Those Who Believed but Never Came Back
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Those Who Believed but Never Came Back (Contents)
Part 1 – Cain: Worship without Obedience Part 2 – Saul: Anointed but Disobedient Part 3 – Balaam: Prophet for Profit Part 4 – Achan: Faith with Hidden Sin Part 5 – Gehazi: Servant of God, Servant of Silver Part 6 – Uzziah: Strength that Bred Pride Part 7 –…
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Part 1 – Cain: Worship without Obedience
Key Verse “The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favour.”— Genesis 4 : 4-5 (NIV) 1. The First Worshipper Gone Astray Cain was not an atheist; he was a worshipper. As the firstborn of Adam and…
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Part 2 – Saul: Anointed but Disobedient
Key Verse “Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”— 1 Samuel 15 : 23 (NIV) 1. The Beginning of Promise Saul’s story opens with extraordinary potential. Chosen by God through the prophet Samuel, he stood “a head taller than anyone else” (1…
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Part 3 – Balaam: Prophet for Profit
Key Verse “They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.”— 2 Peter 2 : 15 (NIV) 1. A Prophet with Divine Access Balaam’s story, found in Numbers 22–24, is one of the Bible’s most…
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Part 4 – Achan: Faith with Hidden Sin
Key Verse “Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things.”— Joshua 7 : 11 (NIV) 1. The Hidden Crime among the Faithful Achan belonged to the covenant people who had just witnessed miraculous victories: the crossing…
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Part 5 – Gehazi: Servant of God, Servant of Silver
Key Verse “Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants for ever.”— 2 Kings 5 : 26–27 (NIV) 1. A Privileged Position Gehazi served as…
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Part 6 – Uzziah: Strength that Bred Pride
Key Verse “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God.”— 2 Chronicles 26 : 16 (NIV) 1. A Reign of Promise Uzziah (also called Azariah) ascended the throne of Judah at the age of sixteen, inheriting a kingdom still…
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Part 7 – Judas Iscariot: The Disciple Who Sold His Master
Key Verse “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.”— Mark 14 : 10 (NIV) 1. The Chosen Disciple Judas Iscariot was not an outsider. He was handpicked by Jesus Himself (Luke 6 : 13–16), entrusted with responsibility, and included in…
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Part 8 – Ananias and Sapphira: Deceit in Devotion
Key Verse “You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”— Acts 5 : 4 (NIV) 1. A Moment of Revival The early chapters of Acts describe a church radiant with unity, generosity, and spiritual power. Believers sold property to support one another, and “God’s grace was so…
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Part 9 – Demas: The Missionary Who Loved the World
Key Verse “Demas, because he loved this present world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.”— 2 Timothy 4 : 10 (NIV) 1. A Promising Beginning Demas first appears among the Apostle Paul’s companions during the height of missionary expansion. He is named in the same breath as faithful…
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Part 10 – The Laodicean Church: Lukewarm Faith
Key Verse “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of My mouth.”— Revelation 3 : 15–16 (NIV) 1. A…