Guest Blog written by: Brad Kempson

In the beginning of today’s reading, a man brings Elisha twenty loaves of bread. Elisha’s servants wondered how they would feed a hundred men. The Lord told them to put the food in front of the people and there would be leftovers. Then later, in the New Testament, something similar happens with Jesus feeding the five thousand.

Naaman was the commander of the army of Aram. The thing is, he had leprosy. One of Naaman’s slaves told his wife that he should see the prophet in Samaria. The king of Aram told Naaman to go. Naaman saw Elisha and asked him to cleanse him. Elisha told him to wash in the Jordan seven times and he would be cleansed.

Naaman was upset that Elisha didn’t call on God and heal him there. He is like us sometimes. He wanted God to heal him in his way. Sometimes, we just want things to happen our way instead of the way God intends them. Naaman finally washed and was healed. If we follow what God has for us, he will give us a good result.

God chose Joash to be king when he was seven years old and Azariah when he was sixteen years old. This reminds me that God isn’t so concerned with age. Even if you are young, you can do great things for the Lord.  This week on the youth mission trip to Georgia has taught me that too. I had no idea what this reading would be about, and the fact that I read something that I learned in Georgia shows that God works in many amazing ways!

Guest Blog written by: Jessica Brown

things don’t always turn out like we had hoped.
or planned.

one can burn with passion for God.
hoping the same fire will catch.

planning for revival in hardened hearts.

when what we hoped or planned seems to fail, we can find ourselves
depleted.

spent.

exhausted.

confused.

depressed.

such is the story of elijah.
elijah found himself discouraged after what happened at mount carmel.
what he hoped would bring converts to the Lord, led to him fearing for his

life.

and it was fear that led him to flee.

begging God to take his life.

for he could take it no longer.

he had enough.

have you ever had enough?
felt you could do no more?

believed you were useless in ministry?

yeah, so did elijah.
but God is rich in mercy.
at elijah’s lowest point, God tended to his physical needs.
He allowed him rest.

for his soul.

and body.

enough to strengthen him to move forward.

sometimes our physical bodies need restoration before our spirit can be restored into a right relationship with God.

spiritual depression can take time to heal.

time of solitude.

time of reflection.

time of rest.

it is during the healing process, we begin to hear His voice again.
for His voice is not always in the big displays of power and wonder.

it is often in the stillness.

as quiet as a whisper.

the same breath that gave life to adam.

reaches down and speaks life and healing to our souls.

it is those intimate moments that restore our hearts.

and give us the strength to know we are never alone.

Guest Blog written by: Ethan Pettigrew 

Solomon is said to be the wisest man to have ever lived.  This is for a good reason, because he was extremely wise.  Wisdom was a gift to Solman by God.  He prayed to God and asked for wisdom and he received it.  In today’s reading we saw and example of this wisdom.   When the temple was being dedicated, a giant cloud filled the temple.  Soloman understood that this was God and praised Him.

Another man that used his talents to help God was Hiram.  Hiram was a bronze working master.  He could make anything and did mke everything for the temple.  He made over 440 individual items to go into the temple.

Both of these men used their talents and gifts to glorify God.  Even though they were very different men from very different backgrounds, Soloman and Hiram both used these abilities for the glorification of God rather than themselves.

These men remind me of members of a mission team. Very different people with varying gifts who have come together for one purpose…to bring glory to God and increase the Kingdom.  Whether you’re good at dancing, making up ideas or just being helpful any talent can be used to further the Kingdom of God.