Hope Alliance Bethlehem

There's a significant difference between being desperate for God and being desperate for what God can offer. When we feel far from God, it is our desperation for him that bridges the gap. But our desperation for what we can get from him makes him seem even farther off. Saul is desperate for direction from God and leaves in the darkness, but David is desperate for God and is saved from the dar...

Tired from running and in a moment of weakness, David finds himself seeking refuge again amongst the Philistines. Even in this major failure on the part of David, two things stand out about God. First, he doesn't give up on David. Second, he is still using David to build his kingdom even in exile. Likewise, no matter where you find yourself in life, God hasn't given up on you. And even i...

Reading the story of Nabal reminds us that we are all in some way at our core foolish. Whether we are greedy like Nabal, vengeful like David or trusting the wrong things like Saul, we are prone to go off course. In Abigail, we are reminded of the humility of our Savior who willingly intervened and took on our sin in order to redeem us.

As David continues to run from Saul, it is amazing how David continues to elude the king and his forces. Likewise, Jesus was elusive to Satan himself in the wilderness, on the cross and ultimately through his resurrection. And through our connection to Jesus, we too are elusive to the enemy and able to withstand temptation through worship and most importantly through the gospel!

The same David who defeated Goliath is now ultimately hiding along in a cave. Some of it is his own doing and some of it because of those around him. In a word, David's life is messy. But even in the mess, God is still working his perfect plan into fulfillment - a plan that is committed to entering into the mess of our world in order to redeem it.

As David's profile rises, Saul's love for him fades and Jonathan's grows. Why is this? Saul's love for David was all about his usefulness to him, but Jonathan's love was about his unity with David. So, as this new king was rising, there was a choice to be made. And so it is with Jesus. Is it just about Jesus being useful to us? Or is it about our union with him?

Each of us face personal giants in our life - affliction, struggle, sin or more likely a combination of all three. The story of David and Goliath gives us hope that the weak can be victorious. But not in the way we are used to hearing it! Our victory is not in our personal bravery and valiance. Rather, our victory is because Jesus came and fought the greatest giant for us. Only because of this, we...

In the story of God choosing David as the new king, we are confronted with the reality of competing visions - the view from the eyes of man and the view from the heart of God. Whereas man sees and perceives, God purposes and sees. From David, ultimately to Jesus we see the bigger purpose of God in establishing his kingdom.

Saul's reign as king is a self preservation project. He withholds from his army and then appeases them - in both ways acting only to firm up his grip on his kingdom. The truth is that most of our life is a self-preservation project too. We tighten our grip on our "kingdom" and in so doing create bondage, anxiety and a joyless existence. What if there was a different way? Jesus has a...

In this narrative, the responses of Jonathan and Saul to their circumstance couldn't be more opposite. From them we see the epitome of faith in obedience and action. Faith is a willingness to trust God in the day to day even when it doesn't make sense. It allows us to expose ourselves in the valley, confident in God's sovereignty.

In Samuel's address to the people of Israel, we once again see God's unbelievable grace which not only exposes sin, but offers forgiveness and a future. This forgiveness is based solely on the great name of God - its his doing, not ours. So though it storms, we need not fear the thunder!

The story of the coronation of Saul as king is really a story about the grace of God. This grace is made known through providence as he weaves our stories together and persistence as he affirms the call on our lives. His grace is unveiled in this story of redemption and Spirit empowerment, where Israel's wrong ask for a king is made right by the true King himself.

How is it that we often find ourselves heading in the opposite direction of God? We are stubborn. In the story of the Israelites asking for a king, we see this reality. The stubbornness of Samuel is shown through his mishandled leadership. And the stubbornness of Israel is demonstrated in their continual search for provision outside of God and inability to heed wisdom.

When faced with the reality of God we have two choices. We can reject him or embrace him. Rejection leads to harvests of lifelessness. But a life of worship leads to the reality of peace where God thunders on behalf of his repentant people who rightly depend upon him.

Where is the glory? This is such an important question as we examine our lives. For most of us, we have built most of our existence around bringing glory to ourselves with futile results. Conversely, God is passionate for his glory and establishing his kingdom. Are you trying to use God to accomplish your agenda and establish your glory? Or are you trying to be used by God to establish his kingdom...

After a season of silence due to the rebellious ways of his people and leaders, God breaks his silence to call Samuel as a prophet. And likewise each of us has a unique calling from God. Cultivating nearness to him, learning how to discern his voice and having the courage to follow will determine our ability to live into this calling.

Hophni and Phineas demonstrate a life off the rails and filled with greed. How did it get this way? They didn't know God. Certainly they knew about him, but they didn't know him - and there is a big difference. And what's worse is their father was doing little to help the situation. Yet, in the midst of this chaos, God was grooming the next leader of his people - a young boy name Sa...

The book of 1 Samuel opens with the story of Hannah who is struggling with the reality of her barrenness. While her rivals provoke her and her husband tries to make up for her lack in his own power, this remarkable woman of faith turns her eyes to God. And God's grace leads to the birth of Samuel - a son for Hannah and a leader for Israel.

History is filled with the horrific stories of brutal leaders who held onto power by crushing others around them. Herod is one such story. But even in the midst of his ruthless oppression, God's story of victory through Jesus emerges greater. And in that story, the remarkable obedience of Joseph and Mary to follow the leading of God is a grand model of faith.

This often passed by story of Jesus' dedication in the temple unveils a powerful narrative showing an exodus story led by a boundary-breaking Jesus received by people of faith. Already Jesus is smashing long held boundaries and making God available to everyone through himself. And already those who respond to him are doing so by faith.

The story of Zachariah is amazing. He's a priest who has prayed for a son for decades and at a crucial moment in history, God answers his prayer in dynamic fashion. Zachariah's journey is not just one of fertility for his wife. It is really a journey of faith in the moment. He goes from doubting God to singing praises to God for his greatness. Perhaps you've been waiting on God for...

Christmas is way more than a baby in a manger. It is the incarnation of God into the mess of humanity. Christmas is when Jesus sets aside the comforts of heaven to pursue rebellious humanity. In so doing, the law is fulfilled, love is presented in its fullness and life is offered to the fullest.

The gospel when we understand it well reframes our whole perspective on life from entitlement to grace and mercy. And when we view our existence through this lens the natural byproduct is joy which leads to gratitude.

When Jesus established the communion meal, he urged his followers to share in it regularly. Why? Because it offers union to Jesus, union to the story of God and union to others for those who receive it.

The simple answer is that God says so. The more compelling answer is the gospel. We have been the recipients of grace and mercy from God himself and therefore are called to demonstrate it in our world so the story of God is told. If we learn to love the gospel deeply, live without ignorance and leave the corners of our lives for others we will be orienting our lives in the way honoring to God.