Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 - Two Are Better Than One.
Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 (NLT) Two people are
better off than one, for they can help each other
succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach
out and help. But someone who falls alone is in
real trouble.
Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 (MSG) It's better to
have a partner than go it alone. Share the work,
share the wealth. 10 And if one falls down, the
other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough!
COMMENTARY PEARL
Anxiety gripped my stomach as I trudged
along a walking trail in the small Montana town
where we spend our summers. My husband, Jim, was
temporarily stuck at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, where
he'd been servicing the base's microscopes. He
should've been home already, but his flight out had
been delayed again and again by turbulent
weather. In a couple of weeks, our family would be
making our annual journey north to our winter home
in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was becoming clear
that the overwhelming job of packing up the house
would be mine alone. I sighed. I didn't see how
it'd all get done.
Honk, honk, honk. I looked up. A V of
geese was visible overhead, heading south. I
remembered reading how geese travel in formation to
conserve energy. The bird in front pulls the geese
behind in its slipstream. And the uplift of the
wings of the birds following creates a draft that
pushes the group forward. The overall effect of
this aerial push-pull is dramatic, allowing geese
who travel together to go up to 80 percent
farther than a solitary goose, flying alone.
I thought about the friends who knew our
situation and had offered to help. One had said she'd
watch our six-year-old as I packed. Another
volunteered to help put the garden to bed for the
winter. Still someone else had said she'd help me
can the mountains of garden produce piled in the
kitchen. It was true Jim was delayed, but I was
hardly alone. I had a flock of friends ready to
lift me up and move me forward. Together, we'd
get done what I couldn't accomplish alone.
Thank You, God, for the encouragement and
beautiful blessings my friendships bring to my life.
Erin Janoso [Walking in Grace 2021 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
Relationships Are Your Raincoat in the Storm
Relationships are a raincoat during the
storms of life. No matter which of our friends or
family members are going through a storm, we have
to help each other. People committed to one
another protect each other in the storm.
Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 says, Two are
better off than one If one of them falls down,
the other can help him up. But if someone is
alone and falls, its just too bad, because
there is no one to help him (GNT).
There are three storms that we need to
care for those we care about. The first is
change. Another storm of life is what I call harmful
ideas.
But the most painful storm of all is
rejection. When your friend, your children, or your
husband or your wife feels rejected, you - and
others close to them - need to rally around them
and be there as a raincoat in the storm.
Ill never forget many years ago when
my oldest child, Amy, was in high school. She
tried out to be a cheerleader. She went to
practice after practice. Her friends got accepted,
but she was rejected, and it broke her heart.
When she came home, she ran into her room, went
into her closet, sat down on the floor, and burst
into tears.
Every one of us in our family could hear
Amy crying. And one by one, all on our own, we
ended up walking into her room, sitting down on
the floor in her closet with her, and crying
with her.
We didnt give her any advice. She
didnt need advice! We didnt say, Now now,
dont worry. Its not a big deal. It was a
big deal! We didnt say, Dont cry!
Thats a stupid thing to say to somebody whos
grieving. No. We all just sat there and for about 30
minutes just cried with her.
Our family will never forget that
incident. Why? Because at that point, we were being a
raincoat for her. We were being a storm catcher. We
were being a protector. Somebody in our family
had been hurt, and we werent demeaning it. We
werent trying to talk her out of it. We werent
trying to cheer her up. We just wept with her.
Awesome families - biological, adoptive,
and spiritual - protect each other in the storm.
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
Why You Need Help to Overcome Temptation
Is there a temptation you keep stumbling
with over and over again? Maybe its related to
jealousy, worry, lust, gossip, gluttony, or the
overuse of electronics and social media. Whatever it
is, you wont have victory over a persistent
temptation if you try to overcome it by yourself.
Who's helping you fight temptation? While
you're spending more time alone during the
pandemic, who's checking up on you? Who have you
invited to help you grow spiritually? Who do you
allow to ask you the tough questions? Who are you
checking up on?
The Bible says, Two are better off
than one, for they can help each other succeed.
If one person falls, the other can reach out
and help. But someone who falls alone is in real
trouble (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT).
You don't have to tell everybody about
the temptations you struggle with, but you do
need to tell somebody. That person can support
you and help you overcome your struggles.
When someone says, I've never told
this to anybody before be quick to listen
and pay attention because it may mean they are
taking the first step toward freedom. Remember
this: Revealing your feeling is the beginning of
healing. Talking about your temptations is the way
you overcome them.
How serious are you about changing?
Wouldnt you like to come out of the pandemic with a
stronger faith, having overcome a persistent
temptation? Why not reach out to a friend, who can help
you be accountable. You can connect through
text, direct message, video chat, or even a good,
old-fashioned phone call.
There are some bad habits in your life
you're just not going to get over until you get
support from a committed friend. Find that person,
and then be that person for someone else. [Daily
Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
Were Better Together
When I have an encounter with someone, I
often pray: "God, let me get everything You intend
for me to get out of this encounter. I assume
every encounter is God ordained, and believe He
will be glorified and His purposes will be
achieved. I have been amazed and blessed over the
years as God has answered my prayer.
When God led me to Asheville, I would
come to the city and spend hours walking and
driving the streets. One day while stopped at a
traffic light, I heard a man singing, so I turned
down an alley to find the singer - a man named
Charles. We struck up a conversation, and Charles
began to tell me about his life. This was my very
first personal encounter with a person living on
the streets.
I've thought about him many times since
that day. Charles was once a professor at UNCA,
but alcoholism had destroyed his career, his
family, and his relationships. His "home" was a camp
near Coxe Avenue. My time with Charles really
changed me. God used him to open my heart to the
needs of the homeless, and I began to see how I or
anyone could be one or two choices away from being
in a similar situation.
God's answer to my prayer that day was
powerful to my heart. I was blessed by my time with
Charles, and I pray he was blessed by me.
We all need each other. Too often we go
through hard times, and the first thing we do is
isolate ourselves. People mistreat us, so we tell
ourselves the only way to survive is to build walls
and keep people out. We say we have "trust
issues. But when we do this we cheat ourselves out
of God's best.
God uniquely created us in His image and
likeness with a certain purpose and plan; however, we
must relate to each other to see His plan fully
realized. There is no way we can accomplish what God
has for us as loners.
The enemy loves it when we separate
ourselves. It's one of his most powerful and wicked
strategies. Causing division and "trust issues" has been
his plan from the start. He uses his tricks to
fracture every relationship he can.
On the other hand, allowing God to
sharpen us through our relationships can be
challenging. This ministry depends on relationships. The
clients who succeed here make the most of the
Proverbs 27 wisdom that iron sharpens iron. They
submit to the truth that we are better together and
allow for God's sharpening process.
Ecclesiastes chapter four tells us, "Two
are better than one, because they have a good
reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will
lift up his companion. But woe to him who is
alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him
up. Again, if two lie down together, they will
keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though
one may be overpowered by another, two can
withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly
broken.
God created us to live in Covenant - a
deep committed relationship with Him where He
reveals Truth to us. He also calls us to live in
covenant with each other where we choose to love each
other as He has loved us. Just as Jesus and the
Father are one, we can be one with Him and with
each other. One with Him, we can live fully in
His blessing. One with each other, we can bring
Him limitless glory.
God continues to bless me through the
many folks who come through our doors. He also
blesses me through you. I sincerely thank you for
being in relationship with Western Carolina Rescue
Ministries. I pray that you may be richly blessed by
this ministry, and I pray that in the year ahead
we may bring much glory to God as we minister
together to the needs of the homeless, poor and
addicted. By Micheal Woods, Executive Director of the
WC Rescue Mission
ILLUSTRATIONS
Becoming a Runner
A couple of years ago, I decided I was
going to run a half-marathon. Since I hadn't run a
mile since high school, I called my
brother-in-law - a runner - and asked him to help me come
up with a training plan. This is what he told
me: "Start with a mile a day and increase over
time."
Were I a reasonable person, I would have
listened to what this experienced runner told me, but
instead I decided I'd improve on it. If running one
mile a day is good, isn't running three miles a
day even better? I found out the hard way that
running longer without building up to it is a very
bad idea. I blew out my knee and injured my
foot. I'd run 120 miles in six weeks, but now I
couldn't run at all. I wasn't able to finish my
marathon.
We all need people in our lives who are
willing to tell us that we need to slow down or
speed up. In recovery, it's tempting to skip
important steps and find out too late that our bid for
wholeness and healing has been short-circuited. The
road to recovery is not meant to be traveled
alone. We are better together. Whatever we do in
life, we should not do it alone. We not only need
someone to help us come up with a plan, but we also
need someone to help us stick with the plan.
Thank you, Father, for putting people in
my life who can help me reach my goals. In
Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily
Devotional by John & Johnny Baker] re vss. 10, 12
Stay Away from Coyotes
I once witnessed an interesting encounter
between a young elk and a group of coyotes. When I
first noticed the coyote, the elk was about fifty
yards ahead, running for his life. Then I saw
three more coyotes trying to circle around in
front of the elk. I was pretty sure this wasn't
going to end well for the elk. But then the young
elk got to the top of a small hill and stopped.
Seconds later, a much larger, full-grown elk stepped
up from the other side. Within seconds, a
couple hundred more appeared. The coyotes
immediately turned and ran in the other direction, in
full retreat.
That is a familiar plan of attack that
our enemy, the devil, uses on us. He tries to
isolate us so that he can take us out.
Unfortunately, this tactic often works. Wander out there on
our own and we're likely to be history.
Especially in recovery, it's so important to stay
connected to family and supportive friends. There
really is safety in numbers.
When we realize that the enemy is trying
to surround us, the best thing we can do is run
to church or to a meeting. Reach out to someone
for help, but never try to go it alone. When we
stand together, we put the enemy in full retreat.
Father, thank you for those you have
placed in my life to stand with me in my recovery.
In Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily
Devotional by John & Johnny Baker] re John 13:34, 35
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Genesis 2:18 (NIV) The Lord God said, "It is
not good for the man to be alone. I will make a
helper suitable for him."
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
