by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Samuel 10-12
Can you imagine what Saul is thinking? Put yourself in his shoes. You go out looking for some cows which had escaped the pen, and the prophet declares you to be king of Israel.
Samuel gives the new king several signs that this is truly God, but it has to be shocking.
You see, however, that God anoints Saul for the task. Not only does he prophesy with the prophets, but he also has tremendous courage and sympathy come upon him for the people of Jabesh-gilead. He rallies the troops and defeats the Ammonites on their behalf.
Yet Samuel has grave warning for the people. This was not God’s plan, but man’s. By wanting a king, the Israelites have rejected God as their king, and the prophet reminds them of that fact.
This is a reminder to us, also. If we insist on going a certain way, He will not stop us. God will honor our free will.
The blessed life, however, is the one that is lived according to God’s plan.
Luke 9: 37-62
Are you a true disciple of Jesus? Are you willing to follow Him wherever He leads?
There are always commitments which could keep us from following Him. Many of these are good things – commitments to family and community.
Do you think that Jesus wants us to forsake our families? Of course not. That is one of our biggest priorities – to be faithful to our loved ones.
However, there will always be something which will come up which will cause us to make excuses that we don’t have time to follow Jesus. There will always be a reason for not doing His will.
That’s why we have to be on guard. Instead of making excuses, we have to find a way to do His will.
When we are following Jesus, our families will be cared for, and our other obligations will be met. We will also have the time and energy to do His will.
It goes like this: love God; love people. Until we truly love God, we can’t truly love people.
Lord, empower me to do your will. No excuses; just your will.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Samuel 7-9
God has some choice words concerning the Israelites and their desire for a king. He first tells Samuel, “The people have not rejected you, they have rejected Me.”(8:7) Yet He goes on to say that since they insist on a king, the prophet is to give them what they want.
He then warns the Jews. A king will take your best men, your sons, your daughters, your best fields and vineyards – and he will use all of these things for himself. Then you will cry out in that day because of the king over you.
The Israelites still wanted a king, because they wanted to be like every one else around them. (Remarkable, isn’t it?)
Saul has to be confused when he encounters Samuel. The Lord had revealed that the next day someone would come from the land of Benjamin, and this man was to be anointed king. So when Saul appears as promised, Samuel treats him with great honor.
Saul can’t figure out what is happening. He says, “I am from the least tribe, and the least family in the tribe. Why are you speaking to me this way?”(9:21).
Boy, is he in for a surprise! We’ll cover that tomorrow.
Luke 9:18-36
There are so many mysteries in the Kingdom – and here we see one.
If you want to save your life, you’ll lose it. If you are willing to lose your life, you’ll save it. (9:24) What does that mean?
The Greek word for life here is “psyche,” meaning, “soul.” It represents the natural part of you – the earth man – who from time to time can go his own way and get into trouble. The psyche is the part of you who is often self-centered and demanding, often contrary to God’s will.
There is a higher life God has for us – the life born of Him and empowered by His Spirit. That life can only come forth when the old man, the psyche, can be totally given up. Dead on the cross.
The new life which springs forth is full of zeal and energy, ready to run the race with the Father. This new one is the one we want to save.
So we die daily – taking up our cross and following Him. That’s the only way we will ever truly live.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Samuel 4-6
God is holy and He is mighty! That’s what you have to take away from these chapters. We already knew that Eli’s sons were violating God’s temple, and that Eli was not doing anything about it. And we know that he had fair warning.
God’s presence in His ark is holy, and as such will not be toyed with by the likes of Eli’s sons. So the sin in the lives of the leaders caused the Israelites to lose to the Philistines.
Jubilant, the Philistines take the ark, but they too are in for a big surprise – as their god, Dagon, not only falls over, but is broken into pieces in the presence of the holy ark. So they get it out of there as soon as possible.
There are many in today’s society, even some in the church, who don’t recognize God’s power. Even if they agree that He demonstrated it at one time,they think that He doesn’t demonstrate it now. But those people are wrong.
For those who will pray and seek their Father’s face, there are great times ahead. Times of refreshing by His Holy Spirit – and times of seeing His hand.
In the early 1700’s and again around 1800 there were some tremendous “awakenings” in America.
The latter of these was even more significant than the first, because it came to a territory, Kentucky, where the settlers were largely outlaws, swindlers, drunkards, brawlers, and just generally rough characters. Most had no religious history at all.
However, after much prayer and listening to God, a few ministers decided to hold a camp meeting in the fields of two of the roughest counties. As many as 25,000 or 30,000 people brought their wagons, food, and families to hear the preachers, and the outcome was incredible. Many turned their lives to God, and became followers of Jesus.
Doubting theologians came from Virginia to discredit the stories which were coming back to them. Were they ever surprised! They found the salvations to be even more numerous than had been reported.
Letters back to headquarters proclaimed that the total complexion of the Kentucky territory had been altered. “Never had they seen such a moral community.”
Only God’s presence and His power can bring such drastic change – a change which has caused historians to call this the “second great awakening” in America.
The fruit of this mighty demonstration of God’s power was that many ministers were called during this event and the Christian heritage of America was saved from extinction. The preachers went into all the frontier territories, ministering, and bringing many to the Lord.
I love to see God at work!
Luke 9:1-17
The twelve go out with delegated authority, proclaiming the Kingdom of God. That’s what Jesus preached about and demonstrated during his ministry.
So what does this Kingdom entail?
I think of it as a parallel universe. The very atmosphere of Heaven which is with us on earth, if we are willing to partake of it.
It’s right here with us, but so is the natural world. There are two kingdoms: the kingdom of men and the Kingdom of God.
In the kingdom of men, there is worry, confusion, striving, and emptiness. In the Kingdom of God there is peace, wisdom, fruitful labor, and joy.
There is also healing, God’s forgiving power, and the ability to hear His voice and walk with Him.
Today, we are called to be carriers of that Kingdom everywhere we go. He has called us, chosen us, and anointed us to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
Are you doing that? I am eager to do it more than ever!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Samuel 1-3
It must have been hard for Hannah to give up her son to be raised by the priest. During the millennium before Jesus was born, there was a huge gap between God’s servants and the lay people. When barren Hannah promised God that if He would give her a son, she would dedicate him to God, she literally meant that she would give him to be raised by the priest.
In faithfulness to her promise, Hannah took her weaned child to Eli at the temple. He was only three years old when he went there to live.
Eli must have felt a great responsibility to raise this special child. His own sons were thugs, so obviously his parenting skills hadn’t always been too great. The two sons would take the best sacrifices for themselves, and they would have sex with the women who came to bring offerings. Generally their behavior was atrocious.
After having been warned, and having ignored the warning, Eli’s sons were in trouble. God was getting ready for a final judgment of this household.
Think about it. Imagine yourself a young man, having been raised by this priest, Eli. Now imagine that over the years you had seen the outrageous behavior of this man’s sons. Then imagine that you have seen Eli tolerate the disrespect for God and His people which these men were perpetrating.
Now imagine what it would be like for God to give you the vision of judgment which He was bringing to that household. Would you be afraid to share it? Of course you would. This is the first record of God speaking a word to Samuel, and it’s a word against those who raised him.
When Eli inquired, however, Samuel was faithful to tell him everythin:. the priesthood was to be taken away from him and his household. God would not stand to be mocked.
I love 3:19-20. “Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail…And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.”
Better times were ahead for Israel, even though they had to go through some rough spots still. There needed to be a pure, clear word from God…and there was now!
Luke 8: 26-56
After casting out a legion of demons from a man in the country of the Gadarenes, and healing the woman with the issue of blood, Jesus comes to Jairus’ daughter. She is dead by the time He gets to their house, but that doesn’t phase Jesus.
There are a couple of things, however, we need to notice. First of all, when they come to the house, only three people are allowed to enter with Him. Peter, James and John. Jesus wants an atmosphere of total faith. He doesn’t want doubt like He encountered in His hometown. In His hometown, He could do no mighty miracle because of their doubt and unbelief.
When He is going to raise someone from the dead, He wants to have faith around Him. So only these three are allowed.
Notice, also, that He guards His Words. I can assure you that Jesus knows what is happening. He knows that the daughter has died. Yet He doesn’t say that; He says she is sleeping. Why?
There is power in every word which Jesus speaks. He is not going to agree with the devil and let His words pronounce death over her. His words will bring deliverance to the daughter as He calls for her to arise.
One more thing. As Jesus ministers to those around Him, there are different categories of people. When He is teaching God’s word and healing people, He has crowds of thousands. They follow Him everywhere for the teaching and the healing.
When it is time to send some out from village to village so that they may represent the kingdom, He has only 70.(Luke 10:1)
When it is time to reveal the mysteries of His Kingdom, He selects 12. These are the apostles which will be the backbone of His church when He goes up to Heaven.
Within that group, however, there is even a smaller circle: the three. Peter, James, and John. These three are the only ones He takes into Jairus’ house, and they are the only three who go with Him on the Mount of transfiguration. These three are His closest friends and followers.
You know that these three aren’t perfect, but their hearts are truly toward Him. And they are the ones who believe Him completely.
Where do you want to be among Jesus’s followers? I want to be one of the three. I want to know His secrets, and I want my life to be lived for Him completely.
When I say three today, it doesn’t just mean “three.” It means a category of people who are all out for Him. So lots of us can be in the “three.” It’s really our choosing.
That’s where I want to be.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Ruth 1-4
What a beautiful story! Ruth, a Moabite, becomes the great-grandmother of David – and the ancestor of Jesus.
So what are the characteristics of someone who is so exceedingly blessed by God?
First of all, she is faithful. When her widowed mother-in-law plans to return to Israel, Ruth and her sister-in-law have the opportunity to stay in their own country. Orpah stays, but Ruth is faithful. She sticks by her mother-in-law’s side and takes care of her.
When announcing her decision to go with Naomi, Ruth makes it clear that she is also being faithful to God. “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”(1:16). Just conjecture here, but I think that she had observed Naomi’s interaction with God and she wanted to have the same. She believes that the God of Israel is the true God.
Ruth is also humble. When she gets to Bethlehem, Ruth doesn’t mind gleaning the fields with the poor. Immediately she goes to work to bring in food for herself and Naomi.
Then, too, Ruth is a go-getter. When she sees the opportunity to marry Boaz, Ruth goes for it, and she gets her man.
So this poor girl from Moab, widowed at an early age, remains faithful to God and He blesses her beyond measure. Not only does she marry a rich man, but her son is Obed, the grandfather of David.
As Boaz says, “May the Lord reward your work and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”
And He does!
Luke 8: 1-25
We hear the parable of the sower once again – and I think that we can’t hear it too much! In a nutshell, this parable is the most accurate at showing us where we are in our faith, and what we need to do to improve it.
Minds are funny things. We can be thinking about something and not even know it. Have you ever been driving or performing another routine task and suddenly realize that you have been thinking about something that happened long ago or something a person said to you?
Thoughts of anxiety, frustration, doubt, or fear can flood your mind without you even being aware of it. Then when you become aware of what you’re thinking, you may feel frustrated or worried or fearful. Do you know what I mean?
If we are going to live God’s best, we absolutely have to control our thought life. Otherwise, one of the devil’s imps will sit on our shoulder and make sure that we never have faith for anything God wants for us.
II Corinthians 10: says “we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
When a thought comes up which says that there is no hope for us, cast it down. When a thought comes up which says we will not get healed, cast it down. When a thought comes up which says that our children will never turn around and live productive lives, cast it down.
Those thoughts are not from God, who is the giver of all good things. We must cast down the negative thoughts and replace them with God’s Word, which promises us healing, deliverance, and hope for our families.
Luke’s account of this “sower” parable adds a tweak. “And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”(v.15)
It takes perseverance. Seed takes time to grow and produce; it doesn’t happen over night. So the Words of God have to be held tightly within our hearts in order to produce the results.
Hold onto the Word. Cast down contrary thoughts. Be patient and persistent.
If you do these things, you will see the fruit spring forth.
