Many people know early in their lives what they want to do as a career, or pursuit in life, but many of us don’t. For many, life becomes a continual process of looking for that mission that we are “supposed” to be on.

The Bible provides some wisdom for those searching for their mission in Ecclesiastes.

Solomon, considered to be the wisest man in history, wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:4-7 “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.”

I think the message for those that don’t have a clear idea of their calling, to pick something and work at it, always looking and listening for God’s direction. If we do our best, with faith in God’s direction, he will lead us.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we can have confidence that you have a plan for us. Help us find the paths that you intend for us, and put our trust in your guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

One of the primary tools of any magician or pickpocket is to get our attention focused on an object, and then use that object to draw our attention away from what is really happening.

A similar deception has happened on occasions over the 2000 years of Christianity as well. Teachers begin with the message of the good news of Jesus Christ, but then focus on some peripheral idea and drift the emphasis away. Pretty soon the doctrine they are teaching doesn’t resemble the Good News of Salvation from the Bible, at all.

Paul writes in Colossians 2:8, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.”

There is an incredible amount of wisdom in the Bible, and we should be regularly reading, studying and meditating on the messages, but at the same time always remembering that the one message that is above all others is, as Paul wrote in Romans 3:22, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.”

Dear Lord, We know that we cannot make ourselves right with you. Our hope and salvation come from confessing our failure, and putting our faith in Jesus Christ, son of God, who takes away our sins and makes us right with God. Help us remember that all other messages should lead us back to this good news. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Question one: What did you do to become a child of your parents? Nothing, It was what they did that made you their child.

In the same way, It is what God has done that makes us his children. Romans 8:15 writes, “… you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.”

People can, and many do, reject God’s invitation to be his children, but as John 1:12 writes, “to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Question two: What do you do to please your parent or parents? You listen to their direction, learn and follow. You treat them with respect. You make them proud by your behavior.

Is it any different with God? God is pleased with us when we have faith in him and his teaching, and live lives that glorify him; Loving him and loving each other. When we don’t, we cannot expect that God is happy with us.

Romans 8:8 says, “That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.”
Hebrews 10:38 says, “And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

Dear Lord, It is your will that all would come to know you and accept your offer to be your child and be saved. Help us find the great joy in being your child, so that we will do what pleases you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

One of the amazing blessings we have living in modern times in the developed world is how little time it really takes working to provide for our basic needs. Prior to the industrial revolution, most people spent long hours 6 days per week just to have shelter and enough food. In modern times, full time work is 40 of the 168 hours we have in each week. Removing 8 hours per day for sleeping leaves 72 hours to do what we want, or an average of over 10 hours per day.

In the democratic world, we have very few limitations on what we do with this time. This is a wonderful situation for people that control themselves, but as is written in the Living Bible version of Proverbs 16:27, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop;” We must put our freedom to good use.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.”

Just because something is our right, or is legal in the eyes of men, really doesn’t have any significance with God. We need to look for God’s will, and fill our free time with activities that Glorify God, show love to our neighbor, and make us more effective Christians. If we don’t, we will be at risk of being pulled into things that may be our right, but are not “beneficial” or “constructive” as Paul puts it.

Dear Lord, we thank you for the incredible possibilities that exist in our lives. You have put us in an amazing time with access to things even Kings and Queens of the past could not have dreamed. Help us and remind us to use these blessings for your glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I have written in the past about Pride being the root of all sins, because sin is by definition self centered. For the same reason, Pride is also the cause of conflict in our lives with other people.

Proverbs 13:10 says, “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.”

If you think about it, when we have conflict with another person, it is usually because we want something our way, and the other person has a different idea. The resistance to our self centered position causes the conflict. We may know our idea is better, based on experience, or we may be afraid of being being considered less intelligent if someone else’s idea is discussed, but most of the time being patient and listening before pushing our idea will be perceived as more intelligent and helpful. Proverbs 15:28 says, “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking.”

The Proverb contrasts pride with taking advice. Taking advice requires putting our opinion aside and listening to someone else’s. When two people are open to listen to the other, conflict can be softened, making room collaboration, and solutions that work for both.

Dear Lord, it is so easy for us to push our own ideas and wants above other peoples, but help us remember that the wise are confident not out of selfish pride, but out of faith in you. Help us live with this type of confidence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.