B4T Blog

Greg M, Patrick Lai, and guest bloggers write about the joys, challenges, and rewards that come with taking the Gospel to the least reached through real business.

ECCLESIASTES 4: COMPETITION

ECCLESIASTES 4: COMPETITION

This is part 6 of a many-part blog series on the book of Ecclesiastes.Hebel even affects relationships. Oppression of poor people who have no one to protect them is a grievous evil under the sun (4:1-3). Their lives are marked by hebel. What meaning can be felt or...

ECCLESIASTES 3: TIME

ECCLESIASTES 3: TIME

This is part 5 of a many-part blog series on the book of Ecclesiastes.Remember the “hamster wheel” feeling that Solomon introduced in 1:3-7? Solomon brings it up again and in even greater detail. Take a look at his math in 3:1-8: There is a time and season for...

ECCLESIASTES 2: REST

ECCLESIASTES 2: REST

This is part 4 of a many-part blog series on the book of Ecclesiastes. In modern parlance, Solomon “did us a solid” (or did us a great favor). Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 documents Solomon’s foray into chasing after meaning by any means possible. This section is intensely...

ECCLESIASTES: HEBEL

ECCLESIASTES: HEBEL

This is part 3 of a many-part blog series on the book of Ecclesiastes.In the imperfect-but-good world Solomon inherited from his father, righteousness was still expected to rule the day. With wisdom in this context, Solomon discerned a 1-to-1 correlation between...

ECCLESIASTES 1: HYPOTHESIS

ECCLESIASTES 1: HYPOTHESIS

This is part 2 of a many-part blog series on the book of Ecclesiastes. Qoheleth (the Collector or Assembler - Solomon) begins chapter 1 with a hypothesis: everything in this life is ultimately hebel (the Hebrew word that is often translated vanity, meaningless, vapor,...

ECCLESIASTES: INTRODUCTION

ECCLESIASTES: INTRODUCTION

This is part 1 in a many-part series on the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is widely believed to be the most difficult to interpret of all of the Bible, even more so than Revelation. Perhaps the central reason for this difficulty is that the main message of the...

LOLLIPOP MOMENTS

LOLLIPOP MOMENTS

The following is a guest post, contributed by one of the OPEN Services team members in USA.I watched a Ted talk the other day, about how simple interactions can be more far-reaching than you know. The speaker told a story about how handing out a lollipop on Freshman...

WHO IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION?

WHO IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION?

Imagine going to a wedding. Upon entering the venue, you are awestruck by the beautiful décor. Much time and attention has been devoted to make this day special for the wedding couple. Your excitement for them grows as you walk into the room and take your seat – it’s...

JEREMIAH 33: THE LORD REDEEMS TRANSFORMATION

This is post 8 of 9 in a series about the book of Jeremiah.The LORD essentially tells them that they are wasting their time destroying houses to make a defense for the city; He has already given Jerusalem into the hands of the Chaldeans (33:4-5). BUT… Behold, I shall...