Wednesday, March 22, 2017

BE QUIET

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 15

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Bedouins set up their transient homes wherever it is best for their livestock. Here they are located just below Mount Nebo. The promised land is seen in the distance.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 15:22

So Samuel said:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams…”

Saul’s lame excuses for disobedience brought a sharp “Be Quiet” from the Prophet. Samuel was harsh with the King, and at the same time the last verse of our reading tells us that he mourned for Saul. Saul showed such promise. God gave him a new heart, but Saul’s will was not fully yielded to God’s will. Saul’s biggest problem was himself. He wanted to build a kingdom for himself. It was all about him and not about God’s continued sovereignty over Israel. When Saul disobeyed, he tried to blame it on others and to justify himself. Then he immediately followed up by building a monument to himself. Upon hearing God’s verdict on his actions, Saul’s biggest concern was his reputation. He begged Samuel to make him look good. Saul’s successor, David, sinned also, but the difference was that David did not offer any excuses or try to justify himself. He repented with godly sorrow, and took all the blame. Honest repentance brings God’s forgiveness. God will not tolerate a self-centred focus on the part of His leaders. God is a God of mercy, but the time comes when justice, as in the case of the Amalekites, must be meted out. These are harsh judgments, but so was the flood of Noah and, most of all, the judgment of God which was borne by Jesus as He took our place in suffering and death. God Himself, in the Person of His Son, took the full force of the penalty for the disobedience of all humanity. Justice was satisfied, and we who believe in Jesus are the beneficiaries.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Lord God, You have taken the judgment I deserved. Dear Lord Jesus, You suffered far more than King Agag and King Saul did for the evil of their sin. All I can do now is cry out to You, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” I say this with my whole heart, mind and soul. You’ve said, Lord Jesus, that I am now made right in the sight of God. I have no excuses for my sin, and like King David, I have found forgiveness. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I was compelled just now to meditate on God’s mercy. In the Virgin Mary’s prophetic utterance, she spoke these words: “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:49-50). Later in his Gospel, Luke records the prayer of repentance and cry for mercy which God hears and answers with His assuring “Yes” (Luke 18:9-14). What comfort! I’ve also just read Hebrews 8, the entire chapter is my New Testament reading for today.

All who are in leadership, particularly Christian leadership, must be warned that God will never take excuses for sin. He only receives sorrow for sin…that’s being sorry enough to quit sinning…and that’s called repentance! Christian leaders have built memorials to themselves, as Saul did. I fall on my face and cry out for mercy. I take most seriously the Words of our key verse, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” Once again I pray the sinners’ prayer, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” I remember clearly the words of John, who included himself, writing, “If we say that we have no sin [present tense] we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). What assurance!

Yours for constant cleansing from all sin (1 John 1:1 – 2:6),

David

The Memorial Church of Moses on Mount Nebo is currently getting a new structure built over the aging one. It was from here that Moses viewed the Promised Land. God forgave Moses for his sin, but there were still consequences of his sin (Deuteronomy 34:1-4).

18 thoughts on “Wednesday, March 22, 2017

  1. Amen, David! Samuel was such a beautiful prophet so much like Jesus–still loving Saul even though he was fallen. God sees our hearts even though we fail Him continuously and He allows us to repent and be forgiven. Amen. Where would we be without the grace and mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Blessings fellow saints in the Lord.

    For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.
    Romans 12:27 NKJV

    This song has been strumming through my head, this morning:
    What a Beautiful Name, Hillsong Worship
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWFzMvCfLE

  2. Yesterday, I witnessed racism in Canada on a Via Rail train. A party of six got on; a man, woman and four children; they sat in seats that were not their own so they could be together and not be separated as a family. This should never have been allowed by VIA to begin with. At the next stop an East Indian family of five got on the train and wanted their seats which this woman had taken. Thankfully, they did not budge from standing there, waiting to sit in the seats they had purchased. This woman did not want to move and began to yell and accuse them and say how dare they want to separate her kids from their mother. These children were not younger than 8 years old; one an adolescent, one a teenager. She began to yell and as soon as she said “why don’t you move back home, you Paki” to the man, the uproar from the people on the train was immediate. “Woa, woa, hey, woa!” almost everyone yelled out in unison. “You rude woman,” I exclaimed, later, as did others, as she walked by. It was completely unacceptable. The Via rail agents found other seats in another car for these racist people. When they later left the train and exited out of our car, they were prideful and the children glared at people–learning the same racism because it was taught to them by their mother. Sadly, they will grow up passing this hatred into the next generation. I was very upset by the situation and later went and spoke with this kind group of people to apologize for what had been said to them. Others spoke with them as well. The oldest man of the group has lived in Canada for thirty years and his adult children were born here. Racism is inner hatred turned outwards to those whose skin colour is different than our own. I can’t help but think how different that woman’s experience and that of her children would be if she knew the love of Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Amen.

  3. Dear Beverlee what a sad situation you were in yesterday. We need to pray for both families, I was glad that the majority of people condemned what was happening .
    Pastor David I was very touched by ‘The Word’ and by your words this morning. Tears were present, and I realized once again how fortunate we are that God made a new covenant, by sending His dear son Jesus to save us from our sins. Where would we be without Him? Just like Samuel grieved for Saul. I grieve for those who have not given themselves to The Lord. We mustn’t give up hope as those who have no hope. KEEP PRAYING. Blessings to all Eleanor M.
    PS. Hope you had a lovely birthday Irene and also that sweet little Granddaughter of Pastor David’s as well.
    I have not received this blog in my inbox for over a week, I miss opening up my iPod and seeing It first thing in the morning.

    • Thank you Eleanor, for the birthday blessing; yes, I was blessed both on facebook, on this blog, and personal phone-calls!

      Also, what was special is that my three sons, who live in various parts of the country, one from the USA,, spent the week-end with me. God is Sooo Good!!

  4. Each of us are carrying a hidden sin (or more) or else we would be like Jesus.He had no sin to repent from but each of us (if the truth is in us.) will repent and turn from our sin with the help of ” He Who lives in us” (The Helper).It is a life long process of cleansing that He does for us.
    ” Philippians 1:6Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

    6 I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again. ”

    Am I worthy

    Am I worthy to touch His feet,
    Can I ever stand up to greet
    He who died upon the cross
    Knowing my sins would be His loss.

    When I look at the cross I see,
    His wounded face looking at me,
    But through the pain He grins
    With a love that pardons sins.

    His crown of thorns I wish to bear
    To prove to Him the love I share,
    For the love it took to die for us
    Is still in need of complete redress.

    So when we think we are kings
    Remember He of holy things,
    Who was so lowly yet most high,
    And soon is coming in the sky.
    GW(Bill) Marshall/2011

  5. Beverlee we do need to pray for the eastern family and those affected.
    It is not right I am glad you and others spoke to the family afterwords.
    Thank you for the song ” What A Beautiful Name It Is” that is wonderful.
    Lianne Hogg

  6. Hi
    haven’t received 100words for March 21 & March 22nd.
    It is received for a couple of days then don’t received. Wonder if some can see what the problem is. Still keeping up with the reading on my own and can access it indirectly.
    S.

  7. Amen Pastor David and Beverlee. Although there is a big push for Bill C-103 right now, outbursts like that are completely unacceptable especially when the ones who stole the seats are the offenders. Thank you Jesus that you paid the full penalty for our salvation. Happy belated birthday Irene. Blessings!

  8. When I read 1 Samuel I am appalled at the violence that God told Saul to committ. I’m gratefull that God sent Jesus to establish a new covenant.
    Today, a muslim lawyer practising international law is asking the U.N. to start collecting evidience left by I.S.I.S. so that they can be tried for war crimes committed. Is this new action a shadow of Jesus’s teaching? Has the Gospel of Jesus filtered through all of socieity so that now a muslim lawyer is willing to stand up to I.S.I.S. and demand justice for atrocities committed on muslims, christians, kurds,and yazidis?

  9. Prayed with you Pastor David, and read the links; knowing that the Apostle John spent time with Jesus, and his words to us are true and powerful. The need to come before the Lord daily, in prayer, with humble hearts.

    Jesus I come; Jesus I come, Jesus I come to You!!

    The shades of blue-grey give today’s photos a mournful feeling.
    Very effective!! thank you for the post!!

  10. Thank you once again, Pastor David for your blog. Thank you for being useful to God and to us in this way! Today’s blog, and especially yesterday’s sparked a storm of prayer in me and was a great blessing. Also I was motivated by what you said about Jonathan’s faith having been caused by what he witnessed between his father and Samuel and it made me want to intercede for my (now adult) children…I will be going to visit them very soon and I pray that they will see Jesus in me and He will draw them back to Himself. I try to give little instruction and just love them like Jesus does (else they feel pushed). Please pray for them, and for me!

  11. I too have not received the 100 Words Blog since Thursday 9, I really miss it,am wondering what the problem might be ?Still reading on my own .Would like to have it back . God Bless !!!

  12. Lord only You can reveal the evil in our country of Canada! It is all around! Lord You reveal these evils, crush them completely, the devil has no authority over anyone in Canada, no authority over all the world! The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, was put on a cross, He died, He went down into the depths of hell and fought the devil and WON! Jesus Christ won! He won for us! For all mankind! never again can the devil control anyone anywhere! He is a nothing!
    Jesus Christ rose from the grave! He ate with people, He talked with people, He is RISEN!
    Christians need to pray constantly over all people, everywhere, families, children, those who are wealthy, those who are poor! We must pray for God’s Divine Intervention in all of the peoples lives everywhere!
    Where ever you drive pray for the people everywhere! You don’t need to see them! There are people everywhere! They need prayer!

    • I love this article,whoever wrote this is so right. we as a nation need to pray every minute every day for everyone/family/those who look different from us.That’s what Jesus did.

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