Ecclesiastes 2:17-25

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

Proverbs 23:29-35

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35 "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

The parable of the Rich Fool:

¹⁶ And Jesus told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

                                  Luke 12:16 - 21

The Rich Man And Lazarus:

 You can read the story in Luke chapter 16.

"Everything Good" by Ashes Remain:

How great Thou art:

Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have made: I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder; Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Random:

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10

"Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33

I haven't had television in years. I think the last time I had a TV in my apartment was in the late '80s. Content is getting lamer and raunchier, and quite frankly I don't care who the next American Idol is. I do have internet and get all my news from the Fox News website, plus I can watch Christian music videos on YouTube. At first it takes some getting used to, but living without television is like living without cigarettes. The quitting is hard, but after the withdrawal you find you really don't miss it at all.

There's only one:

Since history began, people have wondered if there are other planets out in the galaxy that are like the earth and have life and civilizations. The answer is in the very first verse of the first chapter in the bible. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." God created the heavens with its' galaxies, solar systems, stars, black holes, planets and  asteroid belts, and he created earth. Earth is separate. Earth is distinct. There is no other earth anywhere. Earth is unique. Sorry, there's only one.

Not my thing any more:

When I was a teenager I loved horror flicks, especially the slasher ones: Halloween, Friday The 13th, etc. I also loved Stephen King books and ghost stories. But after I got saved, my interest in them began to wane. Pretty soon I lost interest in them altogether. I think it's been a couple of decades since I've seen a slasher flick. Quite frankly, I don't like watching people get murdered, or torn apart, or tortured, or terrorized, or brutalized. I have no interest in the glorification of death. I just watched a friend of mine die slowly and horribly with cancer, and I can honestly say that there is no glory in death. Death is not entertaining. It's not funny. Death is ugly, and it severely alters the lives forever of those left behind; some even die of broken hearts. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it to the fullest, and to destroy the power of sin and death. I can honestly say in my heart that Jesus would never sit down and watch Friday the 13th, or A Nightmare On Elm Street. And I can honestly say that not one of those movies are inspired by the Holy Spirit. What we find entertaining says a lot about us. One day there's going to be a new heaven and a new earth where there is no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain. I look forward to the day where death is forgotten forever. God help us all.

He's wrong.

Joel Osteen said something that caught my attention in the video I posted a few days ago. He said: "I can't be a blessing to others if I'm poor and broke". In the book of Acts, chapter 3, it is written: 
"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. ² Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him".

So yes, we can be poor and still be a blessing to others, if we have the Holy Spirit and we are born again. Jesus himself told us that "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Anyone else who says otherwise is wrong.

Choose wisely:

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."

                             Deuteronomy 30:19

Right on, Benny:

"They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves"

"Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets."

                   Luke 6:24,25, 26.

Don't think we're in the end days?

Revelation 21:1-5

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

I know that my Redeemer lives:

 Nobody loves you more than Jesus.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

                                       Isaiah 11:1-10

For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son:

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord."
                                   Romans 6:23

"10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman:

They play this one at my church a lot. Never heard it 'til a few months ago when I first started to attend. It's one of my all-time faves.