Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 is key to understanding the entire book. In this text, the professor shows us how to find appropriate enjoyment in this life and how to find some semblance of the good life. In order to do so, we need to: embrace the prodding of Scripture; fear and obey God; and prepare for the…
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A few years ago, NBA great, LeBron James did an interview with USA Today. Here’s a man who has won multiple NBA titles and MVP awards. He has more endorsement money than any human being can spend in a lifetime. But in this interview, James reveals something Ecclesiastes-like to us: “What really got to me…
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There is a really interesting scene in the movie, Groundhog Day, where weatherman Phil Connors is trying to figure out what is going on. He sits at a bar in a bowling alley with two local guys who are drunk, and he asks them this question: “What would you do if you were stuck in one…
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“I’ve repented of my sin, put my faith in Jesus Christ alone for my salvation, but there’s still sin in my life. How hard am I supposed to fight against it? It’s not going to damn me to hell, so what’s the big deal?”Good question. If we are secure in our salvation, to what extent…
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Being in pastoral ministry for almost 13 years now has put me in the tough spot of being pastorally involved in more than a few cases of adultery. Tim Challies has written as clearly as anyone on how an affair really begins. I’ve summarized this below, but wholeheartedly recommend reading his longer version. 1) Eliminate Affairs begin…
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It’s my prayer to see the local church be a place where people are given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth. The church is meant to be a harbinger of heaven to come. If the church is going to do that well, it must possess compassion. Without compassion, a church will become judgmental,…
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Our nation is experiencing some tense times internally. Battles have been and are still being waged over same-sex marriage laws and all the implications of it. Dust-ups over religious liberty and abortion rights land on news websites every day. As a pastor, moments like these are opportunities to remind Christians of the bigger picture. Sometimes…
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“I feel empty.” Have you ever admitted that to someone? Or just uttered it to yourself? I have! While I don’t know for sure, it’s probably a pretty common human experience. Why? There’s a story recorded in the New Testament that tells us why. It was the middle of the day and Jesus was thirsty so he…
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No book of the Bible deals with suffering with more honesty and wisdom than this book. Today we conclude with this series by looking at the final chapters in this book. Through the first 37 chapters of Job, God has been silent. Job has not heard from God. He’s heard from his so called friends….
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When tragedy strikes, what do you do? You seek counseling. It may be with a professional therapist or it may be with your family and friends. Whoever it is, you seek them out primarily because you’re looking for comfort. In a few texts from Job, we’re going to look at three counseling models. Each one…
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