Ahab "sold himself" to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. That was the summary statement of Ahab's earthly life. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 21. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Underneath the obvious events of today's chapter lies a political undercurrent many readers miss. It was all about trade and the subsequent wealth it generated. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 20. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Along my spiritual journey, I've come to understand that God typically blesses me as I sit alone in the quiet, even on stressful days in which I am afraid and feel like running for my life. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 19. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

In the routine and complacency of everyday life, it's easy to fall into spiritual atrophy. No matter what anyone says about my spiritual need, I just go about my life and don't respond. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 18. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Elijah's life and experiences metaphorically point to what God has done, is doing, and will do later in the story. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 17. The text version of today's podcast can be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Jesus' people wanted a Messiah who was a divine version of the top-down power under which they'd suffered for centuries. But from the very beginning, Jesus was the living embodiment of God's word through the prophet Isaiah: "My ways are not your ways." A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 16. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

At this point on life's road, parenting is more of an advisory position. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't have influence. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 15. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

Nowhere in the Great Story does God promise a person a life free of difficulty or tragedy. In fact, He promises the opposite. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 14. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

When my spiritual journey as a disciple of Jesus began over forty years ago, I was given a very simple directive by God's Spirit. In many ways, I consider it my Prime Directive, though I've received other directives along the way. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 13. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.

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Our grandparents were "the greatest generation" who grew up during the Great Depression and gave their lives to save the world from tyrannical evil in World War II. Our parents' generation put men on the moon. In my mind, there was no limit to what our generation could accomplish. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 12. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.