James Bond films follow a certain formula: near-death experiences, explosions, chases, pretty girls, almost comical villains, flash cars, high tech gadgets, all-action pre-title opening scene, and the theme song with the opening credits. If you watch the title sequence closely and listen to the lyrics of the theme tune you can get an idea of the characters, themes, and direction

This whole chapter sets before us God's way of working. His plan is to bless His needy and rebellious people with a King who would bring peace, blessing, and prosperity. The whole story has a very ordinary beginning. God works to send his king through the domestic problems of an insignificant family. A childless woman (Hannah) gives birth to a

The LORD remembered Hannah (v19). That doesn't mean He'd forgotten her. It's the writer's way of saying he acted positively towards her. She bears a son. He gives her a son. After he is weaned (around the age of 3 or 4, as fresh water was a scarcer commodity) Hannah fulfils her vow and takes him up to the Tabernacle

On the surface, these verses are a bit strange. Hannah leaves the doorposts of the Temple no longer sad. She seems to have received some sort of assurance. Why? Because God's priest has spoken to her (v17).It was Eli's job as God's High Priest to bring the people before God and to pray for them to God. He stood as

At one of the annual feasts, after Peninnah's been poking Hannah's wound repeatedly, it gets too much for Hannah. She can't take it anymore. Her soul is bitter, she's in pain and agony and her heart is breaking. As she sobs uncontrollably she pours out her heart to God (v11). She makes a vow: "If you will look upon me,

1 Samuel picks up almost where Ruth left off - focusing on one particular family in Israel, and the problem of childlessness. A man, Elkanah, has 2 wives. One, Peninnah, has children, One, Hannah, does not. It is possible that Hannah was his first wife, and when she didn't bear children he took a second wife. In the Old Testament,

We are now going to be looking at the book of 1 Samuel with notes written by Rev. Joel Loughridge. If the news is anything to go by, the identity of our leaders is important. Blessing or prosperity, trouble or trial - hinging on this question: who will rule?It was ever thus. This is one of the key issues in 1

Jesus leaves His disciples in the very act of blessing them. Jesus has come to earth to bless and not to curse, and blessing He goes. He comes in love and not in anger, and in love He goes away. He comes not as judge, but as a compassionate Friend, and as a Friend He returns to

Jesus shows His disciples the full meaning of many passages in the Old Testament that they have just not understood. Above all, He shows them the true interpretation of many prophesies about the Messiah. We all need a better understanding of God’s Word. Pride and sin cloud our understanding when we read the Bible. We see

Jesus comes to eleven disciples who three days before have shamefully deserted their Master. They have broken their promises. They have forgotten how ready they claimed to be to die for their faith. They have scattered and left Him to die alone. One of them has even denied Him three times. All of them have