God of the Underdogs - Hope Lake Country Church

God of the Underdogs Part 1:Step Up to the Mountain

July 31, 2022 • Sean O'Connell

Widows in the ancient world were extremely vulnerable figures. No social service network, no one to care for them when they lost their means for economic support. That’s why the prophets talk so much about widows and orphans and our need to care for them. Elijah the Prophet appears on the scene in 1 Kings 17 and encounters a widow, living amidst a drought, and down to her last meal – about the lowest, you could go in the ancient world. God often comes into our lives precisely at our greatest moment of need. When the ego is riding high and confident, it rarely reaches out to God. It’s when the ego is knocked around, wounded and powerless, this is when God appears and asks us to give.

God of the Underdogs Part 2: Step up to the Mountain

August 7, 2022 • Michael Wright

Elijah followed God into a lot of situations, and one of the biggest challenges he faced was this one. Seemingly alone, facing an apathetic nation and evil rulers, he had to stand up for God in the midst of it all. Elijah takes the challenge and steps up, and trusts that God is going to show up. When we face difficulties, challenges, and situations where we feel alone, it can be hard to lean on God and trust Him to show up. What does it look like to step up in life, and trust that God will come through anyways?

God of the Underdogs Part 3: When God is Silent

August 14, 2022 • Sean O'Connell

Elijah is in big trouble! Queen Jezebel is not happy that Elijah has shown up all her priests on Mt. Carmel and has vowed to kill our protagonist prophet. Elijah is on the run and must have been thinking: "What?!? That was not how it was supposed to go!" Elijah flees for 40 days and nights to the place where it all started for the People of Israel - Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai). When we are on the run and in trouble, we often head back home. God asks Elijah twice: "What are you doing, here?". - God speaks in the silence to us by saying: "You can't go back", but also, "I'm here in the present, renewing all things".

God of the Underdogs Part 4: Be Bold in Faith

August 21, 2022 • Michael Wright

Elisha is being told over and over and over that God is going to take Elijah, his mentor, away from him today. It seemed like he was being pushed away and given the opportunity for an out. Instead of sulking, leaving, or making a fuss, or giving up on Elijah, Elisha continues with him. Because he was persistent, he entered into a new role in life and was equipped to carry out that role. There are a lot of times in life where it seems like all we’ve worked for or hold on to is being taken from us. But when we press through loss, we are equipped for something new and better on the other side.

God of the Underdogs Part 5: Better Together

August 28, 2022 • Zach Thwaits

Have you been in a situation where you did not see the entire picture and you had to fill in the gaps... but then you noticed you were filling them with the worst-case scenario? In this episode, we are looking at the story of Elisha who found himself in a situation where he could not see the whole picture, yet lead with boldness. By the end, you will find new ways to fight your battles and lead with boldness.

God of the Underdogs Part 6 Healing is Humbling

September 4, 2022 • Sean O'Connell

Everyone struggles with something, things that scare us, things that are humiliating to us, things that eat at us constantly. In our final episode of God of the Underdogs, we will see the first step to letting go of those things so that we can grow closer to God.