We know that Northview people love to be in God’s Word and often ask for direction on different devotional apps and reading plans.

While there are several good options available through various sources, we’d like to encourage you to join in our Northview Devotional Guide which will guide you to read and reflect on the passages preached in our weekend sermons! We hope this will unite our congregation around the study of God’s Word, and help us to more readily absorb and apply the great teaching provided by our preaching pastors. Each week we’ll be providing a suggested schedule for working through a passage slowly (15 minutes a day). You’ll need a Bible and a notebook or blank paper to record your observations.

Each day we include a reminder to pray. If you are new to the Adoration / Confession / Supplication method, here are some questions to help guide you as you pray:

  • Adoration: What can you praise God for today?
  • Confession: What thoughts / attitudes / actions might you need to confess to God today?
  • Supplication: What will you ask God for today?

Click here to download printable version

Day 1 – The Fate of the Successful

Read Ecclesiastes 9:11-12. 

  • What different kinds of people are mentioned in verse 11? 
  • What does NOT come to these people? 
    • Why might this strike us as unusual?
  • What DOES happen to these people?
    • What do you think the Teacher is getting at with this contrast? 
  • Reflect: Are you tempted to seek education, strength, or wisdom in order to achieve wealth, favour, and success? 

Prayer: As you pray today in confession and supplication, ask God to help you to see Him as the one who is in control and to trust Him when “time and chance” seem to surprise you with the unexpected. 

Day 2 – The Reality of Control

Read Ecclesiastes 9:11-12. 

  • Verse 11 makes it clear that success does not always come to strong and successful people. What would our culture say about this view? 
  • Can you think of a time in history or in your own life when the expected “cause and effect” relationship of events didn’t work out? What did this event reveal about reality and our ability to control things?
  • Reflect: What is your response when things don’t happen as you expect? What does it reveal about your heart and view of reality? 

Prayer: Pray in gratefulness today, that God is the one who is truly in control. Pray that you recognize the moments when He reminds you of His sovereignty and that you can surrender your perceived control.

Day 3 – The Unexpected Evil Times

Read Ecclesiastes 9:11-12. 

  • In verse 12 what does the teacher point out that no one knows?
  • What metaphors does he use to explain what happens to people? How does the imagery bring the problem to light? 
  • Reflect: Read James 4:13-15. What should be our attitude towards life, knowing that we cannot control the times or the hour of our death?

Prayer: As you pray today, praise God that He holds the times in His hands and nothing is unexpected to Him. 

Day 4 – The Powerful King and the Poor Man

Read Ecclesiastes 9:13-18. 

  • What impressed the teacher according to these verses? 
  • How are the two characters in the story contrasted? (vs14-16)
  • Read the following Proverbs: 14:20, 18:23, 19:7
    • What do they reveal about how people tend to view the poor? Why do you think this is?
  • Reflect: How do you judge a person’s worth and value? Do you seek out people for their wisdom or for their wealth? What would it look like to change this? 

Prayer: Pray today in confession if you have ever looked down on the poor. Ask the Lord for a caring and discerning heart that does not judge someone based on material things.

Day 5 – Wisdom is Better

  • Read Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 and focus on what you learn about wisdom. 
  • What two things is wisdom better than? 
    • How does the Teacher come to these conclusions? 
  • Why is wisdom sometimes not heeded when it should be? 
  • Read Ecclesiastes 7:4-12, and 19. What else do you learn about wisdom that makes it better than foolishness? 
  • Reflect: We know from Proverbs 1:7 that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. Are you seeking the Lord and true wisdom or are you going the way of fools?

Prayer: Today as you pray, seek to know God more, to be in awe of Him, and ask Him to give you wisdom and to keep you from foolish sin.