Tag: in Jesus’ name

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Wisdom Prayer

Obey the Voice of the Lord!

Obey the Voice of the Lord!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who obey the voice of the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

During his so-called Farewell Address, Samuel warns the people of Israel against disobedience.

In 1 Samuel 12:15-18 (ESV) we see God’s power on display.

“‘But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.’ So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.”

The people of Israel were told to obey the Lord or else.

Today, believers need to listen to and obey the voice of the Lord.

Have you been listening?

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Wisdom Prayer

Follow the Lord!

Follow the Lord!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who follow the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As part of Samuel’s Farewell Address, Samuel lets the people of Israel and their new king know what was expected of them.

In 1 Samuel 12:12-14 (ESV) are told what the people of Israel were to do to assure things went well.

“And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well.”

In the passage above, the people of Israel received specific instructions.

In a later passage they will be warned what would happen if they were disobedient.

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Wisdom Prayer

The Lord’s Righteous Deeds!

The Lord’s Righteous Deeds!

Dear Lord, I pray for those who know the Lord’s history of righteous deeds. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In 1 Samuel 12:6-7 (ESV), Samuel continues his Farewell Address, and he starts to plead with the people

“And Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers.”

In 1 Samuel 12:8-11, Samuel starts to make his case.

“When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out to the Lord and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.”

Thus, there was a period when the people lived in safety.

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Wisdom Prayer

Serving the Lord!

Serving the Lord!

Dear Lord, I pray for those who have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Chapter twelve of First Samuel is identified as “Samuel’s Farewell Address.”

Samuel asks the people of Israel several questions. In 1 Samuel 12:1-5 (ESV) the answers to these questions will either affirm or undermine Samuel’s credibility.

“And Samuel said to all Israel, ‘Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me[a] and I will restore it to you.’ They said, ‘You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand.’ And he said to them, ‘The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.’ And they said, ‘He is witness.’”

The people did not find Samuel guilty of any wrongful act. Therefore, Samuel was affirmed as honest before the people and before God.

Not everyone who asked the kinds of questions Samuel asked would be without fault.

God gives us grace and permission to confess our sins when we fall short. If we confess, we will be cleansed from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9).

If there is something you need to confess, confess now.

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Wisdom Prayer

Defend the Honor!

Defend the Honor!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who assemble to defend the honor of a nation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When enemies came against Israel, there were victories and defeats.

This time, when word of what the Ammonite wants reaches Saul, Saul’s reaction will change the people of Israel and usher in a new era.

1 Samuel 11:5-15 (ESV) tells how Saul helped the people of Israel move from fear and weeping to unity.

“Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, ‘Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!’ Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man. When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they said to the messengers who had come, ‘Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.’ ’ When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, ‘Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.’ And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

“Then the people said to Samuel, ‘Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.’ But Saul said, ‘Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.’ Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.’ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”

In summary, Saul took action, the people acted in unity, a victory was won, Samuel told the people to go to Gilgal, Saul became king, the Lord was given offerings, and there was rejoicing.

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Wisdom Prayer

Life and Death Negotiations!

Life and Death Negotiations!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those involved in life and death negotiations. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The people of Israel were besieged by the Ammonites. The Ammonite leader was asked to make a treaty, but he gave an unrealistic ultimatum.

In 1 Samuel 11:1-4 (ESV) we learn what Nahash the Ammonite wanted in exchange for the treaty.

“When Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.” The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.”

What would you do in such a negotiation?

Not only is the Ammonite wanting to gouge out the right eyes of the negotiators, he makes it clear he wants to bring disgrace upon all Israel.

When Saul hears of this, what will be his response?

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