Posts

The Ways of God

Image
The Ways of God “He replied, ‘Not so fast. There’s a holy man in this town. He carries a lot of weight around here. What he says is always right on the mark. Maybe he can tell us where to go.’”( 1 Sam. 9:6 ) God knows how to orchestrate our steps, even when we have no idea what the end game will be. This does not undermine the place of planning. Sometimes, we think things worked out because we had all our plans well marshalled, but in reality, God’s unseen hand was all the while working behind the scenes, making everything work together for our good. After Saul and his servant had exhausted all their options in searching for the lost donkeys, Saul had given up hope. But his servant cut him off: “Not so fast.” He suggested that they go back home? No. He suggested that they go and see the prophet. This was never part of the original plan, but God was cooking something. Now, the interesting part is that God had earlier told Samuel the prophet that He was going to send him ...
Post a Comment
Read more

God Confided in Samuel

Image
GOD CONFIDED IN SAMUEL Hook There is a difference between knowing about God and being close enough for God to share His heart with you. One of the greatest privileges of our walk with God is that divinity chooses to fellowship with humanity. God does not merely want servants who obey Him; He desires people who know Him intimately. Scripture “The very day before, GOD had confided in Samuel.” ( 1 Samuel 9:15 ) Explanation Samuel had developed such a close relationship with God that God could entrust him with information concerning what He was about to do. God was preparing to give Israel a king, and before Saul arrived, God had already told Samuel what was about to happen. This is the privilege of intimacy: God shares His heart with those who walk closely with Him. The Bible says, “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him” (Psalm 25:14). The secret things of God are not revealed merely through intellectual ability but through fellowship with Him. Samuel ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Donkeys Got Lost

Image
DONKEYS GOT LOST Hook Sometimes, what looks like a loss may actually be a divine detour. We often associate donkeys with foolishness, but they are actually known for being cautious. What people may interpret as stupidity can sometimes be wisdom in disguise. And if God can use something as ordinary as lost donkeys to redirect a man’s destiny, He can certainly use what seems like a setback in your life to lead you somewhere greater. Scripture “Some of Kish’s donkeys got lost. Kish said to his son, ‘Saul, take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.’” ( 1 Samuel 9:3 NLT ) Explanation Kish’s donkeys went missing, and Saul was sent to look for them. Saul thought he was going on a search for lost donkeys, but God was leading him toward something far greater. He went looking for donkeys and found God’s purpose. What appeared to be a loss in Kish’s household became the beginning of Saul’s encounter with Samuel—and ultimately his introduction to kingship. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

He Went to the Lord for Advice

Image
He Went to the LORD for Advice Hook How you act when you are upset says a lot about you. People will get on your nerves, step on your toes, disappoint you, and sometimes deliberately hurt you. In those moments, your response reveals more about you than how you behave when everything is going well. Scripture “Samuel was very upset with their request and went to the LORD for advice." ( 1 Samuel 8:6 NLT) Explanation Israel asked for a king, and Samuel was deeply upset by their request. Yet he did not lash out at them, give them a piece of his mind, pay them back in their own coin, or try to teach them a lesson they would not forget. He went to the LORD for advice. Samuel teaches us what to do with our pain, frustration, and disappointment: take it back to God in prayer. This agrees with James 5:13: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” There is another important lesson here. Samuel was upset with their request , not necessarily angry at the people thems...
Post a Comment
Read more

Confrontations

Image
Confrontations Hook You cannot change what you are unwilling to confront. Many people are frustrated with where they are, yet they have become so accustomed to their situation that they have resigned themselves to fate. Frustration, when not addressed, can either become the fuel that drives us to confront the problem or the weight that pulls us into despair. Scripture “Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah.”(1 Samuel 8:4) Explanation Israel had a problem, and the elders were willing to confront it. They came to Samuel and told him plainly what was happening: his sons were not walking in his ways, and their leadership had become a source of concern. Samuel became angry and upset. He prayed and sought God, which was right. But there is something important to notice: the Scripture records the people confronting Samuel about his sons, but it does not record Samuel confronting his sons about their behaviour. Samuel had prayed about ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Leadership Consequences

Image
Leadership Consequences Hook What if your greatest leadership success becomes your greatest failure at home? If you were a merchant selling good examples, would your children buy from you? Scripture “But his sons didn't take after him; they were out for what they could get for themselves, taking bribes, corrupting justice.”(1 Samuel 8:3) “Samuel gave solid leadership to Israel his entire life. Every year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah.”(1 Samuel 7:15–16) Explanation Samuel gave solid leadership to Israel, but his sons did not take after him. The Bible does not say Samuel was an absentee father. However, we know that his leadership required him to travel regularly between Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah. In those days, travelling was slow and demanding. Could it be that while Samuel was faithfully leading Israel, his sons did not receive enough of his presence and influence at home? We cannot state this as fact, but it gives us a sobering lesson: You ...
Post a Comment
Read more

God Has Restored

Image
God Has Restored Hook Sometimes life can make you feel as though you have lost too much to recover. But what the enemy took is not beyond the reach of God. God is a Restorer. Scripture “All the cities from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored. Israel also freed the surrounding countryside from Philistine control. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.”( 1 Samuel 7:14 ) Explanation Israel had suffered a devastating loss. Thousands had died, the Ark of the Covenant had been captured, and the Philistines had taken control of their cities and land. Yet God did not leave Israel in that condition. God went to war against the Philistines and defeated them. What they had taken from Israel was restored . Notice the language of the text: “were restored.” God did not merely give Israel something new; He brought back what had been lost. This gives us a beautiful picture of what Christ has done for us. He went to war on our behalf...
Post a Comment
Read more