Tag: power

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Am I a one percenter?

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.” Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​The heart searches, but does it find fulfillment? First of all Solomon was afforded something most humans never have access to – leisure.

I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve heard about this 99% of the world don’t have a lot. Does the majority of humanity even have the resources to enjoy leisure?

Solomon had a life that gave him the opportunity to even ask the question, “What do I really want?” Most work, sleep and eat very little and have no time to ask about dreams, wishes or even a moment to search for Solomon’s list.

Look at what he tries out for fulfillment. Pleasure. Laughter, enhanced by wine. Then he pauses and admits, “I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.” He knew he was entitled. He knew he had the access, money and opportunity to push every boundary possible to see what’s out there to fill the emptiness and/or cravings in his soul.

He tried more noble pursuits, like building. Oh, he didn’t build these things himself, he only dreamed the design and architecture of what he desired. Slaves built HIS dreams. Read the plurality of he “built,” big homes, vineyards, gardens, and man-made lakes (reservoirs). He bought slaves! He bought people to serve himself and his kingdom. And, he had the unashamed, zero self-awareness to couple those purchases with animals. He bought people like he did animals, and used them for his search for fulfillment! He acquired massive amounts of wealth, wealth upon wealth, money that makes more money, by ever increasing in value. He hired singers and had numerous sexual encounters with women and possibly men as well (concubines). He captured his plenty in this sentence, “Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure.” He even tried actual WORK. What did he go out an pull a weed? Did he play slave for the day?

What is the point of all this pursuit? And, why the excess? Solomon decided, since he was the wisest human to ever exist until Jesus came along, that he would find the answers and record them for anyone interested in knowing what’s out there.

You know what he found, exhausting every known pursuit – nothing! Nada! Zilch! He writes, “There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.” I question the wild, abandoned pursuit of any of these things Solomon thought would bring him fulfillment or satisfaction of life itself.

But, I do know this. One, he did it so that I don’t have to wonder, “what if.” Two, Jesus, being the wisest ever, lived a totally and completely opposite kind of life. He didn’t live for pleasure, humor, wine, buildings, vineyards or gardens. He didn’t buy people or animals to amass a popular image. Jesus was financially BROKE, not having any real money or real estate to his name. Every cool little luxury he had was borrowed! Yeah, donkeys, rooms, goblets, gardens and even his own tomb – all donated by others. He died naked and even wore someone else’s burial clothes!

Solomon lived a life of excess and ecstasy so we can see how worthless it really is. Jesus lived a simple life, even a poor life, to show us the perspective of God towards a truly generous and eternal life. Jesus owned NOTHING, but had EVERYTHING. And, in God and accomplishing his mission, found the fulfillment that Solomon searched for.

Prayer

Dad,
If I am living the 1% life, and I believe I am. Then I really need to pay attention to a couple things: To whom much is given, much is required and I need to live a far more grateful, thankful existence. I need to constantly tend to my generosity and gratitude!

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A demon goes to church one day

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority. Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon—an evil spirit—cried out, shouting, “Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.” Luke‬ ‭4:31-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One day a demon and the Son of God walk into a church. In older movies, evil is portrayed as mystically being afraid of going into “holy” places or crossing thresholds of good. Along with the symbols and odd objects writers thought would repel or put fear in an agent of evil, the idea is that Satan knows his boundaries and certainly cannot have access to or reside in a space that’s been dedicated to God. Well Luke and the other gospel writers told us thousands of years ago – none of that is true.

Evil spirits, can and will inhabit humans and pretty much go anywhere they want and cause problems and suffering anytime they can.

We should learn truth from the Bible because God is the creator of all things and tells us about things we should be aware of in His word. None of these stories of evil or demonic possession are to be given any more attention than necessary. The point of these stories isn’t to highlight demons or sickness or really even healing. The point of the story is who Jesus is – God in flesh and all authority and power is at his disposal to do the will of his father.

In this story, Luke tells us there was a demon in church that day and had full control of a human being. The demon used the man to shout out its questions and concerns, and the questions are pretty telling. “Why are you interfering?” Like they owned the place – and the man himself. And, “Have you come to destroy us?” They knew their destiny was destruction, but had no sense of when it would happen. Then the confession – “I know who you are.”

That was enough talking so Jesus commanded it to come out of the man. Then after one more dramatically staged protest, throwing the man to the ground, out he comes. Luke adds another interesting note, “without hurting him further.”

Folks wickedly romanticize these interactions with demons or agents of the enemy. They highlight “deals” or “promises” being made to give power, fame or money. The Biblical writers write truth – the enemy’s plan is always the same – killing, stealing and destroying. Anyone who toys with demons ALWAYS gets a prison sentence of death.

The New Testament folks were far smarter and aware of these physical, spiritual interactions of demons and the human soul. We, as westerners, just pretend that evil entities are psychological states of mind and are basically emotional manifestations of our wounds from our origin stories.

We are such fools to ignore the realities of a personal, evil entity at war with God and humans. We just prescribe drugs and group therapy! I’m sure that those who actually have a demon controlling them are frustrated that we keep medicating their bodies without treating their soul. Our modern streets seemed to be filled with these Zombies that wander, hopelessly waiting to be free.

PRAYER:

Dad,
I’ve seen these hopeless victims, not in our churches (although some are probably there), but in the streets of my own city. My heart breaks for them. I pray, sometimes I give them food or money, not to “further” their addictions or illusions, but to let them know that I care and trust that a moment of hope transfers in my words. I want to give them so much more – life, hope, freedom, love. Lord, please continue to lead and direct me to be bold and compassionate just like Jesus.