1 Sam 6-10

I am reminded that we have one King, Master, Lord.   He is our God and He is sufficient.  I love that he gave Saul a new heart.   That is what he does with us.  He gives us the desires of our heart, a new heart. Praise the God of the universe for he loved us enough.   I have an audience of one.  Yes I do need to obey the authorities (Rom 13) but I serve one Master.    He is my King.   Have a great day.

Psalms 27-29

Psalm 27

As I read this today I was struck by verses 4-6.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

I have no idea what other commentators say about these verses but this is what they said to me this morning: For us, those who claim Jesus, the house of the Lord is our Bible. His Word in His house,our Temple. The Word(Holy Spirit) is already in us. When we open its pages, and study it, that is the key to unlocking it's power. It unleashes its power into our hearts enabling us to apply it to our life and the lives of others. When I dwell in His house(His Word) every day I see His beauty as I study His Word. When trouble comes, I need not fear my enemies for I have His Word with me. It hides(protects) me. He sets me on a high rock where I can witness to my enemies. I'm filled with joy. I have a song in my heart and sometimes I just have to let it out. Yes, I sing praises to the Lord.

I pray that we all fall in love with His Word. The only way to do that is to read it every day. Reading it is the match that starts the fire. Eventually the heats builds up to boiling and the desire to share it will become so great that we have no choice. So read every day and share at least once a week or you're going to boil over and make a mess. AND...I want to hear what God is saying to you. I love hearing His word from all ages, experiences, and points along our walks.

I like the book of Ruth. It always spoke to me of loyalty,love, hard work, kindness. But once again I'm amazed at how the Old Testament is a picture of Jesus. Below is commentary from Wiersbe. After I read it the light bulb went off. It makes perfect sense. Ruth means much more to me now.




Ruth and Esther are the only OT books named after women. Ruth was a Gentile who married a Jew; Esther was a Jew who married a Gentile; but God used both of them to save the nation. Ruth is placed between Judges and Samuel for a definite reason. Judges shows the decline of the Jewish nation; Samuel shows the setting up of the Jewish kingdom; and Ruth pictures Christ and His bride. During this present age, when Israel is set aside, Christ is calling out His bride from among the Gentiles and the Jews. As we shall see, this brief book has a wonderful typical meaning. It is a love story and a harvest story, and that is what God is doing in our world today.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe's expository outlines on the Old Testament (Ru 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Isaiah 45-50

I believe that Isaiah 46: 9-10 says it all.  These two verses are profound.  If you really believe that what you believe is really real then pay close attention to this:

      for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." 

Men and Women,  God will get done what He says he will get done.  We can't change it.  We can either enjoy His blessings along the way or choose to not follow and suffer the consequences.  As for me and my house we choose to serve the Lord!   I won't like everything that happens but I will be content and at peace if I get on His band wagon.   Come on and join me! 

Hello

  In January when we started this we all agreed to read God's Word in one year.   We don't have to blog but it just seems if blogging is not happening then it is likely that reading is not happening.   I am keeping up for the most part and today I am just asking:  Are you doing your daily readings?  Integrity is a big word with a big meaning.   All of us said we were going to read this bible through in one year.   Are we?   I trust that God is speaking to you through His word as He gave us the scripture which is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.  If I really believe that what I believe is really real, then I want to know Him more.  I am praying for each of you.  That the Lord would encourage you and that you would have the integrity to follow through with what you said you would do.   Is your word good enough for His Word?  He is God.  He gave us these scriptures, we agreed to read it.  So, let's read.   If you are behind, don't try to catch up.  Just start with todays reading and continue.  There will be time somewhere along the way to "catch up".    May the God of Peace and Grace give you a hunger and thirst for His Word and may each of you be blessed by the power of the Holy Spirit through Christ.  Amen

Judges 12-17

The Lord used Samson to save Israel from the Philistines.   Samson was not the usual judge but was used non the less.  His strength came from the Spirit as does ours.  He defiled himself with lying, eating from a dead carcass, killing, getting a Philistine wife......Did not do exactly what you would think a judge should do.  Yet, God used him and was with him.   We have the power of Sampson available to us and sometimes we do not feel worthy.   We do things we should not do as well but as in Sampson's case, God can and will use us in miraculous ways.   Be aware of the Holy Spirit in us and nothing is impossible.  

Judges 12-16

Samson had already gotten into trouble with one woman, but now he tried again, this time going deep into enemy territory to Gaza. Again, God warned him by allowing the enemy to almost catch him, but Samson still refused to repent. It was then that Delilah came into his life and led him to his doom.
It shocks us to see this Nazarite sleeping on the lap of a wicked woman, but this is what happens when people choose to go their own way and reject the counsel of loved ones and the Lord. Three times Delilah enticed Samson, and three times he lied to her. Each time, the enemy attacked him, so he should have realized he was in danger.
The rest of the story shows the tragic end of the believer who will not let God have his way with his life. From v. 20 on, Samson does nothing but lose. He loses his hair. Then he loses his strength, but he is ignorant of it until he is overpowered. How futile it is for the servant of God to try to serve the Lord when out of His will. Next Samson loses the light, for the Philistines put out his eyes. He loses his liberty, for they bind him with fetters of brass. He loses his usefulness to the Lord, for he ends up grinding corn instead of fighting God’s battles. Someone has said that v. 21 pictures the blinding, binding, and grinding results of sin. And all of this began when Samson despised his blessings and defied his parents!
Samson also lost his testimony, for he was the laughingstock of the Philistines. Their fish-god Dagon, not the God of Israel, was given all the glory. Apparently Samson repented of his sin, for God gave him one more chance to act by faith. His hair had begun to grow and Samson asked God for strength to win one more victory over the enemy. God answered his prayer, but in defeating others, Samson took his own life.
Samson illustrates people who have power to conquer others, but who cannot conquer themselves. He set the Philistine fields on fire, but could not control the fires of his own lust. He killed a lion, but would not put to death the passions of the flesh. He could easily break the bonds that men put on him, but the shackles of sin gradually grew stronger on his soul. Instead of leading the nation, he preferred to work independently, and as a result, left no permanent victory behind. He was remembered for what he destroyed, not for what he built up. He lacked discipline and direction; without these, his strength could accomplish little. He failed to check the impulses that began early in his career, and twenty years later, they killed him.
It remained for Samuel and David in later years to finally defeat the Philistines. Samuel by one prayer accomplished more than Samson did in twenty years of fighting. (see 1 Sam. 7:9–14). Wiersbe