Pretend for a minute that you are a black woman who grew up in rural Oklahoma. What would it take to convince you that you should run for president of the United States? 1 Samuel 9 and 10 describe an elaborate process that God takes Saul through to confirm his kingship to him and to…
Rejecting the King – 1 Samuel 8
I never have understood the request the Israelites make in this chapter. Samuel has served faithfully as God’s judge for many years, and he is getting old. Unfortunately, just like most of Israel’s leaders he has done a poor job as a father. His sons practice evil and promote injustice. The people could have gone…
Repentance and Deliverance – 1 Samuel 7
The Israelites did not return the ark to the tabernacle at Shiloh. Instead, they placed it in a house and appointed someone to guard it. This may have seemed to be a mistake, but it did not keep them from repenting. Repentance means to turn around, to change direction, or to change your mind. The…
Curiosity Kills – 1 Samuel 6
Curiosity like many things, can be either a very good thing or a very bad thing. God’s creation contains many things with similar characteristics. Money is neutral, it is just a tool, but we use it for both good and evil. Strength is generally regarded as a good thing, but it can lessen our dependence…
June 2021 Family Photo Contest
Our theme for June was PATHWAYS. Our inspiration verse was Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105 NIV) Can you find the path in each of these images? Which pathway image catches your eye?
God’s Presence – 1 Samuel 5
The Philistines won the battle and captured the ark of God. Recognizing the spiritual significance of the ark they placed it in the temple of their god Dagon. They quickly discovered that these two spiritual objects were different and incompatible. It is easy to see how they viewed the ark as no different from their…
When Things Go Wrong – 1 Samuel 4
What do we do when things go wrong. Something does not turn out the way we expected and naturally we ask questions at this point. The easiest question to ask is, “What did I do wrong?” Maybe you cannot identify anything that you did wrong and as a believer you might ask, “Why did God…
Knowing the LORD – 1 Samuel 3
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (1 Samuel 3:7 NIV) Have you ever considered what a rare privilege it is to know God and to recognize His voice? Samuel was learning to serve in the tabernacle and had no idea the…
Difficult Conversations – from Hard Times by Charles Dickens
June 15, 2021 Difficult conversations are a part of anyone’s life who is serious about personal relationships. Many books have been written about the techniques to use to make a difficult conversation productive. Nothing I have read or been taught has connected with me the way a chapter in Dickens did. This will make more…
Why Does God Allow Evil?
June 4, 2021 Several months ago, one of my nieces asked her mom why God would send anyone to hell. My niece had grown up in the church but has drifted away from her relationship with God. Her justification for that move was to ask one of the most common questions people ask when they…