Ecclesiastes 4 - Praying God's Word

Please read Ecclesiastes 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/ecc/4/1/s_663001

Meditate on verse 12b.

A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

You may have heard the phrase: “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” It comes from Ecclesiastes and refers to the strength of a tightly twisted three-strand rope versus a one or two-strand rope. This three- strand rope is symbolic of the strength that comes from doing life with God and others.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 is sometimes used in wedding ceremonies to give the visual of a married couple becoming one with each other and with God in order to make a union that will not be broken by the world. “How blessed the two who add onto this cord that they’ve begun a third strand—that of God, who binds them into one.”¹

Pray Ecclesiastes 4:9 and 12 over your relationships as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, two are better than one

because they have a good return for their labor.

Help _________ and me not be overpowered. 

Together help us resist one who tries to overpower us.

Make us a cord of three strands with You,

so we will not be quickly torn apart.

In Your name, Jesus~”

1. From the poem “Cord of Three Strands” by Jan Lutz.

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Ecclesiastes 3 - Praying God's Word

Please read Ecclesiastes 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/ecc/3/1/s_662001

Meditate on these phrases from verses 11 and 14.

He has also set eternity in their heart.

I know that everything God does will remain forever.

Our young grandson often says, “I want to stay here forever” when he is someplace enjoying himself. God placed that desire for the eternal into the heart of every human, so they would turn their hearts to Him.

Ecclesiastes 3 beautifully expresses the tension between the confines of time and the freedom of eternity. “There is a time to give birth and a time to die” (v. 2).  With every “There is a time to…” your heart cries out, “There is more to life than ‘a time to keep and a time to throw away!’” (v. 6). You yearn for the eternal, a place where you can stay forever.

The world is passing away, and also its lusts;

but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

—1 John 2:17

Give your heart’s desires to the LORD and seek to do His will, obtaining His eternal perspective. Pray Ecclesiastes 3:11-14 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6- 7).

“LORD, You have made everything appropriate in its time.

You have also set eternity in _________ and my heart. 

LORD, please reveal Your work that You have done

from the beginning even to the end, so we can participate in it.

I know there is nothing better than to rejoice and to do good in our lifetime. 

Let us eat, drink, and see good in all our labor – that is a gift of You, God. 

I know that everything You do will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it, and there is nothing to take from it, for You have worked that men should fear You.

 May we always fear You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Ecclesiastes 2 - Praying God's Word

Please read Ecclesiastes 2.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/ecc/2/1/s_661001

Meditate on verse 20.

Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor

for which I had labored under the sun.

You were probably taken aback by Solomon’s self-absorption in this chapter. He used the words I, me, my, and myself over 65 times. “I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body…I enlarged my works; I built houses for myself...I collected for myself silver and gold…I became great…I considered all my activities which my hands had done…” (vs. 3-4, 8-9, 11).

No wonder Solomon felt empty and fruitless; it is indeed vain to desire such a self-absorbed lifestyle.

Jesus did the opposite of Solomon and lived a full and fruitful life. He emptied Himself and became a bond-servant for the purpose of dying for others (Philippians 2:5-8).

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you are commanded to follow His example, doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but humbly regarding others as more important than yourself (Philippians 2:3).

Examine your life. Do your words and actions mirror Solomon’s, or do you try to live like Christ?

Pray Ecclesiastes 2:25-26a over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, who can eat and have enjoyment without You?

Make ________ and me good in Your sight;

give us Your wisdom, knowledge, and joy.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Ecclesiastes 1 - Praying God's Word

Please read Ecclesiastes 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/ecc/1/1/s_660001

Meditate on verses 1-2.

Note: Vanity comes from the Hebrew word hebel. Solomon used this word 38 times in Ecclesiastes. Hebel means emptiness and unsatisfactory. It is translated as futility, fleeting, emptiness, and vanity in the New American Standard translation of Ecclesiastes.¹

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,

“Vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes was written by David’s son, Solomon—a king renowned for his wealth and wisdom. Yet, Ecclesiastes reveals him to be a human struggling with life, work, thoughts, attitudes, and relationships. Solomon’s feelings, which are often negative, are honestly expressed in this book.

You may find it intriguing that God would include such a cynical book in His Holy Scripture, or perhaps you find it comforting that the Holy Spirit through Solomon put into words what your spirit may be groaning (Romans 8:23, 26). As you read Ecclesiastes, ask God to give you His eternal perspective and verses to pray over your life situations.

Pray Ecclesiastes 1:4-7, taking comfort in God’s created consistencies.

“LORD, I thank You for these

 truths from Your Word.

‘A generation goes and a generation comes,

but the earth remains forever.

 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;

and hastening to its place it rises again. 

Blowing toward the south,

then turning toward the north,

 the wind continues swirling along;

 and on its circular courses the wind returns. 

All the rivers flow into the sea,

 yet the sea is not full. 

To the place where the rivers flow,

 there they flow again.’

In the midst of confusion,

help me remember these things.

In Your name, Jesus~”

1. Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1892&t=NASB

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Colossians 4 - Praying God's Word

Please read Colossians 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/col/4/1/s_1111001

Meditate on verse 3.

Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will

 open up to us a door for the Word,

so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ,

 for which I have also been imprisoned.

As Paul came to the end of his letter, he had a prayer request—for God to provide opportunities, even in prison, for the Gospel to be shared.  Paul knew God uses every situation for His good (Romans 8:28).  

It is important to have the same perspective on your life circumstances.  Perhaps you are in a bad situation in your relationships, neighborhood, school, workplace, hospital, or prison; the LORD wants you to maximize the time for the Kingdom’s good.  Ask Him to make you like Paul, being the best witness wherever you are. 

Here is advice from Colossians 4 for how to be a good witness:

·      Devote yourself to prayer

o   Keep alert in your prayers

o   Keep an attitude of thanksgiving (v. 2)

·      Conduct yourself with wisdom toward outsiders

o   Make the most of every opportunity

o   Let your speech be with grace (as though seasoned with salt)

o   Know how to respond to each person (vs. 5-6)

Pray Colossians 4:2-6 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help ______ and me devote ourselves to prayer,

keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. 

Open up to us a door for the Word, so we may speak forth the mystery of Christ.

LORD, make it clear in the way we ought to speak.

Help us conduct ourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making

 the most of the opportunity. Let our speech always be with

 grace, as though seasoned with salt,

 so we will know how we should respond to each person.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Colossians 3 - Praying God's Word

Please read Colossians 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/col/3/1/s_1110001

Meditate on verses 10-11.

Put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge

according to the image of the One who created him—a

renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew,

circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,

Scythian, slave, and freeman, but Christ is all and in all.

Imagine the relief those words brought to the Christians in Colossae who were part of the Roman empire ruled by class distinction. Slavery, gender, citizenship, religious heritage, wealth, and education all played a part in this world of status. God’s renewal was stunning because none of that mattered.

Consider these other stunning realities that accompany being made new in Christ:

You are raised up with Jesus and hidden with Him in God (vs. 1, 3). Christ is your life; you set your mind on His interests (vs. 1-4).

Since Jesus is your life, you are dead to the bad things you used to do: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (vs. 4-5). Those things bring God’s judgement and wrath; you should desire not to walk in them any longer (vs. 6-7). Like a change of clothing, put them all aside, including: anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, and lying (vs. 8-9). In the same motion of spiritually laying aside the old self clothes, put on the new self which is constantly being renewed, constantly growing in the knowledge of Jesus (v. 10).

Pray Colossians 3:10-11 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, thank You that ______ and I have

put on the new self.  Help us be renewed to a true

 knowledge of You, the One who created us.

Thank You for a renewal in which there is no distinction

because Christ, You are all and in all.”

In Your name, Jesus ~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Colossians 2 - Praying God's Word

Please read Colossians 2.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/col/2/1/s_1109001

Meditate on verses 9-10.

For in Him, all the fullness of Deity dwells

 in bodily form, and in Him, you have been made complete,

 and He is the head over all rule and authority.

.

The Colossae church started in the midst of the Greek and Roman god and goddess culture, where the opportunity to worship any deity was available—similar to today’s world where some say it does not matter who or what you worship so long as you sincerely believe. Paul wanted the Christians to know without a doubt that Jesus Christ is fully God, and they were fully complete in Him. No god, goddess, or religious philosophy could make them more complete.

Do not be deceived by world philosophies and religions. Only in Christ, can a person be raised up (v. 12). Only in Christ, can a person have all their transgressions forgiven (v. 13). Only in Christ, can a person have their debt to God cancelled (v. 14). Only in Christ, can a person have an intimate relationship with their Creator.

If you have already been made complete in Christ, thank Him by walking wholeheartedly with Him all the days of your life. If you are trying to find completeness in the ways of the world, please stop and give yourself completely to Jesus—He promises to complete you.

Pray Colossians 2:9-10 as a commitment to Jesus Christ.

“LORD Jesus, I honor You as the fullness of Deity.

Thank You for coming in bodily form for me.

 Make me complete in You.  I surrender my will and authority

 to You, the head over all rule and authority.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell