158th Week, I Samuel Intro - Chapter 4 (Click on title for Video Introduction)

 Click on Title for Video Introduction

Monday, I Samuel Intro

I Samuel Intro

Delores Little

THOUGHT

The first book of Samuel covers 125 years from the birth of Samuel, the last judge, through most of the reign of Saul.  Samuel grew up in the home of Eli who was both judge of Israel and high priest in charge of the Tabernacle at Shiloh, the center of Israel’s worship.  All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established (confirmed) to be a prophet of the Lord. 

When Samuel assumed both civil and spiritual leadership, the Israelites were entrenched in apostasy and were politically fragmented. Through his loyalty to God and His Word, Samuel restored the nation’s moral and spiritual condition to the level since the days of Joshua.

Samuel founded the first school of the prophets and taught God’s Word. Because Samuel was a man of prayer and obedience to the Word of God, he was able to unite the tribes of Israel into one nation.  But, as he grew old, the people insisted on a king like other nations had. God directed Samuel to anoint Saul as king, a choice young man.  Saul reigned for 40 years.

It is important for us to notice what being obedient to God’s Word means and what happens when we are not.  We find out how important prayer is. Samuel and David were men of prayer. Also notice that God back then put the Holy Spirit on men, but if they didn’t obey, He took it off them. Today we are sealed with His Holy Spirit and how very thankful that we are.  We all know there isn’t a day we don’t fall short of His glory. 

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, forgive us when we do not listen to You through Your Word and prayer.  Teach us to be humble servants unto You and others. As we look at others, let us see them as You see them and not judge, but love them.  Send Your blessings on everyone getting this thought and for all we pray for daily. In Jesus Name. AMEN

Tuesday, I Samuel Chapter 1

I Samuel 1

Verses 10-11

Delores Little

Verses 10-11:  In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow saying, “O Lord Almighty, if You will only look upon Your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget Your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

THOUGHT

Wow, what a prayer, to ask for a son and be willing to give him back to the Lord for all his living days.  Up to this time we see that she was married, and her husband had another wife who had children.  Every year this other wife would make life awful for Hannah by provoking her year by year. We know her husband really loved her for he said it was not necessary to have a child with her.  He loved her anyway.  Finally, she goes and cries out to God for a male baby with a willingness to give him up.

Eli thought she was drunk and rebuked her.  She told him what she was praying for, and he said, “Go in peace, and may God of Israel grant what you have asked of Him.”  God does let her conceive.  She has a son and calls him Samuel.  After he is weaned, she goes and gives him to the Lord by presenting him to Eli to raise.

In this chapter we learn about barren women, the way they feel, how they pray to God, and how God answers their prayers.  Hannah truly poured her soul out to the Lord in prayer. God is showing us to keep on praying and seeking God daily in everything.  We need to trust Him to bring it to past in His timing not ours. 

The hard thing to me as a Mother and Grandmother and Great Grandmother is how hard that would be to do after you had a child. We see the love that she had for God that she gave her only son back to the Lord.  We who have had children can relate to that, and I have to say it took me years to finally say, “God, these are Your children, and You only loan them to us to raise.”

What a humble woman she was and a Godly one. This boy ended up being the last prophet of the Israel nation, and a great one he was.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we have much to learn from Hannah and all she gave up at the time, but later was so blessed back from the Lord for what she had done. What I also learned while Willie was ill was he too was only on loan to me down here on earth. He totally belonged to God as our children.  Help us to cherish and love our children and our spouses every day of our lives.  May our faith be as strong as Hannah’s, Father.  In the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, AMEN

Wednesday, I Samuel Chapter 2

I Samuel 2

Verse 29

Bart Strayer

Verse 29:  “Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?”

THOUGHT

Some of you in the parenting role should be writing this devotion, It is apparent that Eli had a problem disciplining his sons. Although we have talked many times about the importance of discipline, I will mention it again, because what is said in this devotion will set the stage for the next devotion.

Essentially, God is drawing a line in the sand and saying, “You know your sons do evil. How long will you stand with them?” These verses are strong words from God. I am not a parent so I am not the best person to relate to the severity of God’s Words. But I can imagine the difficult struggle Eli faces. A choice between honoring God more than his Sons.

BART, GET TO THE POINT!

Here is my angle. There are times in our lives when people that have rejected the Gospel, become like a cancerous tumor in our lives. The longer we associate with them, the more it compromises our relationship with God, and we find ourselves justifying ungodly acts. As we learned in I Corinthians, “bad company corrupts good character.”

PRAYER

Dear God in Heaven, help protect us from the harmful influences in this world. Help us to identify things that are ungodly and give us the strength to stay pure. We thank You for Your conviction and preservation.  What an awesome God You are. AMEN

Thursday, I Samuel Chapter 3

I Samuel 3

Verse 18

Bart Strayer

Verse 18:  So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord, let him do what is good in his eyes.”

THOUGHT

Through this verse we gain an insight as to the spiritual depth that Eli had matured to. Some Christians today would have a real problem with God’s decision to wipe his hands of Eli’s sons. In addition to this story, many of the accounts of the Old Testament will also seem pointless and cruel.  Personally, the more I study God’s word and seek a personal relationship with his Son, the more I understand His Ways. And although they may not seem to make any sense at the time, all of God’s actions are perfect and just. Eli understood this. 

How well do you understand God’s Ways? I challenge any of you to find a person that has spent a good amount of time passionately seeking God through prayer and the reading of His Word, and ask the question, “Do God’s ways make sense?”  Undoubtedly they will say what Eli said, “God does what is good in his eyes.”

PRAYER

Dear God, what an awesome God You are and unfathomable are Your ways. Help us to trust You always. We thank You for Your dominion in our lives just the same as You guided the life of Eli. We pray that You would strengthen us in our circumstances, and that You would help us discern Your Will. We pray in Jesus Name. AMEN

Friday, I Samuel Chapter 4

I Samuel 4

Verses 21-22

Bart Strayer

Verses 21-22:  She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”-because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

THOUGHT

Israel was headed down a path to destruction, made worse by the actions of Eli’s sons. However, God was still working.  There were many displeasing acts that were taking place during the later years of Eli’s life, such as the disrespect for God’s sacrificial altar and the dragging of God’s ark to

battle fields. Amongst what seems to be the darkest hour, God was still working.  Much like He is working today in our dark hours. 

Amongst all the devastation, little Samuel was growing into his ministry. No one at the time could understand the glory that Samuel would restore to the nation.  Overwhelmed in grief and discouragement, it is easy to lose hope. During the times when it seems ‘The glory has departed?’, God is working. God was raising up Israel’s ‘greatest prophet’.

PRAYER

Dear God, we praise You for the work You are doing in our lives, even when we can’t see past our struggles. We thank You for being our omnipotent God, our rock in times of struggles. We ask that You give us the strength to keep going through the valleys of our lives. We thank You in advance for the work You are doing even now in our lives, that we can’t see. We pray in Jesus Name. AMEN