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RESPONSE TO LIFE: COGNIZANCE

“…And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight…” ~ II Kings 1:13   REFERENCE: II Kings 1:2-15   Cognizance is not trendy; it means knowledge, awareness, or notice. To take cognizance of something is to take note of or consider things or events around you. It is opposite to ignorance, and as seen yesterday, an arrogant man will rarely be cognizant of things...
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RESPONSE TO LIFE: ARROGANCE

"Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, 'Come down quickly!'" ~ II Kings 1:11   REFERENCE: II Kings 1:2-15   We established that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it. The three captains of fifty sent to arrest Elijah vividly teach us this truth. Yesterday we saw how the ignorance of the first captain led to his death. His approach to life was rooted in ignorance. Enter the second captain of...
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BE STILL: STRENGTH IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

"Be still, and know that I am God…" ~ Psalm 46:10   REFERENCE: Psalm 46:1-11   Trusting in God's plan and provision can be tough in times of uncertainty. But trying times come to test and refine our faith. The secret to finding strength in uncertain times is relying on God's faithfulness and the assurance we have when we place our trust in Him. World events may scare us, but our anchor remains secure in His unchanging love and faithfulness.   God said, "Be still, and know that I am God." It is God's call to us in times of uncertainty....
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THE BLESSING TRIGGER

“…Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me… 14 For thus says the Lord… ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”” ~ I Kings 17:13-14   REFERENCE: I Kings 17:8-16   What Elijah did would have made headlines in modern newspapers: “Itinerant Prophet defrauds poor widow of her meager resource” or “Fake pastor cons helpless widow.” How do you go to a poor widow...
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CHOOSE YOUR MASTER

“Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea became his vassal, and paid him tribute money.” ~ II Kings 17:3   REFERENCE II Kings 17:1-6   Our text chronicles a brief account of the life of King Hoshea of Israel. He reigned for nine years, but the bible shows that he did evil in the sight of God. At some point, Shalmaneser, the Assyrian king, used his military might to make Hoshea his vassal (an enslaved person with charge over a jurisdiction on behalf of a master/lord). Hoshea endured it for a while but later sought help.   Hoshea went behind...
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RESIST THE SCATTERER

“He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.” – Nahum 2:2   REFERENCE: Nahum 2:1-6   In our text, God warns Nineveh that ‘he who scatters’ had come and that they should man the fort, watch the road, strengthen their flanks, and fortify themselves. Today, it is a call to us to be alert and ready to fight back when life throws you into situations that steal from you and drain you. It is a call to vigilance because if you don’t, life can rob you of...
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ARMED WITH STRENGTH

“For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.” ~ Psalm 18:39   REFERENCE: Psalm 18:28-39   David recounts the unusual victories he secured in his battles, how he pursued his enemies and overtook and wounded them until they could rise no more. He recalls his ability to run against a troop of soldiers and leap over walls, climb jagged heights like a deer, bend bronze bows to shoot arrows, and how his feet never slipped. It takes unusual strength to do all this.   How did David become...
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CRAZY FAITH

“So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.” – 1 Kings 17:15   REFERENCE: I Kings 17:8-16   Faith is one concept in the bible that makes those who act in faith appear crazy or foolish. Faith believes in a God it does not see and acts in ways that do not make logical sense. Faith made childless Abram change his name to Abraham (father of nations), and Peter walk on water. It takes crazy faith to live a life that pleases God because He will...
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THE LOAF OF BREAD

…That man was telling his friend about a dream that he had. He was saying, ‘I dreamed that a round loaf of bread came rolling into the camp of the Midianites. That loaf of bread hit the tent so hard that the tent turned over and fell flat.’ – Judges 7:13 ERV   REFERENCE: Judges 7:1-22   At this point in Israel’s history, the oppression and plunder from the Midianites reduced them to poverty. Gideon, whom God called to lead an army against the Midianites, raised 32,000 men, but God told him to reduce the number to 300 men because He...
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MY SON SOLOMON

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you..." ~ I Chronicles 28:9   REFERENCE: I Chronicles 28:4-10   As the sun began to set on David's time as king of Israel, he began to put 'his house' in order. He called the leaders of Israel, officers of the tribes, military captains, personal staff, and the members of his cabinet and gave...
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