Chasing The Wind Meditations On Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is a strange and wonderful book. It is a strange book because of its startling cynicism and words of wisdom that offer very little of the solace we might expect from sacred scripture ... And yet, Ecclesiastes is a wonderful book, precisely because it is strange. Like Job, and like Jesus, it will not let us fall back on ready answers or take comfort in a religious orthodoxy that satisfies our need for order and predictability. The Philosopher takes us to a place well beyond the limits of our understanding, well beyond our capacity to know and do and control our own destiny. The Philosopher, like Job, and like Jesus, leads us well past the borders of our comfort zones to the place where God -- and God alone -- is.

In the 1970s, the rock group Kansas sang about how life is "dust in the wind." They could have been quoting the writer of Ecclesiastes whose ancient book of wisdom unwraps three key themes: Meaningless, meaningless a look at the futility of wisdom, wishes and work. Chasing the wind how desire and deeds are found wanting. Under the sun the curses and joys of toil, treasure and termination. Despite the Teachers' pessimistic tone, in Chasing the Wind author Robert White discovers there's hope at the end of the matter.

In Reason for Being, the creative theologian and sociologist Jacques Ellul—whom John Goldingay described as “unexcelled as a theological exegete of the Old Testament” among twentieth-century thinkers—invites readers directly to the heart of his engagement with the biblical text. Intended as his concluding “last word,” Ellul here distills a half-century of careful meditations on Ecclesiastes into a moving treatise on wisdom, vanity, and the presence of God. Ellul follows the narrator, Qohelet, on an ironic path to the limits of human wisdom, a path which ends with wisdom’s recognition of its own vanity. This would lead to despair over the meaninglessness of our accomplishments and our very lives—if not for the surprising presence of God, who shows up when we least expect it. In the poetic prose of translator Joyce Main Hanks, Ellul’s Reason for Being resounds as an arresting interrogation, an invitation to honest self-examination, and a challenge to free dialogue with God here and now.

The Bible is a beautiful and divinely inspired book. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible tells the cohesive story of God’s unwillingness to be left out of the human story—your story. In this One Year devotional, join founder and voice of the Daily Audio Bible, Brian Hardin, on a journey to read it in its entirety. Brian Hardin has been podcasting the Bible to hundreds of thousands for over a decade, leading people through the whole Bible every year. Now he’s putting his love of the daily reading of Scripture on to the page. In this collection of 365 readings, you’ll be surprised by how often what you read in the Bible will be a mirror into your own heart and motives. And you’ll be delighted to understand that God is not a distant and uninterested Being. He is deeply invested in the human story and deeply in love with what He has fashioned. God wants to know and be known by us.

There are many devotional books available containing brief, daily inspirations that benefit all who read them. This book is different in two respects. The first is obvious: it contains two readings per day—732 in all. The second, more important difference is that the author wanted to do more than offer inspiration; this would make this book no different than so many others. The messages in the book are study sketches in that the content is not only inspirational, but also educational, challenging, and encouraging. Most of these writings were based on author Michael J. Akers’s teaching of adult Bible studies for more than thirty years and learning what really brought adults to want to deepen their knowledge and application of the Word of God.

The Christian Union Bible Study Series will empower you to learn Scripture as never before. These guides are more exegetically focused and academic than a devotional book, yet more accessible and application oriented than a commentary. Proven on the campuses of Ivy League universities, these Bible studies provide a deep understanding of the biblical texts through explanations about translations, historical background, literary genres, and the meanings of Hebrew and Greek words. They draw from the best biblical scholarship available, presenting it in an accessible and concise format. This series is perfect for people who want to grow in their faith through in-depth studies of Scripture that supplement their regular Bible reading. In 10 lessons, this book of Bible studies will help you dive deeply into Psalms 1-41, either on your own or in a group context.

With more than 500 full-color photos, illustrations, maps and charts, What the Bible Is All About® is the most interesting and user-friendly Bible handbook ever! A perfect introduction to the Bible for new believers, yet this valuable resource is comprehensive enough for pastors, Sunday School teachers and seminary students. You will appreciate the easy-to-use, visually engaging format as you witness the Bible unfold before your eyes. Discover What the Bible Is All About®—the world’s best-selling Bible handbook!

Inspired by the Life Recovery Bible, The Life Recovery Devotional takes readers on a devotional journey through the Twelve Steps, with thirty inspiring and encouraging meditations from Scripture for each step along the road to recovery. Opens with a complete listing of the Twelve Steps. Also features helpful and encouraging Bible verses from the New Living Translation.