For Every Matter Under Heaven

"For everything there is a season," as the writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us, and that includes preaching. Beyond ordinary Sunday morning worship, many other "seasons"--special occasions--arise for preaching in the life of the church, whether by virtue of the secular calendar or celebrations or circumstances in the congregation or community. For Every Matter under Heaven: Preaching on Special Occasions offers preachers a process for creating sermons that are biblically grounded and relevant to the occasion. Two obvious occasions of this sort are weddings and funerals; however, church anniversaries, dedications of new buildings or furnishings, commitment of pledges in stewardship season, and ordination and installation services also call for preaching on a special theme or topic. In addition, some congregations acknowledge secular holidays, such as the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving Day, in worship. Pastors are often called on to preach at events outside the church. And all congregations face local or national tragedies and crises that call for a word from the Lord. These occasions require a different kind of sermon--or at least a different process of preparation. Most preachers have been taught that sermons begin with a biblical text, usually a text prescribed by a standard lectionary. Beverly Zink-Sawyer and Donna Giver-Johnston offer preachers a process for finding appropriate sermon texts for special occasions by considering the occasion itself, the listeners who might be gathered, and the ways God is at work in that time and place. Through this process, preachers can offer a word for every matter under heaven.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

Filled with powerful messages, quotes, and scriptures, this practical and inspirational sixty-day devotional will encourage and comfort you after you have suffered a loss of any kind. Loss comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it is the loss of a job, a relationship, or a loved one, the pain associated with loss takes time to overcome. No matter where you are in the grieving process, Pastor Wayne Hastings’s The Way Back From Loss provides you with the comfort and encouragement you need to move on with your life. This sixty-day devotional is divided into five sections that show you how to trust in God’s constant presence, let go of blame and regret, and discover that disappointments sometimes lead to the greatest opportunities. Each of Pastor Wayne’s devotions will draw you in through an opening quote, a pertinent Bible verse, an inspirational message, an uplifting insight, guidance for prayer, and suggestions for motivating life choices. Recovering from a loss is difficult, and each individual reacts differently, but The Way Back From Loss provides solace in knowing you are not alone. Sixty days with these messages of hope and inspiration, and you will be well on your way to a brighter tomorrow.

After receiving several messages from God that she was destined to make this journey, a woman travels to Kenya, Africa, on a mission trip and spends much of the two weeks feeling lost and alone. One question keeps resonating through her head, "Why am I here?" One Woman's Trip to Africa - My Story In August 2006, I had the opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream by going on a mission trip to a third-world country. I traveled with fourteen other missionaries to Kenya as part of the last Life Missions team to travel to Africa. Our goal was to educate the Kenyans about disease prevention and to share the word of Christ. A lofty goal and one which seemed far from my grasp. Join me on my fascinating journey to Africa and back and learn how I discovered a God I never knew before.

"Nana Martin and her divorced, thirty-something daughter, Jane, and teenage granddaughters, Sarah and Rachel, live in New Hope, a friendly, innocent small town caught up in the whirlwinds of change and dislocation." "Nana is feisty, smart, and determined. Troubled by her failure to pass on vital life lessons to Jane, she finds an unexpected ally in George. George is a laptop, a retirement gift to Nana. Like many of her generation, Nana is wary of the computers, camera phones, and iPods surrounding her - and George in particular. George speaks, has a distinct personality, and seems to anticipate Nana's thoughts and concerns." "Distrust gives way to reliance and hope when Nana encounters an insidious predator who stalks the town's most vulnerable residents, attempting to destroy the fabric of the community." "In A Purpose Under Heaven, Derek Smith has woven an allegory that explores how technology, like Prometheus's gift of fire, may be used for good or ill. And finally, he depicts God's boundless love for mankind, the fierce and vital bonds among families, and the spiritual foundation shared by an interdependent community."--BOOK JACKET.

In this contribution to The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Trevor Longman takes a canonical-Christocentric approach to the meaning of the fascinating but puzzling book of Ecclesiastes.