Bread of Life Fellowship

The Power of Corporate Prayer

Post Tenebras Lux

"Post tenebras lux" is a Latin phrase that translates, "after darkness, light," meaning that even after a period of darkness, there will eventually be light. The phrase became a motto for the Protestant Reformation, symbolizing returning to the "light" of biblical truth after a period of religious darkness. Much of the book of 1 Samuel volleys between darkness and light – between narrating events in Saul's life and parallel events in the life of David. The contrast between the two is as stark as...

Refiner’s Fire

God Making All Things New

Saul: Into Darkness

The author of 1 Samuel breaks off the narrative about David to tell us something of greater importance. He does this to place David's predicament right beside Saul's dilemma to show us that as difficult as David's situation was, Saul's was far worse. King Saul was abandoned by God. In verse 15, Saul utters what are among the most miserable words in all of Scripture when he tells the ghost of Samuel, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from...

Membership Testimonies 2024

Testimonies for new members received at Bread of Life

Fighting for Faith in a Faithless Land

Saul: Regret or Repentance?

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, the apostle writes: For godly sorrow produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world brings about death. Evaluating the veracity of repentance can be difficult, but most everyone would agree that a distinction must be made between the person who is truly repentant and the one who only regrets the consequences of their actions. Identifying the marks of true repentance is very practical in our lives and in our church. Is your friend, f...

Baptisms 2024

November 17, 2024 - Five Baptisms and testimonies

A New Creation in Christ

Decisions Have Consequences

Discerning Women

Chapter 25 is enveloped by two significant events. In the chapter's first verse, the death of the prophet Samuel marks the end of an era. In the chapter's last verse, the only remaining link between David and Saul, Michal, Saul's daughter and David's wife, is taken away from David as Saul marries her to another man. These two incidents extinguish any hope of reconciling the two kings. Chapters 24 and 26 narrate parallel stories where David refrains from taking the life of Saul on two occasions w...

The End of Sin and Death

The Millennium

More has been written about the first ten verses of chapter 20 of the book of Revelation than any other text in the book. To be sure, as with any Bible passage, these verses are significant; however, they should not be elevated above the essential repeated themes emphasized in the book – namely, the return of Christ, the final judgment of all wickedness, and the beauty and splendor of eternity. In the chapters leading up to chapter 20 of Revelation, we see the demise of the false prophet and the...

Faithful Marriages

Stand Firm: Preparations for Battle

Men's Conference 2024 Pastors Joe Babij and Steve Sherman teach men to stand firm in the spiritual war or temptation that is being waged against them.

Stand Firm: The Use of the Armor in Battle

Men's Conference 2024 Pastors Joe Babij and Steve Sherman teach men to stand firm in the spiritual war or temptation that is being waged against them.

Cat and Mouse

David and Saul are engaged in a life and death version of a "cat and mouse game," a metaphorical expression describing circumstances where one is constantly trying to evade or outmaneuver another. In verse 14 we have what could be the title of the entire section - Saul sought [David] every day, but God did not give him into his hand. Whatever Saul and David do in their life and death chase, the results are safely rooted in the divine plan – David will remain safe, for he is God's choice for king...

Justified By Grace Through Faith in Christ Alone

Jesus Visits Zacchaeus

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

The title of Psalm 52 tells us that it was written by David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, 'David has come to the house of Ahimelech.' This is a reference to 1 Samuel 22:6-23, where Saul slaughtered the Israelite priests at Nob by the hand of Doeg the Edomite. This ugly and tragic event prompted David to pen the Psalm. In Psalm 52 David indicates the kind of man Doeg is. In a word, he is bad. Doeg's most destructive weapon was his deceitful tongue. He loves evil more than good, lyi...

The Conquering King of Kings

The Outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah

In God I Trust

The title of the 56th Psalm was written by David, "when the Philistines seized him in Gath," a reference to David's flight from Gath (1 Samuel 21:10-15), when he hastily sought refuge in enemy territory while running away from King Saul. Fearing Gath's king Achish, David feigned insanity to escape. Desperation and suffering became the impetus for David to write songs. In addition to Psalm 56, he also composed Psalm 34 under the duress of this same incident. Psalm 56 is divided into two main sect...

Heaven and Earth Rejoice

Fugitive King

The words of chapter 21 verse 10 – and David rose and fled that day from Saul – summarize the action of the next few chapters of the narrative. The "cat and mouse" story of King Saul's wild pursuit of God's choice for king occupies the narrative until the final chapter which relates the death of Saul. Chapter 21 reports David's safe passage from Nob to Gath (yes, the very same Gath that is the home of the Philistine champion Goliath!). David feels safer within the border of his enemy than he doe...

The Call to Live as Fishers of Men

Warning to the Faithless

Judgment of This World’s System

Christ Our Intercessor