I Samuel 9 Will You Be the One?

 

  

Vs. 6   And He said to him. “Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass.  So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.” 

What kind of reputation do we have? Would we be described by others like this:  Honorable, honest and having wisdom from God to point them in the right direction?   How would the store clerk, waitress, a passing driver in tedious traffic, our neighbor, husband and children describe us? 

 

Vs. 15 Now the Lord has told Samuel in his ear that day before Saul came, saying, “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

Oh that God would prepare us to be one that He can use to help His people. There are so many around us that are crying out for help.  We live in a lost and dying world.  So many need to hear about the great gift of salvation that awaits them.  Countless Christians need a word of encouragement and hope.  Will you be the one?

Are we walking close enough to God that we readily recognize His still small voice when He speaks to us?  Do we heed His leadings?  Let us determine in our hearts today to be one like this that He can fully use.  Let us cry out to God for a heart like this. Let’s fall deeply in love with Him, His Word and prayer and be so immersed in Him that all that comes out of us is His love and power flowing through us.  When we stumble and sin let us maintain very short sin accounts and get right back on track.  There’s a world out there waiting for so someone who will lead and point them in the direction of the Savior.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Samuel 8 Search Our Hearts

 

Vs.2- 3  “The name of his firstborn, was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.  But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.”  Perhaps Samuel made the same sad mistake as Eli, in not correcting and training his sons properly.  It gave the people an excuse to demand something that was out of the will of God.

The world around us is watching.  Will our example give others an excuse to do wrong?  Are we an encouragement to those around us?   Are we raising children that will point others to the Savior? 

 Ps 106:15    ”And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.”

God gave the people what they demanded but in the end they suffered for it.  They rejected His will because they wanted their own way.  They wanted to be like other kingdoms that had kings.  They wanted someone to lead them in battle.  They had forgotten about all the battles that He won for them that were miraculous.  They ignored God’s instructions and rejected Samuel’s leadership.  Today do we find ourselves guilty of any of this?  Let us search our hearts thoroughly.

 Psalm 139:23  “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I Samuel 7 What is Your Ebenezer?

 

 

Samuel told the people how to be delivered from their enemies.  This was the process.

If:  1. Return to the Lord will all your hearts.  2. Put away other gods.  3. Prepare your hearts for the Lord.  4. Serve Him only.  Then:  He will deliver you from the hand of your enemy (vs. 3).   Vs. 4-9 The Israelites did just that.  They also began to fast. They begged Samuel to intercede for them by crying out to God for mercy.  God, as promised gave them a great victory in the battle.  Samuel placed a stone as a memorial of the victory and called it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help” and said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (Vs. 12)

That same process is also true for us. The “then” will come about only when we do the “if’s”.  Those are God’s prerequisites for victory in our own lives. Where are you in this process?  Is there yet a victory that needs to be won in your heart? 

I remember years ago that our dear former Sunday School teacher, Keith Eggert, told us about his Ebenezer.  In a previous ministry he had become completely discouraged.  It was a very low period in his life.  To his great surprise some dear friends purchased for him a beautiful roll top desk.  It became a great treasure to him because in future days it would constantly remind him of God’s love for him.  He named it his Ebenezer.

Dear one, what is your Ebenezer?  There are so many we can see: the face of that child of yours; some special gift from a loved one; the day of your salvation; a memory of a cherished time spent with someone; your list could go on and on.   Let us daily remind ourselves of His love for us and how He has defeated the enemy in our lives.  Let us have a heart of constant thanksgiving to Him.  Let’s give up our discouragement and feelings of hopelessness by looking at our sweet “Ebenezers” around us.  Oh how very much He loves us and His reminders are all around us.  Open your eyes, look up.  Don’t you see them?    

                                                                                            

I Samuel 6 An Obedient Heart

 

 

After the Philistines had the Ark for seven months, they were desperate to get it back to the Israelites because of what was happening to them. They recalled the stories of how Pharaoh and the Egyptians suffered when they refused to let the Israelites go.  (vs. 6)

Do we live in such a way that those around us clearly see the mighty hand of God on our lives or would they be surprised to learn that we are Christians?  Everything we say and do and the way we live should reflect His glory and cause others to be thirsty for Him.  Matthew 5:16  “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

Too often we choose to live by our own rules, just as the Philistines and even the Israelites did.  The Philistines thought that their golden gifts would be the answer. (vs. 4) The Israelites failed to reverence the Ark as was so clearly taught (vs. 19).  We may look at our lives and wonder what in the world is going on.  It could be that we are playing the game of life by our own rules which will eventually catch up with us.  Instead God wants us to live daily getting to know Him through prayer and being in a careful study of His Word and obedience to those truths.  That is what puts us in a place of true worship to God.  All our useless sacrifices mean nothing to Him.  He wants an obedient heart. 

 

I Samuel 5 The Wrong Place

 

After the Philistines won the battle and captured the Ark, they took it to their house of Dagon (the main god of the Philistines that they thought controlled the weather and production of the land crops). The next morning they found the face of Dagon on the ground.  The following morning they found the head and hands broken off on the ground. After that, God struck the people with tumors (swellings; maybe tumors or boils).  It was taken to another city, Gath, where the same thing happened.  When they took it to Ekron, men began to die and tumors were left on those that did not die.

True worship is very important to God.  He loves us so much and wants the very best for us and because of that, He will not tolerate sin in the heart of the true believer. He wants us to have a heart of worship.  He wants to be first in our lives.  God did whatever it took to bring the Ark back to its rightful place so that His people could once again worship Him fully and completely.  He wants our hearts to be in a place of pure worship to Him. 

Are our hearts in the wrong place?   Have we found other gods to worship:  our children, T.V., our jobs, money, etc.?

Joshua 24:14-15 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served…..choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve….But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

We may have long held habits stemming back from our parents or grandparents.  But God is powerful and is so able to break those chains in our lives.  Let’s leave behind our false gods that have stolen away so many blessings God has in store for us.  Let’s come to a place of true and pure worship of the One and Only Almighty God.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Samuel 4 The Glory Has Departed

 

In this chapter we read of Israel’s defeat in the battle with the Philistines and the loss of 38,000 Israelites.  It also tells of the predicted judgment (chapter 3) on Eli and his family.  Hophni and Phinehas died in battle; Eli died when he heard the news of his sons and the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines; Phinehas’ wife died while delivering her son in childbirth.  Her son was named Ichabod which means “No Glory,” because losing the ark meant God’s glory was no longer in Israel.

What sadness, loss and  destruction we face as an individual, family, church and nation if we turn our backs on God.  Eli’s sons and the others who brought the ark into battle thought that it would give them victory.  It wasn’t the physical ark that had power but the God that it represented.  We can put on an appearance of holiness but God sees the heart.  He alone knows us.  We can try to fool others with our church attendance and false worship.  It is not the building that makes us holy.  It is not just words we say, it is the presence of the almighty God living vibrantly and deeply in our hearts. He sees our true condition. 

Where do we find ourselves today?  Have you taken that first initial step in receiving Christ as your Lord and Savior?  Then have you gone beyond that to live with His power and maintaining a pure heart before Him?  Eli, I’m sure started out great, but along the way he somehow got sidetracked.  His god became his sons (Chapter 2:29) and as a result he lost everything. Nothing is worse than His glory departing from us.  Let us fall before Him.  Let us return to Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Samuel 3 Have You Stopped Listening and Heeding His Voice?

 

Apparently God decided to speak to Samuel, just a boy, instead of the priest, Levi. 

Vs. “For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.”(Also in chapter 2, we read: vs. 29 “…and honor your sons more than Me….”)

Somewhere along the way, Levi ignored God’s leading and instructions.  He put his sons before the Lord and in the end it completely ruined them.  Who knows what his reasons were.  They could be the same reasons we have today:  Too busy; too weary to stop and discipline yet again; wanting to be their friend; not wanting to see them in any pain; failure in our own lives and being a poor example; failure to spend time with God every day to gain His wisdom in raising our children, and consequently leading them with our own judgment.

 

Let us we come to God today with a fresh start with repentance to God, and then seek our children’s forgiveness even if they are now adults.  Let them know that things are going to be different.  Then begin to make those necessary changes in our homes. Let us be as little Samuel: Vs. 1  “Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli.”  Let us also minister to the Lord in complete submission and obedience to Him.  Let us have a heart so in tune to God that we clearly hear and recognize that still small voice from Him when He speaks to us.  Let us respond as Samuel:  Vs. 9  “Speak Lord, for Your servant hears.”

 

 

 

I Samuel 2 I Surrender All

 

 

Hannah’s prayer is amazing!   She has just left her precious and only child at the temple.  She has surrendered him just as she promised God.  Yet her heart is full of praise, rejoicing, thanksgiving and worship to God.  When all is well in our hearts, no matter how heavy a sorrow we may carry we can have a heart of praise.  Obedience brings blessings, joy and peace. 

We see how God honored this amazing woman by later giving her three more sons and two daughters.

 

Where you today, my dear are loved one?  Are you in a place of sorrow, depression, worry, hopelessness or just wanting to give up?  The answer is right here in this book.  Our first response should be to examine our hearts to see if there is anything standing in the way of God answering our prayers.  Is there yet an area in our lives that we have not surrendered to Him?  Are we holding on to some habit that we know saddens the heart of God and is a detriment to our testimony for Him?  When we come to a place and know there are no barriers, it is then that we can call out with wonderful assurance to God and know that He does hear us.  In the waiting on God, be as Hannah:  rejoice, praise, worship and thank our dear Heavenly Father.  In the loss of her son as she left him at the temple, her heart was at peace, hurting deeply, I’m sure, yet knowing she had surrendered all and been obedient to God.  In that healing process, God poured out His love and blessings by giving her more children. 

Your healing road may seem to stretch beyond your vision but know that He walks beside you the entire trip.  He is there, dear one, rest in His everlasting arms. 

I am reminded of that wonderful song:

“All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give.

I will ever love and trust Him in His presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender, make me Savior wholly Thine;

May Thy Holy Spirit fill me, may I know Thy Power divine.

All to Jesus I surrender, Lord I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power, let Thy blessings fall on me.” 

I Samuel 1 Fervent Prayers

Vs. 10 “ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.” Vs. 15 “I have poured out my soul before the Lord.”

Hannah was a desperate woman. She wanted a child. She promised that if God would give her a male child that that she would give him back to God by taking him to the temple after he was weaned. Her prayer was answered: Vs. 27-28 “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord. So they worshipped the Lord there.”

After being married for three years we desperately wanted a child and we also prayed. How overjoyed we were to learn that I was pregnant. But it was not to be, for I soon miscarried. Lying in the hospital bed, I cried out to God, “Lord, help me to love you in this valley as much as I love you in the good times.” He answered that prayer for it drew me closer to Him and to my sweet husband. Finally we did have that sweet first born, Angela. She was dedicated to the Lord, just as the other two children were.

I can relate to Hannah. I experienced that agony and longing. As parents we watch our children go through so much even into their adult life. Let us be as fervent with our prayers for them through these mountain tops, valleys and times of lostness, as we were when asking God for them or praying them through some serious childhood sickness. Let us cry out faithfully in fervency, agony and tears that His hand would be upon them to: “come home”; for guidance; for restoration; wisdom; and for  their complete surrender to Him. Let us, as mothers, fully surrender our children into the wonderful hands of our Heavenly Father.

Ruth 4 God’s Amazing Plan

As this short story comes to an end we see how God had His hand in the lives of these two women.  They were in a desperate situation and God unfolded before them His wonderful plan of redemption.

Boaz willingly became Ruth’s redeemer.  He saw her need and stepped in to help her.

God has done the same for us.  We are desperate without Him and have no hope on our own.  Our life would be in vain and our death would bring us to eternity in Hell without His redemption through His shed blood on the cross to save us.  

 

In verse eighteen, we read the genealogy of David.  Through David came the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  In that line of mothers we see three desperate women: Tamar (son, Perez), Rahab (son, Boaz) and Ruth (son, Obed, the grandfather of King David).  God chose women that were desperate, made huge blunders and seemingly unimportant to hold a great place in history. 

God can use us, no matter what we have done or been through or what we are going through right now.  How determined are we to fit into His plan. All three of these women took steps to move forward in their lives.  What steps are you taking?  Are you going backwards or are you at a standstill?  Be desperate for Him and remain faithful.  He is our redeemer.

Ecclesiastes 11:1  “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.”

Ruth remained faithful.  She kept “casting her bread upon the waters.” She followed her mother-in-law and served God.  She was a virtuous woman.  God took notice and blessed her abundantly.   God has an amazing plan for our lives.  Are we in line for that blessing?