Podcasts about southern kingdom

This is the seventh class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 8. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on June 17, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

As we continue working through the book of Isaiah, today we look at Isaiah 29 which addressed the hard-hearted, prideful worship of the Southern Kingdom. We'll talk about what it looks like and ways to deal with our own tendency to trend towards false worship in our own life. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    According to the podcast, what does the name “Ariel” in verse 1 signify? Who is the Lord addressing with this term? Why? 2.    In verse 2, the Lord says that He will bring distress upon “Ariel”. What does this distress look like in verse 3? What will be the result in verse 4?  3.    According to the podcast, what does the term “dust” in verse 5 speak to? Why would it be a problem to have their enemy become “like fine dust”?  4.    Who will bring this punishment upon them in verse 6? What does this indicate about how His unseen hand works in the dealings of mankind?  5.    What kind of wrong responses of the people are given in verses 9 to 11? Why are they struggling to respond rightly to the Lord's discipline?  6.    Verse 13 starts to unpack the basis of their sins against the Lord. How are the people sinning? In light of their broken covenant with God, why do these sins merit such judgment?  7.    Think back to our studies in God's Word so far. Where have you seen false worship in the scriptures? What was God's response? How does this motivate us to be sure that we're worshiping the Lord in our spirit according to His truth? 8.    What will the Lord bring to an end in verse 14? Why?  9.    How do verses 15 & 16 characterize their understanding of God? How might people still fall into these same sins today? 10.    What is the change in tone & message in verse 17? Who are these words of encouragement for?  11.    According to verses 22-24, what does God promise to His people? Who will be the one who experiences these promises? How does this tie into the Lord Jesus Christ and His Second Coming?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

This is the sixth class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 7 verses 10 to 17. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on June 10, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

We all know the biblical principle, watch out what you sow, because you will reap that which you sow, meaning that there is a consequence to sin and rebellion. And now in this book of Lamentations, we are seeing that Israel primarily Judah, that Southern Kingdom and the holy city of Jerusalem. They are reaping what they have sown and what have they sown, idolatry. To donate please visit us at: https://loveisrael.org/donate/ Checks may be sent to: LoveIsrael.org 6355 N Courtenay Parkway Merritt Island, FL 32953 Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephone https://get.theapp.co/yjjq we don't know how long we can post the teachings on YT https://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1256/29

We all know the biblical principle, watch out what you sow, because you will reap that which you sow, meaning that there is a consequence to sin and rebellion. And now in this book of Lamentations, we are seeing that Israel primarily Judah, that Southern Kingdom and the holy city of Jerusalem. They are reaping what they have sown and what have they sown, idolatry. To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org6355 N Courtenay Parkway Merritt Island, FL 32953Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephonehttps://get.theapp.co/yjjqwe don't know how long we can post the teachings on YT https://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/1255/29

Last Sunday, I mentioned Solomon as an example of a life of faith that began so wonderfully but ended very tragically. Solomon knew the scriptures well, we know this because of what he wrote in the book of Proverbs, and one such verse that he wrote was Proverbs 3:5, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In fact, according to Proverbs, real wisdom is the Old Testament Law applied to all of life. Yet, at some point, Solomons heart was turned away from God and foolishly pursued what God warned would lead to heartbreak, shame, and disaster. The thing that Solomons father, David, was known for was that he was a man of war (1 Chron. 28:3), which Solomon was not. Solomon was known as a man of peace. The problem was that he pursued peace even if it meant that he ignored the very Law of God that influenced his writing of Proverbs. One of the ways the kings of other nations would enter into a peace agreement or an alliance (i.e. covenant) was by marrying the daughter(s) of the king of that nation. We are told that Solomon, loved many foreign women (1 Ki. 1-2). The problem with this is multifaceted, but here is what God commanded in His word that Solomon ignored: Be careful that you do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones, and cut down their Asherim for you shall not worship any other god, because the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous Godotherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they would prostitute themselves with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice, and you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons also to prostitute themselves with their gods. You shall not make for yourself any gods cast in metal. (Exod. 34:1217) Solomon, who had been known for his godly wisdom and the building of the Temple, loved many foreign women (1 Ki. 11:1-2). So what happened? Listen to what the Bible says about Solomons ending legacy: So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as his father David had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abhorrent idol of Moab, on the mountain that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abhorrent idol of the sons of Ammon. He also did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. (1 Ki. 11:68) What Solomon thought would bring peace, contentment, and success... created a crushing burden the wrecked his life and led to the dividing of the nation of Israel into the North and the South. After the death of Solomon, the divisive spirit Solomon was responsible for creating through his many compromises led to the splitting of the nation he loved. The king of the northern kingdom (Jeroboam) established two alternative places to worship to keep those in the North from traveling to the Southern kingdom to worship Yahweh in the Temple that Solomon built. King Jeroboam set up golden calves not unlike the one made by the Hebrews after Moses was up on the mountain receiving the commandments of God; Jeroboam then said to the people: It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt (1 Ki. 12:28). The Northen Kingdom in Israel was known for its rampant and evil idolatry that included child sacrifice and gross perversions of marriage and sex, all while promoting a worldview contrary to the one of their forefathers. After many years of God warning the Northern Kingdom through His Word and His prophets to repent from their sins, and after many years of ignoring those warnings, God used the Asyrian Kingdom to judge, destroy, and exile many of the people. The Southern Kingdom was initially led by Solomons son, Rehoboam. In many respects, the Sothern Kingdom remained somewhat loyal to the faith and vision of their forefathers such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. There were no doubt periods of idolatry, but there were also seasons of religious reform with an emphasis to return and maintain the worship of Yahweh at the Temple in Jerusalem. Many in the Southern Kingdom believed that because they had Solomons Temple, that they had the presence of God. Eventually the Southern Kingdom grew increasingly nominal in their faith to the point that God also sent them prophets to warn them of a similar fate that the Northern Kingdom suffered if they did not repent. Because they had Solomons Temple, were more conservative, and were not as bad as those in the Northern Kingdom, that they were safe. Eventually the Southern Kingdom became known for their worship of the idols of the nations, instead of their worship of the God of Abraham, Moses, and David. Both the Southern and Northern Kingdoms eventually experienced the crushing burden that their idols created. But it was after the Northen Kingdoms demise and Gods repeated warnings to the Sothern Kingdom to turn from their sins that Isaiah wrote what we read in 46:1-13. Creaturely Idols Create Crushing Burdens for those who Bow Before Them Idols come in all shapes and sizes; they are not only physical creations made with human hands. Idols include established gods worshiped by people groups and cultures, but they also come in the form of ideologies, things, or people that are made ultimate in the heart of their devotees. Some of the ancient idols of long ago have taken different shapes or even cloaked in a different dress... but they are not new. In Isaiah 46, the prophet calls out the worship of the Babylonian gods known as Bel and Nebo about a century before we are introduced to Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. Bel was the chief god worshiped by the Babylonians who was also known as Marduk and believed to be responsible for creation and worshiped as the supreme god. Nebo, the son of Bel (Marduk), was worshiped as the the Babylonian god of wisdom, writing, and scribes. In Isaiah 46, Bel and Nebo are depicted as burdens pulled by cattle; the irony of the way they are depicted is that in the days of Isaiah, when a nation was conquered, because it was believed that their gods were unable to save, the victorious army would put on display in a parade the idols of the defeated people. At least the defeated worshipers of Bel and Nebo can move, but the gods the Babylonians attribute power and knowledge to are stooped over because they are powerless, motionless, and without life. Like every other idol in the world, Bel and Nebo have no power to save or produce what they promise. The weight of Bel and Nebo is crushing even to the cattle forced to transport them. Why? Because according to verses 6-7, Those who lavish gold from the bag and weigh silver on the scale, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; they bow down, indeed they worship it. They lift it on the shoulder, carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It does not move from its place. Though one may shout to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save him from his distress (Isa 46:67). Those who worshiped Bel and Nebo, essentially worship a god of their own creation. All that the gods add to the lives of those who worship them is a burden. The word for burden that is used (mǎś-śā) can be translated weight. There is a universal fact about what people chose to worship: Anything we create to worship... will require its creator to carry it. Idols always promise what they cannot give, and rob those who worship them the life, joy, and salvation that those idols offer. The only thing that created idols offer is the crushing weight of their burden. Unlike the idols of the world, there is only one God who created all things! Because He is the Creator, all of His creation is dependent upon Him. Because He is the Creator, He is the One who carries those who worship Him: Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will carry you! I have done it, and I will bear you; and I will carry you and I will save you. To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal, and compare Me, that we would be alike? (vv. 45). The Uncreated God Powerfully and Purposefully Saves (vv. 8-13) Just as He did with the gods of Egypt, the God of Abraham, Moses, and David promised to do the same with the gods of Babylon. The reality and existence of Yahweh puts everything and anyone who would set themselves up to be more than what they are... to shame. Lucifer attempted to usurp the God who made him, God cast Him out and Jesus said of that day: I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18). In Isaiah 14, we are given a glimpse into the heart and motives of Lucifer: How you have fallen from heaven, you star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who defeated the nations! But you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. (Isa. 14:1214) Because God is God, He declares the end from the beginning. What does that mean? It means what He wills, He not only does but accomplishes! What else could verse 10 mean? It is God who is responsible for, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure. There is no room for luck, chance, or karma in a universe with a God who declares the end from the beginning. Because Yahweh is God, he does not need anything from us. There is no deficiency in Him because He is complete; but not complete in the way we think of completion... no, He is infinitely and eternally complete. Only six chapters earlier, we are reminded of how big and great our God really is: Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.... To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him? As for the idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith plates it with gold, and a silversmith fashions chains of silver. He who is too impoverished for such an offering selects a tree that does not rot; he seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman to prepare an idol that will not totter. (Isa. 40:15, 18-20) Think about the foolishness of worshiping something you create with your own hands. Is it not just as foolish to bow down to idols of other shapes and sizes? As great as Solomons Temple was, it ultimately became an idol to the people in that they became more concerned about the performance of worship than who they were worshiping. In Isaiah 66, God reminded Judah why it was that He did not need anything they created: This is what the Lord says: Heaven is My throne and the earth is the footstool for My feet. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, So all these things came into being, declares the Lord. But I will look to this one, at one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isa. 66:12). God does not dwell in temples, and He does not need anything from us. Because there is not a God like Him, He does not need us to carry Him and His promises are not dependent upon our strength. However, what He desires from us is our hearts and our devotion. Now here is the crazy thing about what we learn of God in Isaiah 46, and we see it in verses 12-13, Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded, who are far from righteousness. I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; and My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel (Isa. 46:1213). The God who has no equal and cannot be added to, is He who brings His righteousness to those who are far off! If you are a Christian, you were once far off, but now you have brought near! If you are not a Christian, you are still far off, but it doesnt have stay that way! Oh dear Christian, this is great news for you! We have seen Isaiah 46:12-13 in another passage in the New Testament, and that place is in Ephesians: But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). Listen, there is only One who spoke all that exists by the word of His mouth in six days and rested on the seventh day (Exod. 20:11). There is only One who reduced Pharoah and his gods to nothing with the Ten Plagues (Exod. 7:14-11:10). There is only One who was able to part the Red Sea (Exod. 14). There is only One who is able to make time stand still (Josh 10:13). There is only One who is able to move kingdoms and empires to bring about the birth of His promised Son! There is only One God and there is no other, and it is He who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit He is Yahweh! Christian, it is He who brought you near through the blood of His Son! It is He who made you His Priesthood, His People, and His Treasured Possession. You who were once far off, have become the objects of His love, His mercy, His grace, and are now the apple of His eye! You who ran from Him, have been found by the One who said: Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light (Matt. 11:2830). You who were weary and burdened, have found rest in Jesus. Conclusion So here is the rub regarding what we read in Isaiah 46: If it is true that the God of the Bible is God and there is no other; if it is true that the God of Isaiah 46 is God and there is no one like Him, and because of God, that which He wills will come to pass, then dont you think that it is foolish to make or treat anything in your life as equal or greater than He? Yet, there are all kinds of things, dreams, and people in your life competing for the greatest and most valuable place in your life. This is nothing new, for it has always been the tension since the garden of Eden. Just because God found you, does not mean that you will not struggle with and fight against the pull and temptation to substitute God with something else. Adam and Eve faced this struggle in the Garden, and they lost. Abraham wrestled throughout his life with this same struggle. King David struggled and lost on several occasions, the most notable was his desire for Bathsheba. Judas struggled and lost, Ananias and Saphira struggled and lost, and you may be struggling and now you find yourself losing. Anytime we place a thing, person, dream, or ideology above the God whose rightful place in your life in preeminence... you will find the burden to be crushing. We will look at Isaiah 45:22-24, but for now, I want you to consider what it is saying: Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. They will say of Me, Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength. People will come to Him, and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. There is only one to whom all will bow, and there is no God like Him... and His name is Jesus: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:811) What you need and what this country needs most is not for anything other than Jesus Christ to be great in your life. He is the hope of the nations.

We are ready to begin a very exciting journey, a journey through what is commonly referred to as the book of Lamentations. And in my opinion, this book, although it's rather short, just five chapters, is one of the most spiritual books in the Hebrew Bible, or we could say the Old Testament. And what we see here is a time of trouble that came upon, primarily Judah, that Southern Kingdom, and the capital of that kingdom, Jerusalem. To donate please visit us at: https://loveisrael.org/donate/ Checks may be sent to: LoveIsrael.org 6355 N Courtenay Parkway Merritt Island, FL 32953 Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephone https://get.theapp.co/yjjq we don't know how long we can post the teachings on YT https://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1256/29

We are ready to begin a very exciting journey, a journey through what is commonly referred to as the book of Lamentations. And in my opinion, this book, although it's rather short, just five chapters, is one of the most spiritual books in the Hebrew Bible, or we could say the Old Testament. And what we see here is a time of trouble that came upon, primarily Judah, that Southern Kingdom, and the capital of that kingdom, Jerusalem.To donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org6355 N Courtenay ParkwayMerritt Island, FL 32953Feel free to download our MyBibleStudy App on telephonehttps://get.theapp.co/yjjqwe don't know how long we can post the teachings on YThttps://www.instagram.com/mybiblestudyofficial/ To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/1255/29

This is the fifth class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 7 verses 1 to 9. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on May 27, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the fourth class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 6 verses 9 and following. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on May 20, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the third class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 6. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on May 13, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the second class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 5 staring at verse 18. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on May 6, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

Sometimes when I'm in a store and it's time to pay up, I'll say to the cashier, "Listen, I want to show you something from a museum." And I pull out some cash. I say, "Do you accept cash?" You should see the look! I get this bewildered kind of look, and they're like, "Well, of course we accept cash." Well, it may be the first cash they've gotten in several transactions though. It's probably a given that they see more 'plastic' money than 'paper' money these days. I think many of us got credit cards in order to make it more convenient to buy items. Instead of being more convenient, credit cards have caused us to buy a lot of things that we can't afford. Somehow when you're shopping with a credit card you... well, you kind of lose touch with reality. I mean, there's no real sense of what you've spent. It feels like you haven't spent anything until the bill comes. And, therefore, these credit cards that were supposed to make life easier somewhat, account for massive debts and financialbondage in a lot of people's lives. That credit card was supposed to give us financial freedom. Instead, it's enslaved a whole lot of people. Well, credit cards, like a lot of things in life, can turn out to be an answer that only creates bigger problems. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Answers That Aren't Answers." Our word for today from the Word of God: 2 Chronicles 25. I'll begin reading at verse 7. It's an incident from the life of the King of Judah, the Southern Kingdom. His name is Amaziah. Maybe you remember that the kingdom at one point was divided into two parts; Israel was the Northern Kingdom, Judah the Southern Kingdom. Amaziah was the King of Judah, and he had a major enemy coming against him. So he's hired 100,000 fighting men from Israel. Here's what it says, "Amaziah called the people of Judah together and he mustered those 20 years old or more and found there were 300,000 men ready for military service able to handle the spear and shield. He also hired 100,000 fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver." Well, that sounds like a good answer doesn't it if you're under military pressure? But it says, "A man of God came to him and said, 'Oh, King, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.'" There's a pretty powerful principle in that story. Amaziah has spent his money on what he thinks is an answer. He's depending on it, but it did not have the blessing of God. The battle's going to be lost if you don't have the blessing of God on it. See, it isn't your effort that matters. It isn't the size of the answer that you have. If you are employing a solution that God can't bless, you can't win. Now, right now maybe you have a need for love and you are letting an unbeliever fill it. It won't work! God says, "Don't be unequally yoked." See, there are things God can't bless. He can't bless you if your way of doing it is to disobey your parents. Or if it means playing with the truth, flirting with immorality, or running ahead of God's timing. Oh, you may see what looks like an answer. It might make social sense, it might make financial sense, business sense, emotional sense, but if it will cost you the blessing of God, you can't afford it. It's too expensive. In verse 9 it says the Lord can give you much more than that. Don't waste your time, don't waste your life on an answer that isn't an answer, because it misses the blessing of Almighty God.

This is the first class in the second series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. This session focuses on Amos Chapter 5. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on April 29, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This one lesson overview provides a summary of the kings who ruled the Southern Kingdom of Judah with emphasis on their role in God's plan to ultimately fulfill His promises to bring the Messiah to the world.

We serve a Triumphant King! And today we'll dig into 1st Chronicles 17 to see how this passage ties right into Jesus' Triumphal Entry and draws our focus to His ultimate kingdom. Join us as we turn to an encouraging chapter from the life of David! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    The podcast mentions that there are several similarities between the books of Kings and Chronicles, specifically that 1st Chronicles… focuses on David, covers both the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom, seeks to explain Israel's downfall in terms of how they broke their covenant with God, and was written around the time of the return from exile to remind the people that they were still God's covenant nation. Why do you think these points were needed as God's people returned from exile?  2.    The podcast also mentions that an underlying purpose of the book of 1st Chronicles was to show that just as God was faithful to His promises to bring judgment, He would also be faithful to bring restoration. How would this have given the people hope in their time of exile? 3.    Since we've already discussed the Davidic covenant from 2nd Samuel 7 a few weeks ago, as you have come to today's study in 1st Chronicles 17, what is your understanding of its significance?  4.    In verse 4, what does the Lord tell David regarding His reasons for not having David build a temple? What does this show us about the priority the Lord places on fancy buildings?  5.    In the past, we've explained that a “Covenant” is a formal set of promises that one (or more) people make to another. In this passage, the Lord makes 8 key promises. In the space below, write the gist of each promise for each verse:  a.    Verse 8: b.    Verse 9: c.    Verse 10: d.    Verse 11: e.    Verse 12: f.    Verse 13 (#1):  g.    Verse 13 (#2): h.    Verses 14: 6.    Having just finished our study of 1st and 2nd Kings, how many kings in those books fulfilled these promises (hint: You don't have to look up the reigns of any kings to answer this question)? Who is the only King who fulfilled these 8 promises?  7.    How has Jesus fulfilled some of these promises already? How will the rest be fulfilled?  8.    In light of these promises, how can you praise the Lord today? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

God's judgment has come for Israel- and now it has come for Judah, the Southern Kingdom, for their idolatry and sin has reached its peak. God is sending a new enemy to drive His people out of His sight, detroying their holy city and taking them all as prisoners. What went wrong? What happens now to the Davidic promise? All hope seems lost for God's people, but is it?Join our community:Facebook:   / uecphilippines  Facebook Group:   / unitedevangelicalchurchofthephilippines  Instagram:   / uecphilippines  Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...Viber: https://bitly.com/UECPViberComm

God calls us to trust Him even when life is going sideways. Today, in our study of 2nd Kings 18, we'll learn about the account of Hezekiah and Sennacherib. This is one of the most uplifting passages in the Bible and we look forward to going through it with you. Join us!  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    According to verse 1, how old was Hezekiah when he became king? How does verse 3 describe his character? When you consider the spiritual life of the typical 25-year-old man today, how does Hezekiah compare? Given his family background that was explained in this podcast, what do you think explains Hezekiah's faithfulness to the Lord? How does this show us that we are not bound to our previous generations faithfulness (or lack thereof)?  2.    What does Hezekiah do in verse 4? What kind of moral courage would this have taken?  3.    What was the Nehushtan in verse 4 (c.f. Numbers 21:4-9)? Why were the people worshipping this object? How had this become an idol? What does this indicate about people's natural tendency to turn things that are possibly even “good” into something “ungodly” to worship? Was the Lord displeased that Hezekiah destroyed this? Why or why not? 4.    What is the importance of the word “in” in verse 5 where it says that Hezekiah “trusted in the Lord”? How is this slightly different than simply saying that he “trusted the Lord”? When you think of your own faith, are you “trusting the Lord” or “trusting IN the Lord”? How are they different in your life?  5.    What does verse 6 mean by saying that Hezekiah “clung to the Lord?” On top of trusting “in” the Lord, what does “clinging” to the Lord suggest?  6.    How does verse 7 describe the Lord's response to Hezekiah's faith? What do you think this looked like in Hezekiah's life? How does the Lord bless him in verse 8? Along those lines, what does Hezekiah NOT do in verse 7? Why was this especially bold, given the fact that Hezekiah's father was a vassal of Assyria?  7.    Verses 9-11 describe the conquering encroachment of Assyria. Who is defeated in these verses? What impact, do you think these victories would have had on the uneasiness of the Southern Kingdom?  8.    Who does Sennacherib come against in verse 13? What does this indicate about his intentions for Judah and the Southern Kingdom?  9.    What does Hezekiah do in verses 14-16? Was this a good thing? What does this indicate about Hezekiah's imperfect faith? What was Sennacherib's response in verses 17ff? What lessons can we learn about the futility of trying to appease evil?  10.    Who (or what) did the podcast say was “Rabshakeh” in verse 17? What was his message to Judah in verses 19ff? How does he mock the people's trust in the Lord? How does Rabshakeh claim the Lord “guided” him in verse 25? Was he right? How do people today inappropriately claim God's guidance?  11.    How does the Rabshakeh undermine Hezekiah's leadership in verses 29-32?  12.    How does the Rabshakeh promise to give the people mercy in verses 21-32? How would this have been tempting for the people of Judah?  13.    How does this passage set the scene for what it means to have faith, even when things go severely sideways? What principles can you apply to your life today? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Chizkiyahu takes over the Southern Kingdom and follows in Dovid's footsteps

This is the final class in a series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on February 7, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the eighth class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on January 28, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

Some time ago, I called a credit card company multiple times regarding an unexplained charge on my credit card bill.  I left several messages, and when I finally got through to a human being, I could not understand the service agent due to his heavy foreign accent.  Although I asked him several times to repeat himself, I still could not understand what he said.  In disgust, I told the individual, "Thank you for your time," and hung up the phone.  I eventually paid the charge, which, although just a few dollars, was a major aggravation on my part.  I was angry that I had been charged with something I had not purchased and enraged that the card company's service department was so poor I could not take care of the charge properly. Instead, I paid it just to get on with my life!   Have you ever felt that way?  You try to contact an individual or company, but you cannot get through.  We are all familiar with that frustration!    So, too, must be God!  He has made multiple efforts over several years, trying to get individuals to speak with him and deal with him "one-on-one," only to be brushed off or ignored.  Even when He can get through to someone, through a sermon, bible passage, or one of our personal friends, we just go on about our business, paying him no real attention.   This is exactly what was going on when the Prophet Jeremiah was preaching to the Hebrew people in the land of Judah.    It had been a little over 150 years since the Northern Kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrian Army, which was known to be God's punishment for their apostasy.  They had ignored God's pleas for repentance for many years. God patiently reached out to them through different prophets and circumstances.  This was all for naught, though, as the people of Israel had determined to ignore God's call to repentance and renewed faith.  The judgment was brutal; the Northern Kingdom simply ceased to exist!   Jeremiah was preaching to those in the land of Judah, considered the Southern Kingdom.  Here is just one of the passages of Jeremiah calling out to God's people:  "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you:  and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion; and I will give your pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.  Jeremiah 3:14-15  Here, the Prophet had reminded the Southern Kingdom of what had happened to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Too, he had challenged them with the call to repent,  promising that if they would turn from their sin, God would forgive them, teach them, and give them wisdom that they might live in God's ways and live eternally with God and His people.         Unfortunately, the people refused to repent, and ended up suffering the punishment of God for their sins; they were conquered by the Babylonian army and were taken into slavery in a foreign land.  Had they repented of their sin, God would have forgiven them and blessed them and their nation; because of their stubbornness, though, they suffered the consequences.   The great truth of this true story of history is not that God punishes sin but that God would prefer to forgive those who turn from their sin and bless them.  That is God's desire!  God loves his people; God loves all people.  He calls us all to follow Him and turn from our sins so that He may save us, and bless us with the eternal life that only He can give.    Won't you turn from your own path, confess your sin, and decide to ask God into your life?  He will forgive you, save you, and lead you into a life of eternal blessing and joy!   Your support is invaluable in spreading the message of our ministry. By sharing our podcasts with your friends and family, you play a significant role in building a community of believers who find strength in our shared faith. We sincerely appreciate your contributions and urge you to inspire others to join us in this mission. Your involvement is significant and integral to our ministry's success, helping to keep our community connected and thriving.   Your financial contributions are the backbone of our ministry. They enable us to run outreach programs, maintain our facilities, and provide resources for our community. Your generosity is a testament to your commitment to our mission, and we deeply value your role in making this ministry a reality. Your contributions are used with transparency and accountability, making a real difference in the lives of those we serve. You can contribute here https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   To stay updated on all things FBC, download our App here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms are not just for information but also for engagement. They are a great way to connect with our community, support our mission, and be part of our journey.   Thank you for your continued support and involvement. We look forward to continuing this journey with you as an integral part of our ministry. See you next week!

This is the seventh class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on January 14, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

Judah is in Exile. After the Babylonian Empire conquers the Southern Kingdom of Judah, many find themselves exiled to Babylon, including a faithful man named Daniel. Despite being in a foreign land, Daniel remains devoted to God and is blessed with wisdom and understanding. When King Nebuchadnezzar has a puzzling dream, Daniel interprets it as a vision of future kingdoms and the ultimate reign of God's kingdom. Daniel also receives a vision of God's future timing for world-shaking events.Suggested Readings:Daniel 2:27-45Daniel 9:20-27Episode Highlights:Daniel's unwavering faith and divine wisdom in BabylonThe interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's statue dream and its significance for world kingdomsThe prophetic revelation of the 70 sevens and God's future timelineGod's sovereignty over human kingdoms and historySupport the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgOur sessions use various translations including the ESV, BSB, CSB, NASB,...

This is the sixth class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on January 7, 2025 Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the fifth class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on December 24, 2024. Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

Daily Dose of Hope December 23, 2024 Day 2 of Week 39 Scripture:  Zephaniah 1-3; Psalm 74; 2 Corinthians 8 Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Happy Monday!  Just a reminder that at New Hope, we will have two wonderful Christmas Eve services tomorrow night.  The 5pm service is family-oriented (think glowsticks and balloons) and the 7pm service is traditional with full choir.  Looking forward to seeing you! Our Old Testament passage for today is Zephaniah 1-3. Zephaniah was a minor prophet who lived in Judah and was a contemporary of King Josiah.  This would have put him in the final decades of the Southern Kingdom, when King Josiah implemented spiritual reforms and there was a true revival for a time.  And yet the prophecy is of Judah's destruction.  A theme that runs through the book is “the day of the Lord's judgement.”  A period of obedience under Josiah does not mean that God will not still hold Judah accountable for their generations of evil.  Our New Testament passage is 2 Corinthians 8. There is significant need among the believers in Jerusalem and Paul is imploring the churches in Macedonia and Greece to give, not out of obligation but truly out of love for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Those in Jerusalem were Jewish believers who the Gentile Corinthians had never met. This offering would not have been part of a tithe, but rather over and beyond their normal giving, in order to help those who needed it. While the Macedonian churches were located in a fairly wealthy and prosperous area, that doesn't mean all the churches were affluent. There were some among them who were wealthy but many more were just working class or poor. And yet, Paul is calling them to give anyway. He has called all the Macedonian churches to give; this includes Corinth but also Philippi and Thessalonica. He is asking the Corinthians church to finish up their previous collection, keeping in mind the extreme need in Jerusalem. This is not a command, by any means, but rather encouragement to do what is right. Giving does not come naturally to human beings. We seem to have this need to keep things for ourselves. We tend toward selfishness over sacrifice. Generosity is something that God nurtures in our hearts. Jesus taught often about being generous. Think about Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The beauty in the Scripture is that it demonstrates that when we invest in the things of God, our heart will be pulled in that direction as well.  We start by giving sacrificially and God changes our heart. What's been your experience with giving? Do you tithe? If you don't, then what keeps you from giving on that level? Have you ever given above and beyond the tithe, as Paul was encouraging the Corinthians to do? What motivated that giving?  How has God blessed your giving? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

SHOW NOTES:   In Podcast Episode 302, “Where's Your Mission Field?” Kim discusses the example set by King Jehoshaphat of Judah as he used his resources to send out leaders to teach the Law of the Lord to the people. His primary mission field was the Southern Kingdom, and he was faithful to send his own “missionaries” out. All Christ-followers have mission fields to reach with the Gospel. As you look at Acts 1:8, ask yourself these questions: (1) Where is my Jerusalem? My Judea? My Samaria? (2) How am I impacting the “ends of the earth”?   Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 17:7-19 with 9 as the focal verse:   9 They took copies of the Book of the Law of the Lord and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people.     WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:   What are your current mission fields?   Additional Resources and Scriptures:   8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Pray for an unreached people group daily - Joshua Project EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com TWITTER - https://twitter.com/EOinLovingJesus INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.   RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS: “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume” “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida “The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda” “Life Application Study Bible” “The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary “The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors) Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.     "Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:   Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.   This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.   In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.   If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.   Remember, “It's Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”   If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.     National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   988   https://988lifeline.org/   Reference: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.   Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.         The HIDDEN Episodes:  If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/  

This is the fourth class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on December 17, 2024. Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the third class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on December 10, 2024. Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

Use promo code ROMANTASY25 or go to dipseastories.com/romantasy25 to get 25% off an annual subscription with Dipsea!--This podcast is intended for mature listeners…Headphones highly recommended.In Chapter 1 of "Moonshadowe Chronicles" by Dipsea: Fang, a fae warrior, is not fond of Princess Lillia… and the feeling is mutual. However, when Lillia offers to marry the prince of the Southern Kingdom in order to forge an alliance, the Queen demands that Fang is the one to escort her there. Even though the women swear they are enemies, Fang has a dream about Lillia that suggests otherwise…Can't wait till the next episode drops? Want more sexy audiobooks and even spicier episodes? Get access to 1,000+ spicy audiobooks and more on the Dipsea app. Use promo code ROMANTASY25 or go to dipseastories.com/romantasy25 to get 25% off an annual subscription with Dipsea!--Created by Dipsea.

Daily Dose of Hope December 2, 2024 Day 2 of Week 36 Scripture:  2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 32; Psalm 67; 1 Corinthians 9 Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Let's get into our Scripture for today.    We are starting in 2 Kings 18-19 and 2 Chronicles 32.  I'll be covering them together since there is so much overlap between the books.  Hezekiah, as you probably recall, is the faithful king of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) who is doing all he can to be a godly king.  As a result, Judah is prospering.  At the same time, Israel has to face the music.  After hundreds of years of disobedience and failure to follow God's law, God allows them (the Northern Kingdom) to be overtaken by the Assyrians.    Once that happens, the Assyrian king turns his eyes toward Judah.  Keep in mind, the Assyrians have quite a reputation for brutality.  If they came into an area and took over by conquest, they were known for decimating that land and treating their prisoners cruelly.  Thus, other nations were known to give in to them and do all they could to make alliances and stay on their good side.    But Hezekiah is not deterred.  He continues to put his faith in the one true God.  This leads to mocking by the Assyrian king but Hezekiah holds his ground.  Yet, his people and officials aren't so thrilled by this.  They are fearful of the Assyrians and want to give in to their demands.  But Isaiah prophecies that Judah will be safe and God will deliver the Assyrian army into their hands.  And that is exactly what happens – an angel of the Lord goes to the Assyrian camp and kills all the Assyrian soldiers.  Judah is safe because of Hezekiah's faithfulness and trust in God.    I want us to think about this.  What would we have done in a similar circumstance?  Would we have caved and given in to what seemed like a safer, easier solution OR would we have trusted in God's protection and provision.  Obviously, we aren't battling the Assyrians but we are battling all kinds of things.  Who or what are we trusting?   Our New Testament passage is 1 Corinthians 9.  In this chapter, Paul continues his discussion on freedom in Christ. There were obviously those in the Corinthian church who were challenging Paul. We've talked about this in previous chapters-their view of Christian leadership was skewed. The Corinthians viewed strong church leaders as those who made known their authority by lording it over others. It was about power, reputation, and popularity. Paul is the exact opposite. He is saying that yes, he has freedoms and rights, but he doesn't abuse or misuse them.   Paul lists three rights/freedoms he clearly had but decided not to claim. The first was the right to food and drink, the second was the right to be accompanied by a wife, and the third was to be paid for his work as an apostle. He was a totally free man with rights but he intentionally chose not to use those rights. Paul did not want to be swayed by personal whims or desires. Rather, he wanted to be fully and totally focused on the Gospel. Indulgencing in these freedoms, while they were not bad things, might divert him from the purpose. Everything is about the mission for Paul and he didn't want to risk doing anything that could challenge his integrity and compromise the mission.   An important point that Paul makes is that by making these sacrifices, he is actually a stronger leader, not a lesser one. What is your view of Christian leadership? Are sacrifices essential to achieving the mission? What sacrifices have you made to share the Gospel of Jesus with others?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

This is the second class in a ten-session series studying the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on November 19, 2024. Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

This is the first class in a ten-session series studing the Book of the prophet Amos. Amos was active in the mid-eighth century BCE (ca. 750 BCE). He lived in the kingdom of Judah, in a town called Tekoa, some ten miles south of Jerusalem. Although he was from the Southern Kingdom, his prophecies focused on Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Unlike many of the other prophets, his primary charges against Israel dealt with injustice and immorality. Paganism, for Amos, was a secondary issue. Amos was a master of rhetorical argument, and his powerful use of metaphors is classical. The class took place via Zoom on November 12, 2024. Special Guest: Rabbi Emeritus Joel Rembaum.

Daily Dose of Hope November13, 2024 Day 4 of Week 33   Scripture:  Micah 1-4; Psalm 10; Matthew 24 Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Daily Bible reading plan.  Today is Wednesday so I hope we see you at Recharge tonight.  It starts at 6:30pm in the Garage.  This is really a lovely time of worship, fellowship, prayer, and small community.  Today, we are taking a break from Isaiah (considered a major prophet) and moving to Micah, which is another minor prophet.  Micah, whose name means “who is a God like you,” lived during the 8th century BC, which makes him a contemporary of Isaiah.  Micah prophesied a message of judgement and restoration to Judah which actually leads to a revival in the Southern Kingdom.  During the first four chapters, which we read for today, there is an emphasis on the people sinning by oppressing the poor, listening to false prophets, and engaging in idolatry.  However, there is also a sense that the Lord is calling the people back to him.  All is not lost.  God is merciful and ready to forgive.  There is definitely a difference in tone between this book and Isaiah; it feels slightly more hopeful.  Did you notice that?  I would love to hear your thoughts on why that might be. Our psalm for today, Psalm 10, is really an important one.  It's a psalm of David and we might call it a psalm for those who think God doesn't care.  David starts off in verse one, Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” David holds nothing back. He writes about how the wicked man “murders the innocent.” And yet, David feels as though “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.” This psalm is a great example for us.  It is perfectly okay for us to pour out our raw and unfiltered emotions to God. God has broad shoulders; he can take it. According to Matthew 6:8, he already knows our hearts and desires better than we do. There are people in our lives who may struggle with us expressing these difficult emotions, but God never will.  However, we find that the tone changes in verse 11.  While we can surely bring our pain, struggles, and questions to God, we need to eventually move into a place a faith.  But the key here is to keep the conversation going.  Wrestle with God as much as needed and see how he works in you; stay in connection and he will guide you to a place of faith. Let's move to Matthew 24, our New Testament text for today. This chapter begins with Jesus walking away from the temple and predicting its destruction. Keep in mind, the entire temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. So, as we read this chapter, some of the statements are clearly referring to the coming judgment on Jerusalem and others are referring to judgment at the end of the age. And to make it just slightly more confusing, there is overlap in these judgments as well. Certain groups of Christians have focused a great deal on the coming judgment and the end times. I think what we find in this chapter is that there is more that we don't know than what we do know. For thousands of years, people have predicted Jesus' return and the coming judgment and each and every time, they've been wrong. I'm always a bit skeptical of anyone who makes predictions like these. I mean, the Scripture says, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” If Jesus doesn't know, then why should we? But what can we do?  Well, the Scripture tells us:  Keep watch and be ready. We don't need to worry about the coming judgment because we know Jesus. But we do need to be actively living as a follower. We need to sharing the Good News with others. We need to be genuine, loving, and truthful in how we do life. Do your neighbors know that you love Jesus? Do your coworkers know that you follow Jesus? Is your faith obvious and real? Why or why not? Let's take this Scripture seriously, friends. Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 12, 2024 Day 3 of Week 33   Scripture:  Isaiah 4-6; Matthew 23   Welcome back, friends, the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that goes along with New Hope Church's Bible reading plan.    Before moving into our Scripture from Isaiah, I thought it might be helpful to talk more about the prophet himself.  The name Isaiah actually means “the Lord saves” which is essentially what his message was to Judah and Israel.  Isaiah's prophecy moves from judgement to restoration, continually reminding us of the severity of humanity's sin, the judgement that is deserved, and God's incredibe grace for having the desire to save sinners.   Isaiah lived and prophesied during the 8th century BC.  As we mentioned yesterday, he was a prophet to both Israel and Judah, at a time in which the Southern Kingdom had great prosperity.  Remember, it isn't easy being a prophet when things are going well – no one wants to hear your warning at all; they like the way things are. But Isaiah continued to trust God and be his mouthpiece.    Chapter 4 is quite short but interesting.  As you were reading it, did you sense the messianic prophecy.  Isaiah, in the previous chapter, had just gotten through describing the Lord's judgement on the people for their sin and rejection of the things of God.  Then, in this chapter, there is a shift.  We are now looking into the future at a time when the Messiah is among the people.  They are cleansed and holy.    In chapter 5, we find a parable in the form of a song.  Israel is the vineyard and God's intention was always for them to produce good fruit.  But that has not happened.  There is oppression and bloodshed.  As a result, there will be a series of woes.  One that made an impression to me was the woe to those who intentionally sin because they think God will not do anything.  The people will go into exile and they have no idea.   In chapter 6, we read about a vision that Isaiah had. In this vision, he saw the Lord in his glory and holiness surrounded by an angelic being. Isaiah was deeply moved and said, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). But God appointed him as a prophet. He received a strange commission, “Go, and say to this people, Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10). Basically, the people's hearts have been heartened.  It seems that God might not even be interested in the people waking up anymore.  Things may be too far gone.    Our New Testament passage is Matthew 23.  Throughout most of this chapter, we see Jesus strongly denounce the Pharisees. Their system of rules and regulations was originally designed to help people seek godliness but their extremism only harmed people. The rules had become an end in themselves and the teachers of the law were much more concerned with following the letter of the law than they were about the people themselves. This gives the appearance of godliness but it is all a facade. The heart is still far from God.   Jesus' final words in this chapter about Jerusalem are quite sad. Jesus loves Jerusalem and had longed for the people to love him back. He wanted to gather the people under his protective wings and offer them true solace and hope. Remember, this was the holy city where the temple of God resided. And yet, over and over again, the people of Jerusalem had rejected God's efforts to care for them.   It was no different with Jesus. Jesus' words were also prophetic. When he says...”Look, your house is left to you desolate,” we understand from history that it isn't long before the Romans totally destroy the city in AD 70. But besides the physical desolation of the city, there is this tone in the text that suggests God had forsaken it as well. And, of course, when Jesus states that they will not see him again, we know that he is indeed heading to the cross. His earthly ministry has come to a close until God does a new thing.   Let's chat again tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope November 11, 2024 Day 2 of Week 33   Scripture:  Isaiah 1-3; Psalm 9; Matthew 22 Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.   Happy Monday.  Let's get right into our Scripture for today. We are starting the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah was certainly a great prophet, quoted more in the New Testament than any other Jewish prophet.  He prophesied to both Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and to Judah, the Southern Kingdom.  His prophecy begins during a time of economic prosperity but spiritual depravity. It was during Isaiah's prophecy that the Northern Kingdom was defeated by the Assyrians.  But it isn't easy to prophecy judgment to people when things appear on the surface to be going so well.  One thing that is interesting and amazing about Isaiah is that besides judgement, we can still find a lot of hope.  There is quite a bit of messianic prophecy in this book.  Probably some of the most famous Scripture about Jesus is found in Isaiah.  If you have time today, I would strongly encourage you to watch the Bible Project's video on the book of Isaiah.  You can access it via YouTube or on the bibleproject.com.  It gives a great overview of this long and important book.  The book of Isaiah begins with the Lord making a case, similar to a lawsuit, against the people of Israel.  He speaks of the sin that has become apparent throughout the generations of Jews living in Israel.  Basically the charges go something like this:  God brought up Israel has his children and they have rebelled.  There appears to be a kind of spiritual sickness that will eventually lead to physical destruction.  Isaiah states that if God had not spared a remnant from Israel, they would be like Sodom and Gomorrah with total destruction. Isaiah goes on to speak of how God is unhappy with Judah's sacrifices.  By chapter two, we see that Isaiah's prophecy is speaking directly to Judah.  God is going to judge them, that's for sure, but they will ultimately see redemption and resurrection.  And yet, this chapter doesn't end positively.  Isaiah tells the people to stop trusting in men to save you; only God offers what is needed. In Isaiah chapter 3, we learn that God plans to take away the experienced leadership from the people.  This is why you can't trust in man; the rule of men is temporal and fleeting.  God, as a result, will leave them with people who are young and inexperienced.  Why is God doing this?  Well, the people have been sinning boldly.  There will be consequences.  I know we haven't spent a lot of time on the Psalms lately.  However, today I do want to touch on Psalm 9, a psalm of David.  David points to how God will never abandon his people.  There is this overall theme of worship, to praise God when things are good and to praise God when things aren't good.  God will remember his people.  There is a beautiful certainty about this – no questioning, this is simply the way things are.  Do you believe that God will take care of his people?  What might it mean for God to care for and provide for his people? Let's head over to Matthew 22.  In this chapter, we see the Pharisees and Sadducees are trying to trick Jesus. They are desperately trying to trap him in his words so they can discredit him and/or arrest him. These teachers of the law feel like Jesus is destroying the very fabric of their religious faith. He certainly is turning everything upside down! When asking about which commandment is greatest, the expert in the law is hoping to engage in some kind of debate. But the commandment Jesus chose was not one that could be open for debate–it was a commandment recited by pious Jews each and every day, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. But then, Jesus adds something new, as he often does. He says...and the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. A person cannot love God and treat their neighbor poorly. Love of God is not an intellectual or abstract claim. Rather, love of God is expressed in the way we love others. I John 4:20 speaks to this truth, Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. What's interesting to me here is that Jesus says that the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. If one loves God wholeheartedly, then they will observe the law. If someone loves God wholeheartedly, they will care for others as well. The prophets often proclaimed the need to worship God sincerely (not just go through the motions) and take care of those who were oppressed. One cannot split hairs about observing the Sabbath but then cheat your neighbor in the marketplace. Love of God and neighbor are intricately connected. This was true 2000 years ago and it's true today. Think about this past week. How have you demonstrated love of God? What about love of neighbor? Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope November 10, 2024 Day 1 of Week 33   Scripture:  2 Kings 15-16; Matthew 21   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Welcome to week 33!  By this point, we have covered over half of the Bible.  Keep up the good work!!!   In our 2 Kings chapters for today, we get a slightly different perspective of the Judean kings than yesterday's readings in 2 Chronicles.  For instance, in 2 Kings 15, the king is called Azzariah, not Uzziah as in 2 Chronicles.  I did a little research on this.  It could have been an error in the original text or his given name may have been different from his throne name.  Regardless, he was a man who started well and ended poorly.  Jotham, his son, seemed to learn from his father's mistakes and does what is right in the Lord's eyes.  Overall, he ended well, even though he didn't totally clean out the pagan idols in the high places.  Not totally getting rid of the pagan temples and altars will not end well for Judah in the years to come.   At the same time, we get a picture that things aren't going so well in Israel, in the Northern Kingdom.  King after king is evil.  King after king, there was warfare and bloodshed.  We are getting very close to the end of the Northern Kingdom.   Chapter 16 in 2 Kings takes a bit of a turn.  King Ahaz, while he ruled in Judah, decided to follow the ways of the kings of Israel.  He not only worships the Baals, but he engages in child sacrifice and he desecrates the temple.  He does what is utterly detestable in the eyes of God.  And so God allows him to be conquered by the pagan kings around him.  Judah may last a little longer than Israel but sin and evil are also finding their way to the Southern Kingdom.   Our New Testament passage is Matthew 21.  Today, we are looking at what we know as the Palm Sunday passage. Jesus has sent the disciples ahead to fetch a donkey and its colt. Let's start by talking about these animals. Some of us may think it's strange that Jesus rode on a donkey rather than a horse but that would have been normal at the time. Horses were only used for battle.   What's more, in the Old Testament, new kings would come riding in on the donkey or mule of the previous king. We see this in 1 Kings 1 when King David puts his son Solomon on his own mule, the trumpet is sounded, the people rejoice and shout, and then the priest and the prophet Nathan anoint him as king of Israel. The mule is like the presidential limo, a sign of power and prestige that says this is the new leader. What is interesting in this case is that Matthew is very clear–Jesus is not riding on a previous king's colt or donkey. He is riding on a colt that has never been ridden before. This is a sign that God is doing a new thing. Jesus is king but a different kind of king.   We also see Jesus being given a royal welcoming. The people are laying cloaks and branches down for him. This is the kind of welcome that the emperor or a high official of the Roman government would have received. Think of it kind of like the red carpet being rolled out, a sign that a very important leader, the new king, has arrived.   For the Jews in the crowd, they would have also know that this a fulfillment of prophecy–Zech. 9:9, Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. All the signs point to the fact that this Jesus is the king! In addition, the people are running ahead and shouting “Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Hosanna means “pray, save us.” They are expressing that this is the messiah, the anointed one, the one they have been waiting for that God has sent to save them. These words are based on Psalm 118:22-26, The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.   Surely, this is the messiah who has come to sit on the throne of David, just as God promised 600 years before. You see, it's all coming together for them. There is joy and celebration. God has sent King Jesus to save us all. But the enthusiasm is short-lived.   Human beings get distracted and disillusioned fairly quickly (2000 years ago and today!) They realize that while there is something clearly royal about Jesus, he is the promised figure, it's not in a way they expected or wanted. They think Messiah has entered the royal city to stage a royal takeover, to save them from the Romans. And we know what happens...he has actually entered to royal city to suffer and die. Yes, Jesus is Messiah and Savior. But he wasn't a military leader on the way to stage a coup. He was actually God himself who came to save us in a much more fundamental way: to be the final sacrifice for sin so that we can be reconciled to God, so that we can live abundant lives walking hand in hand with God.   Jesus certainly could have overthrown the Romans and reinstituted Israel as they desired it, as it was in the days of King David. But Jesus' mission wasn't just to save the Jews, but rather to usher in the Kingdom of God, in which all people for all time could be part of God's greater work in the world and could have a relationship with a God who loves them, adores them, and calls them to something bigger and more important, more eternal. Jesus was king, they were right, he just wasn't the king they expected.   How often has Jesus not been the King we expect?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Part 1 of the lesson from November 10th is at the beginning.Part 2 of the lesson from November 17th begins at 39:11.

October 28, 2024 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stjohnrandomlake/support

We continue with our series of the Twelve (the minor prophets) as we look at Micah's prophecy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  

Daily Dose of Hope October 16, 2024 Day 4 of Week 29 Scripture:  2 Kings 2-3; Psalm 48; Matthew 4 Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.  Today is Wednesday and New Hope will finally have Recharge once again at 6:30 in the Garage.  With all the storms, our Recharge worship and group experience has been disrupted.  I wish I could be there with you!  Go and worship and enjoy being together.    Our Old Testament passage for today is 2 Kings 2-3.  Let's start with chapter 2.  Here, we find Elijah taking his mentee/student on a farewell tour to greet the prophets at Bethel, Jericho, and Gilgal.  Elijah will soon leave the earth; that much is repeated multiple times.  It almost seems that Elijah wants to take this final journey alone but Elisha insists on staying with his master.     As the chapter progresses, Elijah is taken to heaven and Elisha becomes the one in charge.  Some thoughts:   -The Elijah and Elisha relationship is a really special one. Elijah has mentored and poured himself into the younger student.  As a result, Elisha is now ready to lead.  Who might God be calling you to mentor?   -Godly leadership often involves making hard decisions and sacrifices.  We have seen that in Elijah's ministry and we will soon see it in Elisha's ministry.  Is God calling you to a hard decision?  Has he asked you to make a sacrifice for his Kingdom and you are dragging your feet or hesitant?   -Godly leadership is repaid in unexpected ways. Elijah and Elisha had a bond and were very much dedicated to God and one another.  They were like father and son. Elijah's ministry bore much fruit in unexpected ways over his years as a prophet.  In the end, God brought him directly into heaven–no long, extended dying process.  Godly leadership is hard but it also has many rewards.   Let's head over to chapter 3.  While Elisha had clearly taken the place of Elijah in serving as the Lord's prophet to Israel, he had yet to prove himself.  We see God speak clearly and powerfully through Elisha.  There is a fair amount of drama in this chapter.  It begins by introducing Joram, Ahab's son, who succeeded him as king of Israel and while not as wicked as Ahab, Joram was still a sinful king.    Then, the narrative focuses on an issue with Moab, which has decided to no longer pay tribute (in the form of sheep) to Israel.  This angers Joram so he partners with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to squash the Moabite rebellion.  But their joint armies soon run out of water and food.  In order to figure out what's going on, Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the Lord to shed light on the situation.  This is when Elisha is called in.  It's clear that Elisha has significant animosity toward Joram.  He knows he is a sinful king who does not honor the Lord and he really doesn't want to offer his advice.  The presence of Jehoshaphat, a man of God, calms him down and he finally agrees to offer prophecy.   God speaks powerfully through Elisha, saying that he will fill the land with pools of water so they can all drink.  That is exactly what happens.  Water fills the land by morning time.  In an interesting twist, the Moabites see the sun hit the water and believe that the pools are filled with blood, thinking the armies of Israel and Judah have slaughtered each other.  So the Moabites are caught off guard when the two armies (Israel and Judah) rise up and fight. Moab is defeated.   Probably the most distressing aspect of the chapter is the last portion of text.  In a desperate attempt to win, the Moabite king sacrifices his first-born son on the city wall, thinking it may appease the false god Chemosh.  Of course, the Israelites are outraged at the sight.    Evil comes in all forms.  From Joram to the Moabite king, evil is present in our world. From my human perspective, I often wish God would just swoop down and just eliminate all the evil in the world so that suffering and pain could be banished for good.  I mean, God is all-powerful.  But that isn't the way God operates.  Plus, the reality is that we are all a complex mix of good and evil.  It's important for me to remember that God dealt with evil through the quiet strength of the cross.  And we trust that he is still dealing with evil in ways that we can't see or understand.  Eventually, we know that Jesus will return and deal with evil for good.  Until then, we seek to be light in a dark world.   Please be sure to read the Psalm.  I'm not going to talk about it, but it's a song celebrating the deliverance of Jerusalem.  Knowing what you now know about the wars that the Southern Kingdom faced, you might want to do some more research.  Which battle might this psalm have been written after?   Matthew 4 is our New Testament passage.  We find Jesus calling several of his disciples to follow him.  I think it's hard for us to imagine how abruptly these four men responded to Jesus.  While there was probably more back story here that we aren't privy to, the reality is that they left everything to follow Jesus.  They left all human sources of security, all human goals and aspirations to respond to a call by God.  They left their jobs and probably their families to respond to a call, and did so as far as we can tell, without hesitation or doubt.   Could we do the same?  God calls each and every one of us but we still hold on to various aspects of the world.  How often do we fully and completely let go of everything to simply follow Jesus?  This is the demand of the kingdom of God–turn away from the kingdom of the world and give all to a bigger, deeper purpose.  Stop worrying so much about fishing for money, power, or admiration and simply fish for people.  We may live 2000 years later but this is our mission and call as well.  Do you believe this?  Are you ready to say yes?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 13, 2024 Day 1 of Week 29 Scripture:  1 Kings 19-21; 2 Chr 17; Psalm 129; Matthew 1 Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  It's Sunday and New Hope Church IS open.  We now have power in every building so bring your phones and devices to charge.  If you need ice, we can offer you that as well.  Obviously, if you can't safely leave your home, then stay and worship at home.  As the days roll by, if you need post-storm assistance, please let us know! We have a lot of Scripture today.  Let's start with I Kings 19.  This is a great chapter.  Elijah has been doing God's work and things have gotten really hard and really scary.  After he kills the prophets of Baal, Ahab's wife, Jezebel, decides that Elijah needs the same fate.  This is kind of the last draw for him.  He sits down and tells God that he wants to die.  Enough is enough.  He is tired and depressed.  Have you been there?  But what I love is how God cares for Elijah.  He sends an angel who makes sure that Elijah has food, drink and sleep.  Then, he instructs Elijah that its time he mentors a younger prophet.  He tells him exactly where to go and what to do.  Now, Elisha will come on the scene and provide the support and succession plan that Elijah needs.  In Chapter 20, we read about how Syria, a long-time enemy of Israel, is once again threatening to invade. In fact, Syria's king, (along with a coalition of thirty-two other kings) makes demands on Ahab to avoid a fight.  Ahab agrees to give money, women, and children to Ben Hadad if they will retreat.  When the king of Syria and his coalition also demand that they be allowed to pillage and loot the palaces of Ahab's officials, King Ahab refused.  They will fight rather than surrender.  Interestingly, we see God sending a prophet to Ahab who tells him that God will help Israel defeat the vast army of the Syrian coalition.  Why in the world would God do this, considering Ahab's blatant disobedience and evil over the past few chapters?  Because of this: God wants King Ahab to know that Yahweh is the Lord. God continues to give Ahab chances to turn from his old ways and serve the one true God.  Our God is a God of second, third, and fourth chances. He wants a relationship with each of us.  As we finish the chapter, we see that God does in fact save the nation of Israel.  But Ahab is disobedient once again.  This will be his undoing. Then we come to chapter 21.  Up until this point, King Ahab has been evil in the sense that he turned away from God and engaged in idolatry.  Now, he is complicit in brutality as well.  When he doesn't get a nearby vineyard that he desires, he throws a tantrum and allows his wife, Jezebel, to do what she sees fit to ensure the vineyard is his.  Jezebel, with no hesitation or remorse, devises a plan to ensure that the rightful owner of the vineyard is killed.  The vineyard now belongs to King Ahab.  Not surprisingly, this angers the Lord.  God declares that the line of Ahab will be destroyed and that his wife, Jezebel, will be killed and eaten by dogs (which would be considered incredibly horrific because there could be no proper burial).   At this, we see a drastic change in Ahab. He actually shows remorse.  He puts on sackcloth and fasts; he humbles himself before the Lord.  This appears to be the first positive thing that Ahab has ever done.  God takes notice.  God decides to push back the destruction of Ahab to future generations.  You see, God always wanted to get Ahab's attention and have him turn from his evil ways.  He never wanted Ahab to be destroyed, simply transformed into a Godly king like David; he wanted Ahab's heart to genuinely change.  God is incredibly merciful, always looking for way to redeem, always willing to give second chances. In 2 Chronicles 17, we read about what's going on in the Southern Kingdom. Jehoshaphat is king and he is doing what is right in the Lord's eyes.  As a result, the Lord is protecting him and his Kingdom.  Judah is growing in strength and building their fortified cities.  For this season, they are devoted to the ways of the Lord.  Let's move on to the New Testament.  Yeah, we get to start the Gospel of Matthew!  This is such wonderful Scripture.  While we may sometimes have a tendency to skip over genealogies, this one in Matthew 1 is truly significant.  First, we can see the connection between the Old Testament and the birth of Jesus. As we read through the names on the list, we get a picture of God's history of redemption for his people.  Abraham and David are highlights, as both were recipients of God's promises for the people of Israel, significant parts of redemptive history.  Another reason I love this genealogy is that five women are specifically mentioned. This was at a time when women were basically never mentioned in the history of patriarchal societies. And here we are, five very unique and interesting women–Tamar (who was quite tricky to achieve her purpose), Rahab (at one point a prostitute), Ruth (a Moabite), Uriah's wife (Bathsheba), and Mary.   The first four women were Gentiles or married to Gentiles, they were outsiders to a certain extent, and yet they had tenacious faith, the kind that would be critical for faith in Jesus.  This focus on Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba leads to the introduction of Mary.  It's like the author is saying, “Don't discount Mary!”  She may not be who you would expect to be the mother of the Savior of the world but God uses all kinds of people!  God lifts up all kinds of women, those who are proper and those who aren't. What a beautiful reminder that the Gospel is for ALL. Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope October 9, 2024 Day 4 of Week 28   Scripture:  2 Chronicles 15-16; 1 Kings 16; Philemon   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  It's Wednesday so I would normally invite you to join us for Recharge.  But Hurricane Milton has thrown a wrench in that!  So, I ask all of you, how is it with your souls?  How is your anxiety?  How is your fear?  What's your peace level?  There are really no right words to say.  This is something we haven't experienced before and there is much uncertainty.  But the good news is that we know the God who is Lord of all things, including the wind and the rain.  And he tells us not to worry and not to have a Spirit of fear.  I'm leaning into Jesus, friends.  Please know I'm praying for all of you.  If you have needs after the storm, please text the church at 813-689-4161.  We will have someone monitoring that line.   With that, let's get into our Scripture for today.  We begin with 2 Chronicles 15-16.  In these chapters, we learn more about the reign of Asa in the Southern Kingdom.  He sought to what was right in God's eyes.  He got rid of pagan worship, destroyed idols, and made a covenant with the Lord.  He led his people well so that they would also be dedicated to the Lord.   But at the end of his life, Asa makes a terrible mistake.  When threatened by the Northern Kingdom, he makes a treaty with the king of Aram, a pagan king, rather than trusting God to take care of Judah.  It seems that once again, a king starts well and ends poorly.    Let's move on to 1 Kings 16.  The Northern Kingdom is one, hot sinful mess!  King after king, there is disobedience, idolatry, and violence.  By the time we get to King Ahab at the end of chapter 16, we think it can't get any worse.  And yet, it really does.  Ahab was the worst of the worst.  He went above and beyond when it came to deliberately thumbing his nose at God and he took pagan worship to a new level.    Then, there was child sacrifice. To be honest, I wasn't really clear about what verse 34 meant–what does it mean to build the foundations of a city or the gates at the cost of a child?  Apparently, infants (alive or dead) would be placed in a container and then literally placed in the masonry of the foundation.  The idea was to ward off evil and please the gods.  I have a hard time even typing the words.  How absolutely horrific and blatantly against the law of the one true God.   One more aspect of Ahab's total disregard for the Lord–the rebuilding of Jericho.  Most of you probably remember the great story of Joshua and the people of God conquering Jericho after circling for seven days.  At the time, God warned of death to the person (and their family) who attempted to rebuild the city.  And Ahab rebuilt it.  The author is reminding us that while it might not appear to be so, God's Word still stands.  God is still in control.  Ahab will not have the final word.  Evil does not win.   Our New Testament passage is the small book of Philemon.  Paul wrote a congregational letter to the church at Colossae (Colossians) and then added this more personal letter to Philemon, kind of as an addendum.  It is difficult to ascertain the specific circumstances behind this letter.  Paul is obviously being very discreet and diplomatic in the letter, not wanting to alienate Philemon regarding his slave, Onesimus.   What do we know?  Paul is appealing to Philemon regarding Onesimus, who has accepted Christ through Paul's ministry.  Paul expresses that Onesimus is useful to him, loved by him, and Paul would keep Onesimus with him if he could.  We also know that somehow Onesimus has been separated from Philemon, that Onesimus may have wronged him in some way, and Paul asks that Philemon welcome him back as “better than a slave,” as they are brothers in Christ.  Paul is willing to pay any debt that Onesimus may have toward Philemon.   One of the main learnings from this text is the extent to which Christ-followers are bound to one another through the faith.  While this letter is about a personal situation, Paul includes other individuals and the church community in this letter as well.  The point was not simply to put pressure on Philemon, but because there are theological and social implications when one joins the covenant community of the church.     We belong to one another.  While we don't have to be in everyone's business, we are accountable to one another.  We need one another for support, encouragement, mentoring, but also to ensure we are not drifting or making decisions contrary to the faith. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and we will spend eternity together.  Reflect on Romans 12:4-5, Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 8, 2024 Day 3 of Week 28   Scripture:  1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13-14; Titus 3   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  I know that many of us are waking up this morning with a sense of anxiety or even dread.  We have a hurricane headed our way and we have absolutely no control over it.  If you need help preparing your home, please let us know.  We have people more than willing to help you get things as safe as possible.  Text 813-689-4161 if you need help.    Let's get into our Scripture for today.  With 1 Kings 15, we begin the saga of various kings reigning over both Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Judah (the Southern Kingdom).  In the Northern Kingdom, there is a quick turnover of leadership, which naturally leads to instability.  There is also a blatant disregard for God's laws, including what has become a culture of pagan worship.  We see God occasionally send a prophet to hold the king accountable, and regardless of whether the king changes his behavior, we can see the Lord attempting to be in relationship with his people and call his people back to him.   In the Southern Kingdom, there were also a number of leaders, some who disobeyed God and others who made an earnest attempt to follow God's law.  In today's chapter, we meet King Asa, who does what was right in the Lord's eyes.  He cleans up the pagan symbols and altars, the shrine prostitutes, and brings the precious articles back to the temple.   What's interesting is that in the Southern Kingdom, even when the kings are disobedient, God extends grace because of David's obedience and devotion.  In some ways, God gives them a pass because he remembered the faithfulness of their forefather David.  Even when the kings were sinful, God kept his promise.  He promised that a descendent of David would sit on the throne forever and he made it so.     Our God is a God who keeps his promises.  How many of you need to hear today that God keeps his promises?  Even when we fall away, God keeps his promises.  Even when life feels hard, God keeps his promises.   Below is a list of just a few of God's promises.  On this day filled with so much uncertainty because of the storm, let's focus on God's promises:   1.         God promises to always be with you.  Matthew 28:20 (and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age), Hebrews 13:5 (Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Romans 8:38-39 (For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.)   2.        God promises strength. 1 Cor. 10:13 (No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.), 2 Cor. 12:9 (But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me), Phil. 4:13 (I can do all this through him who gives me strength.), Eph. 6:10 (Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.)   3.        God promises peace.  John 14:27 (Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.), John 16:33 (“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.”)   4.        God promises to answer prayers.  Luke 11:9 (“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.), John 16:24 (Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.). Matthew 7:8 (For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.   5.        God promises to take care of your needs. Matthew 6:32-33 (For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.), 2 Cor.9:8 (And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.)   6.        God promises freedom from sin.  John 8:36 (So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.), Romans 6:22 (But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.), Romans 8:1 (Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...)   7.        God promises everlasting life.  John 3:16 (For God so loved the world...), I John 5:13-14 (I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life...)   2 Chronicles 13-14 writes about the succession of the kings of Judah in more detail, specifically Abijah and Asa.  It appears that Judah is more obedient to God's laws than Israel.  What other differences do you notice between the Northern and Southern kings?   For our New Testament passage, we are finishing up the book of Titus.  In this chapter, we see that Paul didn't want the Cretans to cause a scene and stir up political discontent.  What was most important was the spread of the Gospel.  Creating political conflict would not help the cause of the young church and Paul wanted to be sure they understood that.  Again, they were not to get involved in quarrels and arguments that simply weren't that important.  They needed to show the world that there was something different about them: humility, gentleness, and kindness.  Rather than get involved in political messes, they should get involved in doing good in their community.  It simply wasn't about them and their personal preferences, it was about reaching people for Jesus.   How much more could we all do for the Kingdom if we worried less about personal preferences and politics and focused more on spreading the Good News of Jesus?  Again, don't major in the minors.  Keep laser focus on what truly matters.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 7, 2024 Day 2 of Week 28   Scripture:  1 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 12; Psalm 47; Titus 2   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  As we prepare for Hurricane Milton, please be on the lookout for messages from the church.  We want to ensure that everyone is prepared and everyone is cared for after the storm as well.  And definitely, pray that God will calm this storm!   Let's get into our Scripture for this morning, beginning with 1 Kings 13.  King Jeroboam has instituted his own cult in the Northern kingdom.  A prophet visits him to warn him of the consequences of his disobedience.  What are the consequences?  Well, a new king, Josiah, will rise up who will clean up the pagan altars, kill the pagan priests, and punish Jeroboam.  As a sign of the authenticity of the prophet's message, he says that the altar by which Jeroboam was standing would split in two.  Jeroboam isn't thrilled with this message, of course, and attempts to get the man seized but God intervenes.  Jeroboam's hand is paralyzed and then, just as the man prophesied, the altar splits and the ashes pour out.  Yes, the message is all true; there is no doubt it will come to pass.   This is a bit of an odd chapter. Be sure to read through it all. The man of God who visited Jeroboam ends up with an untimely death because of disobedience himself.  You see, no matter who you are, there are always consequences to sin.  Always.  We live on the other side of the cross and while we can repent and receive forgiveness, we still often must face the consequences of our own bad choices: debt, divorce, job loss, relationship issues, and damage to the Kingdom.  Think of an example of when your sin caused consequences you deeply regretted.  How did the situation play out?  Was there healing and restoration OR are you continuing to deal with the pain of sin?  Whatever the situation, submit it to God today.   In chapter 14, it becomes clear that Jeroboam will face the consequences of his sin.  His son will die, and the entire house of Jeroboam will be obliterated.  While Jeroboam ruled in the Northern Kingdom, Rehoboam reigned in the Southern Kingdom, Judah.  Things aren't going well there either.  They also worshiped other gods, set up altars in the high places, had shrines with male prostitutes, and did things absolutely detestable in the eyes of the one true God.  We see God lifting his hand of protection and allowing the king of Egypt to successfully attack Jerusalem and carry off treasures from the temple.  Things are going really bad in the north and the south.    What has happened to God's people?  How did they get to this place?  I think sometimes we can ask ourselves the same questions.    The 2 Chronicles chapter goes into further detail about the attack from the Egyptian king.  It could have been worse, but in the end Rehoboam did show some humility before the Lord and God spared his life.  But the covenant was broken and we are beginning to see serious cracks in the foundation of both Israel and Judah.   Our New Testament passage is Titus 2.  In this chapter, Paul gives very specific instructions to young and old as to how to behave and conduct themselves as followers of Christ.  As opposed to the false teachers in chapter one, Paul wants Titus to teach sound doctrine, which includes that behavior should be consistent with belief; there are certain virtues that Christians should live up to.  Doing otherwise damages their witness in the community.  Titus himself, as the leader, must also be an example of living a blameless, virtuous life.   Today's chapter speaks to why the Christian lives ethically and blamelessly.  There should be a direct link between theology and ethics.  If we truly believe that God has been revealed and salvation has come, that those who believe are freed and cleansed from sin because of the blood of Christ, and that receiving Christ makes us new creations, THEN we should act accordingly.  We are no longer slaves to the mess of the world.  We have the ability to change, to act differently, to behave in a way that demonstrates the Spirit within us.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

• Are the Words of a Man or Angel More Important than the Word of God? • The Test of a Prophet • The Ten Tribes Rejected YHWH • YHWH's Response to Rejection What happened to the rebellious ten tribes of Israel that made up the Northern Kingdom? Listen to this message to hear of a series of tragic events and disasters that occurred. See how the Southern Kingdom joined in their idolatry. Find out the five stages of discipline that God had warned them about if they worshiped idols. Learn about Elijah the prophet, and how he challenged the prophets of Baal and Asherah.

Fr. Mike explains the relationship between idolatry and adultery, and how one can easily lead to another, especially in our relationship with God. He also talks about the difference between discipline and abuse, as we cover some tough topics today. Today's readings are Isaiah 65, Ezekiel 23-24, and Proverbs 13:21-25. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

"Welcome to the Exile period! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to introduce the eighth biblical period, which covers the fall of the Southern Kingdom, Judah, and its exile into Babylon. They explain how the physical exile of Judah was representative of their spiritual realities, and ultimately oriented towards the healing and restoration of their unfaithfulness. We also learn about the role of prophets in this period." For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.