King Josiah revived the nation of Judah, but he also made a pivotal mistake. When we began this message on Friday, we saw that Josiah chose to follow the ways of God; and how he was confronted by the word of God. Today we'll note that he was unable to avoid the wrath of God. One stubborn decision was the beginning of the end for the whole nation. We're reading in 2 Chronicles 34, with Jim.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Josiah's reforms were not too little, but they were too late. The world was changing - like our world today. The kingdom of Judah was following Israel down the long, wrong road to exile. But there was time for one final wave of blessing. Here's Pastor Jim with Part 1 of the message, Josiah Reforms Judah.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Hezekiah was human: He prayed, but he also got proud. Confronted by enemies - his enemies the Assyrians and our common enemy, Death - Hezekiah saw his deep need for God, and humbled himself before the Lord. But entertaining foreign dignitaries he couldn't resist the urge to show off. He had prospered, he had done well for his subjects, but he had forgotten that all of those blessings were gifts from the King of Kings. We'll hear that story today. We have records of Hezekiah's rule in 2 Chronicles as well as 2 Kings, and Jim will examine both as we listen.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

When trouble strikes, who do you call? Maybe you've got "Web MD" bookmarked on your laptop. Perhaps you've got some close friends whose advice you trust - and when you get bad news, they know about it almost instantly. Family is a natural place to turn. But, when good king Hezekiah was faced with a threat that could end his kingdom, he reflexively turned to God. He prayed. He made his problem God's problem. And the Lord rescued Judah with a miracle. We've been observing selected kings in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Today we'll meet Hezekiah: The Praying King.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Beware of prophets who always tell you what you want to hear. Israel's King Ahab was one of the worst; King Jehoshaphat of Judah was one of the best. So when these two heads-of-state had a summit meeting, there was bound to be drama. Like all kings of their day, they consulted the prophets before going into battle. And all the prophets said the same thing - except one! We'll be in 1 Kings 22 today, after a brief review of chapter 18. Jim will conclude the sermon, The Decline and Fall of Israel.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

It's like two Old West gunfighters in the middle of the street at high noon. When one says, "Draw," their dispute is about to be decided. The biblical counterpart of the "shootout" is Elijah against the pagan prophets on Mount Carmel. One party will be victorious; the other, dead. Things had gone from bad to worse in the northern kingdom, one evil king after another had practiced and promoted idolatry, and God sent a drought that had lasted 3 years. This standoff had to end.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

The "Ten Lost Tribes of Israel"... are not lost! Some people will believe the most outlandish nonsense, rather than read the Bible. We're glad you're eager to hear the Word of God as Jim opens again to 1 Kings, chapter 12. Yesterday he began to retell the story of how the kingdom of Israel was split after Solomon died. Two tribes followed Solomon's son, Rehoboam, and ten rebelled under Jeroboam. Jeroboam saw that the whole religious life of his subjects tended to pull them away from him, and back to David and Jerusalem and the Temple. So he just changed their religion!

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

One statement of humility would have kept the nation of Israel intact. But Rehoboam chose arrogance instead. Solomon was dead. And the kingdom was about to be torn in two. God had promised David that he would never lack a man to sit on the throne, but He had also promised to judge idolatry and lawlessness in the land. So Solomon's son, Rehoboam, in what seems to be his first official act as king, offends most of the nation and splits the kingdom. It's a morality tale - but a true one, as Jim will emphasize. His message is called The Kingdom Divides.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

God's punishment of Solomon was tempered by His love for David. Habakkuk prayed, "...in wrath remember mercy." And that heavenly restraint, that softening of the blow, was just what Solomon experienced - not because of any merit on his part, but because of one whom God called "My servant." Sound familiar? There are parallels for us in the book of 1 Kings, chapters 9 through 11. Today, Pastor Jim concludes the message he calls, Solomon's Splendor and Decline.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

You and I don't have much in common with Solomon. Or do we? Solomon was a king; I've never even seen a king. The servants' quarters in Sol's mansion were probably nicer than my house. But there's one way in which you and I are exactly like Solomon: we've received lavish gifts from God. And if we don't recognize the importance of one of these gifts, the Word of God, we're headed for trouble - just like him. Here's Pastor Jim to open a sermon called, Solomon's Splendor and Decline.

Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand.