OceanSide church of Christ

Read devotionals for June 2018

July 1, 2018

Proverbs 31:29 – Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.


Thought: There are many good women in the world. They are good wives and mothers. Some, however, are like the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. They are intentional in the type of life they live. They are serious about their God-given roles. Their mind is focused. Their efforts are great. Their sacrifices are many. They stand head-and-shoulders above others in their labors. They are the cream of the crop. They rise to a level that cannot be matched by others. Why? They were intentional!

Song of Solomon 6:8-9


July 2, 2018

Proverbs 31:30 – Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.


Thought: Man has a tendency to focus on the wrong things in life. We desire the approval of others. We desire beauty. We think that these are the things that truly make a person. The reality is that the fear of the Lord is the most important thing in life. To fear God is to respect and honor Him, to keep His commandments and to make Him part of every aspect of your life. The person who does this will be praised by others, but, more importantly, by God. The virtuous woman understands this and reverences her heavenly Father.

Exodus 1:17-21


July 3, 2018

Proverbs 31:31 – Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.


Thought: Clarke states: “This may be a prayer.” It may be the desire of the inspired writer for the virtuous woman. He prays that she will be continually rewarded for her noble, diligent efforts. He wants her works to continue and praise her in the gates. Virtuous women are becoming fewer in number. May the works of those who do exist continue to flourish. May they be honored by all those whose lives they touch. Perhaps you know of such a woman. Shout her praise to others.

Mark 14:8-9


July 4, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:1 – The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.


Thought: The wise Solomon is the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes. The book’s name comes from the Greek word “ekklesia. It means “speaker of a called out assembly.” Solomon was the son of David. He was also a king in Jerusalem. His power and wealth and knowledge enabled him to experiment in all types of activities. He writes from the perspective of one who lived “under the sun.” This book will reveal what this wise man has learned as he lived the kind of life most only dream of.

I Kings 3:10-13


July 5, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:2 – Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.


Thought: The word “vanity” is found 15 times in Ecclesiastes and “vanities” is found 4 times. It is one of the themes of this book. Strong defines vanity as “emptiness” and “unsatisfactory.” He speaks from a strictly carnal standpoint. This is his assessment of the world, of life, and of all of man’s labors under the sun. The world is corrupt, carnal, transitory, and never reliable. It can be good, but it can be bad. Eventually man exits the world. If this is all there is, then we are living a vain, empty existence.

Psalm 39:5-6


July 6, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:3 – What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?


Thought: Most individuals fill their days with labor of different kinds. This labor allows them to eat. It puts a roof over their heads. They might be able to enjoy some of the fun and beauty of the world with the fruit of their labor. They might stockpile some of those fruits as well. But what eventually happens? The person gets sick and cannot enjoy his labors. He grows old. He dies. He leaves all behind. What is the real profit of the thirty to fifty years of labor?

Genesis 3:17-19


July 7, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:4 – One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever.


Thought: Solomon lays down a fundamental truth in this passage. Generations come and generations go. What happens to them? The people of each generation eventually die. What has happened in generations past is not known by very many individuals. What has happened in previous generations is appreciated by even less individuals. All that we do and all that we think that is so important will be left behind. We will be forgotten. Oh yes, the earth will continue. These words emphasize the theme of Solomon’s work: “All is vanity.”

Psalm 90:9-10


July 8, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:5 – The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.


Thought: Since the very beginning of the Creation, this has been true. Days come and days go. The sun comes up. The sun sets. The sun comes up. The sun sets. Man does not have the ability to change this occurrence. Even after we are gone, the sun will rise and the sun will set. Time continues day after day after day. My little dot on the earth is so insignificant when the process of time is considered. I barely rub the surface of history. I am vain if I really think I am that important.

Psalm 19:4-6


July 9, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:6 – The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.


Thought: The inspired writer turns again to the laws of nature. Just as the sun continually rises and sets, the wind continually fulfills its course. Notice the phrase, “it whirleth about continually.” Man will come and go. The earth, however, continue to function. It continues to adhere to the laws set in motion by God from the beginning. Whether things happen daily, or, whether, they take a longer time to fulfill, they remain constant. Just looking at the world, and nothing else, it is a continuous drudgery.

Job 37:17


July 10, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:7 – All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.


Thought: The Bible often speaks of scientific information in very elementary terms. All rivers run into the sea, but it never fills up. Why? Because it is from the sea that we get rivers. The sea evaporates and rain waters the earth. This water is collected by the rivers and taken to the sea again. Simply, inspiration has described the water cycle. How was Solomon aware of such a cycle? Two things are evident from this verse: Solomon’s inspiration and the intricate design of the world in which we live.

Psalm 104:6-9


July 11, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:8 – All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.


Thought: Solomon has just given four examples of things that are continuously happening. When he says: “All things are full of labor,” he is referring to such things. He could have enumerated many more. There is constant labor or activity in the world. Man cannot tell of all that goes on. The eyes and ears cannot take it all in. For hundreds and thousands of years, the world has been working. Men have come and gone. The cycle is vicious. Is there any purpose to it all? Or, is all just vanity?

Romans 8:22


July 12, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:9 – The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.


Thought: The author continues to show the monotonous nature of the world. What has been done in the past is being done today. What is being done today will be done in the future. Yes, there are technological advances, but the basics of life do not change. Men eat and drink. Men work. Mankind marries and has children. Men go to school. Men get sick. Men give and get. Men die. There is nothing new under the sun. My friend, is this really all there is to life?

Genesis 26:18-19


July 13, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:10 – Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.


Thought: The answer to the writer’s question is: “No.” There is nothing that is truly “new” under the sun. Take God out of the world and there is not much here to interest us. Take the spiritual world out of the equation and there is nothing much for which to live. Take hope away from the world and man lives a fairly miserable existence. Men will try to convince themselves that life holds meaning if these things do not exist, but when he comes to the end of life he discovers that he was wrong. So sad!

Acts 17:16-21


July 14, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:11 – There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.


Thought: Each generation has very little remembrance of the generation that has past. A person may remember a grandparent, or, perhaps, a great grandparent. Beyond this, there is little remembrance. Even those remembrances involve little information. Most individuals in our society are very ignorant of our history. Everyone is wrapped up in the “now.” When this generation passes, the next will only have faint memories of our history. Is all that we are doing really that important?

Exodus 12:24-27


July 15, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:12 – I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.


Thought: Solomon makes mention of two positions that he held. One wonders which position he held in higher esteem. No doubt, both positions were of grave importance. But, did one position prevail over the other in the mind of Solomon? It is said that President Garfield was an elder of the Lord’s church before becoming President. When he assumed the office, he said: “I now step down from being an elder to assume the position of President.” We know which position he held in higher esteem.

Romans 10:15


July 16, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:13 – And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to exercised therewith.


Thought: Solomon opened this book with some general observations about the world. His conclusion was that “all is vanity.” Instead of accepting its appearance, he set out to investigate the situation for himself. He gave his heart to seek and search out by wisdom all things that are done under heaven. It would a long, tedious, and time-consuming experiment. Solomon had the needed resources to do this. Fortunately, he reveals to us what he found in this wonderful book of Wisdom.

Proverbs 25:2


July 17, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:14 – I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.


Thought: The phrase, “vanity and vexation of spirit,” occurs seven times in the book. All of Solomon’s time, effort, and money continue to point him in one direction. All of the things that seem important to man are vanity and vexation of spirit. Man’s investments of time, talents, and treasures are vanity and vexation of spirit. If Solomon stopped here, we would appear to be a people without a purpose. Our situation would appear bleak and hopeless. Fortunately, this is only the beginning, not the end.

Psalm 39:5-6


July 18, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:15 – That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.


Thought: As man labors in the world, he seeks to correct the problems that he finds. He goes about trying to make the crooked straight. He wants to make up the deficits in things that are wanting. As soon as one difficulty is solved, another arises. There is never the complete resolution of all difficulties. Again, Solomon sees the labors of man that have no end. Again, man’s labors appear to be vanity.

Genesis 3:17-19


July 19, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:16 – I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.


Thought: In our world there are some people who are extremely blessed. Solomon was a man blessed with wisdom, riches, and power. The blessings of these individuals allows them to pursue a course that others are not able to pursue. They have time and resources to risk in an attempt to answer questions and solve problems. This is what Solomon did. He saw the monotony of the world. He saw the emptiness of the world. Is this all there is? He invested himself in pursuit of an answer.

I Kings 3:12-13


July 20, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:17 – And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceive that this also is vexation of spirit.


Thought: Solomon’s adventure would bring him many revelations about life. It was a long, expensive road that he travelled. There were many paths, trails, and avenues to be investigated. Would he be satisfied with the answers? Would he feel justified at the end of his journey? Or, would he be left wanting? To know the answer to these questions, we have to continue in this wonderful book.

I Thessalonians 5:21


July 21, 2018

Ecclesiastes 1:18 – For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.


Thought: Wisdom and knowledge are assets. Both grant power to the person who possesses them. They are also fraught with some misery. Knowledge involves understanding. This includes an understanding of things that are evil and harmful to man. It includes an understanding of wastefulness and uselessness. It involves an understanding of things that are of no value at all. Knowledge of such things brings grief and sorrow to the one who possesses such knowledge. It is true that sometimes “ignorance is bliss.”

I Corinthians 8:1


July 22, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:1 – I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.


Thought: Solomon started his experiment with pleasure. He thought that that fun things of life would bring happiness for sure. If life is always filled with excitement and action nothing could be better. If a person could be involved in things that are enjoyable and be free from a life of hardship and stress, surely this is all that he needs. Solomon found such was not the case. He said: “This also is vanity.”

Luke 15:11-14


July 23, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:2 – I said of laughter, It is mad: and or mirth, What doeth it?


Thought: Solomon pursued pleasure to such an extent that it became a companion to him. After a period of time, he would address pleasure as if speaking to a person. To laugher, he said: “It is mad.” Instead of producing joy, it was unfulfilling. It was a daily pursuit of nothingness. To mirth, he said: “What doeth it?” What reward did it really bring? What purpose did it really fulfill? None. Laughter and mirth were empty and meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 7:3-4


July 24, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:3 – I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.


Thought: Solomon knew about the influence of alcohol. Thus, he used it in his exploration of what brings meaning to life. Would he find happiness? Would he find purpose? Would he find reason? Again, the answer was: “No.” He only laid hold of folly. To intoxicate the mind never brings purpose to an individual’s life. It may deceive him for a while. Soon, he learns that this, too, is vanity.

Proverbs 20:1


July 25, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:4 – I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards.


Thought: Solomon now enters into another arena to find happiness. It is the field of work. Solomon had the resources to build many things and many things he built. He built a house for himself. He built a house for his wife. He built the house of God. He built storage units. He built gardens and vineyards. All that he built took effort. It required skilled. The outcomes were tangible. They could be looked upon with pride. Surely these things would bring meaning to life. Keep reading.

I Kings 7:1-12


July 26, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:5 – I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits.


Thought: Solomon had the resources to develop a huge plantation. He planted gardens with all varieties of vegetables. He planted orchards that would bear all kinds of produce. He planted trees that would bring forth all kinds of fruit. The law of reaping and sowing states: “He that sows bountifully will reap also bountifully.” Solomon would bring forth in great abundance. Surely, the harvest of his labors would bring happiness. Again, keep reading.

Galatians 6:7


July 27, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:6 – I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees.


Thought: Solomon insured the success of his harvest. He knew that there were times when draught would come. This would take a toll on his crops. Thus, he made pools of water. He stored water so he could irrigate his trees in the dry spells. Solomon was not going to allow nature to hinder him. He was going to have it all regardless. If happiness could be found in labor, he was determined to find it. Would he find it? We must keep reading.

Isaiah 55:10


July 28, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:7 – I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house, also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me.


Thought: Solomon was intent on being successful. He worked hard to expand his wealth. His luxurious lifestyle also included having servants and maidens in his house. They would do the menial tasks of the home. They would also make certain that the king’s needs were satisfied. Solomon also enriched himself with large flocks of animals. These flocks were part of the evidence of his wealth. His search for happiness in things was part of his experiment. Could he find happiness there?

I Kings 9:20-21


July 29, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:8 – I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of the kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delight of the sons of men, as musical instruments and that of all sorts.


Thought: Solomon’s list of items sought after to bring him happiness is impressive. Silver, gold, revenues from taxes, singers, luxury items, and musical instruments are listed in this verse alone. His thinking seems to be: “If I can just have that or that or that I can find happiness.” Not much has changed in the world since Solomon’s day. People are constantly accumulating things in an attempt to bring them joy. Had they read Ecclesiastes, they would have saved themselves a lot of money.

I Kings 9:28


July 30, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:9 – So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.


Thought: Solomon has been chasing a dream up to this point. He has sought happiness in many things. His labors were productive. He admits: “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem.” He also continued to manifest great wisdom. In essence, Solomon appeared “to have it all.” It is the life for which so many yearn. They believe that if they had it, they would be happy. The question is: “Was Solomon?” Did his increase, his wisdom, and his greatness bring joy? We will have to continue to read to find that answer.

I Kings 10:23


July 31, 2018

Ecclesiastes 2:10 - And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.


Thought: Once Solomon had amassed his great wealth, he did not hesitate to spend it on things he desired. “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I keep not from them.” There was nothing that Solomon could not have. Whatever he saw, whatever he longed for, could be his. In fact, not only could they be his, they were his. He could have owned the world. Surely, if a person can have whatever his heart desires, happiness would be his. Surely, Solomon will show us how true this thought really is.

Proverbs 23:5


Read devotionals for August 2018