Today is the 30th day of June, which makes it the last day of the month of June, which

means that as we take our next step forward together today, we are reaching the halfway

point.

I can hardly believe that's true, but here we are again in the dead center of the year.

So it is great to be here with you in the middle.

And grateful for every day that we've been able to gather together and take another step

forward.

And so we end months and we begin months and we end months and they all add up to a year

and we do that by keeping going.

Day by day, step by step.

And so let's finish this month well.

So that tomorrow we can begin a new month, a new.

So we will go back to where we left off.

And that leads us at this point back into the book of 2nd Kings.

And today we will read 2nd Kings chapter 17 verse 1 through 18 verse 12 today.

In the 12th year of King Ahaz's reign over Judah, Hoshia son of Ilah became king over

Israel.

He reigned in Samaria for nine years.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings

who preceded him.

King Shalom and Asura of Assyria marched up to attack him so Hoshia became his subject

and paid him tribute.

...