Ecclesiastes 11 & 12

In these final chapters, the author of Ecclesiastes summarizes what has been taught previously. We don't know or understand the work of God, who makes everything. Be okay with not knowing. "Do not seek to understand in order to believe but believe so that you may understand." Live life with God in the here & now. Trust your Creator for the future.

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Ecclesiastes 10

In a broken world, true wisdom is rare - but essential. Only the wisdom found in Christ can save us from the destruction of sin and foolishness. God's wisdom preserves life and influence in a world filled with folly.

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Ecclesiastes 9

The author of Ecclesiastes continues to address those things that bring meaning to life. No one knows when their hour of death will come. Time and chance happen to everyone. Accomplishments fade over time, so make an impact now. Living each day to the fullest for the Lord brings contentment and joy. Avoid the meaningless life.

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Ecclesiastes 8:1-15

In order to live a life in Christ, we need to first embrace our limitations and humanity before God. Then we should seek to live a life empowered by the Spirit to be more like Christ. This frees us from pressures to be in control of our lives. Instead of being anxious, we can be joyful.

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Ecclesiastes 7:14-18

As we live our lives, we must be wise in recognizing that we are not God and then be content with that. With the mysteries of life, faith is more valuable than understanding. When times are tough, don't step back from God, but draw closer to Him. Learn to live by faith. Trust in God's faithfulness.

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Ecclesiastes 6:1-5

The author of Ecclesiastes continues to observe that riches in life don't necessarily bring satisfaction or joy. Joy is not determined by the changing circumstances of life, but by focusing on Jesus, the immovable foundation. His values conflict with the world's values. Are you living life on the periphery, controlled by circumstances, or are you focused on Jesus?

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Ecclesiastes 5 & 6

These chapters ask the following questions: What is the point of work and wealth if we're not enjoying them? What is worship if it is hollow? What truly satisfies the human soul?

The conclusion is that life is vanity if focused on outward things instead of inward reverence of a holy God.

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Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:12

The author of Ecclesiastes wrestles with some of the evils in life. When we see a lack of justice in this world, we can rejoice that God will mete out justice in the end. In the meantime, we should seek to correct injustice when we see it. We may mourn the reality of death but can rejoice that Jesus overcame it. As a result, we should be wise in the use of our time. The author sees the reality of oppressors, but if we insert ourselves into community, we can experience positive human relationships.

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The Mission Team that went to serve in Costa Rica for a week shared testimonies and slides. They joined with 2 other churches and did a mix of the following: food and Bible distribution, youth ministry, kid's ministry, women's ministry, preaching/testimonies for Sunday service, and construction to build 2 new Sunday School rooms for a church. Their report and testimonies are included here.

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Ecclesiastes 3

Spiritual maturity comes as we learn to cling to faith in the midst of our doubts, not imagining that there are answers to all of them. We need to be okay with the limitations of humanity and trust the unlimited God. He can take your limitations and do the impossible. God has made everything beautiful in its time, so we need to believe in the goodness of God, even during rough times. That's living a life of faith.

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