Ahab would not be broken, and he was removed. Ahazaiah wants to reach out to Baal, and he reaches out far away to Ekron, because Israel's messengers of Baal have been killed. He could have been healed like the widow of Zarephath's son if he only had the faith of the pagan widow. Structurally, the chapter is a chiasm. The central portion is verses 7…

The wicked king falls, never again to rise. Elijah, like Yahweh, rises again, never to fall! Ahaziah, when things got tough, went to false gods, just like his father Ahab. The best gift we can give our children is faith in the one true God! Elijah is described as a "Baal of hair"... Ahaziah wants to hear from a Baal, so God sends Elijah! The Lord n…

God's presence is not just found in grandiose signs and wonders, but in his voice— his Word. Elisha is anointed not by Elijah, but by God himself. These two things are what's needed for reformation in our society: God's Word and his anointing!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Elijah was "the one who came before," like John the Baptist. God even told him to appoint a new prophet to take his place. Our own effort is only a small part of the bigger picture. Every generation is tempted to think they're THE generation... humanity has finally arrived! No. We are all forerunners to those who will come after us! Elijah's job is…

God's ultimate desire is for humanity to be with him and witness his glory, and to do that, he's willing to sacrifice his own life for us, his sheep. The Good Shepherd takes us from living as animals, to a glorious existence with him! The Holy Spirit reveals to us the deeper things of God, and when we pray, he's not distant; we are intimately conne…

Jezebel is running the country, not Ahab. She's also running Ahab's life. This is a sign of judgment on Israel. In Exodus, we see many parallels between Elijah and Moses. Elijah's concern is that the people have forsaken the covenant, they are not coming to God. He's the only one actively opposing Jezebel. God speaks in a whisper. He speaks to us i…

Unless God awakens someone, no amount of education will bring them to Christ! The problem isn't the eyes or mind, it's the heart. Evangelism starts with PRAYER... Asking God to do what only he can do! King Ahab would rather have peace with his wife than with God. Many men are in this position even now. This is a toxic marriage. Wives, if you have a…

The prophets of the false god Baal are entrenched in their wrong belief. The people of Israel are "limping" between worship of Baal and following the true God. But the events in this passage seem to be describing a coming restoration of Israel, as if God is opening the door for them to come back to him... unfortunately, we'll soon see this doesn't …

When it comes time to decide whose god is the real God, Elijah gives the prophets of Baal as many advantages as he can, so they can't complain of unfairness when Baal loses... and to show the people who the real, living God is! God demands undivided allegiance to himself alone. Elijah mocks the prophets as they try to get "Baal" to answer them. The…

NOTE: Due to streaming trouble, this B-Side was presented a week later than usual. It's meant to accompany the sermon from 9/1/2024, "Elijah Part 2". For the B-Side that goes with the 9/8/2024 sermon titled, "Elijah Part 3," Pastor Josh is hoping to stream that next Monday, 9/16. Thanks for bearing with us; technology is wonderful when it works! :-…

Obadiah was a godly insider in Israel's government, Ahab's right-hand man, who quietly protected pastors from Ahab and Jezebel. God has people everywhere doing his work, protecting his people! Yes, we need outspoken leaders like Elijah, but God uses all kinds of people to do his work. Be faithful where he's placed you! Ahab's concern for protecting…

Our God is not limited by anything; he is on the throne! Jesus is Lord, whether you believe it or not. This is the realization the whole universe will come to eventually. And prayer is acknowledging that you are not God, and that he is able to provide. He deserves our time, attention, and humility! As Elijah stretched himself out over the boy 3 tim…

Ahab was even more evil than his evil father. Israel seemed to be prospering by worldly standards, but God was disgusted. Ahab chose Baal because he thought that would bring more wealth and power. True wealth and power only come when you put God first. Though Ahab is constantly ignoring the Word of God, Elijah is consistently living his life based …

Our country isn't immune to the modern equivalent of Baal worship. We must stop pretending that Satan isn't constantly seeking to devour us, our children, our grandchildren. A nation is under judgment when the Word departs from society. God brings Elijah to a place of no food, with a brook that runs out of water, even though he was under God's grac…

If you love God (because he first loved us), you'll keep his commandments. He should be first in our marriages. In all things, submit to him and see how he works things out! Jesus says simply, "Follow me."Autor: Jan VanLeuven

The wisdom and rulers of this age are doomed to pass away. Hidden wisdom in the Scriptures is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. As we are heart, mind and soul, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We rely on the strength given to us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus' death and resurrection are a deposit, a guarantee of things to come: proof of our coming i…

The Great Commission in Matthew 28 is paralleled in the Old Testament books of Ezra and Joshua: in the Great Commission, Jesus is leading his people into battle. We must both speak and live out the commands of Jesus, constantly growing in him, as an example to others. We must be strong and courageous as we live out the Great Commission!…

As Christians, our mission is to point people to Jesus! Not to grow a church, but to ask how God wants church run. He honors faithful people serving faithfully, teaching what he teaches. Jesus obeyed, and from the cross, he rose to Heaven. As we too are faithful, we will follow him. Our purpose is to share the words of life with dying people!…

Pastor Josh considers the early church's views on baptism, and gleans some interesting insights from extrabiblical sources: the Didache, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian. Baptism was essential to the early church, and how to best practice it was considered very carefully by these early writers. The main thread: we should take baptism seriously, as God…

In baptism, we are baptized into God's Kingdom. We declare his authority over the world, and swear allegiance to God in front of him and his people, and the angels... and the demons. We declare war on the principalities and powers that come against God. As a Christian, if you have the opportunity to get baptized, you must. It's the consummation of …

Don't forget to praise God when life is good, and learn to find joy amid the suffering. What is a church? It literally means "assembly" - Christians together, not in isolation, with a biblical structure. We pray and heal and confess our sins to one another. He fills us with his spirit so we may be a light to the world, that shines back on him. We a…

Having told us how NOT to speak, James now tells us how TO speak. We should faithfully pray, sing praise to our Father, and confess our sins to one another. We're called not to perfection, but to be faithful, and to repent when we fail. Out of gratitude, we pull people from the fires of hell, so they can receive the same free gift of eternal life t…

How can we know we're going to Heaven? Not by swearing an oath, but by depending on God. He provides for us daily, moment by moment. We are lost without his provision. This steadfast reliance on him requires patience, exemplified in the life of Job.Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

As image-bearers of God, we should all have patience. We are to live in joy of Jesus' imminent return. His joy is our strength! It transcends our struggles. Wait for the Lord to act on your behalf. The better ending is connected to those who are not proud in spirit, but patient!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Today, Pastor Josh examines the timeline, context and origins of our passage in James to get at the meaning of some of the more difficult parts. Life is a vapor, so we're grateful for God's provisions while he gives them! Failure to do what God sets before us to do is sin. The sacrifices we think are pleasing to God are nothing compared to abiding …

Non-believers aren't forced to come to Jesus or live for him. But anything else you give your life to will eventually be eaten up. Wake up and store your treasures in heaven. While there's still time, come and yield to him and he will radically change your life! As believers, we can rest assured that Christ is King and the God of the Bible is alive…

Submit to Jesus, and not only will Satan flee, but God will draw near to you. Forgo self-promotion and let God exalt you in your humility. Rather than judging others as if we're God, even dehumanizing our enemies, we should pray for their salvation!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

The problem with the human race is our hearts, and the treatment is humility! Satan doesn't fear us; he fears God. Submit yourself to God as your creator and master, and Satan will flee! We are to be joyful but mourn our sinful state. We must call out sin when we see it, holding each other accountable, but only when we ourselves are right with God!…

As Christians, we must be "all in"-- with both feet in the Kingdom of God, not one foot in the world. God is jealous for us! He also commands us to be joyful. As we satisfy ourselves only in him, our joy increases. So we must die to ourselves daily!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Hedonism, the focus on making yourself happy, is never the path to peace; it leads to disorder and every vile practice. When we give our lives to him, we don't lose our life, but gain it. The closer we get to Christ, the more our joy is made full. In "Christian hedonism," God is most glorified when we're most satisfied in him! Pursuing worldly plea…

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The most misunderstood of the 7 sayings of Jesus on the cross. He lived perfectly, loving the Father with all his heart, soul and mind! Yet even he suffered the feeling of spiritual separation on the cross. Because of this, he knows the pain we feel when we are in a spiritually dry season, separated from …

Do you really believe that God's sovereignty is enough, that he's truly on the throne? Those who trust in the Lord can be assured of their Father's delight in them! Everything Jesus did on the cross was because of his great love for every last one of his people. How can we withhold anything from him?…

The third saying of Jesus on the cross: (To Mary), "Woman, behold your son!" (To John), "Behold your mother!" On the cross, Jesus had compassion for his mother, but didn't neglect his duty to God's people. Despite his pain, he pressed on. Here, he forms a new family out of Mary and John, as well as the family of God.…

Jesus suffered just like us; he understands and has compassion for us. Everything was taken from him on the cross, but his enemies knew the truth, labeling him King of the Jews. The two thieves parallel Jerusalem and Rome: only one accepted Jesus as King.Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The bare minimum to enter heaven is fear of the Lord. Jesus will always have a personal love for you. The world needs to know this, and that the "man on the middle cross" can save them! His words on the cross are incorruptible; they…

Paul talks about how to walk in a worthy, spirit-filled manner. We are all one Body, so rather than fight, we work hard at peace and unity with one another. We're all baptized in the same water, into the same family with the same Father!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Let all the things of this world go, and follow God! Unburden yourself and he will give you rest. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Meditate on his Word, be open to his Spirit. Be patient for his answer, and secure in his provision.Autor: Jan VanLeuven

Spiritual maturity is proven by following our Lord daily in wisdom and restraint, not pursuing power for personal gain. We pray for God's pure wisdom, to be peaceable, considerate, reasonable, compassionate, bearing good fruit, impartial and sincere!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

We must control our speech. The tongue is like a fire - it can be used for good or evil. Cursing refers to all evil things spoken: hatred, gossip, lying... The Garden of Eden isn't filled with thorns and thistles, but fruit-bearing trees!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

As we abide in Christ, we must control our speech... this is only possible through the Holy Spirit! Pastor Josh emphasizes the importance of guarding what we see and hear, speaking with holiness and love, and glorifying God through blessing others!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

The diligence of a godly woman not only honors God, but elevates her husband! And the husband and children are to be just as diligent in serving her and each other, to the same end. A family thrives when selfishness is put to death!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

A godly woman is the crown of her husband; as such, everything we do should make the Lord look good! She is not lazy, always working for the good of her family. She is a female David, a warrior woman after God's own heart! She and her husband never speak poorly of each other, invested in each other's honor-- just as the members of the trinity defer…

An excellent wife, like an excellent husband, is a valiant warrior: fighting and working for the family. In a healthy family, everyone is deferring honor to the others. In the body of Christ, we all work hard for the glory of our husband, the Lord God!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

James points out the uselessness of Judaism apart from Christ, that even demons follow this level of theology, and tremble. As Christians, God will always be our father, but our faith can mature to such a degree that we can be friends with him! Pastor Josh also asks the question: should lying be avoided at all costs?…

When God moves in us, that needs to move outwards from us! Works don't justify us, but we are to live our faith. As marital love is inseparable from marital faithfulness, so is faith inseparable from works. We live for the God of our faith, day in and day out!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Pastor Josh explores links between James and Matthew, and shows we are to live as Christ has prescribed, and not as the Pharisees, who showed evil partiality. Be merciful, as mercy triumphs over judgment. Accepting the authority of Jesus brings freedom! Also an important note that we must not interpret the Bible in a wooden way, but seek to underst…

As Christians, we must love everyone equally and avoid the sin of partiality. Don't reciprocate when persecuted; instead, let our good deeds glorify God. Embrace the moral framework he designed, which brings liberty! Mercy must triumph over judgment.Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

We are to restrain our human anger as Jesus did. We must receive the Word into our lives with similar meekness ("power restrained"). Our obedience, not emotions, proves faith! Be on guard against sin, and care for those God has placed in our lives.Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

James urges living the Word, not just hearing it. We become more Christ-like by helping those in need the way God has helped us. Our trials refine us - we press on, striving for the faith, and growing ever more into the image of Christ!Autor: Pastor Joshua Plantholt

Today's culture values the glorification of self. God calls us to live for his glory! We are as precious stones to him, none more or less worthy of glory than the others, and it is only by his mercy and grace that we are invited to join him in his heavenly Kingdom.Autor: Pastor Rick Plantholt