What Have You Done?

Good Morning,

1 Samuel 13:11, 14  "What have you done?" asked Samuel.  ...the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command."


"What have you done?!"  How many times have those words spilled out of our mouths?  These are the words of the prophet Samuel to Saul, Israel's new king.  Saul was preparing to go into battle with the Philistines and was waiting for Samuel to come and offer the burnt offerings.  He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel, but Samuel didn't come and the men started to scatter.   So, Saul offered up the burnt offering.  Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived and asked, "What have you done?"

Saul's excuses were that Samuel was late getting there and the men were getting antsy.  He had to do something.  Right?  Somebody has to be in charge.  Samuel flat out told him that he had acted foolishly.  Saul had not kept the command the Lord had given him and because of this he would not be established as king and the Lord had found someone after His own heart to lead His people because he had not kept the Lord's command.

Saul got impatient waiting and he took matters into his own hands and disregarded everything the Lord told him to do; WAIT!

That really hit home with me today.  I'm Saul.  I get impatient when I don't get answers immediately. I start thinking, wondering, planning what can I do.  How can I take care of this problem.  And, little do I realize that when I do take matters into my own hands, I am totally disregarding what God has told me to do: WAIT. 

I just finished a bible study on the Lord's prayer, "The Prayer of Jesus" by Ken Hemphill.  Some of you may have, too.  The one thing that has really stuck with me is that Jesus' disciples asked him to teach them how to pray.  But, remember this, these were Jewish men who knew how to pray.  They probably prayed several times a day.  But, they saw something different in the way Jesus prayed and they wanted what He had. 

"Our Father in heaven, hallow be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever." 

"Your will be done".  When we pray, "Your will be done" we must trust that our waiting is part of His will, it is part of His sovereign plan.  God is sovereign and He knows what is best for us.  Who am I to disregard the commands of the Lord and take matters into my own hands. 

I want to be the (wo)man after God's own heart.  I want His favor and His blessings to be on me and with me.  I want to obey. 

Waiting is hard.  If it was easy, we wouldn't need God.  And, oh, how we need Him. 

I realized this morning that I've been trying really hard to be patient this week with some unpleasant circumstances.  I've been trying.  Me.  I can't.  But, I know that when I am weak, He is strong.  I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength.  I know it will be worth the wait.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me today through the prophet Samuel to wait on You. 

Kelly

The Litmus Test

Good Morning!

I Samuel 10:6 "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.  9) As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart."

Today when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit comes to live in us.  The same power that Christ use to raise the dead is also available to us to empower us to change.   It's only by God's power that we can change.  We cannot do it on our own.  As new believers in Christ, as His followers we are to no longer conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:2). 

We are to be transformed; a change in our nature and character.  Our lives should tell the story of how we were before Christ came into our lives.  How we lived for our own sinful pleasures; doing whatever we wanted without regard to anyone else and how that could affect others.  Then our story should tell how Christ changed us.  How did the Holy Spirit come and show us our sin and our guilt.  How were we changed!  And, then our story should be one that tells others how God changed us from a life of sin, guilt, death and destruction to a life of joy, gratitude, service and praise to the One True God.

What is your litmus test for change?  How do you measure the change in your heart?  When you accepted Christ as Savior did you put away those things in your life that you know would not honor Christ?  Do you WANT to live and work for Christ?  Do you faithfully read your Bible discovering new truths.  Do you study the scripture to know God.  Are you burdened to pray for the lost and then go and win the lost?  Do you willingly serve for Jesus? 

Maybe you've really never trusted in Jesus.  The Holy Spirit of the Lord has the power to change us and to make us more like Christ.  All we have to do is ask Christ to come into our lives.  Ask God for forgiveness of your sins and REPENT, turn from a life of selfish desires and sin to a life that follows Christ.  Let "Jesus take the wheel" and lead you to be the person God intended you to be.

May God bless you today.

In Christ,
Kelly