A Call to Generous Giving. Titus and His Companions. There are rules and protocols to giving tithes and offerings.

King Hoshea Rules in Israel. He was a bad king who ruled for 9 years. After that, Samaria falls to Assyria around 723-721 B.C. Foreigners settle in Samaria. The religion that comes from the mixing the knowledge of the true God and mixing that with worshipping false gods. This explains the statement of the Samaritan woman in John 4: 19,20 and Jesus' response in John 4: 22. This chapter is a summary of what has happened to the Northern kingdom of Israel over the last 200 years. (Took some material from gotquestions.org about: Should we have a Christmas tree?)

Paul's joy at the church's repentance. "We are here" someone said to me in church today "is to hear the word, but we then have to take it and apply it. It has to be practical, right?" I could not agree more...

King Ahaz ("good king") Rules in Judah for 16 years. He make a deal with King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria to deal with the northern king of Israel and King Rezin of Syria (Aram) attacking him at the same time: Ahaz buys off Tiglath-pileser with the gold and silver from the temple of the Lord.

Paul's hardships. Don't marry or partner with someone who has radically different ideas if you expect it to work long term (i.e. includes ... don't marry an unbeliever/non-believer if you are a committed Christian). Don't try to change anyone because you can't (you can only influence them). We are the temple of the living God.

King Uzziah/Azariah Rules in Judah (good king) for 52 years. Zechariah Rules in Israel for 6 months (he is a bad king). King Shallum Rules in Israel for 1 month (bad king). King Menahem (bad) Rules in Israel - after knocking off Shallum - for 10 years. King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria temporarily invades the land, but leaves after payout. (Occurs between 748 - 738 B.C.). King Pekahiah (bad king and son of Menahem) Rules in Israel for 2 years. King Pekah (bad king) rules in Israel for 20 years after knocking off Pekahiah. King Jotham - the son of Uzziah - rules in Judah for 16 years and is a good king.

Death is not the end of the road; it is A BEND in the road. Christianity is not a death-cult, it is a obsessed with Life, and living Life to the Fullest, both now and in the (New Covenant/New Universe) to come along with the New Earth and New Jerusalem. We are reconciled to God - who is Life - through Christ.

King Amaziah (good king) reigned in Judah for 29 years. He killed the assassins of his father, King Joash - the boy king - of Judah. Amaziah gets into a fight - which he started - with King Joash (bad king, reigned for 16 years) of the Northern kingdom of Israel. Later, King Amaziah gets assassinated and his son Uzziah (good king, reigned for 52 years) comes to the throne of Judah when he is only 16 years old. Jeroboam II - the son of Joash - becomes the king of the northern kingdom of Israel and reigns for 41 years. He is a bad king.