Read 1 Sam 8: 1-3
Samuel has 2 sons just like Eli, his mentor. And just like his mentor's sons Hophni and Phineas, Samuel's sons do not follow the Lord. Why is this? Samuel named his son's Joel which means "Jehovah is his God", and Abiah which means "worshipper of Jehovah". Great names with great meanings only naming them great names was not enough. He had to train them. In all his knowledge of God's word and his ability to hear God's voice; how was he so deficient in fatherhood? I guess we will never know. After all, his mentor didn't teach him well.
I was reading Ps 144 the other day and ran across this verse: "May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace." Every time I come across a scripture I want to claim over my life I say it out loud. Believe me, this was an "out-loud" one. Having 3 sons and one daughter-in-law and one to be, I am always looking for promises for them. See, I know I made mistakes in raising my kids. I was not a perfect mom nor Dave a perfect dad; but God is, and He is able to perfect in our children in the things that need perfecting.
Yesterday was Christmas and Dave and I went to the shelter and prepared Christmas dinner for the battered women. Our ministry was more in the kitchen with the ones helping. It was a real honor and privilege to work with the ones God placed there. My son Caleb, and his girl friend Katy, in Louisiana did the same thing. I was more excited about them serving than us. They actually got interviewed and on the news!
Lord may this next generation of warriors be plants and pillars not perverted and pitiful.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thurs. Devo - Let it Thunder
Merry Christmas!!!
Read 1 Sam 7
The men of Kirjath-jearim took the ark to Abinadab's house. Abinadab means "a willing soldier". His son Eleazar was given the responsibility of keeping it safe. So, of course, his name means "protector, helper". The ark remained there for 20 years. God loves numbers; so much so that he named a whole book Numbers. Numbers are important because God has a purpose in them. So I looked up all the things that had to do with 20.
Jacob served in Laban's house 20 years then left
Joseph was sold to Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver and brought to Egypt
At 20 years of age you could start offering to God, go to war, and be counted in your family
There were 20 boards, 20 pillars, and 20 sockets on south side of the Tabernacle
22,000 Levites were counted
On the 20th day of 2nd month in 2nd year the cloud moved from Mt Sinai and they started their journey through the wilderness.
All the kings I could find came to power in their 20's
So what does that mean? I think if is a turning point, a number of accountability. In our story the ark stayed in Abinadab's house till the people decided they would give up their idols and follow God wholeheartedly. When they did God delivered them from the Philistines. He did it with thunder. Thunder is God making an announcement of change that can not be understood by the world. It confused the Philistines so bad they couldn't fight. But the Israelites could because they knew this thunder was from God and that He was bringing about a change of rulership. They were returning back to his rule. That is was is so encouraging about God, no matter how far we have gone from Him, if we return with our whole heart, He will deliver us SUDDENLY!
Read 1 Sam 7
The men of Kirjath-jearim took the ark to Abinadab's house. Abinadab means "a willing soldier". His son Eleazar was given the responsibility of keeping it safe. So, of course, his name means "protector, helper". The ark remained there for 20 years. God loves numbers; so much so that he named a whole book Numbers. Numbers are important because God has a purpose in them. So I looked up all the things that had to do with 20.
Jacob served in Laban's house 20 years then left
Joseph was sold to Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver and brought to Egypt
At 20 years of age you could start offering to God, go to war, and be counted in your family
There were 20 boards, 20 pillars, and 20 sockets on south side of the Tabernacle
22,000 Levites were counted
On the 20th day of 2nd month in 2nd year the cloud moved from Mt Sinai and they started their journey through the wilderness.
All the kings I could find came to power in their 20's
So what does that mean? I think if is a turning point, a number of accountability. In our story the ark stayed in Abinadab's house till the people decided they would give up their idols and follow God wholeheartedly. When they did God delivered them from the Philistines. He did it with thunder. Thunder is God making an announcement of change that can not be understood by the world. It confused the Philistines so bad they couldn't fight. But the Israelites could because they knew this thunder was from God and that He was bringing about a change of rulership. They were returning back to his rule. That is was is so encouraging about God, no matter how far we have gone from Him, if we return with our whole heart, He will deliver us SUDDENLY!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Wed. Devo - Do I Hear What You Hear?
This is Christmas Eve. Outside, the weather is gray and cold and I'm sitting at my kitchen table with my Diet Coke and my fire place going and the tree lights lit. Although we have done Christmas, I am filled with such excitement and expectancy. Tomorrow, Dave and I will go to the battered women's shelter and fix their Christmas meal. What started out as a little "feed the homeless" is ending up being a bigger production. We picked the menu, will cook, serve, and clean up after. A friend who didn't have anything to do is coming to help and now I talked to another friend who might bring her boy friend and help too. God always has bigger plans than ours. He certainly had bigger plans 2,000 years ago when he sent a baby to us. How strange for an all-powerful God to send himself down as our equal. He is desperate to let us know Him. Yet, it seems we still can't seem to bring him down to our level. He really is concerned about curtains, hang nails, hurt feelings, and what we are thinking about right now. He really wants to play with us, laugh with us, and cry with us. He MADE us! He made us with purpose and precision. I think the greatest Christmas present we can give God is to bring him down to our lives and enjoy his company. He would love to really spend the day with us.
Lord, I invite you to my life. I want to experience life through you. Open my eyes to see what you see and hear what you hear. Let my life bring you joy!
Lord, I invite you to my life. I want to experience life through you. Open my eyes to see what you see and hear what you hear. Let my life bring you joy!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Tues. Devo - Five Golden Rings
Read 1 Sam 6: 16
I wonder about the 5 major cities that the ark visited and as a result were plagued with bubonic. Why 5? David took up 5 stones to kill Goliath. Joshua killed 5 kings and hung them on 5 trees. Five Philistine rulers, 5 amorite kings, 5 . In Revelation 9 the 5th angel blew his trumpet and locusts appeared to torture the ungodly for 5 months. The number 5 is everywhere in the tabernacle: 5 curtains, 5 pillars, 5 bars of wood, the court was 5 cubit high, the altar is made 5 cubits long and 5 cubits broad, Joseph gave Benjamin 5 changes of raiment instead of the one he gave to the other brothers. The sacrifice for the peace offerings were 5 rams, 5 he goats, 5 lambs. Five seems to be a hinge number; half-way between 1 and 10. In the tabernacle 10 candlesticks were placed: 5 on the left and 5 on the right. Ten tables were also placed, 5 on the right and 5 on the left. Sounds like end-time judgement to me. Judgment and curses to the ungodly and protection and boundaries to the godly. I guess it depends on how you swing the door. I was wondering how God felt about them opening the ark and putting their sacrifice in it. Well now we know: He didn't like it. He killed the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked into the ark: 50,300 of them died. They had to send men from another town to tell the Israelites that they had brought their ark back. They wanted to make sure the ark got back to the right owners. This reminds me of the verse that says the Christian is an aroma of life to those being saved and the fragrance of death to those who are perishing. How true in this story. This ark was such a curse in the wrong hands but such a blessing in the right hands. Lord, may we be life-giving perfume to the saved and the dreadful smell of death and doom to the perishing so that they may choose salvation.
I wonder about the 5 major cities that the ark visited and as a result were plagued with bubonic. Why 5? David took up 5 stones to kill Goliath. Joshua killed 5 kings and hung them on 5 trees. Five Philistine rulers, 5 amorite kings, 5 . In Revelation 9 the 5th angel blew his trumpet and locusts appeared to torture the ungodly for 5 months. The number 5 is everywhere in the tabernacle: 5 curtains, 5 pillars, 5 bars of wood, the court was 5 cubit high, the altar is made 5 cubits long and 5 cubits broad, Joseph gave Benjamin 5 changes of raiment instead of the one he gave to the other brothers. The sacrifice for the peace offerings were 5 rams, 5 he goats, 5 lambs. Five seems to be a hinge number; half-way between 1 and 10. In the tabernacle 10 candlesticks were placed: 5 on the left and 5 on the right. Ten tables were also placed, 5 on the right and 5 on the left. Sounds like end-time judgement to me. Judgment and curses to the ungodly and protection and boundaries to the godly. I guess it depends on how you swing the door. I was wondering how God felt about them opening the ark and putting their sacrifice in it. Well now we know: He didn't like it. He killed the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked into the ark: 50,300 of them died. They had to send men from another town to tell the Israelites that they had brought their ark back. They wanted to make sure the ark got back to the right owners. This reminds me of the verse that says the Christian is an aroma of life to those being saved and the fragrance of death to those who are perishing. How true in this story. This ark was such a curse in the wrong hands but such a blessing in the right hands. Lord, may we be life-giving perfume to the saved and the dreadful smell of death and doom to the perishing so that they may choose salvation.
Monday's Devo - You can't put the Cart before the Cow
Read 1 Sam 6:14-15
The cart brings the ark of God's presence right to the field of Joshua, which is another name for Jesus, who is a Beth-shemite (which means "house of the sun"). And it stopped in front of a great stone. I love how easy God makes it for us to know what to do. The men know exactly what God wanted them to do. They take the cart, dismantle it and use it for a sacrificial fire. They sacrifice the cows! How convenient!
And that is the whole story: God sent his presence in Jesus, down to the world (Jesus' field). Jesus is from the House of God. The whole plan is placed upon the Rock (the Word of God). This plan is the sacrificial death of Jesus which will take away the curse of sin.
Just as Jesus was the cow, the heafer, the lamb, the burnt offering, that carried the presence of God down to earth, we are the cart today that carries the presence of God wherever we go. But in order to have any power we have to be broken and put in the fire and completely burned up for God. Half-death won't do it, it has to be a total death to ourselves. A little painful, but worth the smoke.
Make our lives a sacrifice to you Lord Jesus.
The cart brings the ark of God's presence right to the field of Joshua, which is another name for Jesus, who is a Beth-shemite (which means "house of the sun"). And it stopped in front of a great stone. I love how easy God makes it for us to know what to do. The men know exactly what God wanted them to do. They take the cart, dismantle it and use it for a sacrificial fire. They sacrifice the cows! How convenient!
And that is the whole story: God sent his presence in Jesus, down to the world (Jesus' field). Jesus is from the House of God. The whole plan is placed upon the Rock (the Word of God). This plan is the sacrificial death of Jesus which will take away the curse of sin.
Just as Jesus was the cow, the heafer, the lamb, the burnt offering, that carried the presence of God down to earth, we are the cart today that carries the presence of God wherever we go. But in order to have any power we have to be broken and put in the fire and completely burned up for God. Half-death won't do it, it has to be a total death to ourselves. A little painful, but worth the smoke.
Make our lives a sacrifice to you Lord Jesus.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thurs. Devo - Come on Down!
Read 1 Sam 6:1-13
My friend, Anna, says that the economy of the Kingdom of God is this: We give him our junk and He gives us his best. Beauty for ashes, life for death, truth for lies, blessings for curses, healing for emerods. The Philistines cashed in on this. They had the curse, so they made five golden emerods and threw in five golden mice because they were plagued with both. Their fear of God goes back to the stories about Egypt. They sure don't want that God on their back! So they came up with a plan. Make a new cart and put the ark in it and attach 2 milking cows to them. Separate their calves from them and leave the calves at home. Milking cows cannot be separated from their calves. The mother instinct in them is ferocious. But God was going to display His glory over his creation. Instead of the cows turning back to their calfs, they never looked back. They were driven by a supernatural force which defied motherly instincts. The Philistines did this as a test to tell them whether this was the hand of God or not. If the cows went to Bethshemsh (which means house of the sun) it was God's hand. They did.
The cows showed up in the field of Joshua and stopped in front of a great stone. This "rock" has followed them all through the wilderness (1Co 10:4) and continues to show up from time to time. Sometimes as one rock like the one Jacob put his head on and dreamed of the portal to heaven, or many like the ones they pile up for memorials. We know that rock was Jesus. The farmers were reaping the wheat, so that tells us it is the season of Pentecost. Interestingly they are bringing back the presence of the Lord. On a certain Pentecost in Acts God sent down his Holy Spirit to all men and the "church" was born. God with us. Emanuel. In a week it will be Christmas. These farmers rejoiced to see the ark coming. The disciples in Acts rejoiced in receiving the Holy Spirit. The angels rejoiced to see the Son coming. God just loves to come down to us. We have reason to rejoice. He is with us all the time! Thank you Lord for your enormous incredible plan.
My friend, Anna, says that the economy of the Kingdom of God is this: We give him our junk and He gives us his best. Beauty for ashes, life for death, truth for lies, blessings for curses, healing for emerods. The Philistines cashed in on this. They had the curse, so they made five golden emerods and threw in five golden mice because they were plagued with both. Their fear of God goes back to the stories about Egypt. They sure don't want that God on their back! So they came up with a plan. Make a new cart and put the ark in it and attach 2 milking cows to them. Separate their calves from them and leave the calves at home. Milking cows cannot be separated from their calves. The mother instinct in them is ferocious. But God was going to display His glory over his creation. Instead of the cows turning back to their calfs, they never looked back. They were driven by a supernatural force which defied motherly instincts. The Philistines did this as a test to tell them whether this was the hand of God or not. If the cows went to Bethshemsh (which means house of the sun) it was God's hand. They did.
The cows showed up in the field of Joshua and stopped in front of a great stone. This "rock" has followed them all through the wilderness (1Co 10:4) and continues to show up from time to time. Sometimes as one rock like the one Jacob put his head on and dreamed of the portal to heaven, or many like the ones they pile up for memorials. We know that rock was Jesus. The farmers were reaping the wheat, so that tells us it is the season of Pentecost. Interestingly they are bringing back the presence of the Lord. On a certain Pentecost in Acts God sent down his Holy Spirit to all men and the "church" was born. God with us. Emanuel. In a week it will be Christmas. These farmers rejoiced to see the ark coming. The disciples in Acts rejoiced in receiving the Holy Spirit. The angels rejoiced to see the Son coming. God just loves to come down to us. We have reason to rejoice. He is with us all the time! Thank you Lord for your enormous incredible plan.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tues Devo - God's gift to us
Read 1 Sam 4:12-22
A soldier from the battle with his clothes torn and earth upon his head. This was a sign of great mourning. He didn't even have the strength to stay and fight. He told the whole town what that the Philistines had won, they had taken the ark and the priests Hophne and Phinihas were killed. When Eli heard the news about the ark his failing heart gave up, he fell over backwards and broke his neck and died.
His daughter-in-law was very pregnant and when she found out she went into labor. As the child was being born, she was slowly dieing. When the midwife told her it was a boy she was unmoved. She named the child Ichabod which means "no glory" because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, "The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.
It is hard for me to understand such sorrow over a piece of furniture. But then I have to realize that that piece of furniture was God's presence. I take for granted that God's spirit is always with me. I don't have to worry about it being taken away and I don't have to travel for miles every year to go see it. It is in me. That helps me understand a little better what a gift the Holy Spirit was. When Jesus told his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait because He was going to give them a gift. What a gift!!! Thank you Lord for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
A soldier from the battle with his clothes torn and earth upon his head. This was a sign of great mourning. He didn't even have the strength to stay and fight. He told the whole town what that the Philistines had won, they had taken the ark and the priests Hophne and Phinihas were killed. When Eli heard the news about the ark his failing heart gave up, he fell over backwards and broke his neck and died.
His daughter-in-law was very pregnant and when she found out she went into labor. As the child was being born, she was slowly dieing. When the midwife told her it was a boy she was unmoved. She named the child Ichabod which means "no glory" because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, "The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.
It is hard for me to understand such sorrow over a piece of furniture. But then I have to realize that that piece of furniture was God's presence. I take for granted that God's spirit is always with me. I don't have to worry about it being taken away and I don't have to travel for miles every year to go see it. It is in me. That helps me understand a little better what a gift the Holy Spirit was. When Jesus told his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait because He was going to give them a gift. What a gift!!! Thank you Lord for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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