(1 Samuel 1-3)

We are created in the image of God and are created to bear His glory to the world around us. We benefit greatly and eternally from God’s glory and His redemption plan for us, but we are not the focus or meant to be. We fall short of His glory and we desperately need Jesus and His glory. The spotlight belongs on God, not us. 

(Ruth 1-4)

Our assurance is not in our feelings or circumstances or anything of this upside down world that is bent against God. Our assurance is in our Redeemer, our Savior, and His Word. Only the grace of our loving Father can save us. It’s only through Jesus we are saved and we all need Jesus desperately.

(Judges 13-16)

God can handle our humanity and our messes. It’s never too late to cry out to God. God never stopped loving Samson and He will never stop loving any of us. He just wants us to faithfully trust Him, and keep running forward pursuing Him and His holiness in radical faith while pointing all those around us to Him too.

(Judges 6-8)

Courage comes from faith. Courage is fear saturated in prayer as we move forward wholeheartedly trusting the Lord with all our guts. The way we grow in faith and courage is to hear God's Word, believe His promises, and obey what He tells us to do.

(Judges 4 & 5) We are called and commissioned to share Jesus with His authority and victorious power to give people the opportunity to be free from the bondages of sin and hell. The world around us may try to tell us we shouldn't, couldn't, or wouldn't. We need to hear and listen to God's voice and hush all the other noise. God wants every soul on earth to have the opportunity to hear and claim the victory of Jesus for their lives. Nothing on the face of this earth matters more.

(John 8:1-11)

Jesus has us through everything if we are willing to trust Him with everything. He will lead if we are willing to listen and follow. Jesus wants a real and true and personal relationship with us. He wants to be close to us and wants us to draw close to Him. We don't have to try to do all the things or get everything right all the time. We just need to be desperate for Jesus every day, trust Him with everything, and draw close to Him.

(Judges 3:7-31)We are called to speak forth the Life of Jesus and the hope found in and through Him to a hopeless, defeated world. We are called to live out His Word and reveal to the world around us the reality of who Jesus is. The world is looking for better methods, but God is looking for men and women who understand the basics: the power of the Holy Spirit, wise strategy, and steadfast and radically faithful courage.

(Joshua 23 & 24) God doesn’t want us to just know His word in our heads. He wants us to let His Word sink deep into our hearts. The more we know God’s Word, the more we will know the God of the Word. God doesn’t want us to have big heads full of Biblical history, He wants us to have full hearts filled with His love and an understanding of His incredible grace.

(Numbers 22)God opened the donkey's eyes and vocal chords, and then He opened Balaam’s eyes. Even though he was living his life against the Lord, he bowed and fell on his face before Jesus. This is exactly what will happen when Jesus returns. EVERY knee will bow, because Jesus is King. No matter if you accept that truth or refuse it, the truth of Jesus and who He is remains.

(Joshua 2-4; 6)

It was by faith and patience and trusting God at His Word that they were able to conquer Jericho. They marched in silent self-control trusting God day after day. God fought the battle as they trusted Him. God’s timing is always perfect. He knows what He’s doing. The key to the victory at Jericho was trusting God and faithfully obeying His direction - His Word.