Crosswalk Church Crosswalk Church is a Seventh-day Adventist, Jesus-centered community growing and learning together. https://crosswalkvillage.com Mon, 18 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 Mon, 18 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Broken Kingdoms: WK 3 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/20/broken-kingdoms-wk-3-group-guide Sat, 20 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/20/broken-kingdoms-wk-3-group-guide
INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Is there a lesson, a task, a recipe, that no matter how many times you’ve learned it, you have to keep relearning? If so, share with the group. If you can’t think of one, is there a time when a close relationship to you was divided by something innocent (fans of different sports teams, or musical arts, or an opinion)?

SCRIPTURE READING
Read together:  I Kings 16:29-33, 17:1, 18:1, 16-21, 36-39, I Kings 21:1-16, 22: 4-9

Ahab tried his whole life to live under the rule of two masters. Be on the lookout for which one he seemed to serve the most, and what happened in his life as a result.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. Share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts you received just from listening to the text, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
  2. Why do you think a leader like Ahab was so quick to ignore the Law of your God and people, in order to prostitute yourself and serve other gods, and unite with other people who serve other gods?
  3. Why do you think the “anger of the Lord” was provoked with Ahab’s actions? What is the “anger of the Lord”?
  4. Elijah couldn’t have been popular, since he prophesied a drought that would negatively impact each person in Israel. How do you think Elijah navigated this time and stayed serving the Lord?
  5. What do you think Ahab thought was going to happen on Mount Carmel?
  6. Reading verse 37 of chapter 18, what was God’s intent for going through this whole event on Mount Carmel?

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. In our world today, what other things do we tend to put our time and trust in rather than God?
  2. Throughout Scripture, God seems to have to teach the people the same lessons over and over again. He does so for us today as well. Can you think of some ways that we can help each other remember the hard lessons in order to live the life that God came to give us?
  3. I once read in a commentary that Jesus had different reflexes than we do. Our reflexes, as humans, are often to retaliate when we’ve been wronged - eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, kind of thing. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. How do we seek to exchange our reflexes for his?
  4. Do you have people in your life that you keep close, but who disagree with you on some things? Does that relationship help you or hurt you? If it helps, how do you keep them close if you have those differences?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Spiritual Practice: Exchanging your heart of stone, for His heart for others
  • Over the next seven days, listen to the closing scenes of Jesus’ life leading up to the cross via an audio version of the Bible. Those references include: Matthew 26:47-27:56, Mark 14:43-15:41, Luke 22:47-23:49, John 18:1-19:37
  • Listen and watch for how Jesus responds to hatred and anger, violence and chaos
  • Write down his responses.
  • Ask God to take your heart of stone, and replace it with Jesus heart for others

Invite the group to check in next week about their experience.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. What is one area in your life right now that you wish to be more like Jesus?

CLOSING PRAYER (Leader or Participant Reads)
Abba, Father,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Give me a hear to love like you love,
Serve like you serve,
and help me make you my One and Only…
Today, tomorrow, and all my days
In the precious name of my Savior and King, Jesus,
Amen.

Pastor Paddy McCoy

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

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Jun 29, 2026
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Jun 19, 2026
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Jun 18, 2026
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Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
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Jun 8, 2026
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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
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Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/20/broken-kingdoms-wk-3-group-guide#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK3 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/19/broken-kingdoms-wk3-fri Fri, 19 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/19/broken-kingdoms-wk3-fri
A kingdom stuck in a vacuum - 1 Kings 22:4-9
4 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”5 Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”

6 So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?”

They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.”

8 The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”

9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

Another fascinating story with lots we could talk about, but the focus for our time today will be spent on the wisdom of surrounding yourself with people who see things differently than you do; people you admire, and people not afraid to say something that challenges your opinions or beliefs.

As I Kings 22 starts, we learn that there had been some peace in Israel, especially concerning the kingdom of Aram. However, they soon discover a town that once belonged to Judah, that was still inhabited by the people of Aram even though they had been defeated.

Ahab wants to take it back, reaches out to Jehosaphat, King of Judah, for help. Jehosaphat had shown himself to be a king who at least sought God’s counsel before acting, and he expresses that same characteristic here. He wants to make sure that taking back this town of Ramoth-gilead is the right thing to do.

In response to Jehosaphat’s request, Ahab summons his “court appointed” prophets, to get their wisdom. The problem with court appointed prophets is that they are notorious for simply agreeing with what the king wants to do anyway. They cared more about the king’s opinion of them, and his ability to take care of them, than they did being loyal to Yahweh and sending a message from Yahweh even if it wasn’t popular.

As expected, these court appointed prophets agree with their king, but Jehosaphat see’s through the charade. He says, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question?”

We’re told there is one, Micaiah, but the king hates him because he “never prophesies anything but trouble for me!” And that’s how Jehosaphat knows Micaiah works for Yahweh and not the king. It’s not that Yahweh is going to go against you all the time, it’s that Yahweh is going to speak truth because that’s who Yahweh is, and He’ll do so even if it’s not what you most want to hear. Why? Because he cares more about the person you are becoming, than the comfort you enjoy.

A mentor friend of mine once said, “Truth isn’t fragile.” The context is, truth doesn’t have to be defended or else it collapses. Truth is true whether I defend it or not. I mention that here because it’s important to be humble enough to listen to those who have a different opinion, or ideology, or even set of beliefs than you. We grow most when we are challenged, and certainly, growing hurts, it’s uncomfortable, even painful at times (I speak from experience, I grew 6 inches in 6 months in high school and believe me, it hurt).  But growth is for our own good, and a variety of voices and opinions can make us stronger when we are willing to surrender and submit to he who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Ahab wanted simply to surround himself with people who looked like him, talked like him, thought like him, and encouraged him, whether he was right or wrong. His approach to life got him killed.

Jesus once told us, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10) Sometimes, to get that rich and satisfying life, we have to learn some hard lessons, we have to be challenged, held accountable, but we also have to trust that God has only our best in mind.  I pray we could trust him in our journey, more than we trust ourselves or those that only agree with us all the time.

  1. When was the last time someone, or something (a position, a book, an idea) challenged your previous understanding or way of thinking? What happened as a result of that challenge?
  2. Who are the people you surround yourself with that you trust, even if they see things differently than you?

Lovewell,
Pastor Paddy McCoy

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/19/broken-kingdoms-wk3-fri#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK3 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/18/broken-kingdoms-wk3-thu Thu, 18 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/18/broken-kingdoms-wk3-thu
A Kingdom of Blood - 1 Kings 21:1-16
1 Now there was a man named Naboth, from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2 One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”

3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.”
4 So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth’s answer. The king went to bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat!

5 “What’s the matter?” his wife Jezebel asked him. “What’s made you so upset that you’re not eating?”

6 “I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused!” Ahab told her.

7 “Are you the king of Israel or not?” Jezebel demanded. “Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!”

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived. 9 In her letters she commanded: “Call the citizens together for a time of fasting, and give Naboth a place of honor. 10 And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”

11 So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters. 12 They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people. 13 Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him. And they accused Naboth before all the people, saying, “He cursed God and the king.” So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. 14 The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

15 When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, “You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell you? Well, you can have it now! He’s dead!” 16 So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it.

What a story, right? Here you have a king throwing a temper tantrum when he doesn’t get his way, and a queen, willing to lie, cheat, and kill, in order to make her husband happy. I guess we can see in this story why Ahab and Jezebel were drawn to each other; birds of a feather…

Jezebel has shown her colors before in the narrative. When Yahweh used Elijah to show them all who the real God is, Jezebel wand Ahab were humiliated. Jezebel wanted revenge on Elijah, for he not only caused them shame, he also had the prophets of Baal and Ashera killed. After she heard what happened, she sent this message to Elijah, 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” (I Kings 19:2)

What a contrast between the kingdom of Ahab and Jezebel, and the kingdom of God. Where Ahab and Jezebel lie, steal, and kill to get their way, Jesus becomes a servant, turns the other cheek, and even loves the outcasts and the lowliest of society. Where violence and anger leads the kingdoms of man, love and sacrifice are the calling cards of the kingdom of God.

Did you know that for the first 300 years of the Jesus movement, his followers were largely pacifist (anti-violent)? It wasn’t until Constantine made Christianity legal in 313 AD, then Emperor Theudas made Christianity the official religion of the state in 380 AD, that Christianity began “waging war” in the name of God.

Yesterday was Juneteenth, the day we recognize the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. In honor of that day, and with one of my favorite and impactful quotes, I want to share how a 20th century Civil Rights leader explained what it looks like to live in the kingdom of God and fight the evil in our world.  In a sermon he gave at his church in 1957, King said, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

The lines are pretty clear between the kingdoms of man and the kingdom of God. One kingdom leads to more hate and more violence and more power-grabbing, whereas the other leads to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Which kingdom will you live in?

  1. Do you think followers of Jesus are ever justified in causing violence? Why or why not?
  2. Because everything incarnates, what do you feel you are giving your allegiances to in your life right now, and what kind of fruit is it producing in you?

Lovewell,
Pastor Paddy McCoy

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/18/broken-kingdoms-wk3-thu#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK3 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/17/broken-kingdoms-wk3-wed Wed, 17 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/17/broken-kingdoms-wk3-wed
King of all kings - 1 Kings 18:1, 16-21, 36-39
18:1 Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!” 2 So Elijah went to appear before Ahab.

16 So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”

18 “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.19 Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.”

20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.

36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.

38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

A sure fire way to know you need more humility in your life is whether or not someone else is always to blame for the hardships you face.  If that’s the case, you may need to clean your mirror.

During the third year of the drought in Israel, while King Ahab and his wife continued to lead the people in prayers to Baal, and his mistress Asherah, for rain, God sends Elijah with good news; rain is on its way.

But Elijah knows that the last three years hasn’t change the heart of the king and queen at all. He continues to have his allegiances divided, giving more voice to God’s enemies, than God. God could have simply sent the rain, but he knows Ahab and Jezebel would likely have seen it as Baal finally answering their prayers.  Something beyond obvious was needed.

So a showdown that would make the producers of World-Wide Wrestling jealous, was coming, and from all appearances, it was a very lopsided showdown. 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, against one, lonely, prophet of Yahweh.

I encourage you to read the whole chapter of I Kings 18. As you do, you’ll see how the story goes. No matter how much the prophets of Baal and Asherah yell and scream and seek to appease their god, nothing happens.  Elijah even taunts them a bit, but then tells them it is time to stop wavering back and forth between Yahweh, and other gods. Either Yahweh is, or isn’t, God. They must decide.

The people’s response fascinates me. We’re told, “the people were completely silent.” Why silent? Did they know something was wrong but they were afraid to go against the king and queen? Were they too exhausted from trying everything they could think of to fix their problems, to bring rain, to put food back on their tables? Why were they silent?

Then Elijah steps up to the plate (yes, it’s baseball season and yes, I will sneak in baseball metaphors as much as I can).  And just to make sure the people know he has no tricks up his sleeve, he makes an impossible situation even more impossible. Ahh, but we serve the God of the impossible. Elijah prays to Yahweh, and Yahweh delivers in dramatic fashion, exposing Baal and Asherah as frauds, and showing beyond any shadow of any doubt that He alone is God.

I wish I could report that after this incident, everyone went back to worshipping Yahweh alone as the one true God, but nope. The people continue to struggle, Israel continues to have one bad king after another, and God’s heart continues to ache as His people continue to suffer.

There are times when I read through the Old Testament and I struggle. Why couldn’t the people learn? Why did they keep making the same mistakes? Couldn’t they see that it was their choices that kept leading them to one bad circumstance after another? Then I realize, they are me. How many times do I have to learn that God is God and I am now? How many bad and harmful choices do I have to make before I repent? How many? I don’t know about you, but I’m so tired of having to relearn the same lessons.

Thankfully, we serve a God of grace. A God who puts out this beautiful invite to us each and every day…

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

I have stolen a line from Eugene Peterson’s version of this verse, from The Message, and made it into a daily prayer. “Lord, help me learn to live freely and lightly in your unforced rhythms of grace.”

  1. What burdens are you carrying right now that you need to let go of?
  2. Is there an area of your life that you need to fully surrender to God right now? If so, what is it and what can you practice that may help you let God be God in that area of your life?

Lovewell,
Pastor Paddy McCoy

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/17/broken-kingdoms-wk3-wed#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK3 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/16/broken-kingdoms-wk3-tue Tue, 16 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/16/broken-kingdoms-wk3-tue
Two many kings - 1 Kings 17:1
1 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “there are too many cooks in the kitchen.” Well I lived it one holiday, a few years back.

Though everyone in that kitchen had good intentions, everyone also had a different way of doing things and no one could agree on anything. It started off with a sarcastic comment here and there, then a verbal jab under the breath, then before the men in the room really knew what was going on, the voices of the cooks in the kitchen became so high and so loud that dogs in neighboring towns began barking.

Today’s one verse sets us up for a coming showdown. We mentioned yesterday that King Ahab had divided allegiances, seemingly giving more attention to Baal and other foreign gods, than to Yahweh. Well now, God sends a prophet to remind Israel who really is God, and who is not; who has the power and is the maker of all things, including man, and who is made up by man and therefore not only powerless, but imaginary.

Baal was believed to be the god who controlled the rain and agriculture, and since this was an agrarian society, Baal ultimately controlled life. So for Elijah to show up and say that Yahweh was going to stop the rain for a few years, was a challenge to see who really had the power. Who was the only real cook in the kitchen, to complete that metaphor.

This challenge seems to take us back to the plagues in Egypt when the Israelites were enslaved there. Every plague was a challenge to one of the Egyptian gods. If those gods were real, and powerful, as the Egyptians claimed, then surely they could stop the God of the Israelites from sending those plagues.  We know how that story turned out, and tomorrow we’ll see what happened in this one.

For today, it does cause me to wonder why we need to be continually reminded about who is the real King in our lives?  Why do we forget so easily? I don’t know about you, but every time I think I’m in charge, that the outcome of my life is solely up to me, every time, something goes horribly wrong. Turns out, I was never meant to be in charge, but to simply surrender my life to the lifegiver, even when that’s really hard to do.

Solomon once wrote, after years of experience doing the wrong thing, 5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Notice he doesn’t say your paths will become easy, just straight.

Oh that we wouldn’t have to keep relearning that God is God, and we are not, but until that day comes, I invite you to keep verses like this Proverb close to your heart.  Maybe we learn the lesson once and for all…some day.

  1. What lessons in this life, spiritual and otherwise, do you seem to have to keep learning?
  2. Are there verses and other words of wisdom and insight that help remind you or keep you grounded?
  3. What area(s) in your life today do you need to hand over to God, and recognize that God is God, and you are not?

Lovewell,
Pastor Paddy McCoy

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/16/broken-kingdoms-wk3-tue#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK3 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/15/broken-kingdoms-wk3-mon Mon, 15 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/15/broken-kingdoms-wk3-mon
A divided kingdom - 1 Kings 16:29-33
29 Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. 31 And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. 32 First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.

After King Solomon, in the year 922 B.C., the kingdom of Israel divided into two separate kingdoms. In the north, was Israel, and in the south, was Judah. They were all Israelites, descended from Abraham, but they were a divided family. What drove this divide?

Well, as often the case, there isn’t one easy answer. Solomon had become a harsh king, especially to the tribes in the north, taxing them exorbitantly, among other things, to expand his kingdom and build large structures.  When Solomon died, the hope was that his son, Rehoboam, would be kinder and alleviate the heavy burdens imposed by his father.

It’s a fascinating read in I Kings 12, because when the northern tribes ask for reprieve, Rehoboam actually takes time to consider their request. He even calls together some of the elders to give him wisdom. The elders suggest that Rehoboam lead as a servant king, which they believe will win the loyalty of the northern tribe for years to come. But Rehoboam doesn’t like that idea. His dad was top dog, now he is top dog, and he doesn’t want to start off his reign by showing weakness.

So he refuses to listen to the elders, and instead, invites in a crowd of his peers, people he grew up with, to give their “sage” advice. Surprise, surprise, they agree with Rehoboam and out of their conversation, the following message is sent back to the northern tribes:

14…“My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” 1 Kings 12:14

Sounds fun doesn’t it? So the northern tribes revolt (aka Civil War), and the kingdoms divide.  And though Judah would have some kings who did good in the eyes of the Lord, Israel did not. King after king did all the things God warned Israel would happen if they chose a king to lead over Him. And Ahab, well, he was the worst of the worst.  He not only chose to worship Baal, he joined in marriage with Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal, a former priest of a foreign god and whose name literally means “with Baal” or “man of Baal.”

So not only was Israel divided into two kingdoms, but Ahab led the northern kingdom to divide even further and dilute it’s loyalties between Yahweh and Baal.

In Jesus’ inaugural sermon, he said, 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” (Matthew 6:24)

In context it may seem like Jesus is simply referring to serving God or money, but the larger issue is, who or what do you value most in this life? Is it money and wealth, power, accolades, knowledge, superiority, popularity? Or is your number one in this life God, and your walk with Him? One side of that coin often keeps you in darkness, as Jesus said just prior to verse 24, and the other side leads to light, but you can’t have one foot in both kingdoms.

Unlike Rehoboam, or Ahab, the example of Jesus was to come as a servant king. ”For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28). This is why “exemplifying servant leadership” is one of our five end statements at Crosswalk, because we don’t want to be divided, we want to serve ONE king, Jesus, the one who served us first.

  1. Is there any part of your heart right now that feels divided, like you’re trying to serve two master? If so, name them.
  2. In what ways are you, or can you, seek to follow the example of Jesus in your life this week (at home, at work, within your church); the example to be a servant leader?

Lovewell,
Pastor Paddy McCoy

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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/15/broken-kingdoms-wk3-mon#comments 1 Broken Kingdoms: WK 2 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/13/broken-kingdoms-wk-2-group-guide Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/13/broken-kingdoms-wk-2-group-guide
INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  If you had just moments left to live, what is a piece or two of wisdom that you would want to make sure were passed down to those you care about? Something you’ve learned in your journey that you wish you knew earlier, or that someone had told you?

SCRIPTURE READING
Read together:  Matthew 19:23-30, I Kings 3:5-27, Deuteronomy 17:14-17, Ecclesiastes 1:12-14, 9:7-10, 12:8, 13

Solomon’s journey has much to teach us about worldly wisdom, vs spiritual wisdom, and about what matters most. As you read more about his journey, look at the missing pieces that would have been made complete by partnering with Jesus.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. Share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts you received just from listening to the text, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
  2. In Matthew 19, was Jesus saying that being rich is bad? If not, explain your answer.
  3. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus was saying that salvation is impossible for humans. If true, then how are we saved? What’s our job?
  4. If God came to you and asked “what do you want?” what do you think you’d say? Why do you think Solomon chose wisdom?
  5. How would you define wisdom?
  6. Knowing that Solomon struggled to follow God throughout his life, but that he was also listed as one of the wisest men to ever live, how would you classify the kind of wisdom he received?
  7. Solomon tried everything under the sun to find happiness and contentment, then, at the end of his life, he said only God matters. What was it about his journey, you think, that led him to that conclusion and how does it tie into the word “Meaningless”?

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. Envy and greed are so often at the heart of our hunger for power, and they are so easy to slip into, even when you have good intentions. How can you and I, as a community, help each other keep Jesus the main thing, instead of ourselves?
  2. When you read through the story of Solomon, what characteristics of Jesus did Solomon need to be a better leader for God?
  3. In the series guide, we talk about how Christians tend to use swords to cut down, shame, and push people away, whereas God tends to use the sword for discernment, to cut to the heart, spiritually. How do we keep focused on the latter, without giving in to the former?
  4. If everything, as Solomon wrote time and time again in Ecclesiastes, is meaningless (work, wealth…everything), then what’s the point of this life? How should we live it? Should we enjoy it? If so, how?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Spiritual Practice: What are you praying for?
  • Spend some time in quiet reflection, asking God to reveal to you something in your spiritual life that is lacking right now.
  • Once he reveals that to you, ask him again if that is the thing you are most lacking at the moment.
  • Then, over the next seven days, ask God to reveal to you ways in which you may seek to nurture that thing in your spiritual life. Maybe it’s more alone time with God, or quiet time without speaking a word, or worship, or repentance, or serving, etc…
  • Choose two of those “ways” to practice over the next two months, making a journal entry of what it felt like before you started, versus what it feels like or the differences you’ve seen in your life after two months of practice.

Invite the group to check in next week about what they discovered.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. The kingdom of God is so unlike the kingdoms of man. For one, instead of violence and power grabbing, God’s kingdom is driven by love. Read I Corinthians 13 and notice one aspect of the description of love that you need more of in your life.
  2. Who are the people in your life that help you stay grounded in God’s kingdom, over the kingdoms of man? How often do you connect?

WORDS OF WISDOM to Memorize
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Pastor Paddy McCoy

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/13/broken-kingdoms-wk-2-group-guide#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK2 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/12/broken-kingdoms-wk2-fri Fri, 12 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/12/broken-kingdoms-wk2-fri
Temporary Kingdoms - Ecclesiastes 1:12-14
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 12:8, 13
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.

Okay… this may sound morbid, but let’s talk about death. Have you noticed how the knowledge of one’s impending death changes things?

Recently, I spent time with a young couple in the hospital as the 37-year-old wife received treatment for a brain tumor. Hope gave way to resignation as treatment plans, surgeries, and solutions ran their course. Finally, consultations gave way to the simplicity of hospice. The heaviness of knowing how little time remained produced an uncommon honesty. The little things that get in the way of joy and love no longer mattered. Every minute became precious. Valentine’s Day was celebrated in hospital gowns, amid pain medications and bland meals, each moment a cause for celebration. With each visit, I noticed the hugs grew more intense and our relationship deepened. It was an honor to be included in something so important.

I’ve been thinking. What if we lived like we’re all on hospice? Would we be a bit less angry in traffic? Would we find it easier to show up for our children’s ball games? Would we listen better and look one another in the eye more often? How would our priorities be reordered by understanding what Solomon came to know—that death is coming soon? Which concerns that take up the most important slots in our time and energy would be downgraded with this shift in perspective? Are there people you love who need to hear it from you? If you knew you had only one more week, how would you spend it? Who would you spend it with?

Solomon seems to want us to realize that his search for meaning has yielded one answer: all our plans, hard work, and pursuits yield only one thing—temporary satisfaction. So don’t give in to the temptation to build your personal kingdom, stockpile the materials of selfishness, or prioritize work over relationships. Take joy in good food, feel the warmth of the sunshine, and breathe the cleansing air. Swim in the ocean’s waves, tumble through snowdrifts, and stop to watch sunsets and rainbows. Celebrate relationships that are blessed with growing old.

The wisest man who ever lived couldn’t think his way around a simple truth. There is only one way out of this dirt. His name is Jesus.

  1. Make a list of 10 or more people who are important to you. When was the last time you told them about their importance? Is there someone you should tell today?
  2. Have you spent time with someone who knew they were dying soon? Who was it? What was that experience like?
  3. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you fear death? What is most frightening about it? What would you like to say to Jesus about it?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
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Jun 1, 2026
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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
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Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/12/broken-kingdoms-wk2-fri#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK2 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/11/broken-kingdoms-wk2-thu Thu, 11 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/11/broken-kingdoms-wk2-thu
Kingdoms of Accumulation - Deuteronomy 17:14-17
“You are about to enter the land the LORD your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the LORD your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the LORD has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

Many years before the people asked for a king in 1 Samuel 8, God warned the Israelites that monarchs tend to pursue selfish interests, accumulate wealth, and surround themselves with many women. Even as Moses guided the Hebrews during their desert exodus, Yahweh expressed concerns that perfectly described the time of King Solomon.

1 Kings 4 describes, “God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else…” (v.29-31). But there are different forms of wisdom, aren’t there? Clearly, Solomon had unique judicial insight and organizational cleverness. He possessed the communication skills to forge powerful alliances and negotiate trade deals. The king had the charisma, power, and credibility to command the respect and allegiance of his people. Still, something important was missing. Solomon spent his life searching for answers that eluded him.

Given familiarity with the Torah, it is surprising to consider that Solomon couldn’t see himself in the warnings God gave before crossing the Jordan River into Canaan. The book of 1 Kings describes the outlandish wealth he accumulated. Chapter 4 lists the vast resources required to feed the king’s household (4:22-23). He owned 12,000 horses (4:26) and conscripted 30,000 men to build the temple, his palace, Jerusalem’s walls, and several cities under forced labor (5:13; 9:15-28). His taxation yielded over 25 tons of gold per year, along with other wealth (10:14-15). In fact, Solomon possessed so much gold that nothing of importance in Israel was made of silver, as 1 Kings 10:21 says, “… silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day!” He speaks from personal experience when he says, “Even the king milks the land for his own profit!” (Ecclesiastes 5:9).

God counseled against the king taking “many wives.” So what does Solomon do? His story reads like someone who has turned God’s warnings into his playbook. “He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the LORD.” (1 Kings 11:3)

You probably know a scholar at the top of their field who can’t seem to navigate everyday situations. Physicians and lawyers, business leaders and investment managers are just as prone to poor relationships as anyone. It turns out that emotional, moral, and spiritual wisdom is different from running the world, amassing wealth, or gaining popularity. Though his life is described as an unmitigated success, Solomon grows increasingly despondent. All the things he originally considered worthwhile prove futile. He admits, “How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!” (Ecclesiastes 10:10).

Whether you are experiencing incredible success or struggling today, whether the sun is shining or clouds have surrounded you, remember the words of Jesus, “… what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36) and “… seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33).

  1. If you received an unexpected amount of money and all your bills and ongoing expenses were already taken care of, what would you spend it on? Why would you choose that?
  2. If you were famous, what would you want to be known for?
  3. What priorities do you worry are out of balance in your life? Who could you talk to about this? What would you like to say to Jesus about this?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/11/broken-kingdoms-wk2-thu#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK2 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/10/broken-kingdoms-wk2-wed Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/10/broken-kingdoms-wk2-wed
Kingdoms of The Sword - 1 Kings 3:16-27
Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. “Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house.

“But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”

Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.” “No,” the first woman said, “the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours.” And so they argued back and forth before the king.

Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king.

Then he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!”

Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”

Then the king said, “Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!”

Today’s story demonstrates that God has done what He promised. Solomon is wise beyond his age. However, there are two principles in this interaction that we could overlook if we rush through it.

First, notice the parties involved in this case. They are roommates with a conflict. Both are new mothers, one of whom has experienced the tragic loss of her newborn due to accidentally suffocating it in her sleep. Overcome with grief, the offending mother creates a plan, swaps the infants, and acts as if nothing happened, hoping the other mother remains unaware. However, luck is not on her side. A heated disagreement ensues and eventually comes before the king for resolution.

Did you notice the detail I left out? These women are prostitutes, not courtiers or noblewomen. They don’t come from wealth or noble lineage. They have the lowest reputations, and yet, they end up in the king’s court. It was unheard of for a sovereign to be in the company of women like these in public, let alone give them time and attention to hear their quarrel.

Take note: leaders in the Kingdom of Christ pay attention to the problems of prostitutes. They may be beneath the proper and the proud, but Jesus always makes time for the lowly, the oppressed, and the despised. He spends energy on both the guilty and the innocent. While the world around us models leadership based on favoritism, mutual back-scratching, and what you can do for me, Jesus shows us a different way. Solomon demonstrates the wisdom of our Savior by stooping to meet the needs of “the least of these.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

A second principle stands out. At the crucial moment, Solomon calls for his sword. We are left to wonder what thoughts crossed these two women’s minds. Was he about to kill them both for wasting his time with this she said, she said argument? No. Solomon had no intention of using his sword to harm or divide. He used it to discern. The threat of ending the remaining child’s life was enough to reveal the true mother.

Many Christians today use their sword (the Bible) to shame, divide, and push people away. But God’s kingdom practices the kind of discernment that heals, reaches out to the distant, and shows deep, forgiving love. I wonder how often Jesus can be heard muttering, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Be careful how you swing that thing around.”

  1. Would you rather accidentally arrive at an event overdressed or underdressed? Why?
  2. Describe a situation or occasion where you felt out of place. Why did you feel that way? What actions did you take?
  3. Which verse or verses of Scripture remind you to show mercy and kindness to others? What would you like to say to Jesus about it?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
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Jun 18, 2026
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Jun 1, 2026
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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/10/broken-kingdoms-wk2-wed#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK2 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/09/broken-kingdoms-wk2-tue Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/09/broken-kingdoms-wk2-tue
Kingdoms of Wisdom - 1 Kngs 3:5-15
… the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.

“Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”
 
Historians believe Solomon was between 15 and 20 years old when he suddenly inherited the throne. His father, David, had been a long shot to become king. Fueled by his underdog battle with Goliath, this outdoorsman spent many challenging years oscillating between fame and infamy as a fugitive on the run from the government he would eventually lead.

Solomon’s journey to the throne was much easier, less eventful, and unchallenged. Surrounded by luxury and privilege, this teenager hadn’t experienced struggle, hardship, or contempt. From the start, the prince was honored. He could have easily become arrogant and unteachable, but instead, when given a blank check to ask for anything from God, he requested a heart of discernment.

The third king of Israel’s reign begins with surprising humility for such a young man in this position. Finding wisdom always starts with recognizing you don’t have it yet. God asks, “What do you want?” Solomon responds, “I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.” How refreshing.

I vividly remember the early days of my pastoral ministry when I was trying to build credibility. I felt pressure to always have the answers, hide any doubts, and “fake it until I make it.” This attitude can silence helpful questions and block others' insights with bluster and hot air. Recognizing the need for meaningful input is essential for good leadership. Sadly, this realization sometimes comes after many years of solitary thinking and missed opportunities. It is impressive that Solomon thought to ask for insight and vision at such an early stage.

It might seem tempting to think that Solomon’s request is a waste of a wish. But, like many genie-in-a-bottle jokes, in this one wish, he gains access to the fulfillment of almost unlimited future wishes. Solomon’s story reminds us of Matthew 6:33, where Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

  1. Would you prefer to be wealthy or famous in a way that leaves a legacy for future generations? Why?
  2. Who has contributed uncommon wisdom to your life? Share an example.
  3. If you heard Jesus’ voice say, “What do you want? Ask and I will give it to you,” today, how would you respond?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
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Jun 19, 2026
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Jun 18, 2026
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Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/09/broken-kingdoms-wk2-tue#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK2 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/08/broken-kingdoms-wk2-mon Mon, 08 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/08/broken-kingdoms-wk2-mon
Kingdoms of Envy - Matthew 19:23-30
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
 
The ascent to a throne is often marked by envy and the violent removal of anyone who might have a valid claim to power. History is filled with stories of kingdoms built on the bloodshed of rivals and family members who could challenge a king’s right to rule.

The Ottoman Empire famously implemented a policy called “The Order of the World,” which legalized the brutal elimination of family members to prevent civil wars. For example, Sultan Mehmed III (1595-1603) ordered the strangulation of 19 brothers, some still infants, upon his accession to the throne. Additionally, Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) executed his own son in 1553 over fears of a potential revolt.

Sadly, God’s people are not much better when it comes to climbing the ladder to power. King David’s family suffered brutal violence as a spillover from his selfish past. His eldest son, Amnon, who rapes his sister Tamar, is then murdered by David’s third son, Absalom. Absalom will later die in battle while trying to take the throne from his father.

By the time we reach the story of Solomon, David’s fourth son, Adonijah, is positioning himself for the throne. The king has grown old enough to be replaced. But years earlier, driven by guilt over his sins against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah, David had promised the throne to Solomon, and now it’s time for the coronation. However, Adonijah has gathered various officials, priests, and generals to assert his authority and push his way to the throne, proclaiming, “I will make myself king” (1 Kings 1:5). Quick action by Bathsheba intervenes, and her son Solomon is placed on the throne.

As king, Solomon confines Adonijah to Jerusalem, preventing the threat of a rebellion. Eventually, the king learns that his brother has broken these orders and left the city to find runaway slaves. So, Solomon has Adonijah killed.

Yeah, these people are a mess. Privilege, power, and the right to elevate oneself at any cost define the kingdoms of this world. The throne exists to serve the person sitting on it, not the other way around. When they are willing to do these things to their own family, just imagine how they might treat their subjects.

Then, like nails on a chalkboard, Jesus enters our story to flip things upside down. He proclaims that His kingdom is defined by sacrifice and service, not accumulation, manipulation, or force. He declares, “In my kingdom, the first will be last, and the last will be first” (Matthew 20:16).

  1. What is an item you wish you could have? On a scale of 1-10, how strong is this desire? 
  2. Have you ever wanted something so badly that you compromised your values to get it? How did you feel about it once you achieved it?
  3. Have you ever missed out on a position or opportunity to someone who didn’t deserve it as much as you? How did that feel? How did you respond?
  4. What current situation in your life provides an opportunity to serve or sacrifice, where you might otherwise seek power and require the service of others? What would you like to say to Jesus about this?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson

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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/08/broken-kingdoms-wk2-mon#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK 1 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/06/broken-kingdoms-wk-1-group-guide Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/06/broken-kingdoms-wk-1-group-guide
INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Can you remember a time in your life when your parents, or someone, told you what would happen if you did or did not do something, but you were convinced they were wrong? This would have let me have an, “I told you so” moment. Or maybe it was something you tried to advise someone else on. Share if you remember.

SCRIPTURE READING
Read together:  1 Samuel 8:4-18, 9:1-2, 10:24, 13:5-14, 15:12-26, 18:6-5

Pay attention to Saul’s journey from chosen by the people, to self-proclaimed prophet.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. Share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts you received just from listening to the text, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
  2. Do you think Samuel was surprised at God’s response to the people’s request in verse 7? How does Samuel NOT take the people’s rejection personally?
  3. Why do you think God allows them to have a king even though he knows what will happen?
  4. Knowing that the description of what a king will do is really a list of how we, as fallen human beings, act, what are some of the characteristics of us given in I Samuel 8?
  5. By all appearances, Saul definitely fit the bill of someone who could lead. Why do you think we’re so drawn to appearances and what’s outside, instead of what’s inside?
  6. What was Saul’s sin (or rejection of God)?
  7. Do you think Samuel felt that Saul’s rejection was his fault? Explain.

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. Make a list of some of the ways you think God’s kingdom is different from man’s kingdom. How God, as a leader, is different from a human as a leader.
  2. When you read through the story of Saul, what characteristics of Jesus was Saul in need of to lead better? 
  3. We often struggle much with patience and trust in God. In our fast-paced society, we want to keep moving, instead of waiting on God and his timing. What are some ways we could help each other be more patient? What are some ways we could practice increasing our trust in God and going at his pace, instead of our own?
  4. Did God reject Saul as a person, or a leader? Is there a difference? 
  5. To let God lead, means learning to walk humbly behind him. What do you think this looks like and how do we help each other, as brothers and sisters in Christ, keep Jesus in the lead versus jumping ahead?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Spiritual Practice: Learning to Trust
  • In what ways, with what things, do you need to grow in your trust with God? Make a list of things that you worry about, things you struggle with.
  • Over the next several days, ask God to reveal any other areas in your life that you haven’t fully trusted God with (your marriage, your kids, your finances, your career…).
  • Then, commit to asking God to help you release your worries and concerns in these areas, to trust in Him more.  Commit the words from Proverbs to memory, “Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Invite the group to check in next week about their experience.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. What is one area in your life that you know you want to release control over, and let God lead?
  2. What is one thing you could pray over for your church this week, that you know needs a God-like miracle or blessing?

CLOSING PRAYER (Leader or Participant Reads)
Abba, Father,
We confess that there are areas in our lives that we struggle to let go of control.
We struggle to fully trust in you and your timing.
We repent and ask you to help us trust you more.
Help us let go.
Help us rest in you.
Who knows, maybe that which we thought was so important, will fade away, in the light of your glory and grace.
In the glorious name of King Jesus.
Amen.

Pastor Paddy McCoy

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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/06/broken-kingdoms-wk-1-group-guide#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK1 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/05/broken-kingdoms-wk1-fri Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/05/broken-kingdoms-wk1-fri
Kingdoms of Dust - 1 Samuel 18:6-15
When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.  This was their song:
 
 “Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands!”

This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.

Saul was then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul. Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.

David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him. When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.

1 Samuel 31:3, 6
The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely.

So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.

Jealousy transforms productive partnerships into destructive competition. What could be more predictable than a person in power resenting praise given to an equal or someone under their leadership?

Goliath’s body has barely hit the ground, and people are singing David’s praises. The underdog quickly becomes the hero. By rights, Saul should have faced the giant. Does this make the cheering hit harder? Is there extra spice because it’s the women singing of David’s feats? Would Saul have reacted differently if the numbers hadn’t directly compared his accomplishments to the boy wonder? In any case, a rift begins, quickly spiraling out of control. Almost immediately, Saul becomes murderous with rage. He turns an ally into a lifelong enemy.

You don’t have to be the king, top dog, or the one in charge to feel jealousy this way. It can happen at any level in the pecking order.

I grew up in a household filled with love as the middle child, with my little sister Karyl and an older brother Lowell. My father was a pastor, and we moved frequently. But life was full of joy, thanks to the constant presence of my sibling companions as best friends.

Our family moved once again as I started my sophomore year of high school, Lowell’s senior year. Through no fault of my older brother, students at our new school often called us by nicknames—“Big Fergie” for him and “Little Fergie” for me—a label I took as an insult to my skinny frame, whether it was intentional or not. Lowell was an outstanding athlete, well-built, and handsome. My small size had always made me feel inadequate and unattractive, especially when compared to him. It didn’t help that I often received his hand-me-down clothes, which didn’t fit because of the differences in our proportions.

Jealousy and borrowed hurt fueled my insecurities, causing me to react out of envy. During that school year, when fellow students called me “Little Fergie” in Lowell’s presence, I would jump in to cut them off before they could compare and call him “Big Fergie.” I would grab my spear and hurl it, blurting out that he was “Ugly Fergie.” It was absurd to suggest that he was ugly. He clearly was not. Lowell would simply chuckle, which I took to mean he wasn’t offended.

Over the years, I’ve become more aware of how easily words can hurt and influence us. While Lowell never fought back or returned insults, I am ashamed and saddened that I let jealousy cause me to lash out at him. Fortunately, his maturity prevented us from losing our relationship.

Often, rifts between allies arise from actions by those outside the core relationship. This was true with Saul, David, and the cheering crowds. As jealousy grew, javelins were thrown, plots were devised, furious anger escalated, and armies were sent into battle. So much energy was diverted from God’s calling to petty infighting that, ultimately, Israel’s first king became unremarkable. Once anointed by God, Saul was rejected for his selfishness. Instead of leaving a lasting legacy, his story ends in loss on a dusty Philistine battlefield.

  1. What nicknames have you been called? How do you feel about them? Why do you feel that way?
  2. Describe a time in your life when you reacted out of jealousy. Why did you respond that way? What was the outcome?
  3. What is happening in your life right now that tempts you to react with jealousy? How can you prevent that reaction? What would you like to say to Jesus about it?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson - Crosswalk Chattanooga

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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/05/broken-kingdoms-wk1-fri#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK1 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/04/broken-kingdoms-wk1-thu Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/04/broken-kingdoms-wk1-thu
Kingdoms of Compromise  - 1 Samuel 13:5-11
The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.  Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.

Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”

Over the course of his reign as king, Saul transformed from a fearful, self-doubting novice into an impulsive, power-hungry leader, and eventually into an arrogant, self-interested ruler. Along the way, he embraced his life of privilege and began cutting corners on what he knew was right. God’s patience eventually ran out, and Yahweh chose a replacement.

During the late 1800s, British historian Lord Acton famously stated, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Often, this corruption in a leader starts with small, seemingly insignificant compromises. However, even a moral compass that is one degree off from true north will eventually lead you thousands of miles astray.

1 Samuel 13 recounts one of the early stories of Saul’s reign. The Philistines have assembled a large army determined to defeat the Israelites. While many of his fellow Israelites fled in fear, the new king of Israel gathered a small force and waited, as instructed, for the prophet Samuel to arrive with a message from God about their next move.

Waiting is tough. Delays can be difficult for us today. It was torturous for Saul in 1 Samuel 13. The prophet had promised to arrive by the seventh day of waiting. On that day, Saul was overwhelmed with frustrated fear. In a moment of impatience, he chose to lead the religious service, seeking guidance from God without the prophet. After all, he was the king. Surely, he should be considered an appropriate substitute for the prophet. Every moment of delay means more of his countrymen slipping away in fear to hide. He had waited seven days as instructed. More specifically, he had waited most of the seventh day without the prophet showing up.

Wouldn’t you know it, at the last minute, as Saul led the sacrifices meant for the prophet, Samuel shows up. “What have you done?” he asks. Saul deflects, “I waited, and you didn’t come.” Ah, but he had come, just not on the timeline convenient to Saul. If the king had answered honestly, Saul might have said, “I got scared that the people were going to leave, and I’d be fighting the Philistines alone. I didn’t believe God would rescue us. I grew resentful that you hadn’t shown up. I panicked. I tried to rescue the situation by doing things my way. I decided to compromise.”

On that day, Saul adjusted his compass by a degree. One compromise led to another, as the King of Israel gradually steered the nation further off course. He saw these compromises as a privilege owed to his position. In doing so, God became a nuisance rather than his leader or partner. Yahweh had been removed from His throne.

  1. What types of compromises do you see people regularly making in our society or communities today?
  2. What differentiates negotiating a fair compromise with a friend or family member from making a moral compromise?
  3. What kinds of compromises have tempted you recently? How did you respond? Is there a compromise you should reconsider or “walk back"?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson - Crosswalk Chattanooga

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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/04/broken-kingdoms-wk1-thu#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK1 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/03/broken-kingdoms-wk1-wed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/03/broken-kingdoms-wk1-wed
Kingdoms of Celebrity - 1 Samuel 9:1-2; 10:24
There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the LORD has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

In his 2005 book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell introduces the concept of the “Warren Harding Error” by recounting the story of the 29th president of the United States. After providing evidence that Harding was one of the worst presidents in American history, he explores why he was elected despite data suggesting he would be a disaster.
Warren Harding looked presidential, unlike his competitors. He was tall, handsome, and commanding. Onlookers often commented on his “broad-shouldered presence,” as if it directly signaled capability and competence. While his shoulders appeared strong, he was notoriously passive in moments that called for decisiveness. Harding’s administration was filled with corruption, unchecked by his poor personal leadership. Harding himself once said, “I am not fit for this office and should never have been here.” False humility and self-deprecation? No. Most historians agree that Warren Harding was a terrible president.

You might be thinking that it’s too bad there wasn’t evidence to warn voters about this outcome. But there was plenty. Take Harding’s senatorial voting record. He wasn’t even present to vote in two-thirds of the votes held during his time in Congress, including the vote on women’s suffrage.

So, how does this happen? It's simple. We humans are captivated by shallow, superficial issues while ignoring character flaws, signs of corruption, and poor judgment. Meanwhile, just a few years after today’s passage, when God decides to replace Saul as king, He explains to His prophet, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

You might be thinking, “That kind of decision-making never happens to me.” And maybe you’re right. Maybe you’ve never confused charisma for kindness, beauty for competence, or stature for intelligence. It’s possible you’ve never given undue influence to a person of wealth, someone of fame, or a graduate of the best universities. But I doubt it. You are probably like me, and like the Israelites of old. We naturally fall prey to evaluations based on outward appearance.

Today, may God give us new eyes to evaluate the heart of things. May we value character over reputation, and substance over style.

  1. If you could spend a day with anyone from history, past or present, who would it be? Why would you choose that person?
  2. Do you believe people ever give you too much or too little credit based on your appearance or how you carry yourself? Why do you think that is?
  3. When you consider God’s way of judging a person's heart rather than their outward appearance, who comes to mind as someone you should include in your life? What makes them a good choice?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson - Crosswalk Chattanooga

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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/03/broken-kingdoms-wk1-wed#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK1 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/02/broken-kingdoms-wk1-tue Tue, 02 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/02/broken-kingdoms-wk1-tue
Rejecting the King of Kings - 1 Samuel 8:4-9
Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the LORD for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the LORD replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

I find Samuel’s reaction in these verses eerily relatable. Looking beneath the surface, we see Samuel’s frustration and displeasure at being rejected by the people in their appeal for a king. He isn’t upset because God’s leadership is set aside. The prophet is doing what I sometimes do — he’s taking more ownership of God's movement than he has the right to.

The people’s request is both a criticism and a complaint. They used to be satisfied with Samuel’s leadership, but now that he's aging and the next generation is disappointing, they are unhappy. However, what both the elders and the prophet seem to forget is that Samuel was never the main leader or the one in control — Israel has always been led by Yahweh Himself. The people are asking to replace God with a human king.

Every now and then, the words I’ve spoken echo in my mind, prompting reflection. How casually I insert “my” where “our” or “your” might be more appropriate. Slowly, subtly, I assume ownership, control, and possession. I refer to “my church” as a pastor. I will say “my ministry.” “My plan” can so easily interfere with submission to Jesus. In the end, am I tempted to stop following Jesus and start dragging Him around by my strategies?

Don’t misunderstand. It is powerful to identify with a faith community and call it mine. This is the difference between staying a visitor and becoming family. Owning our responsibilities and accepting accountability, specifically mine as a pastor, is deeply important. However, our language can signal a shift from serving Jesus to a focus on personal self-interest.

How do you fight this predictable drift? There are two suggestions to consider. First, do as Samuel did. Talk directly to God about these challenges. Read the Word of God, listening for connections with your life. It is amazing how often He uses old stories, like this one, to remind us of our need for repentance and recalibration. Put yourself in the same place and time as Jesus. He will speak to you through His Spirit.

Secondly, actively work on adjusting your language during prayer. Don’t wait until you realize you’ve been trying to take control that isn’t yours. Start including words of submission in your thoughts and prayers today.

As an example, let me share one of my prayers: “Our Father, thank you for inviting me into what You are doing in our community today. I am stunned at the risks you take by including me. As I serve your people, help me remember that this ministry is Yours, shared with me. Please help me honor You. Amen.”

  1. What is a team you've enjoyed being part of? What role did you play?
  2. Do you tend to naturally hold back and let others take the lead, or do you often end up seen as the leader? Does the environment influence this? Explain.
  3. Is there a part of your life where you need to consider recalibrating and let someone else take the lead? Allowing God to lead? What part is that? What would you like to say to God about it?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson - Crosswalk Chattanooga

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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Jun 29, 2026
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Jun 19, 2026
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Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
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Jun 8, 2026
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Jun 1, 2026
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John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/02/broken-kingdoms-wk1-tue#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: WK1 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/01/broken-kingdoms-wk1-mon Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/01/broken-kingdoms-wk1-mon
The Kingdoms of Man - 1 Samuel 8:4-5, 9-18
… all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

… the LORD replied… Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

So Samuel passed on the LORD’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the LORD will not help you.”

In the days leading up to the selection of Saul as Israel’s first king, the aging prophet Samuel installed his sons as the next generation of spiritual leaders over Israel. However, their reputation for greed and ulterior motives filled the elders with suspicion and eroded the people's confidence. Rather than going to Yahweh for a solution to their concerns, the people came forward with a plan, fueled by jealousy and fear of the surrounding nations. “Let’s do what they are doing. Give us a king to lead us.”

Remarkably, God seems quick to grant the people what they ask for. “Give them what they want. But also, tell them what they are getting.” The implication? “I want them to hear what they are trading.”

God predicts conscription and indenture of their sons and daughters, the slow dripping leak of freedoms, and a state-led takeover of their property. For a nation so recently freed from slavery in Egypt, He uses the strongest language possible, “you will be his slaves.” The warning is dire. But it doesn’t matter. Like a child coveting a friend’s toy, their minds are set. They must have a king like other nations.

What follows is the tragic history of one broken kingdom after another. It will begin with Saul and include Ahab, Hezikiah, and Josiah. Some will have good or even great moments, but most will be a complete disaster. Solomon will build a glorious temple to Yahweh only to struggle with agnosticism. Even David, the best of them all, will vividly fulfill God’s warnings about what a king will do.

As I studied this passage in the early morning hours, a new thought struck me. I had always read this warning as specifically predicting the problems of King Saul and, by extension, those of the other kings who followed. But then it dawned on me that God gives this warning before Saul is selected. He says, “Warn them about the way a king will rule over them.” “A king… any king.”
God isn’t describing a specific person. He is defining humanity’s sinful condition. He suggests that the kingdoms of man will never be marked by selfless sacrifice or the salvation of the lost. They may have moments of bending toward the good of a neighbor. But the kings of this earth, by definition, consolidate power, absorb resources, demand adulation, and insist on privilege. They kill suspected rivals, take their neighbors’ wives, and amass wealth.

No wonder Jesus was so confusing to those who thought He might become king. They wanted to wave palm branches and shout Hosannas while He assembled armies to overthrow the Romans. Instead, He said things like, “My kingdom is not of this world. Here, I will suffer, be rejected, and be murdered on a cross. This will all happen, not because my life is taken from me, but rather, I will lay my life down as a sacrifice.” (Mark 8:31; John 10:18)

Today, you are invited into the Kingdom of Heaven, in stark contrast to the broken kingdoms of this world. Jesus invites you to take up your cross and follow Him.

  1. What is something you desperately wanted as a child that didn’t turn out to be what you had hoped? Was there a toy or gift you didn’t play with or use once you had it? What was it?
  2. Was there someone in your life who exerted power over you that you didn’t appreciate? What did you do about it?
  3. What part of your life do you find yourself grasping for more of in a self-seeking way that you need to surrender to Jesus? What do you want to say to Him about it?

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson - Crosswalk Chattanooga

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/06/01/broken-kingdoms-wk1-mon#comments 0 Broken Kingdoms: INTRO https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/31/broken-kingdoms-intro Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/31/broken-kingdoms-intro
1 Samuel 8:19-20
“We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

Every sibling remembers wanting what their brother or sister had. It was a Christmas gift, a bigger piece of cake, the front seat in the car, or a pair of shoes. Honestly, it might not have been any better than what you already had. But they had it, and you didn’t. Now you need it.

We carry that same mentality into our interactions with adults. While we don’t throw a childhood tantrum, wailing on the floor, it can come close. We look at the neighbor’s house, their car, or their children's accomplishments with longing. Our coworker has a nicer office, better hours, or higher pay, and we covet. We box up contentment and store it on a high shelf as we wonder, “How did they get that? They are no better than me.” In the end, we adopt their strategies and behavior, counting on a better life.

Have you ever experienced the thrill of getting what you hoped for, only to realize it wasn’t as great as you imagined, or at least, not for long? Approximately 1000 years before the coming of the Christ, the tribes of Israel asked for a king. Badgered and beaten by the armies of the Ammonites and the Philistines, the Israelites’ memories of deliverance from Egyptian slavery and the felled walls of Jericho faded. Disenchanted with God and His prophets, the children of Israel looked enviously at the neighboring nations. They ignored Samuel’s warning and insisted, “Give us a king like other nations have.”

In the years following this demand, king after king demonstrated the disaster of trading God's leadership for the patterns of unbelieving nations. Tempted by this same proposition today, we have much to learn by studying the Old Testament stories and noting the pitfalls of placing our faith in the kingdoms of man.

Thank you for joining us on this journey through the pages of scripture over the next few weeks as we explore a handful of kings and their kingdoms. Pastor Dave will lead a study of King Saul and King Solomon in the first two weeks of the series. Then Pastor Paddy will guide us through King Ahab and King Hezekiah. Finally, Pastor Andreas will introduce us to King Josiah.

Over the next five weeks, as we absorb the lessons from these Broken Kingdoms, we will take every opportunity to compare and contrast our flawed subjects with the King of Kings. At every turn, we will find hope, encouragement, and direction as this study shifts from human failing to the invitation of Jesus to follow Him.

Lovewell,
Pastor Dave Ferguson, Pastor Paddy McCoy, and Pastor Andreas Beccai.

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

DAILY-STUDY-BROKEN-KINGDOMS.pdf
Group-Guide-Broken-Kingdoms.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/31/broken-kingdoms-intro#comments 0 This Is True: WK 6 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/23/this-is-true-wk-6-group-guide Sat, 23 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/23/this-is-true-wk-6-group-guide
You Will Know the Truth: How Jesus Rewrites Our Way of Knowing

INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Icebreaker: Share about a time when you genuinely thought you understood something — a situation, a person, a belief — only to discover later that you were completely wrong.
How did that realization feel? What changed afterward?
 
Follow-up: If you’re comfortable, share one way your understanding of God or faith has changed in the last 5–10 years. What prompted the shift?

SCRIPTURE READING
Read aloud:
  • Acts 9:1–19 (Paul’s encounter on the Damascus Road)
  • John 8:31–36 (“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”)
  • Colossians 1:15–20 (Christ as the true image)
  • 1 Corinthians 13:12 (“We see through a glass dimly…”)
 
Listen for themes of blindness → sight, encounter, Jesus-centered truth, and transformation.

CONTEXT & SETUP (Read Aloud)
We end this series where every Christian journey begins — not with certainty, but with encounter. Paul was utterly convinced he saw truth clearly. He was sincere. He was zealous. He was committed. And he was totally wrong. His certainty needed to collapse before he could truly see.
 
Jesus does not give him new information; He gives him new sight.
 
This is the core of Christian epistemology: we do not come to truth by mastering arguments, but by abiding in Jesus. Truth is not something we achieve; it is someone we encounter. And encountering Jesus rewrites everything — how we see God, how we see others, how we see ourselves, how we interpret Scripture, how we participate in the world.
 
This week we reflect on what it means for Christ to be not just the bearer of truth but the center of all knowing — and how that truth leads us into freedom.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. In Acts 9, what part of Paul’s encounter surprises you most? His certainty? His blindness? His vulnerability? His surrender?

  1. Jesus confronts Paul not with arguments but with presence. What does this teach us about the nature of Christian truth?
  2. How does John 8 redefine the relationship between abiding, knowing, and freedom? What stands out to you in Jesus’ sequence?

  1. In Colossians 1, Paul describes Christ as the “image of the invisible God.” How does this shape the way Christians discern truth?

  1. Why is humility essential for “knowing the truth”? What kinds of truth become distorted when humility is absent?

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. Where in your life has Jesus rewritten your way of seeing or knowing? What brought about that transformation?

  1. Are there areas where you feel spiritually “blind,” confused, or uncertain? How might Jesus be inviting you to surrender those areas? 
  2. Where have you held on too tightly to a belief, assumption, or interpretation that Jesus may be trying to soften or reshape?

  1. What does “freedom” mean for you right now? Where do you long for liberation — in your thinking, emotions, identity, or relationships?

  1. Has your pursuit of truth ever been shaped more by fear than by Jesus? How does His presence speak differently into those places?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Practice: A Three-Question Prayer of Surrender

Each morning this week, pray:
  • “Jesus, where am I still blind?”
  • “What truth are you trying to free me with?”
  • “What must die in me so a new way of seeing can be born?”
 
Then spend two minutes in silence, allowing the Spirit to respond — not through analysis, but through presence.
 
Invite one trusted person into your discernment:
Share one thing Jesus reveals this week and ask them to pray with you.
 
Encourage group members to share next week how this practice shaped them.


FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. What part of your old way of knowing is Jesus inviting you to let go of? (old narratives, old fears, old certainties, old self-protection)
  2.  What new truth — about God, others, or yourself — is Jesus inviting you to embrace?
  3. What would freedom look like for you in this next season of faith? What kind of person is Jesus forming you into?

CLOSING PRAYER (Leader or Participant Reads)
Jesus, our Truth and our Freedom,
Open our eyes the way You opened Paul’s.
Remove the shadows of our old ways of knowing.
Give us new sight, new humility, new wisdom.
Set us free from every false story, false certainty,
and false identity that keeps us from You.
Rewrite our vision and remake our hearts
so we may see the world through Your eyes.
Amen.

Pastor Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/23/this-is-true-wk-6-group-guide#comments 0 This Is True: WK6 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/22/this-is-true-wk6-fri Fri, 22 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/22/this-is-true-wk6-fri
The Freedom of a New Way of Knowing
John 8:36
 
Freedom is not a feeling. It is not a personality trait. It is not even the absence of constraints. Freedom, in the language of Jesus, is the experience of being fully aligned with truth — truth that is embodied in Him.
 
“Whom the Son sets free,” Jesus says, “is free indeed.”
 
Freedom is living in the truth of who God is, who you are, and who others are. It is living from a story that is no longer shaped by lies. It is stepping into a way of knowing that releases fear, loosens shame, heals distortions, and restores dignity. Freedom is not abstract; it is relational. It is the lived experience of abiding in the love of God.
 
Paul walked into Damascus blind but walked out seeing the world in a way he never had before. Not because he gained more information, but because he encountered the One who is Truth. His freedom didn’t begin when his sight returned—it began the moment he surrendered his old way of knowing.
 
This is where freedom begins for us too.
Not when we understand everything.
Not when we have all the answers.
Not when we’ve sorted out every theological detail.
But when we finally say:
 
“Jesus, rewrite my vision.
Show me what is true.”
 
When you know Him, you know truth.
And when you know truth, you walk free.
 
  1. What is one place in your life where Jesus is inviting you into freedom?
  2. What would it look like to surrender your “old way of knowing” in that area?
  3. Who might notice the difference when you begin to walk in that freedom?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/22/this-is-true-wk6-fri#comments 0 This Is True: WK6 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/21/this-is-true-wk6-thu Thu, 21 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/21/this-is-true-wk6-thu
Seeing the World Through Christ
Colossians 1:15–17
 
Paul eventually writes one of the most breathtaking statements in all of Scripture: “Christ is the image of the invisible God… and in Him all things hold together.” This is not abstract theology; it is the testimony of a man whose entire way of seeing has been remade.
 
Christ becomes Paul’s interpretive lens. Everything that once made sense apart from Christ now becomes unintelligible without Him. The law makes sense through Christ. Scripture makes sense through Christ. The world makes sense through Christ. Even Paul’s own story makes sense through Christ.
 
This is what happens when Jesus rewrites your vision:
You begin to see God not as distant but revealed.
You begin to see others not as obstacles but as image-bearers.
You begin to see suffering not as abandonment but as a place where Christ is present.
You begin to see your past not as wasted but as redeemed.
You begin to see yourself not as condemned but as beloved.
 
When Christ becomes the center, everything finds coherence. Fragmented pieces align. Disparate experiences find meaning. Confusion gives way to clarity. The truth that once frightened you now frees you.
 
Seeing the world through Christ does not remove mystery, but it removes despair. It replaces fear with faith, shame with mercy, chaos with hope.
 
  1. How has Jesus reshaped your understanding of God?
  2. What part of your story begins to make new sense when viewed through Christ?
  3. Where do you need His lens most today?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/21/this-is-true-wk6-thu#comments 0 This Is True: WK6 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/20/this-is-true-wk6-wed Wed, 20 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/20/this-is-true-wk6-wed
New Sight, New Knowing
John 8:31–32
 
Jesus does not separate knowing from abiding. He does not say, “If you study enough, you will know the truth,” or “If you get the doctrine right, you will know the truth.” He says, “If you abide in My word… you will know the truth.” Truth is not the reward for mastering Christian information. It is the fruit of living in the presence of Christ.
 
This is a radically different way of knowing. It is relational, not performative. It is experiential, not merely cognitive. It is slow, like fruit growing on a vine. It is tender, like trust unfolding over years. It is vulnerable, like being deeply known by someone who loves you.
 
Abiding is a posture of staying close — not solving, not striving, not proving, but remaining. It is the long obedience of returning again and again to the One who reveals what is real. When you abide in Jesus, you begin to see life through His eyes: your wounds, your relationships, your story, your identity, your calling. The truth He reveals is not coercive. It is freeing. It does not tighten your chest; it expands your breath. It does not bind you; it liberates you.
 
Freedom is not the absence of limits. Freedom is the presence of Christ at the center of your knowing.

  1. What practices help you “abide” in Jesus rather than rush through life?
  2. What parts of your life begin to change when you remain close to Christ?
  3. How does the idea of truth as “freedom” challenge or comfort you?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/20/this-is-true-wk6-wed#comments 0 This Is True: WK6 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/19/this-is-true-wk6-tue Tue, 19 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/19/this-is-true-wk6-tue
The Gift of Not Seeing Clearly
Acts 9:8–9
 
When Paul opens his eyes after encountering Jesus, he can’t see. Literal blindness becomes a symbol for the collapse of his internal way of knowing. It’s as though Jesus presses “reset” on Paul’s vision — a holy pause between the world he once knew and the world he is about to see.
 
Most of us resist seasons where clarity disappears. We feel anxious when answers dissolve, when familiar categories fail, when long-held assumptions crumble. Yet the Scriptures are full of people whom God leads through a temporary darkness before ushering them into light. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Mary, the disciples, and Paul—all walked through disorientation on the way to revelation.
 
Blindness is not punishment.
Blindness is preparation.
It creates space for new sight.
 
Sometimes Jesus must unsettle us before He can free us. Old frameworks must be surrendered before new vision can be received. The “not knowing” becomes sacred ground because it loosens our grip on the certainty that once held us captive. When Paul is blind, he is finally ready to be led. He is finally ready to listen. He is finally ready to receive truth as a gift rather than defend it as a possession.
 
What if the places where you feel least certain are the very places Jesus is preparing your heart to see more clearly?

  1. Where in your life do you feel “blind” or unable to see clearly right now?
  2. How might that space be an invitation rather than a threat?
  3. How could uncertainty become a spiritual practice rather than a spiritual crisis?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/19/this-is-true-wk6-tue#comments 0 This Is True: WK6 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/18/this-is-true-wk6-mon Mon, 18 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/18/this-is-true-wk6-mon
When Truth Finds You First
Acts 9:3–5
 
Truth often arrives not when we go looking for it, but when it comes looking for us. Paul wasn’t seeking Jesus on the Damascus Road. He was seeking to silence those who followed Jesus. He believed he already had truth — and believed it with fierce certainty. But then Jesus interrupts him with a question that cuts through all his confidence: “Why are you persecuting Me?”
 
This moment reveals something profound: Christian truth is not primarily discovered through study or logic. It is revealed through encounter. Jesus does not argue with Paul. He does not dismantle Paul’s theology point by point. Instead, He reveals Himself — and in that revelation, everything Paul “knew” dissolves in the light of who Jesus truly is.
 
There are times in our lives when truth must break in from the outside. Not because we are stubborn or foolish, but because we are limited. Our perspectives are shaped by our histories, our fears, our desires, our interpretations. We cannot unblind ourselves. Only an encounter with Jesus — sometimes dramatic, sometimes gentle — breaks through the fog and leads us into clarity we could never achieve alone.
 
Truth finds us first.
And when it does, it doesn’t condemn. It calls us by name.

  1. Has Jesus ever interrupted your certainty the way He interrupted Paul’s?
  2. What might Jesus be asking you today that reframes what you believe you know?
  3. How can you remain open to truth that arrives from beyond your expectations?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

WK5-Mon | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 29, 2026
WK3-Fri | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 19, 2026
WK3-Thu | Broken Kingdoms
Jun 18, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 3
Jun 15, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 2
Jun 8, 2026
Broken Kingdom Kids - Week 1
Jun 1, 2026
View More

The Abide Daily Podcast

John 14:16-20 | He Will Never Leave You
Jun 20, 2026
1 John 1:1-9 | We Proclaim To You The One
Jun 19, 2026
Luke 1:8-17 | With The Spirit And Power Of Elijah
Jun 18, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/18/this-is-true-wk6-mon#comments 0