"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame." - Song of Songs 8:6

Ronnie Holden was coming home from his restaurant in Sunset Beach, North Carolina.  Suddenly, a car ran the stop sign, hit him in the driver’s door, and ejected Ronnie out the passenger window. Ronnie had his seatbelt on, but it broke it. Then it threw him out the window. The car actually turned over a couple of times.

Ronnie was seriously injured from the accident.

“He was in intensive care,” she continues. “His neck was broken in two places and his left leg was shattered.”

Trauma surgeon Dr. John Gary Maxwell worked on Ronnie’s case.

“He had a ruptured colon that wasn’t apparent initially. We were very busy taking care of his head injury and his broken bones, and then it became apparent that there was something very catastrophic going on in the abdomen. So he required another operation to take care of that.”

After the surgery, Ronnie slipped into a coma and the doctors gave Clarice terrible news.

What Clarice felt she could do was pray.  She enlisted as many friends and folks from church as she could to pray for Ronnie.

“I knew that I knew that God was going to heal Ronnie and make him whole again. So I just went back to our family in the waiting room and friends, and I said, ‘Guys, we are not going to be wringing our hands. We are going to believe God together.”

Ronnie was already facing an uphill battle when complications set in.

Dr. Maxwell recalls, “Ronnie’s trauma score was such that was so high that the predictors for his recovery were very low. If you looked simply at the scientific predictors, he had a very low chance of survival. Then with the ruptured colon, he had sepsis. He had bloodstream infections. He required a great deal of antibiotics.”

Clarice filled her husband’s room with prayer, hymns and healing scriptures.  She made sure everyone prayed for specific challenges Ronnie was facing.

“He would have a major thing going on every hour. Some part of his body was shutting down. A fever was going up. They’d have to pack him in ice to get his fever down. His kidneys would try to shut down. There was infection in his system. It was one thing right after another.

One by one each medical crisis was averted. Clarice said the turning point came when he woke from his three-week coma.

“When I saw his eyes, I knew he was going to be okay,” she says. “His clear blue eyes -- I just wanted to see them. When he opened them, I knew he was going to be okay.”

Fifty-two days after his accident, Ronnie left the hospital. Today he is healthy and doing well. 

Love is as strong as death. God’s love conquered the grave. Today in prayer, give thanks to Jesus that His love will triumph over all.

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love." - Augustine

God's Word: "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." - Jeremiah 31:3

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." - Ecclesiastes 12:7

The Reverend Joseph Everett was an itinerant Methodist minister who rode from town to town on the East Coast of the United States.

In October 1809, Joseph lay dying in his home in Cambridge, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The 78-year-old minister had lived a long productive life, spending the last 30 years in ministry.

But during those last few days of his life on earth, he suffered from a long and painful illness. Characteristically, Joseph bore the pain with patient resignation.

During the last hour, he woke up precisely at midnight. He began to shout “Glory, Glory, Glory” uninterrupted for 25 minutes. During the last few moments, his voice began to trail off, until he ceased to breath and he was reunited with the Lord he so dearly loved.  

We should live our lives on earth as we would live them in all eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, praise Jesus in all that you do.

"Once a man is united to God, how could he not live for ever?" - C.S. Lewis

God's Word: "but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." - 2 Timothy 1:10

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 11:10

Dr. E. Stanley Jones wrote the following: “I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath; these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely; these are my native air.

A John Hopkins University doctor says, "We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non-worriers, but that is a fact." But I, who am simple of mind, think I know; We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality.”

We need to banish worry from our minds. Today in prayer, give the Lord all of your worries and cares.

"I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about?" - Henry Ford

God's Word: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." - Ecclesiastes 11:1

When 67-year-old carpenter Russell Herman died in 1994, his will included a staggering set of bequests.

Take the tiny town of Cave-In-Rock, Illinois. Herman, a carpenter, bequeathed a staggering $2.410 billion to this little town he had never visited. "It's an odd thing to happen isn't it?" understated Mayor Albert Taylor Kaegi, who had no trouble coming up with uses for the money.

Aside from the cache to Cave-In-Rock, his beyond benevolent will bestows $2.410 billion to the impoverished community of East St. Louis, and the same amount of money in "American Gold Dollars" to each person who has lived in Gallatin County for at least ten years.

Herman also bequeathed six trillion dollars to the government to help pay off the national debt. That sounds amazingly generous, but there was a small problem—Herman’s only asset when he died was a 1983 Oldsmobile. He made grand pronouncements, but there was no real generosity involved. His promises were meaningless because there was nothing to back them up.

The Lord desires us to step out in faith and to take real steps to follow Him. Today in prayer, cast your bread upon the water, trusting that Jesus will bless your action. 

"For it is in giving that we receive." - Francis of Assisi

God's Word: "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." - 2 Corinthians 9:6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say." - Ecclesiastes 10:20

In April 2011, Ozzie Guillen, the Chicago White Sox manager, was kicked out of a game for screaming at umpire Todd Tichenor. It was Guillen's 26th career ejection and the first of that season. Then he stormed back to the clubhouse and let loose on his Twitter account.

He called the ejection "pathetic" and mocked the ump as a "tough guy." Instantly the entire world knew Guillen’s remarks. Two days later, Major League Baseball suspended him for two games, citing his ejection and his tweeting about the altercation.

Guillen was originally fined $50,000, but after further discussions with Major League Baseball, it was reduced to $20,000, according to a major league source. Guillen did not fight the suspension.

Once spoken or written, our words can take flight and land where we do not intend them. Today in prayer, ask Jesus to direct your speech so it will bring Him glory.

"Open your ears, for which of you will stop the vent of hearing when loud Rumor speaks?" - William Shakespeare

God's Word: "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends." - Proverbs 16:28

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

“Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips.” - Ecclesiastes 10:12

Robert Metcalfe is an American electrical engineer who co-invented Ethernet and he founded the tech company 3Com, a manufacturer of computer networking equipment. The former MIT whiz kid also formulated Metcalfe's Law, which places a value on a telecommunications network.

But this brilliant man was not above making foolishly predictions. In 1995 article in InfoWorld, he wrote: "I predict the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse." He said there would be many “ghost sites” and the Internet will no longer be active.

Metcalfe came to eat his words -- or at least drink them. In 1997, in his keynote speech at the Sixth International WWW Conference, Metcalfe relented, put a copy of the infamous column in a blender with some liquid and then consumed the pulpy mass.

We need to guard our lips against foolish talk and we need be gracious in our speech. Today in prayer, ask Jesus to give you wisdom in all that you say. 

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.” – Dale Carnegie

God's Word: "Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin." - Proverbs 10:14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor." - Ecclesiastes 10:1

In 2009, Michael Gregory Thomas, 23, and Thomas James, 24, decided to rob a convenience store at gunpoint in Richland County, South Carolina. But despite clear labels that said it should not be allowed to contact the skin or the eyes, Mr. James foolishly spray-painted his face gold. Some time after the robbery he stopped breathing. His accomplice, Mr. Thomas panicked, drove around for several minutes calling friends before taking James to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police officers theorized the two might have been inhaling the spray paint before the robbery to get high — commonly known as huffing — and as a result, got paint on their faces.

“It seems like they were rookies at being robbers, but (James) won’t be proving himself to be a veteran,” Sheriff Leon Lott said. “Justice gets served in interesting ways sometimes.”

Foolishness can take lives. Today in prayer, ask Jesus to give you wisdom in all that you do so you may bring honor and glory to Him.

"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom." - Charles H. Spurgeon

God's Word: "Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly." - Proverbs 13:16

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siegeworks against it. Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man." - Ecclesiastes 9:14-15

Joseph McCarthy was a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread Communist subversion. He was noted for making claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers inside the United States federal government and elsewhere. Ultimately, his tactics and inability to substantiate his claims led him to be censured by the United States Senate.

The beginning of the end for McCarthy’s bulling occurred when he went on the attack against Army personnel.

In April 1954, the hearings were broadcast on national television. The American people watched as McCarthy intimidated witnesses and offered evasive responses when questioned. When he attacked a young Army lawyer, Fred Fisher, the Army’s chief counsel Joseph Nye Welch thundered, “Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness ...” When McCarthy resumed his attack, Welch interrupted him: “Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency” Welch’s wise words struck many observers as a shameful moment in American politics and the hearings soon came to an end.

Only God remembers the wise decisions made throughout history. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for His wisdom and pray for wisdom in all that you do.

"You cannot access wisdom by the megabyte. Wisdom is concerned with how we relate to people, to the world, and to God." - Edmund P. Clowney

God's Word: "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." - Proverbs 2:6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth--his eyes not seeing sleep day or night" - Ecclesiastes 8:16

Admiral William H. McRaven, the ninth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, gave one of the most inspirational college commencement speeches at the University of Texas at Austin on 17 May 2014.

He gave the following bit of wisdom:

“The ninth week of SEAL training is referred to as Hell Week. It is six days of no sleep, constant physical and mental harassment and one special day at the Mud Flats. The Mud Flats are an area between San Diego and Tijuana where the water runs off and creates the Tijuana slues—a swampy patch of terrain where the mud will engulf you.

It is on Wednesday of Hell Week that you paddle down to the mud flats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive the freezing-cold mud, the howling wind and the incessant pressure from the instructors to quit. As the sun began to set that Wednesday evening, my training class, having committed some "egregious infraction of the rules" was ordered into the mud. The mud consumed each man till there was nothing visible but our heads. The instructors told us we could leave the mud if only five men would quit—just five men and we could get out of the oppressive cold.

Looking around the mud flat, it was apparent that some students were about to give up. It was still over eight hours till the sun came up—eight more hours of bone-chilling cold. The chattering teeth and shivering moans of the trainees were so loud it was hard to hear anything. And then, one voice began to echo through the night—one voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune, but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two, and two became three, and before long everyone in the class was singing. We knew that if one man could rise above the misery then others could as well. The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing—but the singing persisted. And somehow, the mud seemed a little warmer, the wind a little tamer and the dawn not so far away.

If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person—Washington, Lincoln, King, Mandela and even a young girl from Pakistan named Malala—can change the world by giving people hope.

So, if you want to change the world, start singing when you're up to your neck in mud.”

In all that you do, seek wisdom. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for His Word and seek His wisdom in the Bible in all your decisions.

"He is truly wise who looks upon all earthly things as folly that he may gain Christ." - Thomas a Kempis

God's Word: "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold." - Proverbs 3:13-14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 8:15

Dr. Hugh Moorhead, Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at the Northeastern University, wrote to 250 well-known philosophers, scientists, writers and intellectuals of the world and asked them, “What is the purpose of life?” Some of these people offered their best guesses. Some admitted they made up a purpose in life. Some admitted they didn’t have any idea as to what the purpose of life was and if Dr. Moorhead knew would be please let them know.

Carl Jung, a famous psychiatrist said, “I don’t know the meaning, the purpose of life, but it looks as if something were meant by it.”

Isaac Asimov, author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction wrote, “As far as I can see, there is no purpose.”

Joseph Taylor, an American astrophysicist and Nobel Prize in Physics said, “I have no answers to the meaning of life and I no longer want to search for any.”

None of these 250 intellectuals could clearly define a purpose for living.

Today is a gift from the Lord; enjoy the day and follow Him every day! Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you a fresh appreciation for your life and a joy for living.

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

God's Word: "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do." - Ecclesiastes 9:7

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." - Ecclesiastes 7:8

Former pro football star and coach Tony Dungy told the following story about his father's Christian character:

“My dad was usually a quiet, thoughtful man. A scientist at heart and by training, Wilbur Dungy loved to be outside, enjoying the scenery. Fishing allowed him time to contemplate, to listen, and to marvel at God's creation. My dad used fishing to teach his children to appreciate the everyday wonders of the world God created—the sandy shoreline, the dark, pine forests, the shimmering water, and the abundant wildlife. The lessons were always memorable, whether we caught a lot of fish or not.

Although we fished countless times together throughout our lives, one particular day stands out in my mind. It was a summer day in 1965. Summers in Michigan are beautiful, with comfortable temperatures and clear, blue skies. I was nine years old, and my brother was five. My dad had taken us fishing at one of the many small lakes around Jackson. On that day, my dad was teaching my brother and me how to cast. We were both working on it, mostly in silence, until my dad's voice finally broke a period of stillness.

"Hey, Linden, don't move for a minute, please." I looked back and watched my dad move his hand toward his face. Calm and deliberate, he continued to speak.

"Now, Linden, always make sure that you know not only where your pole is when you're starting to cast"—at this point, I realized my dad was working my brother's hook out of his own ear— "but also make certain that you know where everyone else is around you."

I learned something about proper casting that day, but I also learned something about patience. Years later, when I got hooked myself, in my hand, I realized how much it hurts. Remembering my dad's patience that day when Linden's hook was caught in his ear, I finally understood the importance of staying calm and communicating clearly.”

We need to be patient and take the long view in living our lives. Today in prayer, praise Jesus for His patience toward you and seek to be patient in all that you do.

"Patience is the queen of all virtues." - John Chrysostom

God's Word: "A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly." - Proverbs 14:29

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"Extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart." - Ecclesiastes 7:7

In 2000, the FBI began its investigation of investigation of Louisiana Congressman William J. Jefferson. After five years, the investigation revealed that Jefferson sought hundreds of millions of dollars for himself and other co-conspirators from companies whose success depended on the approval of certain U.S. and West African government agencies. He ended up pocketing more than $478,000, but Jefferson wasted significantly more in U.S. government resources to further his illegal aims.

At one point, Jefferson turned from bribe recipient to bribe payer when he was caught on camera taking $100,000 in cash from our cooperating witness for use in paying off an African government official. A few days later, the FBI—while serving a search warrant on his residence—found $90,000 of that same cash in Jefferson’s freezer. And a legally authorized search of Jefferson’s office turned up documents later used as evidence during his trial.

On June 4, 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Jefferson on sixteen felony charges related to corruption that led to a 13-year prison sentence.

Maintain your personal integrity and flee from any bribery. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to keep you away from any bribes.

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." - George Washington

God's Word: "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous." - Exodus 23:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil." - Ecclesiastes 6:2

In 2006, Lara and Robert Griffith hardly ever argued. Then they won $2.76 million in the English lottery jackpot. They set up their finances to earn $180,000 a year off the interest of the prize. But that wasn’t enough.

They bought a million-dollar house and a Porsche.

But then six years after their win, Robert drove away in the Porsche after Lara confronted him over emails suggesting he was interested in another woman.

Their 14-year marriage was over, a freak fire gutted their house, and every penny of their fortune was gone.

With tears in her eyes, Lara said: “Let me tell you, winning the lottery is not all it’s cracked up to be. Most people end up worse off in some way, and no one has any sympathy because you won the money instead of earning it. I’m not even back to square one, I’m much worse off than before the win.”

Money is fleeting. We need to spend every valuable moment of life bringing glory to Christ. Today in prayer, give the Lord your undivided heart and seek to glorify Him in all that you do.

"I will place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of Christ." - David Livingstone

God's Word: "Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God." - Ecclesiastes 5:19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 5:10

Richard M. DeVos, Sr. was born on March 4, 1926 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

He served in World War II and upon his return entered the business world. His strong Christian upbringing inclined him towards giving back, tithing, and philanthropy.

He is the co-founder of Amway a word that is short for “American Way.” The company was launched in 1959 and by 1997 it was in 80 countries around the world.

In 2012, Forbes magazine listed him as the 60th wealthiest person in the United States, and the 205th richest in the world, with an estimated net worth of $5 billion. At one point, he was one of the 10 wealthiest Americans.

DeVos has said the following about money: “Money cannot buy peace of mind. It cannot heal ruptured relationships, or build meaning into a life that has none.”

Money should NOT command our affection and be the driving force in our lives. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that true wealth is knowing and loving Him.

"There is nothing that makes men rich and strong but that which they carry inside of them. Wealth is of the heart, not of the hand." – John Milton

God's Word: "A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished." - Proverbs 28:20

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few." - Ecclesiastes 5:2

In March 2010, the British newspaper the “Daily Mail,” that gossip on social networking sites such as Facebook spreads rapidly in the manner of a contagious virus.

Mathematicians have developed an equation that describes Internet rumors’ ability to fly around the globe in a matter of hours.

They say this is why the secrets of the rich and famous rarely stay hidden for long anymore.

Rumors that Tiger Woods had cheated on his wife Elin Nordegren with numerous mistresses spread like wild fire on social networking sites

The supposed marital woes of France’s first couple, Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni, and some unsavory text messages between golf star Tiger Woods and one of his mistresses are among the most recent subjects to spread like wild fire via Twitter, blogs and Facebook.  

The scientists at Rome’s La Sapienza University created their equation in a bid to measure the Internet’s power to spread indiscretion.

Team leader Alessandro Panconesi said: 'And it shows just how fast news - and gossip - travels these days. It's like influenza.'

We need to be speak less and when we do, it should be words of encouragement. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He hears all and understands all and seek to glorify in Him with your speech.

"Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he." - Publilius Syrus

God's Word: "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." - Proverbs 10:19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

In 1878 the Reverend Milton Wright brought home a toy "helicopter" for his two younger sons. The device was based on an invention of French aeronautical pioneer Alphonse Pénaud. Made of paper, bamboo and cork with a rubber band to twirl its rotor, it was about a foot long. Wilbur and Orville played with it until it broke, and then built their own toy. In later years, they pointed to their experience with the toy as the initial spark of their interest in flying.

In 1889 the brothers started their own newspaper, the West Side News. Wilbur edited the paper, and Orville was the publisher. The brothers also shared a passion for bicycles- a new craze that was sweeping the country. In 1892 Wilbur and Orville opened a bike shop, fixing bicycles and selling their own design. Then in December 17, 1903, they succeeded in flying the first free, controlled flight of a power-driven, heavier than airplane. Wilbur flew their plane for 59 seconds, at 852 feet, an extraordinary achievement.

Wilbur and Orville always took shared credit for their innovations, and maintained a close relationship throughout their lives. They realized that it took the two of them to succeed.

The Lord brings spouses and friends into our lives because two are better than one for the difficult tasks in life. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for the friends and family that He has brought in your life that bring you support and comfort.

"Friendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil." - Baltasar Gracian

God's Word: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

In June 2013, a torch was lit from the eternal flame at Arlington National Cemetery. The eternal flame is the marker for assassinated President John F. Kennedy. The torch was flown to New Ross, Ireland. There the Irish were to celebrate the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s visit with their own eternal flame honoring the late President.

This was the first time a torch had been permitted by the Kennedy family to go to another memorial.

An Irish honor guard ferried the flame in an Olympics-style lantern across the Atlantic by aircraft, then by Irish naval vessel to the riverside town of New Ross. At a ceremony commemorating the event, the gas-fed flame was lit inside a specially constructed globe sculpture.

The Kennedy family was represented by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, D-Mass., who spoke on behalf of his great-uncle about how humbling the honor is for the family.

"The story of the president's trip to Ireland is the story of a young man returning home," he said of the June 27, 1963 visit. "It's the story of a thousand welcomes and million tears."

Members from the Irish Embassy also spoke to illustrate the effect Kennedy has had on the Irish people.

But four days later, the eternal flame went out, due to "technical glitches.”

Though we have eternity in our hearts, we cannot truly fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He is God over all of time and is to be praised throughout all of eternity.

"We are citizens of eternity." – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

God's Word: ""The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began." - Proverbs 8:22-23

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2009, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" - Ecclesiastes 3:1

From 1900 to 1967, the Swiss were the leading watchmakers in the world. In 1967, when digital technology was patented, the Swiss rejected it in favor of the traditional ball bearings, gears, and mainsprings they had been using to make watches for decades. Unfortunately, however, the world was ready for this advance, and Seiko, a Japanese company, picked up the digital patent and became the leading watch manufacturer in the world almost overnight.

That period of time is now known in the industry as the “Quartz crisis,” when Swiss watchmakers were slow to adapt to new technology that flooded the market with cheap, accurate watches. As a result, their global market share shrank from 50% to 15%, their workforce was slashed to less than a third of its peak of 90,000 and 1,000 of the country’s 1,600 manufacturers went out of business. All because the heads of the Swiss watch manufacturing companies failed to recognize a change of seasons.

The Lord calls us into different seasons and we need to live each of these days bringing glory to Him. Today in prayer, thank Christ for this time in your life and seek to follow His will each and every day.

"Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend." - Theophrastus

God's Word: "I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed." -Ecclesiastes 3:17

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?" - Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Dr. David Aikman is an international news correspondent. He is also a Christian. He has a couple of post-graduate degrees, is an expert in Russian and Chinese history and communist affairs, has worked in more than 30 countries, is fluent in six languages, and is a serious thinker about life issues. He said, "Each of us has a purpose, a reason for being here, that no one else can tell you, but you can find out from God."

Dr. Aikman gave this account, "When I heard the words of Jesus [in the Bible], it seemed to me he was speaking to my heart, and he was saying, 'I am the way to life. If you follow me and do what I say, your life will change.'" He then summarized how to find purpose and enjoyment in life: "I can promise you...anybody that takes that first step toward Jesus Christ will have a very exciting life."

Our lives do belong to the Lord and outside of Him we will not find enjoyment. Today in prayer, praise Christ that in Him we can find an abundant and joyful life.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." – John Piper

God's Word: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:12-13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless." - Ecclesiastes 2:1

During the early 1960?s, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop; all appeared together on stage and in films, including the movies Ocean's 11 and Sergeants 3. They became known as the “Rat Pack” and Frank Sinatra was known as the group's lead member.

They had it all. Fame. Gorgeous women. Money. And they lived a life of pleasure.  

But there was a dark side. Over the thin line between pleasure and debauchery, between swinging self-confidence and brutal arrogance, there was a toll to pay.

Frank Sinatra died on May 14, 1998, at the age of 82, after suffering a fatal heart attack. He had suffered from ill health for the last few years of his life, and had been frequently hospitalized for heart and breathing problems, high blood pressure, pneumonia and bladder cancer, as well as suffering from dementia. He had made no public appearances following a heart attack in February 1997. Sinatra died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with his wife, Barbara, by his side. She had encouraged him to "fight" while attempts were made to stabilize him, and his final words were, "I'm losing."

Seeking pleasure does not bring fulfillment; that can only come through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, thank Christ that in Him we can find contentment in all circumstances.

"I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy." - C.S. Lewis

God's Word: "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich." & Proverbs 21:17

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow." - Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

Heron Alexandrinus, otherwise known as the Hero of Alexandria, was a 1st century Greek mathematician and engineer who is known as the first inventor of the steam engine.  His steam powered device was called the aeolipile, named after Aiolos, God of the winds. The aeolipile consisted of a sphere positioned in such a way that it could rotate around its axis. Nozzles opposite each other would expel steam and both of the nozzles would generate a combined thrust resulting in torque, causing the sphere to spin around its axis. The rotation force sped up the sphere up to the point where the resistance from traction and air brought it to a stable rotation speed. The steam was created by boiling water under the sphere – the boiler was connected to the rotating sphere through a pair of pipes that at the same time served as pivots for the sphere. The replica of Heron’s machine could rotate at 1,500 rounds per minute with a very low pressure of 1.8 pounds per square inch.  The remarkable device was forgotten and never used properly until 1577, when the steam engine was ‘re-invented’ by the philosopher, astronomer and engineer, Taqu al-Din.

New “discoveries” are often just rediscoveries. But the greatest discovery of all is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that in Him we will truly learn new things each day.

"The Christian life is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ lived nineteen hundred years ago, lived now by Him in you!" - W. Ian Thomas

God's Word: "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." - John 5:39-40

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS

"The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: 'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.'" - Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

Bertrand Russell was a British philosopher, whose work has had a considerable influence on logic, mathematics, set theory, linguistics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science and as well as philosophy.

Russell was a prominent anti-war activist; he championed anti-imperialism and went to prison for his pacifism during World War I. Later, he campaigned against Adolf Hitler, then criticized Stalinist totalitarianism, attacked the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War, and was an outspoken proponent of nuclear disarmament.

He was born into a Christian home and taught to believe in God, but he rejected his training and became an outspoken atheist. His daughter, Katherine Tait, said of him, "Somewhere at the bottom of his heart, in the depths of his soul, there was an empty space that once had been filled by God, and he never found anything else to put in it."

He once said: “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.”

Jesus Christ brings meaning and purpose to life. Today in prayer, pray for those people who you know who do not yet know Jesus. Pray they may have a personal relationship with Him and in Him they may have eternal life. 

"The only reason why man as man has individual significance is that Christ died for him."  - George MacLeod

God's Word: "'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Everything is meaningless!'" - Ecclesiastes 12:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2015, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ECCLESIASTES & SONG OF SONGS