101 1 Samuel 016 – 018; 1 Corinthians 001
Have you ever blamed yourself? Have you had guilt as your trusted companion? Samuel was blaming himself for Saul's shortcomings. God tells him, go get your anointing oil, we are going to find someone else to be the king. Samuel gets caught up in Jesse's son, Eliab, because of his looks and build. God let's Samuel know that there are better ways to measure a person. All seven of Jesse's sons are paraded before Samuel but not one of them are God's choice. You know the story it was David, who was out shepherding the flock. Jesse didn't see his son as the future king of Israel, but God did.
Draft day for the NFL… I have read how extensive the research is for a player who will be drafted in the first round. It is unbelievable. All the former coaches, including pop football, friends, family, are interviewed, in many cases even former girl friends, etc. all to play football--why the intensity & money? For those in the business of listening to God for our businesses and for the church this is an important lesson to learn--figure out how to let God pick the people that should work with you. Listen to God and think in terms of people who may not look the part at first. We need more thinking on this subject, don't we?
Yes, David kicked Goliaths tail and the Glory of God was in tact. We must remember that the Glory of God is at stake in our lives as well. We are not to take it, nor are we to give the enemy a foothold to be able to steal God's glory. Whatever you do, do all for the glory of God. This means that we will have to have courage, faith, love, focus, and above all the power of the Spirit upon our lives. Be strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
100 Friday April 10, 2009
100 1 Samuel 013 – 015; Mark 016
A Blessed Good Friday to you all.
Bring out the cake and let's celebrate we have reached the 100th day.
Saul came out of nowhere to become king of Israel. You could say he rocketed to the top and then came down almost as fast. Saul did something that was unthinkable because he was not a priest. He made a sacrifice unto the Lord when he was to wait for Samuel. What was he thinking, to pick up the sacrifices that only a priest handles and make offerings to God. I think the Bible tells us what he was thinking. He was thinking that he was going to lose the battle and so he took matters into his own hands.
Samuel's words to Saul, "God is out looking for your replacement right now."
In the meantime, Saul's son Jonathan, took a step of faith and went to attack the Philistines with only his armor bearer. God used their step of faith to take down the Philistines. Saul was not a great man but he had a great son. Jonathan is not the main character in these books but he is one of the leaders who started well and finished well.
Jonathan felt God was greater than the enemy and went with a plan to see if God would help them. Jonathan went to the Philistine camp with a different attitude than his father Saul. What is your attitude toward God and His plan for your life? It is as if Saul wanted to help God out with his plans--by the way God doesn't need our help. We need to have more of Jonathan in our heart. Jonathan had courage but it was tempered with wisdom.
Jonathan had faith but it was not blind faith, it was a "let's see if God is in this?" kind of faith.
I hope you read the rest of today's Scripture because you will see Saul at it again--being foolish.
God save us from ourselves and draw us nearer to you.
It is a grand announcement that the women heard at the site of Jesus’ burial. The women were concerned about who was going to move the stone that lay in front of the tomb. When they had arrived the stone had already been moved. It is then that the angel announces that the Lord had risen from the dead. Those words are powerful and can never be duplicated. No other savior has ever been raised from the dead and none of them ever claimed that they would be raised from the dead. Yes it is Good Friday and we focus on our Savior dying for us and being buried for us and yet we can never forget that Christ beat the final enemy—death!
A Blessed Good Friday to you all.
Bring out the cake and let's celebrate we have reached the 100th day.
Saul came out of nowhere to become king of Israel. You could say he rocketed to the top and then came down almost as fast. Saul did something that was unthinkable because he was not a priest. He made a sacrifice unto the Lord when he was to wait for Samuel. What was he thinking, to pick up the sacrifices that only a priest handles and make offerings to God. I think the Bible tells us what he was thinking. He was thinking that he was going to lose the battle and so he took matters into his own hands.
Samuel's words to Saul, "God is out looking for your replacement right now."
In the meantime, Saul's son Jonathan, took a step of faith and went to attack the Philistines with only his armor bearer. God used their step of faith to take down the Philistines. Saul was not a great man but he had a great son. Jonathan is not the main character in these books but he is one of the leaders who started well and finished well.
Jonathan felt God was greater than the enemy and went with a plan to see if God would help them. Jonathan went to the Philistine camp with a different attitude than his father Saul. What is your attitude toward God and His plan for your life? It is as if Saul wanted to help God out with his plans--by the way God doesn't need our help. We need to have more of Jonathan in our heart. Jonathan had courage but it was tempered with wisdom.
Jonathan had faith but it was not blind faith, it was a "let's see if God is in this?" kind of faith.
I hope you read the rest of today's Scripture because you will see Saul at it again--being foolish.
God save us from ourselves and draw us nearer to you.
It is a grand announcement that the women heard at the site of Jesus’ burial. The women were concerned about who was going to move the stone that lay in front of the tomb. When they had arrived the stone had already been moved. It is then that the angel announces that the Lord had risen from the dead. Those words are powerful and can never be duplicated. No other savior has ever been raised from the dead and none of them ever claimed that they would be raised from the dead. Yes it is Good Friday and we focus on our Savior dying for us and being buried for us and yet we can never forget that Christ beat the final enemy—death!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
099 Thursday, April 9, 2009
099 1 Samuel 010 – 012; Mark 015
Samuel rebukes the people of God for wanting a king. One thing I hope you have noticed is how much history the prophets and priests go over with the God's people. It is necessary to teach people so they will not make the same mistakes. Samuel reviews what happened in the land once Joshua had passed away. How the people would turn from God and then need God, repent to find God waiting to forgive them and help them. In the next to last paragraph Samuel tells them, "do not chase after ghost-gods." Samuel is reminding that the root problem is that the people would forget Yahweh and go after false gods. Our society is filled with ghost-gods and ghost-god chasers. We must test the spirits and know the truth for many anti-Christ’s are here and are coming. These are the days we live in and it is important to stay close to Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit. It is very, very critical that we support one another because the enemy is so strong! Pray, read the Bible, fellowship, stay on mission, and walk in His Spirit. Have a great Thursday.
In Mark 15 we read what happened to our Lord. It is grotesques in nature what men can do to another human being. It is abhorrent what men did to Jesus Christ and all in the name of God. The religious community is who put Christ on the cross. There were four different styles of crosses that were used to crucify people in that day. In all probability our Savior died on the crux immissa, in which the upright beam is projected above the shorter crosspiece. Many scholars believe that the Romans were not allowed to be executed on the cross. It was for those of other nations that they would hang on the cross. It was a terrible way to die, and yet our Lord went to the cross for us so we could experience salvation! May you on this Thursday be giving thanks for all that the Lord did for you and our world by dying on the cross to take our place so we could know the riches of His grace.
Samuel rebukes the people of God for wanting a king. One thing I hope you have noticed is how much history the prophets and priests go over with the God's people. It is necessary to teach people so they will not make the same mistakes. Samuel reviews what happened in the land once Joshua had passed away. How the people would turn from God and then need God, repent to find God waiting to forgive them and help them. In the next to last paragraph Samuel tells them, "do not chase after ghost-gods." Samuel is reminding that the root problem is that the people would forget Yahweh and go after false gods. Our society is filled with ghost-gods and ghost-god chasers. We must test the spirits and know the truth for many anti-Christ’s are here and are coming. These are the days we live in and it is important to stay close to Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit. It is very, very critical that we support one another because the enemy is so strong! Pray, read the Bible, fellowship, stay on mission, and walk in His Spirit. Have a great Thursday.
In Mark 15 we read what happened to our Lord. It is grotesques in nature what men can do to another human being. It is abhorrent what men did to Jesus Christ and all in the name of God. The religious community is who put Christ on the cross. There were four different styles of crosses that were used to crucify people in that day. In all probability our Savior died on the crux immissa, in which the upright beam is projected above the shorter crosspiece. Many scholars believe that the Romans were not allowed to be executed on the cross. It was for those of other nations that they would hang on the cross. It was a terrible way to die, and yet our Lord went to the cross for us so we could experience salvation! May you on this Thursday be giving thanks for all that the Lord did for you and our world by dying on the cross to take our place so we could know the riches of His grace.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
098 Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Pause, rest, reflect and prepare you hearts to replay the death then resurrection of our great Lord.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
097 Tuesday, April 7, 2009
097 1 Samuel 6.19 – 9.27; Mark 14.32 – 14.72
Eli has received horrible news. His sons have died in battle and the Chest of God has been taken. The sacred is in now with the profane. The sacred in the wrong hands makes things worse, not better. God had come down on the Philistines and not in the good way. The leaders meet with their supernatural consultants to figure how to send the Chest of God back to Israel. The Chest of God gets as far as Beth Shemesh, but they lose seventy people because they don't know how to treat the Holy. The Chest of God finds a twenty year resting spot and a mini revival breaks out in Israel. Samuel addresses Israel and wants to know how serious they are about really coming back to God. They have to cleanse themselves from the idol worship.
How serious are we about walking with God? What are we willing to give up or to start up?
We get fairly excited about the week leading up to Easter, let's continue with that excitement. Amen.
Eli has received horrible news. His sons have died in battle and the Chest of God has been taken. The sacred is in now with the profane. The sacred in the wrong hands makes things worse, not better. God had come down on the Philistines and not in the good way. The leaders meet with their supernatural consultants to figure how to send the Chest of God back to Israel. The Chest of God gets as far as Beth Shemesh, but they lose seventy people because they don't know how to treat the Holy. The Chest of God finds a twenty year resting spot and a mini revival breaks out in Israel. Samuel addresses Israel and wants to know how serious they are about really coming back to God. They have to cleanse themselves from the idol worship.
How serious are we about walking with God? What are we willing to give up or to start up?
We get fairly excited about the week leading up to Easter, let's continue with that excitement. Amen.
Monday, April 6, 2009
096 Monday, April 6, 2009
096 1 Samuel 3.1 – 6.18; Mark 14.1 – 14.31
"Yes I'm here" was Samuel's consistent reply when he heard Eli the priest call him. There was one problem it was not Eli calling him. Samuel has been given to serve the Lord and lives in the temple with the priest Eli. God is speaking to Samuel at such a young age. Eli finally realizes that God is speaking to the boy and tells him how to reply. It still applies for today. Samuel responded to God the next time He spoke with these words, "Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen." These words work for you. The next time you are reading Scripture and God speaks to you say those words. Perhaps the Lord will speak to your heart while driving or working out, say those words.
I love this--"Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper." Matter of fact, tough for Jesus to be a guest of a former leper. How would you like to be identified as the former leper and not even former just Simon the Leper. Later Jesus teaches them the new meaning of Passover. How Jesus loves us--you.
"Yes I'm here" was Samuel's consistent reply when he heard Eli the priest call him. There was one problem it was not Eli calling him. Samuel has been given to serve the Lord and lives in the temple with the priest Eli. God is speaking to Samuel at such a young age. Eli finally realizes that God is speaking to the boy and tells him how to reply. It still applies for today. Samuel responded to God the next time He spoke with these words, "Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen." These words work for you. The next time you are reading Scripture and God speaks to you say those words. Perhaps the Lord will speak to your heart while driving or working out, say those words.
I love this--"Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper." Matter of fact, tough for Jesus to be a guest of a former leper. How would you like to be identified as the former leper and not even former just Simon the Leper. Later Jesus teaches them the new meaning of Passover. How Jesus loves us--you.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
095 Sunday April 5, 2009
095 Samuel 1 – 2; Mark 13
How bad do you want that answer to prayer? Hannah said, " I'll give him (her son, the “would be” answer to prayer) completely, unreservedly to you." God gave her a son and his name was Samuel. She gave her son to God just as she had promised. It is one of the greatest stories in the Bible because Samuel turned out to be a top notch leader and truly a man of God. So how bad do you want that answer to prayer? Try giving it away when it is answered and see how it turns out.
The second coming of Christ is coming. No one knows the hour. It is good reminder as we read Mark 13 that Christ is coming back and Jesus is coming for us. This world needs to be set straight and there is only one who can do it. What are you watching for the FedEx or UPS delivery person? Keep a close watch on the sky.
How bad do you want that answer to prayer? Hannah said, " I'll give him (her son, the “would be” answer to prayer) completely, unreservedly to you." God gave her a son and his name was Samuel. She gave her son to God just as she had promised. It is one of the greatest stories in the Bible because Samuel turned out to be a top notch leader and truly a man of God. So how bad do you want that answer to prayer? Try giving it away when it is answered and see how it turns out.
The second coming of Christ is coming. No one knows the hour. It is good reminder as we read Mark 13 that Christ is coming back and Jesus is coming for us. This world needs to be set straight and there is only one who can do it. What are you watching for the FedEx or UPS delivery person? Keep a close watch on the sky.
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