ChuckWarnock.net

 I’m taking a break from my weekly posting while the doctors try to get my cancer meds right. I’ll get back to work when we get all of this sorted out. Thanks!

Hi, and welcome back! Today we have a great story taken from 1 Kings 19:9-18 . It's a long story, but I promise you, if you stick with it until the end, you're going to learn something you didn't know about one of the most famous songs in history. Plus, you'll learn something about Elijah, who is also one of the most famous prophets in history.  Let's dig in... Going to the Show As teenagers, Debbie and I would often go on dates to see the latest show . That’s what we called movies in Nashville in the early 1960s (I know…it was a long time ago). Nashville is a happening city now, but in 1965 date activities were limited to playing putt-putt, bowling, going to the skating rink, or going to the show.   If it was summer, it was hot and playing putt-putt was not that much fun. Neither of us skated, nor did we like to bowl that much, so that left going to the show as our best option. For one thing, it was inside and air-conditioned. Secondly -- and this is important to t...

Suppose when you went to the grocery, nothing had a price on it because it was all free? That's exactly what God promised the nation of Israel. Well, sort of. Keep reading to learn about the other two promises God made to Israel, and what that meant to them, and to us. Isaiah 55:1-5 NRSV Hear, everyone who thirsts; come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your earnings for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5 Now you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run...

There's a scene in   I Kings 3:5-12  early in Solomon's reign that is so familiar, we take it for granted. God appears to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon and says essentially, "ask me for anything and it's yours."   Solomon could have asked for wealth. He could have asked for a long life, or for his enemies to be handed over. Instead he asks for what the Bible calls "an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil." Solomon Asks for Wisdom In Hebrew, Solomon is asking for a "listening heart."  To put is plainly, Solomon is seeking Wisdom.  And, who hasn't heard of "the wisdom of Solomon?" That's Solomon's brand, after all. And God is pleased with Solomon's request, grants it, then promises him wealth and glory and long life as well. In asking, Solomon actually demonstrated some inherent wisdom, not to mention quite a bit of humility, both of which often are found together. Anyway, It...

  He came to us on a warm day in June, 2016. Our neighbor three doors down had called Debbie, inviting her to come see a recent addition to her rescue cat population. His name was Buddy. Debbie told me she was going to see a rescue cat and I said, “I don’t want a cat.” She said, “I’m just going to see him.” So, Debbie and her mother walked three doors down to see Buddy. We Get a Cat Named Buddy When she came back, I knew we were getting a cat. Debbie said he was a beautiful orange tabby cat, who had belonged to an older lady. She had moved to a nursing home and she couldn’t take Buddy. Our neighbor told Debbie Buddy had been placed first in a home with children and dogs, but he didn’t do well. He was scared. She said he needed us. And we needed a cat. This time, we both walked to our neighbors’ house and came home with Buddy. Of course, he was skittish at first, but he quickly discovered we didn’t have any kids or dogs, and we did have a screened back porch which he took to immedia...