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Students take over the Training Center! This is a first for The Cove.
90+ students attended a special seminar last week to learn from apologist Sean McDowell how to intelligently defend their faith as they prepare to go to college.
“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15
In this photo, the students were gathered in the lobby to pray before they went their separate ways.
Please keep these students in your prayers as they venture out and boldly share Jesus with the world.
Join the mega-talented Phil Keaggy Saturday July 19th for an evening of worshipful music, a delicous prime-rib dinner and fellowship. You’ll even have the chance to meet Phil in person after the show!
Overnight lodging is available at applicable rates and includes breakfast the following morning.
Click here for more information and tickets.
Watch here as Phil plays his guitar. Amazing!
We need a caption for this one.
Leave yours in the comments section. Ready, set, go…
By Will Graham
Epic battles, the prophesied deaths of an entire family, the earthly embodiment of the holiness and presence of God carried away by captors, a nation judged by the Lord – Nobody can say that 1 Samuel 4 lacks action and drama!
Last year at The Cove, I hosted a seminar in which we began the process of working through the entire book of 1 Samuel, verse by verse. We progressed through the first three chapters of 1 Samuel, and things were looking pretty good for Israel. Samuel was being used by God in incredible ways as the Word of the Lord went across the entire nation. We’re told that God did not let a single word of Samuel’s “hit the ground.” In other words, everything Samuel said on behalf of God was impactful and came to be because he only spoke when and what God told him to speak.
Now, when things are going really well, doesn’t it always feel like something negative must be lurking around the corner? You’re on the peak of the mountain, but you’re still surrounded by valleys of darkness. When we return to 1 Samuel for my seminar in August of this year, that’s where we’ll find Israel. Things are turning bad.
You see, God had already spoken against the priest Eli and his family in chapter three, saying He would do something so amazing it would make “ears tingle” in judgment of the sin in the house of Eli, particularly with his two sons.
That fateful day of judgment came in chapter four as the Israelite army went out to battle the Philistines. The battle raged, the Israelites were defeated and lost 4,000 men.
While the soldiers of Israel were tending their wounds and trying to figure out why they suffered such great losses, they had an idea. They would send for the Ark of the Covenant. It was almost like they were treating the presence of God as a magic box that would guarantee military success.
So Eli’s sons took the Ark of the Covenant from the temple into the battlefield, and – in fact – the mere presence of the Ark and the thunderous roar it drew from the Israeli camp did initially intimidate the Philistines. However, they readied themselves for battle.
When the fighting was over, 30,000 soldiers from Israel, as well as Eli’s two sons, were dead. Worse, the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines. It was a dark, dark day for Israel as the judgment of God fell upon it.
We’re told that Eli was anxiously waiting for word about the Ark; not about his sons, but about the Ark of the Covenant. A weary survivor ran back to Eli and told him his sons were dead and the Ark was captured. When he heard this, Eli – who we’re told was old and heavy – fell out of his chair, broke his neck and died.
His pregnant daughter-in-law, upon hearing that Eli and her husband had died, went into labor and gave birth to a son. The life began to slip from her as well due to complications from the birth, but with her last breath she named her son Ichabod, saying “The glory of God has departed from Israel.”
I know, this is some pretty heavy stuff, but have you ever noticed that we learn more about the love and hope of God as we go through hardship? I believe that will be the case with the lessons we’ll draw from the next few chapters of 1 Samuel.
We’ll look at parenting, for instance. Eli had two sons who were lost in sin, but he didn’t do anything to discipline them and bring them back to God. He’d speak against his sons, but he didn’t deter them. In some ways, he had become as bad as them. He had his choice of meat in the temple and had become spiritually lazy. We’ll look at being a good example for your children and grandchildren.
We’ll also look at the idea of Ichabod. What’s Ichabod in your life? In what ways does it feel like God has departed from you, and how can you get the glory of the Lord back in your life as it was in Israel before God’s judgment on the nation and the family of Eli.
And, of course, we’ll look at the holiness of God. You see, God’s judgment is real, and His holiness is not a joke. When idols were placed in front of the Ark of the Covenant, they fell and physically broke. When people touched the Ark, they died. In fact, the Philistines couldn’t even keep the Ark of the Covenant – their great trophy from battle – because God inflicted their people with tumors just for being near it and possessing it.
There is power in the holiness of God, and this seminar will be an opportunity to hear the Word of the Lord, allow it to work in your life, let it take root and turn you back to Him. We’ll see that God’s love for us compels Him to chase us, even through our own wickedness.
And, spoiler alert, by the time we get to the end of the seminar, the Ark will be back in Israel…
God bless you, my friends –I hope to see you in August!
Click here to register for Will’s seminar at The Cove August 15-17, 2014.
Watch here as Will shares his excitement on teaching from 1 Samuel.
Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham NOTES from Nehemiah 4:13-15
WHAT DOES IT SAY? THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE.
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word, a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read, and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
13: I stationed men in the lowest parts, exposed places, in families with their swords, spears, and bows.
14: When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, officials and people: Do not be afraid of them, remember the Lord who is great and awesome; fight for your brothers, sons, daughters, wives and houses.
15: When our enemies heard God had frustrated their plan, all of us returned to the wall, to his work.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS.
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow?
13: Do not panic, don’t run, be courageous. Be on guard. Don’t live in denial, know where the weakness lies and fortify! Nehemiah’s people will not go out looking for a fight, but the people of God will be ready to make a stand if need be. STAND.
14: It is important to remember who we serve. He that is in us (me!) is greater than he that is in the world…. easy to say, hard to believe. It is important to remember what is at stake as well (our families’ present and future generations). The STAND you make and the STAND I make TODAY matters! Courage now.
15: Often times when the enemy sees it will not be an easy victory, and we will just not hand over the keys to the city and rights to our lives, the enemy will back down and we can get back to work.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME NOW? APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
*Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
13: Where has God placed me to make a stand? What places in my life, in my church, in my family, on the job, need to be fortified? Do I tend to respond in panic when attacks are imminent or do face them in the power and strength of God’s Word and promises?
14: Have I sidelined myself not thinking that what I may or may not do for God matters? When have I made a stand for Christ and when do I wish I had the courage to make a stand for Christ?
LIVE IT OUT!
Lord, help me today, where I am to be able to make a stand for You. Whether it is with my children as I break up an argument, or at work while my co-workers strike up conversation, or anywhere I may be. Give me confidence in Your Word and Your promises as I stand on them today.
Homework: Nehemiah 4:20-23
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!
