Tag: Israel

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Bless Them!

Bless Them!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who know God will bless them. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When God gives his blessing, it means he gives his divine favor. When we say we “Bless the Lord,” it means to glorify him.

Psalm 115:12-18 (ESV) refers to the how God blesses his people, and how his people bless him.

“The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.

May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!”

As the psalm says, “Praise the Lord!” He has blessed and deserves to be blessed. Stop. Give thanks. Praise! Worship!

Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Categories
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.

Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Repent and Cry Out!

Repent and Cry Out!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who repent and cry out to the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In 1 Samuel 7:5-7, Israel is threatened by a Philistine invasion.

“Then Samuel said, ‘Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.’ So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.’ And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.”

As the Philistines threatened to invade, the people of Israel acknowledged their sin.

This was a major step in healing the breach between God and his people. They were begging God to intervene.

Samuel stands in the gap as he intercedes for the people of Israel.

Are you holding on to sin and need to say, “I have sinned against the Lord?”

Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Categories
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.

Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Fear and Bless?

Fear and Bless?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for “You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.” In Jesus’ name, amen.

As the world celebrates Easter, let us remember those who do not have hope in a risen savior. Some have never heard. Others have made a conscious decision not to acknowledge God role in creation or his victory over death.

Psalm 135:19-21 (ESV) reminds us to bless the Lord.

“O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!”

If you believe, give thanks for the resurrection and the life everlasting.

Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Categories
From The Author

Where Did Your Dreams Come From?

Where Did Your Dreams Come From?

My dream of being able to visit places around the world started when I was a boy.

When I was growing up, my parents managed an apartment complex. I remember the owner, Ed Beaumont. He was a nice man who would come by to collect the tenant’s rents.

Ed and his wife were world travelers. Whenever they would go somewhere, they would make sure to send us a postcard. I was fascinated by the pictures. When I would see Mr. Beaumont, I asked questions about his trips and loved hearing about his adventures.

Once when Mr. Beaumont was going away for two weeks, he asked my mother and me to take care of his talking, double yellow-headed Amazon parrot. By the second week, his bird had learned to mimic the sound of our laughter. When he came to pick up his bird, he shared about his trip.

Across the alley from where we lived was a woman who also traveled internationally. One time, she invited my parents and me to come over to her home to see the slides her most recent trip. When the lights were turned low, I watched the screen come to life with pictures of historic places including the Holy Land. She told about her trip including the history of the places she visited. For me, it was like I was there. A few years ago, my wife and I fulfilled my dream when we visited Israel.

My dream of becoming a world traveler became a reality. How about you? Where did your dreams come from?

Never stop dreaming.

Tell me what you think below and please join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.