Sister Timberly Sunday Evening 5/12/13

Sister Timberly Sunday Evening 5/12/13

In 1 Samuel chapter 2, God warned Eli about his sons.  God is faithful and gave Eli an opportunity to get right.  Eli did not get it right.  God requires obedience.  Sister Sue spoke of leaving footprints for others to follow; it is a high standard.  The Bible requires a high standard.

In chapter 3, God called Samuel as a little boy and talked to him.  It is sad that God had to use someone else instead of the priest.  Because of Eli’s lack he and his sons all died on the same day.

In chapter 4, Eli’s sons came to the temple to get the ark to take with them to battle.  Eli and Samuel both tried to get them to not take it.

In chapter 5, the Philistines have the ark and Dagon, who was a false God, kept falling down before the ark.  Nothing can stand up to our God, He can handle everything. 

1Sa 7:3  And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

1Sa 7:4  Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

Look how God used Samuel.  What a miracle that people were actually willing to lay aside their false God.  It will take a miracle for people to lay aside all and follow God.  God is a miracle working God.

1Sa 7:5  And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

1Sa 7:6  And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 children of Israel in Mizpeh.

God used Samuel to revive religion.  They got rid of the false Gods and true religion revived.

1Sa 7:7  And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

1Sa 7:8  And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

1Sa 7:9  And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

The Children of Israel were just gathered together to worship.  And the Philistines were coming to invade them.  When you are putting your heart into worship that is how the enemy is.  He is there to distract.  We need to know that and to battle.

1Sa 7:10  And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

God will defend us.  When we are doing our best to serve God He will deliver us.

1Sa 7:11  And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

God gave them a glorious victory.

1Sa 7:12  Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

We need to set up monuments and look back and say, I remember that victory.  It will encourage us.

1Sa 7:13  So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Because of one man and his trueness, God delivered Israel.

1Sa 7:14  And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

God can restore even what has been lost.

1Sa 7:15  And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Samuel fulfilled the promise of his mother.  It took both him and his mother to fulfill the promise.

1Sa 7:16  And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

1Sa 7:17  And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

These were the things that God designed Samuel’s life for.  God designed Samuel’s life as an answer to prayer.  I think Elkanah and Hannah were both concerned about the situation in Shiloh.  God answered prayer and God had a plan.

God has a plan for us.  God had a plan for Julie’s life and made it beautiful.  She is a good example and a light shining in the school.  God had a plan and saved us from sin.  He is so good to us.

Samuel’s sons did not follow God.  We see in chapter eight.  Also we see that Israel wanted a king to rule over them instead of a judge.  Samuel brought the matter to God and God told them just what would happen when they had a king. 

Psa 106:15  And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

We want to be careful that we are praying in the will of God and not just laying down our own thoughts.  We need to be careful that we have submission in our prayers.

Saul had humble beginnings.  He was a country boy with a big heart.  Power went to his head and it is sad that he let it happen.  In chapter 12 Samuel resigned the government completely into the hands of Saul.  He reminded them of the great things that God had done for them.

He then set before them good and evil.

1Sa 12:14  If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

1Sa 12:15  But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.

It is still the same choice today.  It is either good or evil.  If you choose the good you will have the blessings and we have seen way too much the result of choosing evil. 

When Saul began his reign alone then all went to decay and Samuel’s words began to be fulfilled that they would go to decay.  It is not always easy to tell someone things that are bad but Samuel was faithful. 

We really want to support our pastor.  He has to take stands that are difficult.

In Chapter 15 Saul was rejected from being a king.  This hurt Samuel’s heart because he loved Saul.  When Eli didn’t do right he chose Samuel.  When Saul didn’t do right he chose David.  God is not one to just mope around and He told Samuel to not cry.  God always has a plan.