Wise Counsel

Posted by Emily Bedwell on Oct 09, 2013

1 Kings 11:41-12:24 In this period of history, Solomon has just died. His son, Rehoboam, is set to take the throne and direct the course of the history of God's people. As he looks to the future, Rehoboam has a choice to make. His people have come to him and said that they will glady serve him...

1 Kings 3 If you could have anything in the world with no strings attached, what would you wish for?  No limits, no judgements, just dream. Now what did you answer?  Was is wealth?  Health?  Unlimited, calorie-free chocolate?  God played a version of this game with...

Who Deserves His Blessings?

Posted by Tim Thompson on Oct 07, 2013

1 Chronicles 29:10-14 14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. When I was a youngster there was a fast-food commercial that reminded me that “I...

Although King Saul reigned over united Israel for 42 years, First Chronicles assigns him only 14 verses of chapter 10. He was a faithless king. All kings after him are judged not by the length of their reign, but by their relationship to the Lord. In the short piece about King Saulm, although an...

Only our God! Is there any like God? Are we not at bedrock? (MSG) When our feet are planted on solid, stable, secure ground, we are anchored to a strong foundation…the core, the base, the root of what we believe. When our faith is sealed with the promise of Christ, we have indeed set our...

Feeling entitled…Absalom’s downfall

Posted by Cary Curry on Oct 03, 2013

Focusing on 2 Samuel 14:25-15:18 find us deep into the life of David’s son Absalom.  He was David’s third son, born out of David’s sin with Bathsheba – God had forgiven David for his sin but also promised there would be consequences for it.  Absalom was...

“Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.  Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” 2 Samuel...

God's Regret

Posted by Emily Bedwell on Oct 01, 2013

And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15:35 I'm not sure there are any more convicting words in the Old Testament to me than the ones contained in 1 Samuel 15. Twice in just 35 verses God says that he regretted making Saul king over Israel. I do not picture...

I Samuel 8-9 The Israelites sounded like kids when they asked the prophet Samuel to appoint a king.  After all, they argued, all the other nations around them had a king.  “C’mon, dad.  Everyone ELSE is doing it.” Samuel, on the other hand, knew that having a...

Fly Fishing and Prayer

Posted by Claudia Mitchell on Sep 29, 2013

 ..and she kept on praying 1Sa 1:12 The events in chapter one of the book of Samuel take place in a culture facing a lack of morality and a lack of respect, in a land according to Judges 21:25  “everyone did what was  right in his own eyes”. Does this place sound just...