Elijah has just had his greatest victory as Yahweh God defeated the god of Baal. But in 1 Kings 19, the Queen threatens Elijah’s life. He is filled with fear and failure but God meets him in his hopelessness and despair with abundant graces and a new calling. Our God is a wounded healer how meets us in our greatest weaknesses.

Following the sermon, there is an interview with Dr. Kim. If you want to listen to the interview, scroll to minute 28:26 in the recording.

The sum of Ahab’s life is “he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” He worshipped the Baal, the Canaanite god, and rejected Yahweh, the Covenant God of Israel, because he wanted the security and prosperity and did not trust God to provide. Similarly, we are drawn to trust things other than God for our security, identity and happiness. These idols of the heart are the functional saviors that occupy our hearts loves and trusts. But God invites us to trust him and the love and mercy he offers us in Jesus Christ.

To what are you devoted?  This week we continue our series in I and II Kings by studying what Solomon, Jeroboam, and Rehoboam were devoted to, and why those objects of devotion divided the Kingdom of Israel.

Solomon, the greatest of Israel’s Kings is also the wisest man in the world. But David, despite his many failings, is called a man after God’s own heart. It is not influence, reputation, brilliance or success in life that matters most, it is a heart for God and finishing well.