Tag: in Jesus’ name

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Wisdom Prayer

Put Away False Gods!

Put Away False Gods!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who put away false gods. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Samuel grew up under the tutelage of Eli, the priest. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, who was childless, prayed fervently for a child. She conceived, and dedicated him to the Lord.

When Samuel grew up, the Philistines had invaded Israel, took the Ark of the Covenant, gave the ark back, and then threatened to invade Israel again.

1 Samuel 7:3-4 (ESV) tells us Samuel told the people of Israel how to avoid another defeat by the Philistines.

“And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’ So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.”

Faith in God turned the tide.

Will you put away foreign gods, and serve the Lord only?

Say “Yes,” and put away the foreign gods.

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Wisdom Prayer

The Lessons Scripture Holds!

The Lessons Scripture Holds!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who study scripture to learn the lessons it holds. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1 Samuel, chapters 5 and 6, tell the story of the Ark of the Covenant. It destroyed the Philistines’ idols, afflicted people with tumors, and left the Philistines wondering what to do. Finally, they sent the ark back to Israel on a wagon led by two cows. The Philistines paid a guilt offering of gold tumors and gold mice to reflect the afflictions caused by the ark.

When the ark first arrived in Israel, it afflicted some people who surrounded it.

1 Samuel 7:1-2 tells of Eleazar and what happened to the ark of the Lord.

“And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the Lord. From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.”

Twenty years pass. The ark is safe in Israel, and the story picks up again with Samuel.

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Wisdom Prayer

The Power of God!

The Power of God!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom to know the power of the God of Israel to subdue foreign gods and more. In Jesus name, amen.

When the Philistines were victorious over Israel, as described in 1 Samuel 4, they brought the Ark of the Covenant to various cities. In the city of Ashdod, the ark was placed next to the Philistines’ god Dagon. The first night, the statue of Dagon fell face down on the ground before the ark. After being put up the next day, Dagon’s statue fell the next night, and the head and hands were cut off.

When the ark was taken to other cities, the people developed tumors.

1 Samuel 5:11-12 (ESV) tells us the Philistines in the City of Ekron was in a panic when the ark was brought into the city.

“So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, ‘They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.’ They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, ‘Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.’ For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.”

Scripture records how scared the Philistines were of the ark and the God of Israel.

They had to decide what to do with the ark.

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Wisdom Prayer

Right From Wrong!

Right From Wrong!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom to know right from wrong and to live according to doing the right things. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The two sons of Eli, the priest, Hophni and Phinehas, did wrong in the sight of the Lord.

Israel went to battle the Philistines. At a point, the Philistines were winning. In 1 Samuel 4:1-9 we learn some fighters went to the elders of Israel and asked them to bring the Arc of the Covenant from Shiloh to be near the fighting. Eli’s sons were with the arc.

When the arc arrived, the Philistines heard the shouts coming from the camp of Israel. At first, the Philistines felt intimidated and recalled how the Lord had brought plagues on Egypt.

1 Samuel 4:10-11 (ESV) tells what happened next.

“So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the arc of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.”

We learn in 1 Samuel 4:18 (ESV) a man of Benjamin ran and came to Shiloh. He told Eli and others what happened.

“As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.”

So ends the story of Eli and his sons.

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Wisdom Prayer

Called By The Lord!

Called By The Lord!

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

Samuel kept waking up and running to Eli, the priest. “Here I am, for you called me.”

But Eli had not called, so he told Samuel to go back to sleep. Yet, it happened more than a few times…and Eli finally told Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:9 (ESV),

“Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.”

The Lord called again, and he told Samuel that Eli’s sons would be killed. Then, Eli asked Samuel what the Lord had said, and Samuel told Eli his sons would die. Eli accepted the news.

In 1 Samuel 3:19-21 (ESV) we see who will take over for Eli, the priest.

“And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”

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Wisdom Prayer

Grow in Stature and in Favor!

Grow in Stature and in Favor!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who, like Samuel, grow in favor with the Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

In 1 Samuel 1:1-20 Hannah prays and Eli’s sons prove unworthy to be priests. Eli rebukes his sons after hearing they engaged in unholy, sinful behavior.

In 1 Samuel 1:25 (ESV) we learn what Eli’s tells his sons, and what will be become of them.

“If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.”

We also learn about what became of Samuel in 1 Samuel 1:26 (ESV).

“Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.”

Eli, could not save his unfaithful sons from their fate. Yet, while Eli’s sons were going their own way, Samuel is going up and fining favor with the Lord.

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