Life Filled With Choices with a Prayer

1 Sam 12:1-25 (GW)Samuel's Spotless Leadership
1 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you have said to me and appointed a king over you. 2 And now, here is the king who will lead you. I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. 3 Here I am. Testify against me in front of the Lord and in front of his anointed king. Did I take anyone's ox? Did I take anyone's donkey? Did I cheat or oppress anyone? Did I take a bribe from anyone to look the other way? {If so,} I will give it all back.” 4 They answered, “You didn't cheat us, oppress us, or take anything from anyone.” 5 Samuel told them, “The Lord is a witness to what you've said, and his anointed king is a witness today that you've found nothing in my hands.” “He is a witness,” they answered. 6 Samuel told the people, “The Lord appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors out of Egypt. 7 Now, stand up while I put you on trial in front of the Lord and cite all the righteous things the Lord did for you and your ancestors. 8 When your ancestors went with Jacob to Egypt {and were oppressed}, they cried out to the Lord, who sent Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt. The Lord settled them in this place. 9 But they forgot the Lord their God. So he handed them over to Sisera, who was the commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab. All of them fought against your ancestors. 10 Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned. We have abandoned the Lord and served other gods and goddesses—the Baals and the Astartes. But rescue us from our enemies now, and we will serve you.' 11 “Then the Lord sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel and rescued you from your enemies on every side so that you could live securely. 12 But when you saw King Nahash of Ammon coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, a king should rule over us,' though the Lord your God was your king.
The New Kingship
13 “Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, the Lord has put a king over you. 14 If you fear the Lord, serve him, obey him, and don't rebel against what he says, then you and your king will follow the Lord your God. 15 But if you don't obey the Lord, if you rebel against what he says, then the Lord will be against you as he was against your ancestors. 16 Now then, stand still and watch this great thing the Lord is going to do right before your eyes. 17 Isn't the wheat being harvested today? I will call on the Lord, and he'll send thunder and rain. Then you will realize what a wicked thing you did in the Lord's presence when you asked for a king.” 18 Then Samuel called on the Lord. That day the Lord sent thunder and rain so that all the people feared the Lord and Samuel very much. 19 All the people pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for us so that we will not die. We have added {another} evil thing to all our other sins by asking for a king.” 20 “Don't be afraid,” Samuel told the people. “You did do all these evil things. But don't turn away from the Lord. Instead, serve the Lord wholeheartedly. 21 Don't turn away to follow other gods. They can't help or rescue you, because they don't exist. 22 For the sake of his great name, the Lord will not abandon his people, because the Lord wants to make you his people. 23 It would be unthinkable for me to sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. I will go on teaching you the way that is good and right. 24 Fear the Lord, and serve him sincerely. Consider the great things he did for you. 25 But if you go on doing what is evil, you and your king will be wiped out.” The Bottomline is : In The Name Of Progress <> Samuel has been in service to Isreal for many years. He stoops slightly after years of carrying the weight of goverment on his own shoulders. He's seen many things. He's experienced God in many ways. Now it's time for him to step down. A handsome strong, king replaces an old gray prophet . With this, a divine administration. The people rejoice,but Samuel's heart is broken. Like a magnificent oak cut down,this ancient strength is dismissed in the name of progress. The prophet, who spoke for God on many occasions, now reveals his own heart. " What have I done against you? What have I done to deserve this?" he ask. The people confirm his innocence, yet their desires do not waver. At this time and moment, a king who will require everything (1Sam.8:11) replace a prophet for nothing. Stand Still and See <> ( 1 Sam 12:16) "What does it take to get Your attention? Samuel seems to be asking. Enough with the loving reprimands, Isreal needs a reminder that it has rejected God's as their king (1Sam.12:12) . " Stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before Your eye's!" Samuel say's, and then asked for thunder and rain. The Lord provides both so forcefully that the people think that they're about to die ( 1Sam.12:19). Many call a stom like that of a "freak of nature," revealing how easily we cast off God's mastery as "random chance." Samuel wants the people to be aware. By asking them to "stand still and see," he urges them to actively look for a display of God's power. Power Behind the Iron<> ( 1Sam.13:19) " Not a black smith could be found in the whole land of Isreal." This isn't for lack of know - how, since the first smith, Tubal - Cain, is mentioned way back in Genesis. He worked with bronze and iron ( Gen. 4:22). It isn't for lack of resources either,since Isreal is a land where rocks are iron" (Deut. 8:9). The lack of the blacksmiths is due to the Phillistines' is due to the Philistines control. They close the blacksmith shops and exile the smiths into their own country. They prohibit, by sever penalities, any Isrealite from practicing the trade. Not only does this keep the Isrealites from making weapons (1Sam.13:22) , but it also allows the Philistines to grow rich off payment for the blacksmith work that needs to be done ( 1Sam..13:20, 21). Yet this did not alway's assure victory ( 1Sam. 14:13,14). The philestines forgot one thing - which has a God on their side. Prayer<> Lord Jesus, I commit my life to You totally, spirit, soul, and body. I ask that You bend, break, and mold me into the person that You want me to be. Lord, teach me to trust in You and to live and walk by faith in You and Your Word. I commit to You, Lord, to take accountability and responsibility in my walk with You and Your Word. No more will the enemy’s devices and the deceptions of the old man easily sway me. I purpose to firmly fix my eyes and heart on You, Lord, totally today. I press, push and apprehend all that you have for me today, keeping in the back of my remembrance that the enemy loves a lazy or slothful mind. satan, I come against you and all hosts of hell and I reject everything that you would have for me today. satan, I refuse all snares, pits, and traps that you have set to draw me away from my Lord Jesus Christ. I rebuke you, satan, and all your hosts in the name of Jesus from every assignment you have assigned against me or my family, my property, my health and my finances. Father I ask and believe for Your best in my life today and that Your will and purposes be done in and through me. I also ask that You keep me in Your perfect will and make me a yielded vessel fit for Your work today. I place myself under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust", for I chose to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. In Jesus Name, amen.

God will hold us all accountable for our sins (Eze.18:30); We should hold each other accountable (Luke.17:3,4) ;We are Accoutable in what we believe(John. 3:17,18,19) ,God will examine our actions (2Cor.5:10); Armor for physical battles (1Sam. 17:38); Weapons cannot stop God's power ( Eze. 38:4); Spiritual armor prepares us for life (Ro.13:12);Righteou sness is a spiritual weapon (2Cor.6:7);God' s weapons conquerors Satan's strongholds (2Cor.10:4); Put on the Armor (Eph.6:11-18) Jesus Is the Highest Authority (Matt.28:18) ;Choose a postive attitude (Hab.3:17-19) Bad attitudes hurts our relationship with God (Gen.4:6,7); Bad attitudes leads to poor decisions (Num.14:1-4) ;God gives christian a new attitude (Hab.3:17-19) More Than Conquerors (Ro.8:37)Christians should always rejoice (Phil.4:4) catcmo2006@yahoo. com.