Chapter 8: verse 1-3... sadly similar to Eli and his sons verse 4... at first glance, this seems like the people learned from their mistakes with Eli's sons... but, alas, it is not so... verse 5... why do we lean toward the way of the world, instead of the ways of God? why do we wish to be conformed to the world, when God specifically tells us to not to that (Romans 12:2-"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.") verse 6... at least Samuel knows to go to God and seek His will first before making a decision. verse 7... poor God!... how sad to have to know that you are being rejected by the very people you love... the people you created and fought for and will give your life for... it makes me want to cry... both because of the injustice of this from the Isrealites, and becuase of the huypocrisy of this in my own life...this is also a point that we have to remember in our own lives... when we tell people about Jesus, if they reject the news, they are not rejecting us, they are in fact rejecting God. veres 8-9... despite all that the people have done to God, He is still willing to love them enough to give them their free will to choose... He tries to warn them of the negative consequences of their choice, but He loves them enough to let them experience the consequences themselves... that is a hard lesson, we, as parents, have to learn to emulate... especially as our children grow older and eventually reach adulthood... we so often want to keep them from all pain, but how will they learn then? if they do not want to listen, then they must learn the "hard way"... such a tough thing to experience, both from the kid's perspective, as well as the parent's... but at least we can take heart in knowing that we are not alone in that heartache... and that we have to let them make their own choices if we are to demonstrate the same love as God shows us. verse 10-17... if you choose to put yourself under the rule of things other than God, then you become slaves to them... and they are not such loving masters, as God is (see Romans 6:15-23) verse 18... that right there would stop my request dead in its tracks... at least it should be given pause, you would think!... they experienced life without God, why would they ever want to go back to that? verse 19... how human is that to want to see and touch and feel in order to believe that it is real? didn't they see that they already were under the rule of a King? and not just any King, but THE King? yet, we do the same thing, I am afraid... we look to the guidance of the world in matters, we take comfort in the ways of the world, we seek security in the world... and then, when all that fails, we cry out to God for help?... maybe we should re-evaluate that plan, and take a time to pause? vere 20... hello!? who just helped you kick the behinds of the Philestines in Chapter 7?... how quickly we forget the awesome things God has done in our lives! I think we should make sure to spend time remember all the ways God has worked in our lives so we combat any desires that might try to make us become self-sufficient instead of God-sufficient vers 21-22... I hear the menacing music playing in the background and the dark clouds are rolling in, I'm afraid...I pray we pay attention to the warnings in our own lives, lest we fall into the same turmoil that has been promised to come upon the Israelites for turnign away from God, yet again... makes me think about John 15... I guess it is pruning time once again... sandJ
The IDEA: Romans 1:12-That we may be mutually strengthened, encouraged, and comforted by each others faith. Have you ever read the whole Bible before? We have never done it. We want to share God’s Word, but how can we if we do not know it.
The PLAN: Ecclesiastes 4:12-One person is easily overcome, but two can stand together and conquer. Three is even better, though, as a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. With each others help we can succeed-So, let us team up and read the Bible in a year.
The DATE: We will start Dec 26, 2009 - Dec 26, 2010.
The FYI: We will read 3-4 chapters each day, starting in Genesis, and post thoughts daily. If you do not have a Bible, you can access many translations at www.biblegateway.com. You can also download an audio for each chapter at: http://www.audiotreasure.com/webindex.htm
Read it. Will comment soon...
ReplyDeletesandJ
Chapter 8: verse 1-3... sadly similar to Eli and his sons
ReplyDeleteverse 4... at first glance, this seems like the people learned from their mistakes with Eli's sons... but, alas, it is not so...
verse 5... why do we lean toward the way of the world, instead of the ways of God? why do we wish to be conformed to the world, when God specifically tells us to not to that (Romans 12:2-"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.")
verse 6... at least Samuel knows to go to God and seek His will first before making a decision.
verse 7... poor God!... how sad to have to know that you are being rejected by the very people you love... the people you created and fought for and will give your life for... it makes me want to cry... both because of the injustice of this from the Isrealites, and becuase of the huypocrisy of this in my own life...this is also a point that we have to remember in our own lives... when we tell people about Jesus, if they reject the news, they are not rejecting us, they are in fact rejecting God.
veres 8-9... despite all that the people have done to God, He is still willing to love them enough to give them their free will to choose... He tries to warn them of the negative consequences of their choice, but He loves them enough to let them experience the consequences themselves... that is a hard lesson, we, as parents, have to learn to emulate... especially as our children grow older and eventually reach adulthood... we so often want to keep them from all pain, but how will they learn then? if they do not want to listen, then they must learn the "hard way"... such a tough thing to experience, both from the kid's perspective, as well as the parent's... but at least we can take heart in knowing that we are not alone in that heartache... and that we have to let them make their own choices if we are to demonstrate the same love as God shows us.
verse 10-17... if you choose to put yourself under the rule of things other than God, then you become slaves to them... and they are not such loving masters, as God is (see Romans 6:15-23)
verse 18... that right there would stop my request dead in its tracks... at least it should be given pause, you would think!... they experienced life without God, why would they ever want to go back to that?
verse 19... how human is that to want to see and touch and feel in order to believe that it is real? didn't they see that they already were under the rule of a King? and not just any King, but THE King? yet, we do the same thing, I am afraid... we look to the guidance of the world in matters, we take comfort in the ways of the world, we seek security in the world... and then, when all that fails, we cry out to God for help?... maybe we should re-evaluate that plan, and take a time to pause?
vere 20... hello!? who just helped you kick the behinds of the Philestines in Chapter 7?... how quickly we forget the awesome things God has done in our lives! I think we should make sure to spend time remember all the ways God has worked in our lives so we combat any desires that might try to make us become self-sufficient instead of God-sufficient
vers 21-22... I hear the menacing music playing in the background and the dark clouds are rolling in, I'm afraid...I pray we pay attention to the warnings in our own lives, lest we fall into the same turmoil that has been promised to come upon the Israelites for turnign away from God, yet again... makes me think about John 15... I guess it is pruning time once again...
sandJ