Samuel

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1 Samuel 28:18 The Results Of Disobedience

Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 1 Samuel 28:18

No one who is a leader likes someone who is disobedient. Every leader understands that those being led must be obedient. Usually there are consequences to not obeying, sometimes very severe consequences and other times not very severe.

Often the consequences are set up as punishment or correction to prevent disobedience from occurring again. Many people get upset when negative consequences occur due to disobedience, feeling that they should be able to do what they desire.

God was bringing the Philistines against Saul for disobedience. Saul went to Samuel for help but was told that because he did not obey God this is what God was doing to him.

Even though the world understands consequences to disobedience, many in the church feel that God will not do anything if they disobey Him. Many in the church will refuse to repent and turn away from certain sins. They will not take time to be His witness. They hold on to bitterness and seek vengeance.

While living in sin, many will wonder why God is against them and negative things are occurring on a regular basis. Others will wonder why God is silent when they seek Him at the same time they are disobeying His commands to them. Often they hide behind grace, believing that their disobedience will be overlooked.

God’s holiness demands obedience. Jesus did not die for the sins of the believer, so that the believer could continue to live in sin and disobey God. In His great love God will deal with disobedience harshly in this life so that the person may continue to gain eternal life in the end. The ultimate punishment for disobedience is death for eternity in hell.

As a believer God has given you all the general commands He has given every believer and He has also given you some direct commands specific to you alone. You are given a choice as to whether you will obey those commands or not. There will be consequences to which way you choose.

Obeying God will bring about His hand of favor and direction. Disobeying will result in punishment and losing His hand of favor.

Make the choice today to obey God in every area of your life and every command God gives you.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the commands God is giving you; that you will obey all that God commands you to do; and that God will not have to punish you for any disobedience.

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1 Samuel 16:7 View The Heart Instead

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Appearances can be very deceiving. One can look very well dressed with a well-kept appearance and like a good person, but in reality, be very violent and dangerous.

All that people can fully see is what is on the outside of a person, the physical appearance. Until one gets to know a person closely, they cannot know the person’s heart and true character.

As Samuel was looking at Jesse’s sons for who would be the next king, God told him to not look at the outward appearance. He said that He looks at the heart of the person.

God looks at the heart of a person because that is what shows the true character of a person. From the heart is what determines what a person chases after and desires.

Most people have a heart that is focused upon themselves and their own personal desires. The heart is often one of selfish, personal idolatry–worshipping self more than God. Well dressed and good-looking people are some of those who have committed the most horrible crimes in history as they focused upon themselves.

Instead of being focused upon themselves, believers should have their heart focused upon God, His kingdom and others. The heart goal of the believer is to be more like Jesus and to do God’s work on this earth.

Although a person cannot fully see the heart, God can reveal it through His Holy Spirit. He can open spiritual eyes to see the heart rather than the physical outward appearance, both of one’s own self and of the heart of others.

Just as with the sons of Jesse, you may have a good appearance on the outside, but God sees the heart. Do not allow your heart to be like that of the world, selfish and idolatrous.

Allow God to look into your heart and reveal the truth of who you are. Then let the Holy Spirit change your heart to be one that is running after God’s heart.

Along with revealing your own heart, seek God to open your eyes to the truth of the hearts of other people. Do not be deceived by outward appearances in yourself or others.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will allow God to reveal your heart to you; that you will trust God’s judgement upon your heart; that you will live to seek, serve and worship God with all of your life; and that you will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the hearts of other people.

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1 Samuel 13:12 Feeling Compelled

“I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 1 Samuel 13:12

In difficult situations people will often feel compelled to do something that is normally not to be done. There is a pressure to break the rules to make something happen. People will quickly justify their reasons for breaking the rules to get something done. Often these rules have small affects, while other times they have a major effect causing very negative repercussions in many ways.

Saul had been waiting on Samuel to come to offer a sacrifice. Since Samuel had not come yet and the Philistines were against him, he made the sacrifice himself, something only the prophet or priest was to do.

It is very common for people to want to cut corners to make something happen a certain way. People look at it as not being wrong since it is still getting the job done, even though often it is breaking the rules.

This is done due to the high pressure to be successful no matter what it takes.

Believers can sometimes fall into this same trap. They will choose to take a situation into their own hands, compelled to do something rather than waiting upon God’s timing and obeying what He said to do or not do.

The only time a believer should act upon something he is feeling compelled to do is when it is from the Holy Spirit.
Everything else may be sin.

Obedience to God takes precedence over anything else that a believer may feel compelled or pressured by the world to do. The moment one disobeys God, he has sinned against God and begins to lose God’s favor in his life.

There may be times when you may be compelled to take things into your own hands and go against God’s commands to you. Keep your heart and ears open to hearing what God wants you to do and do that.

Do not allow yourself to be deceived into being compelled to break God’s commands. Know and trust that God is in control and knows the best time and way for everything to occur in your life. God is faithful and will never break His word or His commands to you.

In the end God will work all things out for your good and His kingdom.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know what God is commanding you to do; that you will be led by the Holy Spirit in all that you do; and that God will give you strength to obey His every command to you.

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1 Samuel 10:6 A Different Person

The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 1 Samuel 10:6

Most people have had at least one person in their life that had a major effect upon their life. This person guided them in a way in which their life was changed, and they became a different person. Some are changed for the better, while some are changed for the worse.

When these changes occur, the person becomes a different person than what he was, whether for the good or for the bad.

Samuel told Saul that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him, and he would be changed into a different person.

There are many people who have prayed the sinner’s prayer and claimed to believe in Jesus, but have not allowed God’s Holy Spirit to come upon them and change them. Instead of being changed, they continue in their same actions, attitudes and mindset. Rather than being led by God’s Holy Spirit, they are led by their own selfish ways and the ways of the world.

The moment God comes upon a person, he will be changed. He will move from the darkness to light, from death to life. The work of God will make him come alive and be changed into a different person.

No longer will he be led by the sinful ways of the world and his own selfish desires, but by the Holy Spirit. Sin will no longer have the strong pull upon his life, but the chains of death will be broken. Desire to serve God and live for God according to His ways will become his focus and the world will see the difference.

Have you repented of your sins and accepted Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior? Have you changed into a new person or are you still the same as what you were?

Allow God’s Holy Spirit to come upon you and change you from the inside out. He will open your eyes to what needs to change and give you the strength and boldness to make those changes.

As a believer you are to be holy, set apart, different from the world. You are now a new creation in Christ Jesus, created to do good works of service unto God.

You are to be different from what you once were.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will allow God’s Holy Spirit to rest upon your life; that you will allow the Holy Spirit to guide and change you; that you will be a new person in Christ Jesus; and that you will be holy unto God in all that you think, say and do.

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1 Samuel 9:27 Stay To Hear

As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”–and the servant did so–“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.” 1 Samuel 9:27

Everyday people are extremely busy moving from one thing to the next from morning until night. In the busyness of life many people do not slow down to wait and be able to hear a needed message. Most feel that they already know all they need to know and keep on moving.

Samuel had a message from God for Saul. He told Saul to send his servant on ahead and to wait for that message.

In the same way the world is pushing forward and does not want to hear an important message, many believers are doing the same. There are times that God has a message for a believer, but is unable to give it, because the believer is not slowing down long enough to listen. He is busy living life or doing ministry or something else.

God sees the present and the future of everyone and everything. He knows what is best for each and every believer and is willing to share what is best with the believer.

Once in a while the believer must be willing to stop and listen to what God may have to say. It may come directly from God, His word or through some other person or media. Without stopping and waiting to listen, one will never hear the important message God has for him.

God is to be the Lord, Master, Commander of the believer. Every believer is to take his orders from God, so he must be willing to listen to what the orders are.

God is willing to speak to you. There will be times that He has a message specifically for you to direct your path.

Be willing to ask God if He has a message for you, then take time to stop and listen to what God may be trying to tell you. Set your agenda down and pick up God’s agenda for your life.

Until you stop and listen, you will never know what God has for you. You will be unable to learn to hear God’s voice speaking to you.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will stop moving to hear what God has to say; that you will open your ears and heart to hear God’s message to you; and that you will trust God’s message to you.