1 Samuel 26:12

From the beginning, God intended for us to be in His presence. The Garden of Eden exemplified perfect communion until sin disrupted it. Throughout history, God has restored communion, from leading the Israelites to establishing His presence in the tabernacle and temple, culminating in Jesus’ arrival and sacrifice. Now, the Holy Spirit resides in every believer, making us God's temple.

Are you someone who feels strongly about crimes against innocent people? How do you feel when a perpetrator gets away with it? Is there a place for mercy in the context of justice? I hope that this Plan will give you a new understanding of showing godly mercy in the fallen world around us.

In the beginning was the Word … but what came next? This plan is for anyone who wants a better understanding of the Bible. It provides a chronological reading program that endeavors to place all biblical passages in their date order. Part Four of this twelve-part one-year reading plan is titled 'Establishing the Kingdom, 1155 BC–1020 BC'.

1 Samuel charts the rise and fall of several of Israel’s leaders. You’ll meet the notoriously arrogant king Saul and see the ascent of the man after God’s own heart – David. You’ll read of dangerous battles, murder plots, giants and even more surprises in this book.  You’ll see that despite turbulence in leadership, seemingly strong enemies and spiritual decay God is very much at work orchestrating the fall of the proud and the rise of the humble. What an encouragement for us today when we are faced with challenges not too dissimilar to these!