Life Ain’t Fair
“In my futile life I have seen everything: someone righteous perishes in spite of his righteousness, and someone wicked lives long in spite of his evil.” (Ecclesiastes 7:15) Newsflash: Life isn’t fair. Human sin turned our world upside down. Bad things happen to good people. So, what is God’s response to an unfair universe? Grace. […]
Maybe the Grass Isn’t Greener
“For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 6:12) In our study of Ecclesiastes, we are searching with Solomon for the meaning and purpose in life. […]
Seeing the Promised Land
“Remember the days of long ago; think about the generations past. Ask your father, and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.” (Deuteronomy 32:7, NLT) On April 4, 1999, New Life Church had its first service. Almost everything that could go wrong did. But we were a church! We […]
Problems Under the Sun
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1) In Ecclesiastes 4, Solomon points out several challenges we face “under the sun:” oppression, greed, and loneliness. In fact, the book to this point […]
It’s All in the Timing
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon, “the Searcher,” discusses the “Law of Timing.” He tells us there exists an appointed time for everything “under heaven (see Eccles. 3:1-8).” Then he gives this great list, birth, death, planting, reaping, weeping, laughing, and […]
Protocols and Principles
“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 Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon “the Searcher” investigates some of the rules and principles in life. He mentions one here. The system we’re in […]
The Search for Fulfillment
“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) Last week we began a study together of Solomon’s famous book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon, the searcher, is undertaking the quest to find the meaning of life. He […]
Vanity!
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, NKJV) 527 years ago, on February 7, 1497, a Dominican priest in Florence, Italy preached his listeners into a frenzy. Sharing a message of holiness, the crowds brought anything and everything they thought might tempt them to sin: playing cards, books, […]
The Gap
“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30) This verse is illustrative of a challenge seen in the church today. There’s an all-out assault on masculinity […]
Being Available to Hear God
“I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.” (John 15:15) When I think of God communicating with us, I think of this verse. One of the keys […]
God’s Voice: Spiritual Gifts
“For you can all prophesy… so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (1 Corinthians 14:31) In this blog and my latest sermon series, we’ve been discussing ways God communicates with us. He reveals himself through his creation, through his word, through our experiences, and through both supernatural and natural means. But you might be […]
God’s Voice: The Natural
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days…” (Acts 2:17–18) My father was […]
