Good Morning “Full Time Worshippers.”  Today we are in 1 Samuel 4.  “In Jesus name, Amen.”  Whew… ok I tagged my prayer with the right ending.  Now God has to do what I ask.  After all, that’s what The Bible says… ”And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.“‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬Have you ever thought that?  Even secretly?  First of all let’s be cle...  Read More

Good Morning “Voice of God Recognizers.”  Today we are in 1 Samuel 3”Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.“‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NIVSamuel is young.  When God speaks to Samuel here Samuel does not recognize His voice.  Understandably for a young boy, he believes it’s Eli.  Students often ask me how they can know the voice of God.  How they can ...  Read More

Good Morning “Faithful Priests”.   Today we are in 1 Samuel 2.  What does a passage about unholy priests have to do with us?  As a backdrop let’s not forget 1 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you ...  Read More

Good Morning “Hopelessly Helpless.”   Today we begin 1 Samuel with chapter 1.  I love how Samuel’s story begins with hopelessness.  Samuels father Elkanah had two wives, Hannah, and Peninnah.  Peninnah had children,  Hannah was barren.  This is another case where we see God working even through man’s sin - in this case multiple wives.  Imagine two wives having to compete for the love of one man… n...  Read More

Good Morning “Redeemed by The Kinsman.”  Today we are in Ruth 4.  What a picture we see here in chapter 4.  The story of Ruth and her “Guardian or Kinsman Redeemer”  is a beautiful picture of something much bigger.  The Kinsman was simply the next closest male relative to the widowed woman’s husband.  In the event she had no son to care for her and to carry on the late husbands name, it was his re...  Read More

Good Morning “Models of Integrity.”  Today we are in Ruth 3.Where does our responsibility begin and end?  What are some things you responsible for?  Our world seems quick to remove responsibility and accountability for actions.  It’s part of what has lead to the moral decay of our nation.  In the midst of a nation that doesn’t care… what is your response?  As we wrapped up Judges, maybe you were l...  Read More

Good Morning “Cared For Every Step of The Way.”  Today we are in Ruth 2.  Do you believe in luck?  Good luck?  Bad luck?  You know Biblically there is no such thing as luck, only Gods sovereignty and providence.  Things aren’t looking great for Naomi and Ruth.  Without husbands in that time meant no one to care for you.  Ruth sticking by Naomi’s side was a likely life sentence of struggle.  Their ...  Read More

Good Morning “Those Who Faithfully Stick.”  Today we begin the short book of Ruth with chapter 1.The book of Ruth serves as a transition between 2 parts of Israel’s covenant history.  Genesis - Dueteronomy focuses on how the decedents of Abraham became a great nation and Gods covenant with Israel.  The 2nd part, Samuel - Chronicles focuses on Israel’s Kings and Gods covenant with David as head of ...  Read More

Good Morning “Those Who See As God Sees.”  Today we wrap up Judges with chapter 21.Chapter 21 puts an exclamation point on Israel’s decent.  The final verse of the chapter says it all…”In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.“‭‭Judges‬ ‭21‬:‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬“Right in his own eyes”… according to what?  What is it that shaped their thinking?  Who decided what...  Read More

Good Morning “Fired Up By What You See.”  Today we are in Judges 20.Yesterday we were in Judges 19 and talked about mourning over the sin of the Bemjamite’s, as well as mourning over the sin of this world.  Beyond mourning, what is to be our response?  Even Jesus displayed righteous anger, or “righteous indignation”.  What does that look like?  First, we are commanded not to sin in our anger (Ephe...  Read More

Good Morning “Sin Mourners.”  Today we are in Judges 19.If you’ve read Judges 19, chances are you’re once again in awe, disgusted, saddened, perhaps feeling something you’ve never felt or at least don’t regularly feel.  What you’re experiencing is mourning.  Broken hearted lament over the incredible depth of sin seen in this chapter.  It’s the kind of mourning Matthew speaks of in Matt. 5:4.  Brok...  Read More

Good Morning “Recognizers of Idols.”  Today we are in Judges 18.Today we continue with the theme - Worship God plus nothing.  It’s a dangerous thing when Gods people depart from the Word of God.  Departure demonstrates ignorance and/or abject rebellion.  Rebellion says I know better than God what I need, what is best.  Notice the Danites here - stealing Micah’s idol and essentially kidnapping his ...  Read More