In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10, Paul is praising the Christians in Thessalonica for their growing faith and reputation as faithful followers of Christ. In verse four he confidently states, “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,” because of how the gospel came to them and how they received it. A great nugget, though, sits in the middle of the section in verse five.

“You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

This specific knowledge, possessed by the Thessalonians, led to two major results: 1) They “became imitators of us and of the Lord…” (v. 6). 2) They “became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia…” (v. 7).

What stands out is the pattern that Example begets Imitation, which begets Example. Paul and his companions were very particular in the kinds of lives they lived among the Thessalonian people, knowing that their influence would be made or broken by that manner of life. The Thessalonians saw something in them that was worth imitating, which allowed them to live the same kinds of lives among the entire region. Paul’s Example led to Imitation by the Thessalonians, which led to them becoming Examples for Macedonia and Achaia.

You and I have all kinds of roles to play and circles we walk in. For example, I am a Christian, husband, father, son, brother, minister, instructor, and friend. In each of these functions I must recognize the reality of this pattern if I want to be effective and truly influential. The example I set will be imitated, on some level, by the people I interact with. Their imitation of my attitudes, actions, and mentalities will, in turn, become examples for the people they influence. Thus, like ripples from a stone in the water, my life can have some sort of impact on unknown and untold lives for a long time. The same is true for YOUR influence.

This is both an encouragement and a warning. For one, we know what kind of people we must be in order to represent God well. Scripture teaches us how to be holy, kind, gentle, generous, just, and strong. In doing so, we are challenged to live in a way that is worth imitating. It’s comforting that we can know what kind of life makes a good influence. On the other hand, a bad influence spreads with the same sort of effect as a good one. If we don’t live by those standards, that will also touch the lives of unknown people through the imitation of those we touched. The idea that I can have a network of influence for years to come is both sobering and powerful.

This is the time of year we often tend to reflect on how the last year has gone and what sorts of people we want to be in the coming year. As you evaluate your current state, remember the pattern of influence Paul described. Example begets Imitation, which begets Example. Are you setting the kind of example that will make a community better? Are you setting an example that, when imitated, will draw others closer to Jesus? If not, what needs to change?

Cory Waddell

If you’ve driven I-40 through Little Rock, you know how monstrous the potholes are. If you haven’t driven I-40 in AR, just imagine someone accidentally detonated 500lbs of dynamite in the middle of a highway and you’d have an fairly accurate depiction. In fact, I have been on roads in third world countries that were in better shape than that stretch of highway. I remember one time in particular I was driving a rental car through the city. This specific rental had a myriad of issues attached to it, one of them being a sensitive radio volume knob. While fiddling with the radio, I took my eyes off the road for two seconds and ended up drilling one of the largest potholes on the road (maybe even in the world). As the car absorbed the impact, every single light on the dash illuminated like the Rockefeller tree, the windshield wipers started swiping, and I remember looking out my passenger window to see a hubcap rolling off into the sunset.

Sometimes in an effort to “fix” a small situation, we end up causing a larger problem. It would have been better for me to temporarily deal with an overly sensitive radio knob until I was parked somewhere. Instead, I opted to distract myself from the unknowns of the Little Rock freeway. When we move from a state of focusing on the spiritual to a state of being physically indulged, our problems start to spiral out of our grasp; causing a spectacular display of absolute chaos. Only God can silence such a storm.

Notice the text of 2 Corinthians 1 and the encouragement Paul gives the church to embrace the comfort of God:

Comfort comes from relying on God (1:9) — Paul states that the discomfort they experienced was an opportunity for them to unplug from themselves and fully anticipate the power of God. It’s not that Paul and the other disciples stopped living or stopped their pursuits, but that they simply allowed God to resume His role as God.

Comfort comes from hope in God (1:10) — Hope is a beautiful word, especially to a Christian. For it is in hope that individuals look forward to tomorrow; whatever that might entail. The language used in 2 Cor. 1:10 is the intentional placement of hope “we have placed our hope on God” — where is your hope? Are you still holding on to it and trying to shape it? Perhaps it is time to set it on God.

Comfort comes from prayer to God (1:11) — if there is one area in my Christianity I wish I was better at, it’s prayer. I am confident that the remedy to discomfort is a constant communion with our Maker, our Sustainer, and our Deliverer. It’s interesting that Jesus instructed His followers would “pray at all times so as to not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). The opposite is just as true, in that we begin losing heart if we keep prayer as a inconsistent practice. Pray more, and you will find weights being lifted.

When something comes up that needs your attention, wait until you can find a time to pull over, look to God, and press forward.

Tyler King

Early in the life of David, King Saul had a feast to celebrate the new moon.  Two consecutive days David did not attend and thus his assigned seat was vacant (I Samuel 20:18, 24-27).  When Jonathan was discussing this situation with Saul, his father, he said, “For this reason he has not come to the King’s table” I Samuel 20:29.  Even though David had legitimate reasons, still he missed the opportunity to be at the king’s table.  Let’s think about an application of that thought.  Is your chair at the King’s table empty?  Are the chairs of your children empty when it is time to gather at the King’s table?

It is true that the Lord’s Supper could be thought of as the King’s table, but in this article I want us to think of the King’s table in a different sense.  Taking nourishment from God’s word is also spoken of as eating at the Lord’s “table” (John 6:41-68).  When it comes time to eat from God’s spiritual food – God’s word, is your chair empty?

What about the Bible classes that are offered?  Do you attend or is your chair empty?  If your chair is empty, then more than likely your child’s chair is also empty.  It saddens me that so many chairs are empty during the Sunday morning Bible class time.  It is even sadder that so many chairs are empty on Wednesday evenings.  What is most disappointing is that the chairs of the children are empty.  Teachers come prepared, but you have chosen to let your child sit in another chair rather than in the chair at the King’s table.  What chair is more important to your children than the chair where they can learn about God and His desire for them?

I know that life is a rush and our scheduled are full, but all the activity is created a vacuum in our spiritual lives and in the spiritual lives of our children.  We may not see the consequences now, but it will appear later on in life.  You know what parents excuse in moderation, later children abuse in excess.  Through the years my observation has taught me and studies prove it, that when parents only attend some of the services that their children become adults attend even fewer services.  On the other hand, studies show that when parents are fully dedicated and are heavily involved in all aspects of the work of the church, there is a far greater chance that their children will also be fully involved when they are adults.  Thus, this is my concern, not just for the here-and-now, but for the long-time effect in the lives of your children when they become adults.

When your chair is empty at the King’s table on a regular basis it says…

You think something else is more important.  What is it that is more important than studying God’s word or assembling to worship God?

You do not think the messages that are presented each time are related to the life you live.  We are living in a nation that has lost its grasp of a moral compass to direct life.  The Bible is the compass God has given.  By your lack of attendance when God’s word is taught, you are also saying that you do not need those messages to guide you in life.

You do not see the fact that your presence is needed to encourage others.  Too often people think that no one knows when they are not here.  That is far from the truth.  Your presence encourages and strengthens all and therefore, your absence discourages all.

   You do not appreciate the effort that the teacher puts forth to prepare the lesson that was to be presented the days you missed.  Those who teach put forth a great deal of effort in study and preparation.  By your absence you are saying, “I don’t appreciate the effort you have put forth.”  Do you really want to say that?

Just as we can think of what an empty chair says, and it is all negative, so we can list all the positive things that your chair says when you are in it.  Therefore, like it or not, a chair is going to speak.  What it speaks will be determined by whether it is occupied or unoccupied.

What will your chair say next Wednesday evening or next Sunday morning, or in those special classes?

Wayne Burger

Samuel is nearing the end of his life by the time you read 1 Samuel 12. He gives a speech to all of Israel and there are several chilling statements that force us to consider our own spiritual standing. Samuel seeks the counsel of the Lord and asks Him on behalf of the people for an earthly king. God had established the Judges to rule them rather than a king which was typical for the time period. God grants their request, even though this kind of leadership was bound for failure. He handed Israel their shovel, and they began to dig. Here are some of Samuel’s final words.

“Then Samuel called on the Lord, and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel. The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish” (18-25).

Here are five quick observations and practical truths based on Samuel’s speech.

1. We should never let our previous sins hold us back from pressing forward. Samuel tells the children of Israel not to let the evil in their recent past keep them down— but he doesn’t pretend as if they hadn’t sinned against God.
2. Samuel reminds the people that God is quick to forgive.
3. It’s interesting that Samuel says that his failure to pray for God’s people would be a sinful thing for him to do.
4. Samuel tells the people to fear the Lord AND remember what He’s done for them. God could have wiped them out. He clearly had the ability as he demonstrated His power over nature in the beginning of this section.
5. It was true for the children of Israel and it’s true for us today. If we persist in doing evil, we will perish.

The Old Testament is filled with relevant applications for us today. Let’s learn from the past, and like Samuel said— let’s not let our past failures keep us from moving forward.

Dale Pollard

Due to an unusually high social pressure zone combined with a low care index and increasingly high winds of change, we are now issuing a freeze warning.

Yes, this means hearts grown cold could now be irreparably damaged by freezing over. World events and local change is happening so fast, it’s hard to keep up. This may have led to the low “care” index. The high pressure of daily living has compounded the effect.

Our society, including Christians, have become numb to the outside world. We are not immune to this freeze warning, as we live in and love and participate in our communities. The bombardment from the news media and social media to “fit in” and just go along to get along is a major reason our brothers and sisters partake in so many worldly pursuits.

Do not let your hearts be affected by the local spiritual weather in this way! Hearts grown cold are so difficult to warm again, and are at great risk.

With great trials comes risk. Jesus warned that the increase in false teachers and physical peril, as events were leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem, would cause hearts to grow cold.

“And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

“Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold” (Matthew 24:4-12, NASB).

Even without outside trials, our hearts are at risk at all times. Satan would love nothing more than to deliver an icy blast over our hearts and freeze out any hope of heaven for us.

As we in the Northern hemisphere hunker down against the coming cold, let us do it with our Bibles in hand … and in our hearts. I’ve prepared my plants by bringing in the variegated ginger to join the Duranta and Ficus in the living room for the winter. The garage, where we put some of the tender plants, is just too cold for the coming sub-zero temperatures.

We must do what we can to prepare. There are worse things than pipes and plants freezing or the lights going out. Don’t let your love for God and His children get cold!

One of the most important decisions a person makes is finding a Christian spouse. Even in a society that has devalued lifelong marriages, people still recognize the seriousness of taking that step. For Christians, our belief in God’s holy design of one man with one woman for life only increases the value of this relationship. However, it has been stated on numerous occasions by various young adults, “Well, I can’t find anyone who is a Christian that I want to marry.” If you know someone who feels that way, indulge me for a moment with some tips on how to find that spouse. Parents, my request to you is that you have your kids read this and that you begin finding ways to encourage them now to use wisdom in this decision in their lives.

• Don’t Get in a Hurry to Marry– Social norms, stereotypes, and discussions about “biological clocks” have often created a sense of panic in the souls of young people who have not found that significant other by a specific time in their lives. There is also a sense of being “left out” if friends are engaging in the covenant of matrimony and you are not. Yet, panic about one’s marital status (or lack thereof) can lead to some very hasty decisions. Namely, settling for anybody, regardless of what kind of person they are. Believe me when I say, “There are worse things than being single.” Such as, being tied to life with the wrong person because you rushed such an important decision.
• Go Where Christians Are– You cannot find diamonds in a salt mine. It makes me want to both laugh and cry when I hear someone bemoan the fact that they cannot find a good guy or girl at all the bars or secular dating services they frequent. If you want to find a Christian spouse, then you need to frequent the places where Christians are. This is a very common sense point, but it is amazing how easily it slips our minds.
• Don’t Make MarriageYour Life’s Goal – Our goal in life is to praise the God of glory. Too many young people become so enamored with the thought of getting married that they neglect to devote themselves to the service of God. They miss out on the joys of mission work and service because they are too concerned with finding their next date. Focus on God and (to utilize Jesus’ words) “all these things will be added to you,” because you will be surrounded by the kind of people who are worth marrying.

Who you marry is one of the most crucial decisions you will ever make. Do not take it lightly or go about it haphazardly. Seek out someone who shares the same faith, principles, and values that you do. Your soul may depend on it.

Cory Waddell

It’s one thing for an animal to blend into its background. Many animals can do this. It’s a completely different level for an animal to perfectly mimic some object in its environment.

Enter the Buff-tip moth. No, that isn’t a broken stick laying on top of some branch. That is a Buff-tip moth that landed on the branch! But notice all the details. It has the right colors, including the color variations of the broken end of a stick. It mimics all the right textures, including the patterns and textures of bark. Both its head and the tip of its wings look just like a broken twig.

God never ceases to amaze me. So many of His wonderful qualities are displayed through creation. When I look at the Buff-tip moth, I see His intelligence, His power, and His creativity. I see how He has made this world one of beauty, order, and design. Likewise, I see a God who has placed such things before us so that we would seek to know how all this came to be here. A moth such as this does not come from some chaotic process of time and chance, but from a Creator who wants us to see Him and find Him.

Psalm 104:24 articulates these feelings towards God so well: “O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions.”

We will never reach a time when we have fully explored and detailed out all the ways God has displayed His wisdom and power on this earth. For now, however, we can look at this simple, yet amazing, little moth and stand in amazement at our great and awesome God!

Brett Petrillo

Natalie and I are planning on moving into a new house in the near future and are learning the importance of measuring. It seems like there is a great deal of planning that goes into making sure different items will fit in various spaces. For me, it’s absolutely imperative that I make sure there is enough room on the counter for the coffee maker. As we’ve gone along planning for the future, I’ve begun to notice how measurements play a vital role in the natural world, even beyond the idea of moving living spaces. Time, distance, area, volume, weight, temperature, and speed are all calculated by measurements. You may not have thought about how often we use measurements in every day life, but it’s an attribute of living that we can’t function properly without. We revolve around finding units that describe and define these aspects.

The spiritual world is interesting because things are seemingly unmeasurable. Actions such as forgiveness and mercy are motions that can’t be measured (Ps. 103:12). This is directly correlated with God’s character. Paul brings this very idea to light in the Ephesian letter:

·     God is immeasurable (υπερβαλλον) in His power (1:19) // Paul explains how this power is exclusive to Christians. He goes on further by revealing this is the same power utilized in raising Christ from the dead. God’s power is limitless and we have an obligation as Christians to lay hold of that resource in this life.

·     God is immeasurable (υπερβαλλοντα) in His grace (2:7) // Consider the total sum of our sins. Can we go a day without sinning? A week? Maybe two weeks? Yet it is only by one sin that we become alienated from God. Only through God do we have a solution for our sin. God’s grace simply cannot be measured for the magnitude of our transgressions is too grand.

·     God is immeasurable (υπερβαλλουσαν) in His Son’s love (3:19) // God chose to demonstrate His love in the most personal way possible; through the deliverance of His Son. It is through Jesus that we find the character and imprint of our God in heaven. His love is a reality that blesses beyond comprehension.

Tyler King

It is easy for people to think time is an inexhaustible resource. The years before us seem as if time will never end. Then, in old age, those years disappear.

Husbands don’t have enough time for wives. Fathers don’t have enough time for children. Employees believe there is enough time to complete a project until they discover the deadline is upon them. Writers often have the same problem. There is just not enough sand in the hourglass.

Eventually, we will come to a moment in life when the days behind us are more than the ones in front of us. We wonder how something like that could happen.

My children were born in the 1970s. My wife and I thought we’d have a long, happy time watching them grow. Now they are all grown and have children of their own. Our oldest grandson is nearing college graduation. Where did the years go?

We should think of the coming eternity than how much time we have left in this old world. In Ecclesiastes chapter nine, Solomon wrote,

“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go,” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Instead of our preoccupation with the time we have left, we need to think of how we can help ourselves and others by preparing to use the remaining time we have to the glory of God.

Eternity is stretching itself out before us. Are we ready for it? We must prepare for eternity by obeying the gospel and spend the remaining time given us by serving God.

The book of Romans can be both straight-forward, as well as deep and complex. It’s no wonder that Peter ascribes some things as hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). When one can discover somewhat of a “thread” through certain books, it can be easier to comprehend the content found within the scriptures.

OVERVIEW:

Sometimes keywords come in the form of a singular word. Other times, a keyword can morph by way of multiple words and become a key phrase. Such is the case in the book of Romans. Paul uses something called didactic dialectic. In simpler terms, it means he asks a question and follows it up with the answer. The phrase is identified in the text when one sees “what shall we say” or “what then.” This is used nine times throughout seven chapters in the book of Romans.

BACKGROUND:

Paul is addressing the church in Rome within his letter (1:1). Most scholars argue this is among the latter of his letters, with a dating of late 50s AD. As one might expect with the location of Rome, the church was made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Rome was known as a booming city in the ancient world; economically, politically, and religiously.

With politics and culture headed in a corrupt direction, Paul wanted to ensure the people had a good grasp of the doctrine contained within the gospel of Christ. By using the phrase, “what then,” he was able to put their theology and mindset on display, followed by a teaching on it. You’ll notice as we go throughout these key phrases, the attachment to Christian principles instituted by Christ and His Apostles.

MARKING: 

3:9 – “what then, are we Jews any better off?”

4:1 – “what then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?”

6:1 – “what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”

6:15 – “what then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?”

7:7 – “what then shall we say? That the law is sin?”

8:31 – “what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

9:14 – “what shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part?”

9:30 – “what shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith”

11:7 – “what then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened”

APPLICATION:

There are a lot of doctrines and ideas of doctrines floating around the populous of the world. Some are mere trends and will eventually fade out. Others are captivating and toxic. In order to sort truth from the assortment, Paul takes the proposed mentality and puts it on the spotlight. Once in the spotlight, Paul then compares the ideology to what the text says. This holds true to Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “test all things, hold fast what is true.” We ought to be truth-seekers, and not merely tradition-holders.

Tyler King

James tells us that we should be a people who are “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” (James 1: 19) There is certainly a gift that can be learned in becoming a better listener.  James is concerned with the anger of man, within the context of this particular verse, when he concludes the thought with the fact that “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1: 20)

Our concern should be that we work on our anger, if that indeed is a problem.  It is easy, while having a “spirited” discussion with someone, to not listen to them but to use those moments to feed our own anger.  We need to take time to listen to those who are talking to us.

Someone has come up with “Six Steps To Becoming A Better Listener” and they are worth repeating here.  You will note that they form a LADDER—one that we should be able to remember.

L:  Look at the person speaking to you.

A:  Ask questions.

D:  Don’t interrupt.

D:  Don’t change the subject.

E:  Empathize

R:  Respond verbally and non-verbally.

It is possible that we sometimes leave the impression with others that we really don’t care what they have to say.  It is usually unintentional.  We are to be a people who are engaged in the soul winning business and as a result we must be good listeners if we are to be effective in the communication of the gospel.

Dave Chamberlin

I remember one morning a few years ago, I sat on my front porch to drink my cup of coffee. Not my usual location, but I wanted to get a different perspective on the day. After several minutes I caught a tiny movement in the corner of my eye. It was a torn leaf, about the size of an M&M, being dragged off by a quartet of minuscule ants. It was only then that I really looked and caught sight of the hundreds of ants that were scattered here and there all over the porch, each of them searching for or carrying away edible bounties to share with the colony. In that moment I was amazed at how easily I had overlooked their presence. They were everywhere, and yet their miniature size was easily disregarded by my enormous eye.

In that moment I was also impressed with an observation that Jesus made in Luke 12:6-7. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

My mortal attention span is so narrow that it took me several minutes to realize that I was surrounded by hundreds of infinitesimal creatures, whose existence rarely means anything to me (until they get into my house…but that’s another discussion altogether). It took the mighty task of carrying a leaf the size of a bite size candy just to get me to notice them.

Yet, the Creator of the universe is so honed in on each of us individually that He has assigned every hair on our heads a number. Not a single one of us is ever forgotten, even though, comparatively, we are little more than ants scurrying around on this big planet. It may not always feel like this is the case, especially in our tougher days. But take courage, God is still there. He is still watching with His great love and concern for your pain. And He is working to lead you in the paths you must walk for the sake of His glory and your eternity.

Cory Waddell

Scripture presents a balanced view about God. Humanity, however, struggles to keep an even keel.

Today’s pulpits might quietly sidestep around God’s judgment and omit foretelling hell’s horrors. After all, who likes to hear an uncomfortable message? However, by so doing that silence promotes a distorted view of God and future reality. A closer look is warranted.

Scripture’s balanced view

When God described himself he chose to emphasize both his steadfast love and his refusal to turn a blind eye toward the guilty (Ex. 34:6-7). Paul captured this balance when he wrote, “Notice therefore the kindness and the severity of God” (Rom. 11:22). Even the gospel Paul proclaimed announced both God’s salvation and the reality of judgment (Rom. 1:16; 2:16).

When people portray God as being willing to acquit non-atoned sins  (mistakenly identifying this as love) thus distorting God’s holy nature, they  misrepresent the God who is there. Conversely, to assert God is an angry oppositional Judge looking for ways to condemn likewise twists the God who is.

Rather, because of his love God has made salvation universally available (John 3:16). Not only does God desire all people to repent, his patience delays judgment (2 Peter 3:9). And yet, one day without warning God will wield righteousness to judge even the darkest secrets people possess (Rom. 2:16; Acts 17:31).

Scripture’s terminology

Hades is the realm of the dead. Both the righteous and the unrighteous  enter Hades upon death. The KJV version miscommunicated when it translated this as hell (Mt. 11:23; Rev. 20:13), a problem corrected in the NKJV.

Upon his death Jesus entered Hades . However God did not abandon him there but rather raised him up (Acts 2:31).

Within Hades a place of blessing exists called Paradise or Abraham’s side  (Luke 23:43; 16:22). Hades also contains a place of torment  (Luke 16:23).

Gehenna is a Grecian form for the Hebrew Hinnom. In the New Testament it is often translated as hell.

The Valley of the Son of Hinnom was located on the south side of Jerusalem (Josh. 15:8). A Tophet, that is a place to sacrifice children in fire, was built in this valley (2 Kgs. 23:10; Jer. 19:4-14).

In an effort to desecrate Tophet thus making it even unfit for pagan worship, garbage was dumped in it and burned. By the time of Jesus, the valley of Gehenna had become an image for God’s judgment against the wicked. Jesus told the people not to fear man who can only kill the body, but rather to fear God who can destroy both one’s body and soul in Gehenna (Mt. 10:28).

Jesus described condemnation as being discarded in Gehenna, that is abandoned in an unquenchable fire where the worm does not die (Mk. 9:47,48). He warned people to repent from those lifestyles, attitudes and actions that would cause them to enter the fires of Gehenna (Mt. 5:22,29,30).

Lake of fire is a phrase in Revelation vividly portraying the devil’s hellish end. This fiery lake is equated with the second death (Rev. 20:14). While the faithless and immoral will go into this burning lake, the second death has no power over those who overcome, namely those whose names are written in the book of life (Rev. 2:11; 20:6,10,14,15).

The eternal fire is the appropriate punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. However, those who reject the ways of God’s kingdom also go away into this relentless fire. (Mt. 25:41).

Tartarus in Greek thought as well as in Israelite apocalyptic literature referred to the deepest darkest realm of Hades where divine punishment was meted out. Hell is an appropriate translation. Peter used the verbal form of Tartarus to describe God binding rebellious angels in darkness as they await judgment. (2 Pet. 2:4).

The verb cast out and the command depart depict the terrifying execution of damnation. Through his parables and teachings, Jesus repeatedly captured the horror of being helplessly thrust away from all that is good in order to be forever abandoned in darkness, weeping and gnashing of one’s teeth (Mt. 7:23; 22:13; 25:30,41 ).

The destruction of the ungodly and those who do not obey the gospel is associated with fire (2 Th. 1:8; 2 Pet. 3:7). It denotes suffering the punishment of eternal ruin, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Th. 1:9). It stands in contrast to inheriting life (Mt. 7:13-14).

God in his love has gone to extreme measures to ensure salvation is available for all. Jesus in his ministry considered it necessary to warn people about hell. Therefore it would be tragic if today people were to remain ignorant of God’s judgment and unmotivated to repent because Christians wanted to avoid saying something upsetting.

by Barry Newton

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalms 23:1) 

The 23rd Psalm begins with a great affirmation of faith and commitment to the Lord. Being able to make this tremendous affirmation requires us to hear his voice and follow him, loving him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (John 10:27, 1 Peter 2:21, Mark 12:30). It requires that we be willing to give ourselves over to him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), letting him mold our thoughts, guide our lives and letting his word dwell in us richly.   In order to truly claim the Lord as our shepherd we must place our entire being into his hands without reservations or limitations (2 Tim. 1:12, Gal. 2:20, Phil. 1:21, Phil. 3:13-14).

As I think about all the many things that have occurred over the course of my life on earth, I come to the conclusion that life is one great adventure. We awake each morning to begin our daily routines not knowing what the day is going to bring forth. It may be success or it may be failure. We may experience great happiness and joy or it could be pain and heartache. It could be a calming peace that sweeps over us or our lives could be caught up in great waves of turmoil. We just don’t know from one moment to the next what is going to take place. However, there is one thing I do know. So long as the Lord is our shepherd it really doesn’t matter because through it all, the good, the not so good, he will guide us, protect us and lead us, onward and upward to a place of eternal bliss and happiness.

Just knowing that the Lord is our shepherd, knowing he loves us dearly and was willing to die for us should put a smile on our face and a bounce in our step (Phil.4:4, Revelation 14:13). One day this great adventure will end for all of us (Heb. 9:27). When that happens, we will leave what we have here and take with us only what we are on that journey into eternity (1 Tim. 6:7). If the Lord is our shepherd, that journey will hold no fear for us. The grave itself is not to be feared for you see we are not alone, not in this life nor the life to come (Heb. 13:5). Our Lord, our shepherd, will be with us every step of the way comforting us, protecting us, providing for us and guiding us. That’s what a good shepherd does for his flock (John 10:11-15). Truly, Jesus the loving shepherd calls us to enter that fold of safety where we will find rest and a peace that passes understanding will be ours (Matt. 11:28-30). The Lord is my shepherd! Enter and stay in the way of truth and he will be your shepherd too.

Charles Hicks

    The earth is not millions of years old. Science does not demand such a belief and the Bible will not allow it. Man would not know how the earth came to be unless God had told man the details. Genesis is part of the “law of Moses,” so we know that Moses wrote Genesis. It may have been written during the 40-year wandering in the wilderness.

    Let’s take a fresh look at Genesis 1:

THE GENERAL STATEMENT OF CREATION – 1:1-2:

    Notice, first, that Moses does not set out to describe or define “God.”

    Let me point out here that some people, who are confused about the dating-methods of earth, try to squeeze millions of years in-between verse 1 and verse 2. The Hebrew grammar will not allow millions of years to transpire between verse 1 and verse 2. Verse 2 begins right where verse 1 left off: “God created the heavens and the earth and this earth (Moses is writing), was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”

    Moses describes this original creation because he is going to elaborate on how God is going to give this earth form and life and light (see Isaiah 45:18). God created the earth with the purpose that it would be inhabited. In fact, the whole point of the earth’s creation was for man’s dwelling place. That fact, in and of itself, refutes the theory of evolution that teaches everything has happened by accident, by chance.

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIGHT AND FORM – 1:3-10:

    The first thing we observe here is that God created light. This light is not the light from the sun because God will not create the sun until Day 4. So, wherever this light originated, it was not the sun.

    It seems to me that God created light first in order to set the stage and the pattern for Him creating the world in six days. While the “24-hour cycle” did not apparently begin until God created the sun on Day 4, I think we are safe in seeing these first three days as long as the last three days, as days of 24 hour cycles. I suggest this because after He created “light” and separating it from darkness on Day 1, God then defines every day afterwards as “there was evening and there was morning, one day.”

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIFE – Plants and the Sun: 1:11-19:

    Please note here that God created the Law of Biogenesis here on Day 3. These plants were to produce “after their kind, with seed in them.” The Law of Biogenesis supports the doctrine of special creation, not the doctrine of evolution.

    On Day 4, we have another evidence that these days were not millions of years long. We all know that plants need sunshine to make food. But if plants were created on Day 3, how could they have survived for millions of years before God created the sun on Day 4? The fact is, these days were normal days, as we understand them, and God created the sun on Day 4 to provide the food that plants need.

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIFE – Animals: 1:20-25:

    God created water-dwelling animals. He also created sky-dwelling animals. Every living creature that moves, God created and placed here. Please note again the reference to the Law of Biogenesis: these creatures reproduced “after their kind.” That’s not what evolution teaches but it is what we find in science.

GOD GIVES THE EARTH LIFE – Humans: 1:26-31:

    Finally, we have recorded the creation of God’s crowning achievement, human kind. We are made on a special day, our own day, in a special way, “in the image” of God. The whole rest of the Bible is focused on this unique creation of man.

    Among the unique aspects of man’s creation, we see:

    1. He is made in the image of God, in distinction from the animal creation.

    2. He is to rule over and have dominion over the animal creation.

    3. He is to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

    4. He is to eat and enjoy the life that God has given him; here, it is plants. Following the flood of Noah’s day, our diet will also include animals.

    Science supports what Genesis tells us about the creation of the world. We know that everything around us came from somewhere. The book of Genesis tells us where: God. We see the power of God in His creation, the wisdom of God, His love for His creation – all of it, including and especially mankind.

    This wonderful creation we see around us and enjoy should compel us to worship God and love Him and serve Him with all of our being.

    Let the creation remind you of the power and love of our God in heaven.

Paul Holland

John Castillo Kennedy writes a riveting account of the fire that swept through San Francisco in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that struck on April 18, 1906. The earthquake and resulting fires, which killed 3000 people, destroyed 80% of the city. Among the dead was the city fire chief. Firefighters, unaccustomed to using dynamite to create firebreaks, caused several of the fires.

At one point early in the fires, according to Castillo, the spread of the flames surprised people living along Pine, Bush, and Sutter Streets, forcing them to flee immediately. They had been confident that the flames would not reach them there. The author says,

“Quickly filled trunks grated up the hills. Wagons, mostly pulled by men, rattled over the rough cobblestones. Baby carriages and toy express wagons rolled along packed full with the ‘things’ people had snatched up in the flight. Pianos were bumped along the sidewalks–some went to pieces in the process. Sewing machines slipped along on their rollers with stacks of bedding and the like lashed to them. Women had their valuables on their person, or carried trinkets Gypsywise in handkerchiefs. Men wore columns of hats five-high. Some carried only a book. Parrots jabbered and scolded from many cages. Some people had blankets. Girls usually had bandboxes. Boys stretched poles between them and carried, suspended there, bundles of clothing and provisions. Once it was only a ham” (83).

These panic-stricken people, with no time to prepare, reached for the thing that had the most practical or sentimental value to them. Something made people faced with total loss and threat of life to lug heavy items or pets or food. Many of the choices seem irrational. Perhaps they were in shock or acting in impulse. In essays and contests asking people what they would grab if their house was on fire and they could only grab one thing, they have cited passports, wills, legal documents, insurance policies, personal papers, portable hard drives, phones, etc.

I’m trying to put myself in their shoes. If I was in one of the many neighborhoods forced to flee my home with no time to spare, what would I have been sure to grab? How long would it take my mind to settle on sentimental family items like old photos, my wedding video, or the boys’ baby books? Would I be relieved if I could make it out with my Bible, though I saved nothing else?

I do not judge those folks with their bizarre, split-second decisions. For some reason, it just made me do some introspection. What does my priority list look like? What do I value most in my life and in my home? What would I try to be sure to preserve?

Perhaps the answers to those questions is best provided by my choices in ordinary, every-day actions. I want my wife, children, fellow-Christians, and, most of all, my God to see from my life that they come before the things of this world. The things will all ultimately burn (2 Pet. 3:10). It is the relationships that will outlast the final, global conflagration. I pray that my influence and example will save them from the fire (Jude 23).

Reference: Kennedy, John Castillo. The Great Earthquake And Fire: San Francisco, 1906 (New York: William Morrow and Co., 1963).

Neal Pollard

As a Daddy, it’s a job that is mine,

I think of it often between the lines.

It is my unique duty, when home bound,

To get my family home, both safe and sound.

So I protect them from dangers and threats,

Keep up with conditions: snow, dry, or wet.

I keep driving on while they sleep and rest,

I study the map for the route that is best.

Across many rivers both wide and deep,

Thought the Ozarks climbing hills that are steep,

Across the open spaces of the plains,

Through the barren fields of harvested grain.

Until we ascend the mountain, what a thrill,

We reach the city set into the hill.

My family didn’t from the proper course roam,

Daddy’s Duty: I led my family home.

As a Daddy, a greater job is mine,

It is declared in many Bible lines.

It is my unique duty, when Heav’n bound,

Get my family Home; spiritually safe and sound.

I protect their souls from dangers and threats,

Ensure Godliness in our home is kept.

I teach the family of Heavenly rest,

We study God’s word, the map that is best.

I lead o’er rivers of worldliness deep,

Over the temptation mountains so steep,

Across paralyzing, complacent plains,

Through fields of worries as numerous as grain.

Until we ascend the Mountain, what a thrill,

When we all reach the City on a Hill.

My family shan’t from the proper Course roam,

Daddy’s Duty: to lead my family Home.

“Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them…. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.” (Col. 3:19, 21)

Corey Sawyers

Hebrews 12:1-3

Introduction:

1. It is hard to believe we are halfway through the third decade of the 21^st Century!
2. For many people the first week in January is the most depressing week of the year and that is the case for a number of reasons.
3. One reason is that the holidays are over, the family and friends have gone home, the Christmas presents have been opened, and now its time to go back to work and school!
4. Another reason, perhaps even more depressing, is that many make new year’s resolutions and then so quickly break them.
5. We tell ourselves, in the new year I’m going to be more active in church and read my Bible more, or I’m going to get my finances in order, or I’m going to eat more healthy and get into better shape.
6. But then December 31^st, turns to January 1^st, and the rubber meets the road and we find it difficult to follow through with our resolutions.

1. There’s an old Irish New Year’s toast goes like this, “May all your troubles in the coming year be as short as your New Year’s resolutions.”
2. I would really like us to think more positively than that.
3. Certainly, God offers us more hope than that.
4. In 2 Cor. 5:17, Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
5. Paul also wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13)
6. As we approach this new year, I want us to be praying a prayer of thanksgiving, “Thank you, Lord, for fresh starts.”
7. The new year and each new day gives us fresh beginnings to build and change our lives.
8. Every new year and every new day is an opportunity to get it “righter” than the day before and the year before.

1. So, on this first Sunday of the new year, I want to encourage us to make a commitment to focus more on spiritual things in the coming year.
2. Today, I want us to consider making a resolution and commitment to three spiritual priorities for the new year.
3. I believe that if we focus on these three priorities, then they will help us experience a healthy spiritual life and have a blessed year.
4. Today, I’m going to do what the preachers of old used to do: they would announce what they were going to tell them, then they would tell them, and then they would tell them what they told them.
5. So, let me tell you what the three simple and concise priorities are and then we will explore how to put them into practice in practical ways.
6. Here are the three priorities:
7. First, Live in God’s Love and Grace.
8. Second, Seek First God’s Kingdom.
9. Third, Live a Life of Love.

1. Live in God’s Love and Grace.
2. In my preaching over the years, I have repeatedly tried to help us embrace God’s love for us and live in the grace God has given us.
3. If we aren’t convinced of God’s love and grace towards us, then we struggle to have a relationship with God and feel secure and accepted in that relationship.
4. The truth of the matter is that God loves us and has given us His grace through Jesus.
5. God’s love and grace aren’t something we deserve or earn, but are God’s gifts to us.
6. And how do we know that God loves us? Answer: The Bible tells us that is the case.
7. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world…”
8. Romans 5:8 – “But God proves his own love us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
9. Romans 8:37-39 – “[nothing]…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
10. 1 John 4:16 – “And we have come to know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”
11. I hope these verses help to solidify in all of our hearts and minds that we are loved by God and that God’s love for us doesn’t change or run out.
12. God wants us to know that He not only loves the world in general, but that He loves each of us specifically and individually as a parent personally loves each of their children.
13. God wants us to allow His love for us to embrace us and fill us.

1. Let’s spend a minute talking about living in God’s grace.
2. The Bible is clear about the importance of receiving and abiding in God’s grace.
3. One of my favorite verses about God’s grace is Ephesians 1:7-8 that says: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
4. God isn’t stingy with His grace – He lavishes it on us – other versions translate that phrase “lavished on us” as “abound to us” or “richly poured out on us.”
5. Picture God’s grace poured out on us like Niagara Falls, rather than an eye dropper.
6. John 1:16 says “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
7. Other translations describe it as “grace upon grace.”
8. Another important verse about grace is 1 Peter 1:13 – “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
9. Our hope and our security is in God’s grace and not in our performance or faithfulness.
10. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be striving towards obedience and faithfulness, but it means that our obedience and faithfulness don’t earn us salvation, only the grace that is in Jesus can do that.
11. God wants us to live in God’s grace and be motivated by God’s grace.
12. Paul wrote that the grace of God teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness. (Titus 2:11-12)

1. So, this is where I want us to start the new year with the priority of abiding in God’s love and grace.
2. Our relationship with God is one based on His love and grace towards us – it is His offer to us, but we must believe it, receive it and abide in it.
3. I hope that all of us understand the difference that living in God’s love and grace makes, rather than living in fear and feeling that we have to prove ourselves or earn God’s love and grace.

1. Seek First God’s Kingdom.
2. Because of the gift of God’s love and grace, our priority must be to seek first God’s kingdom.
3. This is something that Jesus taught us to do in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
4. That command and promise of Jesus is couched in Jesus’ teaching about not worrying about tomorrow and the challenges it might bring.
5. The cares and concerns of this life can distract us from the important spiritual things we need to be focused on.
6. God knows that we have basic needs and God has promised to supply those basic needs as we abide in God and seek first His kingdom.

1. I want to challenge us to make God’s kingdom and the spiritual things associated with God’s kingdom our highest priority this year.
2. Let’s not allow earthly things to get in the way of heavenly things.
3. The earthly things I am talking about are not necessarily sinful things, but they can crowd out spiritual things.
4. Working too much, or playing too much, can take us away from spiritual priorities, like worship, prayer, Bible reading, and service.
5. Certainly, there is a place for balance in our lives and times for work, recreation and entertainment, but those things have a way of taking over and crowding out the spiritual.
6. Don’t you think that seeking first God’s kingdom would include a commitment to gather with the church family for worship and Bible study?
7. Don’t you think that seeking first God’s kingdom would include making time for daily Bible reading and prayer to strengthen and focus our souls?
8. Don’t you think that seeking first God’s kingdom would mean that our financial commitments would start with our financial contribution to the Lord?
9. Once we determine what we will faithfully give to the Lord, then we can set the rest of our budget.

1. The writer of Hebrews warned his readers: “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” (Heb. 2:1)
2. If we don’t stay focused on God, God’s kingdom, and God’s Word, it is easy to drift away.
3. One of the lessons from Jesus’ parable of the sower is that the weedy soil can choke out God’s word and make it unfruitful.
4. A life overcrowded by the things of this world will have a negative impact on our spiritual well-being.
5. That’s why in the next chapter of Hebrews the writer admonishes us: “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Heb. 3:11-12)
6. It is so easy to be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness and by Satan’s diversions, and that’s why faithful participation in worship, bible study, prayer and daily devotions are so important.
7. A commitment to seeking first God’s kingdom will help us carry out another command in the book of Hebrews: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25)
8. We need each other and we need to help each other stay focused on seeking first God’s kingdom.

1. So, let’s review before we look at our last priority for the new year.
2. First, let’s make it a priority to live in God’s love and grace.
3. Second, let’s make it a priority to seek first God’s kingdom.
4. And third, and finally…

III.      Live a Life of Love.

1. This is such a simple, but important basic spiritual understanding and commitment.
2. Love is the defining goal for everything in our Christian lives.
3. Jesus said that the greatest command is to: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt. 22:37)
4. Then Jesus said: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mt. 22:39)
5. Jesus said that loving God and loving others is what its all about.
6. Paul summarized it like this: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal. 5:6)
7. And in Ephesians 5:1, Paul wrote; “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love.”
8. Again, we notice that the motivation or reason for living a life of love is the fact that God is love and that we are God’s dearly loved children and we want to be like our God.

1. So, let’s make it our priority to love God and show it by loving others.
2. Loving others means doing unto others what we would want them to do to us. (Mt. 7:12)
3. That means treating others the way we want to be treated.
4. Treating others with the kindness and consideration that we want to be given.
5. To forgive others and give them the benefit of the doubt we want to be given.
6. Let’s start with living this life of love in our homes and in our church family.
7. Then let’s extend God’s love to our friends, neighbors and coworkers.
8. Then finally, let’s live a life of love even to our enemies – whether it be the up and close enemies in our lives, or the passing enemies who cut us off in traffic, or act rudely to us in the grocery store.
9. We are most like God when we live a life of love.

1. And one of the ways we live a life of love is when we serve one another and wash each other’s feet.
2. When we see someone hurting or struggling and we do what we can to encourage or help them, then we are living a life of love.
3. That can be as simple as holding the door for someone whose hands are full or asking if someone is okay when they are looking sad.
4. Love demands that we pay attention to those around us and seek to support and serve them.
5. But when we live a life of love, we realize how much loving and serving others blesses us.
6. Being self-serving is unsatisfying in the end, but being other-serving brings joy and satisfaction.
7. I see this happen over and over again as I watch our moving ministry at work, or our food sense ministry, food pantry and bread ministry, or when we do the MAGI boxes or the Christmas baskets.
8. When we love and bless others, we are blessed in return.

1. And one of the most important ways we show our love for others is when we share the good news of Jesus with them.
2. It is not loving to keep the gospel to ourselves or to know that someone is lost and not try to help them find their way to Jesus.
3. So, as we live a life of love this year, let’s share the good news of Jesus with others.
4. A great goal for this year would be for each one to bring one to the Lord.
5. Who will you try to love into the kingdom of God this year?
6. Be praying for the opportunity to share God’s love and good news with others this year!

Conclusion:

1. So, as we try to get our new year off to a good start, let’s focus on these three priorities.
2. First, Let’s live in God’s love and grace – let’s be secure in God’s love and grace and let it fill us, sustain us and empower us in our relationship with God.
3. Second, Let’s seek first God’s kingdom – let’s put spiritual things ahead of everything else – let’s make worship, Bible study, prayer and daily devotionals a priority.
4. Third, Let’s live a life of love – loving God and loving others – which is a summary of all of God’s commands – let’s show our love by serving others and sharing the good news.
5. Pray…

   David Owens

The name “Ecclesiastes” comes to us from the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) and means “preacher” (see NASV). The noun comes from a verbal form of the word “to assemble.” We’re not sure what the author meant when he referred to himself as the “preacher.” Clearly, it is not with the meaning that we find in the New Testament and in modern Christianity.

    Observe how the author identifies himself. In 1:1, he says, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” That self-description narrows down the list to a couple of dozen men. Yet, when we study the book itself, especially chapter 2, we see that there is no “son of David, king in Jerusalem” who fits better than King Solomon.

    The pursuit of wisdom fits the gift given Solomon by God, recorded in 1 Kings 3. Additionally, the extended list of building pursuits recorded in Ecclesiastes 3 fit Solomon’s desires and plans as recorded in 1 Kings 5-10. It is popular among “scholars” to reject Solomon’s authorship but it is humorous to hear them admit that the author is, however, a “Solomon-like” figure.

    Solomon provides the theme of the book in the second verse: “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” This word can mean “vain, empty, futile.” To repeat the word, as Solomon does here, is a Hebrew way of expressing the superlative: “the most empty of emptiness.” See Song of Solomon 1:1 where he does the same thing: the “song of songs.”

    So, Solomon says, “All is empty. Futile. Worthless.” Seriously? Some have suggested that Ecclesiastes is too pessimistic to be a work of faith. Here is an exercise for you. Read through this book (it should take less than 20 minutes) and underline these three phrases: “under the sun,” “under heaven,” and “striving after wind.”

    If you were to take God out of the picture or if you simply look at life from the perspective of heaven, this life is not very important or significant. Allow me to elaborate.

    If there is no God or if you live your life as if there is no God, then “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die,” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:32. Yes, life is a cycle and it ends nowhere. Live the way you desire. Pursue what you want to pursue. Do what makes you feel good. If there is no God, there are no moral laws and you are free to steal, kill, rape, pillage, extort, cheat, lie, etc. Because life is going nowhere anyway. (I’m thankful that most atheists live above their moral “foundation.”)

    On the other hand, since there is a God and He has designed a new heaven and earth that puts this one to shame, this life is ultimately of little significance. It is significant in that we show God here and now that we love Him supremely and we serve our fellow man sacrificially. This is the time and place to prove to God that we want to be in heaven with Him. Early in the book, Solomon warns his audience that there is a judgment coming (3:17) and therefore, we need to fear God (5:7).

    But, because the life to come is so much quantitatively better and superior to this life (so much so that we will not even remember at least the bad things that will happen in this life), this life does not hold much importance, much significance for the Christian. 

    As we study Ecclesiastes together, we’ll consider what Solomon has to say about the “meaning of life.” What it does not consist of and what it does consist of. Eventually, we’ll end up in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

Paul Holland

Experts tell us that we speak at a rate of 125 words per minute.  But we can listen to 400 words per minute.  It’s no wonder the attention often wanders.  That means we need to discipline the mind to listen to a lesson without distraction. Here are some suggestions to help you get more out of the sermon.

1. OPEN  MIND. We need to be in the right frame of mind to listen. Our worship is to be “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). We should approach a sermon with the attitude that we want to learn and profit from it.  Attitude makes a big difference.
2. OPEN BIBLE. Compare what you hear with God’s word (Acts 17:11). You need to form personal convictions based on what you read in the Bible. It will stick in your mind longer when you read it for yourself.
3. TAKE NOTES. This will be another “visual aid” to help you remember. You can recall more of what you see than what you just hear. Plus, you will have the notes to use for further study.

You CAN get more out of the sermon.  But only if you try.

                                                                                              – by Roger Hillis