This week, Pastor Matt takes us through Ecclesiastes 6:7-12. This passage teaches us that Knowing God is the Key to Understanding the Significance of Daily Living. Solomon's repetition is being done with the purpose of drilling down to the core of how a person understands the day-to-day life in light of the character of God. Anybody who understands life, "under the sun" misses the significance of life. Solomon shows us that life is not a random assortment of chances, but rather God has a purpose for the day to day of our life and that God is actively carrying-out His plan for us through our lives. Our life, the daily grind has eternal significance even if we do not understand it. God is sovereign, but human choices are real, meaningful, consequential, and woven into God's purpose. The struggle comes when we try to bring together the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. We can understand them separately but not together. Trusting in that sovereign God means that I can live with confidence that everyday matters, and that God has a plan that He is actively bringing to pass. Trusting in a sovereign God means that His way is best and I am to obey Him, by faith.

Ecclesiastes 6:1-6 shows us that Knowing God is the key to having satisfaction in life. The world looks for satisfaction in so many different areas, and yet satisfaction is found in God. Living life from the earthly perspective alone leads us to only see what the world has to offer. Our hearts are looking for satisfaction, value and significance in my circumstances. We must understand our circumstances in light of God's character and not God's character in light of circumstances. We view the world despite our circumstances because our circumstances change while God does not change.

It's clearly seen in life and the people who surround us, what you treasure drives your life. Solomon was a rich man who shoed us that money was not enough to satisfy your life. In Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 Solomon teaches us three lessons from money when you fear God. First, Solomon teaches us that money teaches you about your heart. The desire for something more is not the problem, it is trying to fulfill that desire in all of the wrong ways that is the problem. We were made for something more in this world, and yet our tendency is to look in all of the wrong places for that significance. Second, money teaches us about our faith. Money is a tool to accomplish what God has for us. Money is not the source of our security nor is it to be handled in a way that does not honor God. The way you handle your finances ought to honor the Lord. Money reveals our priority, are we going to live of God, with eternal values and goals or are we going to live for what this world has to offer. Finally, Solomon teaches us that money teaches you about your own life. What you have has been given to you by God. Every breath, minute, dollar, all has been give to you by God and you are to enjoy it. Money reveals your rest, and what you are living for today. Money can reveal who we really are.

Scripture makes it clear that there is a universal problem, and that problem is sin. Government is a man made, yet imperfect solution to the problem. The second point, that Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 makes is that Human Government has been ordained by God even though it is imperfect. This continues a major theme that is seen throughout Scripture, that God can work even through the imperfect and broken.

This week, Pastor Matt continues preaching through Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 on instruction to worship God in the right way. This week, Pastor Matt shows us through Ecclesiastes that we are to approach God responsively. When you respond to God, you are making a commitment, and that commitment to Christ is very sacred. Responding to God is not something that is to be taken lightly, it comes as a work of the Holy Spirit through you.

This week Pastor Matt preaches through Ecclesiastes 5:1-3. In this passage Solomon writes about how we are to worship God in the right way. These first three verses of chapter 5 tell us that our approach to God matters. We are to approach God intentionally. The worship of God in the Old and New Testament are very different. We are to make a priority of gathering with other believers because the Holy Spirit now resides in us and not a temple. This approach. matters to worship, it is more than just showing up to a worship service.

This week we study Matthew 22:15-18. In this passage Jesus teaches 3 ways to live as citizens of a heavenly kingdom in a foreign land. First we are to be obedient to God as a thoughtful example. Our obedience to God should stand out and be an example to others around us of how to live on mission as a Christian. Second, we should be obedient to God first while we live out our citizenship here. Even though we are citizens of the United States, we are still to be obedient first to God our Creator. Finally, our obedience to God is our top priority. When you live obedient to God above all else, the rest is going to come together. When we live obedient to God alone, we do not need to worry because of the control that God has on our situation.

In Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 Solomon writes 2 ways to ensure that you are motivated by character, and not by achievement. First, we must be humble enough to grow. Growth often takes much humility. The arrogant king is the one who stops growing, but the humble king will continue to grow. Second, we are to live in obedience to God because all of us will be forgotten by people. Our earthly legacy will not last. Maybe it will survive a generation or two, but in the end our legacy will be forgotten. This challenges us to live our life in obedience to God, and remain humble enough to the end of our lives. This comes from a fear for the lord that will cause us to turn away from evil and towards Jesus.

Pastor Matt preaches through Ecclesiastes 4:13-16. Solomon writes 2 ways to ensure that you are motivated by your character and not your achievements. First, we are to be people who are humble enough to grow. Growth will take place through humility first, because of our need tor recognize our wrongs. Second, we are to live in Obedience to God because all of us will be forgotten by people. People will be forgotten, and time will pass. However, life with God is eternal and this means we are to live in obedience to Him.

This week Pastor Matt takes us through Ecclesiastes 4:4-12. Here we see 2 practical ways that God accomplishes His plan. First God accomplishes His plan in you through others. You were created for others, and you see that from the earliest pages of Scripture in Genesis 1:26. Second, God accomplishes His plan by what He has given you to serve others. What you have been given and what you have has been given to you so that you can serve others and reach them with the Gospel. It is not an accident or by your skills that you have obtained all that you have.