Meet the Kings | Truth in Bloom SeriesScripture Focus:1 Kings 22:41–50 | 2 Chronicles 17–20Reign: 872–848 BC (25 years, King of Judah) Who Was Jehoshaphat? Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa and the fourth king of Judah after the kingdom divided. From the beginning of his reign, he walked in the ways of David — … Continue reading Jehoshaphat – Faithful Heart, Flawed Alliances
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Sacred Places: Ephesus
Return to Your First Love “But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” — Revelation 2:4–5a (CSB) Background Decades after Paul’s ministry ended and the Ephesian riot faded, the church he helped … Continue reading Sacred Places: Ephesus
Ahab – The King Who Sold His Soul
Meet the Kings | Truth in Bloom SeriesScripture Focus:1 Kings 16:29–22:40Reign: 874–853 BC (22 years, King of Israel) Who Was Ahab? Ahab was the son of Omri and the seventh king of Israel — and his reign is one of the most infamous in Scripture. He ruled during a time of political strength but spiritual … Continue reading Ahab – The King Who Sold His Soul
Sacred Places: Ephesus
The Farewell at Miletus “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” — Acts 20:24 (KJV) Background Paul didn’t … Continue reading Sacred Places: Ephesus
Omri – A Mighty Legacy, A Misguided Heart
Meet the Kings | Truth in Bloom SeriesScripture Focus:1 Kings 16:15–28Reign: 885–874 BC (12 years, King of Israel) Who Was Omri? Omri wasn’t just a king — he was a force. A military commander turned monarch, Omri took the throne after Zimri’s fiery downfall. At first, Israel was divided: half the people supported a man … Continue reading Omri – A Mighty Legacy, A Misguided Heart
Sacred Places: Ephesus
The Riot and the Remnant “Soon the whole city was in an uproar; they dragged Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions, into the theater, and the assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there.” — Acts 19:29, 32 (NIV) Background … Continue reading Sacred Places: Ephesus
Zimri – Seven Days, One Blaze, No Legacy
Meet the Kings | Truth in Bloom SeriesScripture Focus:1 Kings 16:9–20Reign: 885 BC (7 days, King of Israel) Who Was Zimri? Zimri’s name might be short in the biblical record, but his story is unforgettable. He was a military commander under King Elah — and while the army was occupied at Gibbethon, Zimri seized his … Continue reading Zimri – Seven Days, One Blaze, No Legacy
Sacred Places: Ephesus
Where the Spirit Confronts the Stronghold “God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that even face cloths or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.” — Acts 19:11–12 (CSB) Background By the time Paul returned to … Continue reading Sacred Places: Ephesus
Elah – A Drunken Fall, A Dynasty Ends
Meet the Kings | Truth in Bloom SeriesScripture Focus:1 Kings 16:8–14Reign: 886–885 BC (2 years, King of Israel) Who Was Elah? Elah was the son of Baasha and inherited the throne of Israel — but not the strength to rule it. His reign was short, lasting only two years, and it ended not in battle … Continue reading Elah – A Drunken Fall, A Dynasty Ends
The Sacred Places: Ephesus
Just Passing Through “They came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.” — Acts 18:19 (CSB) Background Ephesus was no ordinary city. It was one of the most powerful and influential cities in the Roman Empire—famous for its harbor, culture, commerce, and especially … Continue reading The Sacred Places: Ephesus
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