin.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has helped me gain power of sexual sin and many other sins - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and protection.  I sin...daily.  Please help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.