The Villanueva teens joined the Pathfinder Club. The club scheduled an outing to Mount Kitanglad, hoping to earn their mountain-climbing honor. James Villanueva, 16, eagerly started the six-hour trek up the mountain with his sisters and 12 other Pathfinders. Soon he found himself ahead of the rest and decided to wait. He stepped onto a … Continue reading –>
The Philippines – by Nathalie Villanueva The Villanueva family were devoted to one another and their church. Napoleon, the father, often worked far from home. After a while, a pattern of late-night socializing with co-workers began. He began spending more of his paycheck and sending less money home. Lolita, his wife, grew concerned by the … Continue reading –>
Centuries after Naaman returned to his Syrian home, healed in body and converted in spirit, his wonderful faith was referred to and commended by the Saviour as an object lesson for all who claim to serve God. Many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet, the Saviour declared; and none of … Continue reading –>
Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant (2 Kings 5:15 NIV). In what way do these words help reveal the experience of salvation? See Rev. 14:12; 1 John 5:2-3; Rom. 6:1. It would have been easy for Naaman to return … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Kings 5:11-14. What does this account teach us about Naaman and some of the lessons he had to learn? What can we take from this for ourselves as well? Had the prophet Elisha personally met his prominent guest Naaman and employed exorcising gestures accompanied by magic formulas and other rituals so common in … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : God doesn’t always use the faithful and dedicated church members to witness for Him. He has used proud and boastful men and cross-cultural witnessing as well in presenting the plan of salvation. [Lesson plan for The Unlikely Missionary July 13, 2015] 1. Have a volunteer read 2 Kings 5:1-7. a. Ask class … Continue reading –>
The ministry of the prophet Elisha in the ninth century B.C. comes to us in a series of 18 episodes, extending over more than fifty years. His ministry was conducted mostly as the head of the school of the prophets and was largely public. It included displays of signs and wonders at both the personal … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Kings 5:1-7. What is going on here? Why would the Syrians even have listened to what a captive slave girl had to say? What might be the hidden implications of what transpired? The Bible gives us no real details of how this young girl acted in the home, but it’s clear that there … Continue reading –>
Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy (2 Kings 5:1 NIV). This verse contains no fewer than … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Kings 5; Mark 1:40-45; 2 Kings 2:1-15; John 15:5; Rom. 6:4-11; Rom. 6:1. Memory Text: And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed-only Naaman the Syrian (Luke 4:27 NIV). The books of Kings, covering the … Continue reading –>
