Orchard Ridge Church

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“Where the lost are found, the found are discipled, and the disciples serve.” Website : www.orcn.info

“Where the lost are found, the found are discipled, and the disciples serve.” Website : www.orcn.info

“Where the lost are found, the found are discipled, and the disciples serve.” Website : www.orcn.info

“Where the lost are found, the found are discipled, and the disciples serve.” Website : www.orcn.info

“Where the lost are found, the found are discipled, and the disciples serve.” Website : www.orcn.info

Young King Saul has just been anointed and then appointed King of Israel in 1 Samuel chapter 10. But truly becoming a leader (king) in the eyes of your subjects doesn’t happen simply because you’ve received a crown with a title. Kings are crowned in the eyes of their subjects through the test of trials. King Saul’s first victory in battle was his defeat of the Ammonite king Nahash in 1 Samuel 11....

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. – Psalm 32:7 If you’ve ever led anything you know what comes with “leading.” On the positive side, you’re empowered to shape teams, churches, families, communities, businesses, schools, etc. for the good. Good leaders raise up young leaders. Good leaders see gifts and abilities in the people around...

Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. – 1 Samuel 9:2 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 The people...

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead (judge) us, such as all the other nations have.” – 1 Samuel 8:4-5 Israel had a King! They had the King of kings and the LORD of lords. Jehovah was His Name. But remember what Israel means… “One who struggles with God.” The name...

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:2 We are currently making our way through the Book of 1 Samuel here at Orchard Ridge Church. There is a 3 chapter section of 1 Samuel (chapters 4-7) whereby the Ark of the Lord is captured by the Philistines then returned to Israel by a supernatural work of God alone! The Israelites had nothing to do with it. Israel had wander...

Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight. – 1 Samuel 6:13 The Ark of the Covenant had been captured by the pagan Philistines after the Israelites had been routed in a battle against them. The spiritual leadership in Israel was at an all time low. Many had failed by egregiously sinning against the L...

But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. – 1 Samuel 5:4 Perhaps of all the Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai (aka The Ten Commandments), #1 and #2 might seem to be in our grasp… No other gods before God, and no idols...

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The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10 Samuel. His name means, “The LORD hears.” It was in reference to his mother’s passionate prayer to the LORD asking for a child. She was barren and God had placed within her a longing to conceive. As is always the case, the LORD hears our sincere...

Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD. – 1 Samuel 2:12 But Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod. – 1 Samuel 2:18 The Priest Eli presided as the High Priest over the Tabernacle at Shiloh where the Lord’s Ark of the Covenant was located. He had two biological sons – Hophni and Phinehas – and a boy named Samuel who had been entrusted to Eli’s care b...

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. – Proverbs 16:3 In 1 Samuel 1, a barren woman named Hannah poured out her heart to God – begging for a child. She vowed that if her request was granted, she would give the child back to God! She would consecrate her first born son to the service of God at the Tabernacle at Shiloh. We have a practice in our Christian tradition at...

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Jesus sums up His entire Sermon on the Mount with a concluding statement that begins with one word: Therefore. What's that there for? Matthew says that the people who heard Him preach were "amazed" at His teaching because He taught as One having authority - not like the Pharisees. But you know what being amazed at a sermon gets you? Absolutely NOTHING... Hearing / listening is like b...