Audio from Pastor's Class
Slides from Pastor's Class (PDF)
Click HERE for the YouTube Video of The Song "Speak O Lord" shown in Pastors Class
Online Class and Video (PDF)
Audio from The Heart of the Story
Slides from The Heart of the Story (PDF)
Bringing The Story Home Resource Page (PDF)
Teaching Calendar and Passage Guide (PDF)
The Story in Review- Chapter Ten
The chapter of The Story entitled Standing Tall, Falling Hard records one of the most poignant periods in the history of the establishment of Israel. Samuel is a child prayed for. His rise to leadership in Israel is meant to draw the people closer to their ruler – the LORD Almighty. Yet, somehow the cry for a king, so that they might be like the other nations.
Saul is thus anointed and starts strong but before long begins to think and act for himself rather than for the LORD. Leaders, at least God’s leaders, are anointed to lead for Him and His glory not for themselves and their glory. That is true of leaders of Israel in ancient times or the leaders of synods and congregations in modern times.
After Saul selects his desires over God’s decrees, he is rejected as king. David is anointed for the position because, as the Lord says, “he is a man after God’s own heart.” To be one after God’s own heart does not mean he is sinless, or perfect, but that he will not trust his heart’s desires over God’s verbal call. To this day those who are people after God’s own heart are those who will put the words of God’s mouth before the desires of their heart.