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Links of the Week:
George Fox Evangelical Seminary
God's Penman
The
writing ministry of James Snyder. You may have read his biography
of A.W. Tozer (if not, you should)! Here you can find some of his other
writings and books
God's Penman
The Internet Archive
An
archive of the internet as it used to be. Check out
www.pastorjeff.com and see the webpage as it used to be (or any other
website).
The Internet Archive
Past Links
of the Week:
fusemagazine.net
Where art and faith intersect
servantevangelism.com
Touch your community with the love of Christ.
Renovare
Richard Foster's Ministry
Calling Us to Deepen Our Walk with Christ through Spiritual Disciplines
Dallas Willard
One of
my Favorite Authors. Read, think deeply and be challenged to
a deeper life with Christ.
DickStaub.com
Cultural analysis, quotes, interviews and
other good stuff.
Other Websites
that have won the prestigious honor of being Pastor Jeff's Link
of the Week
Other
Links Worth Checking Out
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Today's Devotional:
I'm Bored
Today’s Scripture Readings:
Psalms 97:7-12
Ecclesiastes 1:1 – 3:22
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Proverbs 22:15
Today’s Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 1:1 -- 3:22
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher “Utterly
Meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” “All things are
wearisome; more than one can say, The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.” (Eccl. 1:2,8)
The Teacher (Who sounds
a lot like Solomon in the life situation presented) is bored.
“Everything is meaningless (literally: a puff of wind)” “All
things are wearisome.” He’s tried stimulating every one of his
senses with the best life could offer. Where did it take him?
Nowhere. He was bored.
In these chapters, he describes a search for meaning in life through
education, money and possessions, power, position, relationships
(hundreds of them—the most beautiful women of all the earth), and the
pursuit of pleasure. He had it all, by the world’s standards, and
still he felt that he was coming up short.
Somehow, he knew that there must be more to life than hedonism and
materialism. Ecclesiastes is about that pursuit for life’s
meaning and purpose. It’s about the dead end of trying to live
life “under the sun”—in the pursuit of money, pleasure and
things. If it seems a little hopeless at times, perhaps that is
because life lived that way is hopeless, meaningless and indeed, boring.
But the Teacher points us to another way of life—a way worth pursuing: “To the man who pleases him, God gives
wisdom, knowledge and happiness,” (2:26). Where is purpose
and meaning in life to be found? Pleasing God. All other pursuits
only lead to a dead end. Pleasing God brings wisdom, knowledge
and happiness.
Many of us (even Christians who should know better) live as the Teacher
did, pursuing life’s meaning and purpose through the pursuit of money,
pleasure and things. Perhaps we haven’t gone done that road far
enough yet to realize that it is a path that goes nowhere. But
the Teacher had tried it and found it a journey that leads to
meaningless and hopelessness. We do well to heed his words and
seek the wisdom, knowledge and happiness of pleasing God.
With Joy,
Pastor Jeff
Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
Psalm 98:1-9
Ecclesiastes 4:1 – 6:12
2 Corinthians 6:14- 7:7
Proverbs 22:16
Copyright 2003 by Jeffrey R. Syverson. Feel free to share with others but give credit where it is due.
Devotionals Copyright 2003-2006 and edited 2006 by Jeffrey R. Syverson. Feel free to share with others but give credit where it is due.
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Won't You Be My
Neighbor?
Quote of the Week:
"God did not give us the Scriptures to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives."
--D.L. Moody--
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More Quotes
A.W. Tozer Quote
of the Week:
"I
want the presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything at all to do
with religion...I want all that God has or I don't want any."
The Counselor, 40.
More Tozer Quotes
Armin Gesswein Quote:
“Prayer is not only the
shortest distance to God’s mighty throne, it is the only way in.”
More Quotes by Armin Gesswein
Pictures from Pastor Jeff's
Trips to the Philippines
Pictures from Pastor Jeff
and Malou's Engagement Party in the Philippines (April 2003)
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Lowry Knows That Pastor Jeff's Neighborhood Is Remarkable:
Remarkable Site of the
Moment August 1999
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Our Statement
of Purpose:
"The church is bursting at the
seams with rationality, decency, order, dignity, and predictability.
What it needs is the holy intoxications of foolishness, humor,
craziness, outrageousness, creative disorder, and passion."
Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami, 82
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