Words from Solomon

ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 7
( I am selecting only a few of Solomon's bits of wisdom. Read the chapter for yourself and see how he thinks.)

Solomon says :
That a good reputation is more valuable than the most expensive perfume and that the day you die is better than the day you were born.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

It is better to be criticized by a wise person, than to be praised by a fool.

Don't long for the "good old days", for you don't know whether they were any better than today.

Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but its important to know that only wisdom can save your life.

There is not a single person in all the earth who is always good and never sins.


BIBLE NOTES SHOW: In the first four verses, Solomon seems to contradict his previous advice to eat, drink and find satisfaction in one's work. Solomon is not asking us to think morbidly, but he knows it is helpful to think clearly about death. It reminds us there is still time for change and forgiveness from God.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? God allows good times and bad times to come to everyone. We tend to blame him for bad times and not thank him for good ones. Don't get complacent or too comfortable in your life because life is uncertain and uncontrollable in our times too.

Can a person be too good or too wise? Some people become deluded by their own religious acts. They become rigid and narrow in their views and lose their sensitivity to the true reason for being good- to honor God. All these sayings come from the wisest man in the world, Solomon. Who better to tell us how to act and think wisely?

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.
Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.