Baldhead Bible Podcast

King Amaziah is a fool. The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and fools despise wisdom and instruction. Well, King Amaziah was a fool because he followed God, but not wholeheartedly, and in that, he was a fool. Amaziah came to the throne at the age of 25, taking over from his murdered father, Jehoash. He had the chance to do what was right and to obey Yahweh and follow him all his days. But instead, Amaziah chose to imitate his father's heart and follow the LORD a little bit, but mainly with very little loyalty. What will happen to him and southern Israel? Listen on to find out. To follow along, turn to 2 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 25.

This week we say goodbye to the prophet Elisha. After 56 years of serving Yahweh, he finally gets to go home and be with the LORD he loves forever. But even on his deathbed, Elisha continues to minister and try to call the people of Israel back to the service and worship of Yahweh. He calls for the young apostate King of Northern Israel Jehoash and offers to bless him with a bow and arrows. Listen on to hear more of Elisha's final hours and the miracle Elisha performs even after death.

Joash was rescued from certain death by the heroics of Jehosheba and Jehoiada. Without their intervention, he would have indeed died. And then they instructed Joash in the things of the Lord and raised him to be a godly King once he took back the throne from the wicked Queen Athaliah. Joash even demonstrated his faith by caring enough to prioritize rebuilding the temple of the Lord. Joash loved Yahweh and was going to be a godly King the rest of his days. But then Jehoiada died, and Joash now had to be King and follow God on his own. He would do great because he demonstrated faith in God already. Or would he? This week's story is a warning for our age and anyone who cares about their children's faith. Do they own their faith, or is it all outwardly expressing love for you, but not for God?

Jehosheba is a name that I want you to remember. I hope her name goes down in history as one of the great women of faith. Because without her choice to stand up to evil, we wouldn't have the Messiah, the Davidic line would have been lost forever. Who is she and what is her story? Listen to this week's podcast to hear more about her and her courageous act.

We are in a cosmic battle. The forces of darkness versus the forces of light. Yahweh versus Satan. And you are part of this great battle. Our story this week makes the case that God will use you to accomplish His will on earth. And when He does use you, will you follow the call and be fully surrendered to His will? Or will you be like Jehu and instead offer an "incomplete obedience"? Listen on to hear the rest of the story of Jehu.

Elisha sends one of the sons of the prophets to find Jehu, a commander in the army of Northern Israel, and to anoint him the new King of Israel. The only problem is that Israel already has a King, and his name is Jehoram. And Jehoram and the King of Judah, Ahaziah, are friends who will work together to help each other maintain their throne. But this command to anoint Jehu King of Israel came from God through Elisha. How is this going to happen? How will God affect His will against two powerful Kings? Listen on to find out and to find out how Jezebel finally gets the punishment she deserves for all her wickedness.

What would you like to have put on your tombstone at the end of your life? What would you want God to say about your life, its work, and whether your life was worthy of praise? Would you want God to say you died to no one's regret? Well, God did say that about someone, and this week we will learn more about this man and the sad cautionary tale that his life takes. To follow along read 2 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 21.

The writer of 2 Kings loves to talk about the wonders of Yahweh, especially as seen through the work and ministry of the Prophet Elijah. We have been hearing about some of his stories that are found in 2 Kings. This week we get to hear two of them: one good and one bad. Both of them show God working in mysterious ways, and both involve our man Elisha. Listen on to find out what happens.

This week we tell one of the saddest and most horrific stories in the Bible. It reveals the depths of depravity that humanity can fall too, while also revealing the miracle-working God that Elisha serves. I want to warn parents and younger listeners that this week's episode contains material that might be too scary and emotional for younger children and some adults. So please read the end of chapter six in Second Kings first before proceeding.

Have you ever asked the Lord for help over something that you feel is too trivial a concern for the God of the whole universe? Well, in this week's story, we hear a cry for help that seems pretty mundane: I lost my friend's ax. But how God responds, through His servant Elisha, is an encouraging story to make all our requests known to God. And then we end with one of the best demonstrations of the supernatural world written in the Bible. So this week, we go from the commonplace to the sublime, and along the way, we also learn a little more about the wonderful God we serve.

Elisha was the man, the new prophet of Israel. And God has been using him and working miracle after miracle through Elisha's ministry. Alongside him, this whole time, was his servant Gehazi. He was there when they met the Shumannite widow; he was there when God raised her son back to life. But along the way, there have been some troubling signs that Gehazi is not all that he pretends to be. And with this week's story, Gehazi's true colors are revealed. Listen on to find out and be reminded of the tragic consequences of serving the Lord out of improper motives.

Elisha is establishing himself as the prophet who now speaks for Yahweh. With miracle after miracle, Elisha proves that God is working through him, and the writer of 2 Kings wants his readers to see that as well. This week we see Elisha used by God to perform a miracle without even meeting or touching the healed person. It is the story of Naaman, and if you have ever faced suffering and wondered how to make sense of it all? Well, this week's episode is an important one for you to hear. It is a story of healing, faith, and, most importantly, seeing how great God is.

The work of Elisha, and the miracles he performs, continue to amaze and reaffirm that Elisha truly is God's man. He is enjoying time alone on Mount Carmel, worshiping God, and studying. But his peace is interrupted by the arrival of a woman and her desperate plea. What is so terrible that it would make her travel 4 - 5 hours to find Elisha? And how does Elisha help a widow and her children who are facing tragedy and abandonment? Listen on to find out.

A three King alliance comes to Elisha for help. They are dying from thirst in the desert as they march towards a battle with the Moabite King Mesha. If they don't get water to their troops, many of their fighting men will perish right there in the desert, and they will certainly lose the battle. They have come to Elisha to find out whether their current calamity is the will of the Lord and if Yahweh's desire is for them to fail in their mission. Elisha knows the answer and the wonderful way God will provide. Do you want to know as well? Listen to this week's episode to find out.

This week I am sharing a sermon I gave yesterday at Bennington Bible church in Bennington, KS. I have just finished a week of camp at East Iowa Bible Camp and a weekend speaking at Bennington Bible Church. So, needless to say, I am exhausted and have run out of time to produce a new episode for this week. What I am sharing this week is a sermon I gave at Bennington Bible on the life of King Asa and what we can learn from his life to serve Jesus better today. I hope this sermon gives you a glimpse of what a typical sermon using a narrative approach sounds like, and I hope and pray it is a blessing for you this week.

Elisha just saw his mentor taken up to heaven in a whirlwind with a fiery chariot trailing right behind. Elijah did leave one thing behind: his cloak, his mantle, the sign that Elisha is now the new Prophet of Israel. The spirit of God now rests on Elisha. But how is Elisha going to prove it? Will God work through Elisha as He did with Elijah? Listen to this week's podcast to discover how God demonstrates to a watching world that Elisha is now His man.

This is it. This is Elijah's final day on earth before he gets to be with Yahweh forever. And this is also the day Elisha takes the mantle of head prophet, and the spirit of God will now rest on him. This is a big day for both of them and a wonderful story to tell. Listen on to find out what happens. To follow along, turn to 2 Kings, chapters 1 and 2.

King Jehoshaphat was Asa's son and became King of Southern Israel after the death of his father. Jehoshaphat was a good King and walked in the ways of the Lord and kept covenant with Yahweh. Here is a part of his story from 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Hopefully, it will be a reminder not to be afraid but instead to trust in the Lord.

My wife Peggy and I just got back from speaking and ministering at Stoney Point Camp. As part of our ministry there I gave a devotional every morning during counselor in training (CIT) week. This weeks podcast is a recording from one of those devotionals. Part narrative, part traditional sermon, I hope it gives you a better sense of my heart for camp ministry and also a better understanding of how you can live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

This week is a live recording of chapel from Stoney Point camp. The recording may be a little rough but I hope you catch a sense of the excitement and energy found in an average chapel at camp. There is no beginning jingle or music, instead you are dropped straight into chapel. This week we are going through the life of Asa.