datethewordtest

Tag: Samuel

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23

    Our verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23
    1 Samuel 12:23 says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” 
     
    The COMMITMENT of COMMITMENTS TO OTHERS

    1 Samuel 12 is best described as Samuel’s “Family Talk” with Israel. As the “family talk” begins to conclude Samuel makes a commitment to the people of God that HE WILL PRAY FOR THEM AND THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO TEACH THEM WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT!  

    I, personally, find Samuel’s commitment to be one of the best commitments a servant of the Lord can make to the people God has called them to serve.  It is so good that I want to repeat it here before making a few comments.  Picture Samuel standing before the people and he says, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to PRAY for you; but I will TEACH you the good and the right way.”

    What a tremendous commitment! He tells them he is going to PRAY FOR THEM!  Matter of fact he believes to not pray for God’s people would be a sin. WHOA!!!!  To not pray for others is a SIN!  Do you feel that compulsion to pray for fellow believers?  

    Friends, without doubt or question, one of the greatest things you can do for others is to pray for them.  I highly recommend using one of the Apostle Paul’s prayers as a guide.  I use Colossians 1:9-11.  (Some of you knew that was coming.) It says, For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (pray a person knows God’s Will) 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, (pray they walk worthy/pleasing the Lord) being fruitful in every good work (pray their work for God is productive) and increasing in the knowledge of God; (praying they grow in wisdom/understanding knowledge of God) 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; (pray they withstand trials and temptations by His power!)

    Not only does he tells them he is going to be praying for them but he commits to TEACHING them.  We could use the word DISCIPLE them.  Discipleship is pouring God’s truth into another person so that they can learn and live out the Scriptures.  Discipleship is helping another believer BECOME like Christ.  As one is discipled they start discipling.  Each believer should be found somewhere in 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  As someone teaches/disciples you, you start teaching/discipling someone, and part of the discipleship is teaching them to pass on what they are learning.  I take the view that you have not fully discipled a person until they start discipling a person. 

    Samuel makes a commitment, a commitment to PRAY FOR and to DISCIPLE God’s people.  I challenge you to look at 1 Samuel 12:23 as a guide for making your 2023 commitments.  Commit to praying for a group of people.  Commit to discipling a group of people.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23. It says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” 

    Make the COMMITMENT of I WILL PRAY and I WILL DISCIPLE OTHERS!

    Continue Strong with a strong COMMITMENT!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 7 (12/7) is 1 Samuel 12:7

    Our verse to DATE the Word on December 7 (12/7) is I Samuel 12:7
    I Samuel 12:7 says “Now stand here quietly before the LORD as I remind you of all the great things the LORD has done for you and your ancestors.” 
    A DAY TO REMEMBER

    On a historical note, I would think that most of us know that December 7th is a very important date in history going back to December 7, 1941.  President Franklin Roosevelt said that December 7, 1941, would be a day that would live “in infamy as the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by Naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”   81 years later there are still very special moments of remembrance.  As President Roosevelt predicted Dec. 7, 1941, continues to live on. 

    Considering our verse to DATE on December 7 (12/7) we have in 1 Samuel 12:7 a day in which God’s people were to PAUSE and be reminded of all the GREAT things the LORD had done.  In I Samuel 12 the Prophet Samuel called God’s people together for a “family talk.”  As part of the family talk, he took them down memory lane by REMINDING them of all the GREAT THINGS God had done.  He wanted them to CONSIDER God’s great and miraculous actions that had been done on their behalf!  

    Taking them down memory lane he reminded them of what God had done in the PAST. Wouldn’t it have been awesome to stand there and hear this prophet, this man of God retell the stories of how God worked in individual lives and in the life of the nation of Israel?   Makes your wonder what stories he told!

    He reminded them of what God was doing in the PRESENT! It is important to tell of God’s working in the past but it is VERY important to be telling what God is doing in the present, the here and now!  God is the God of the past but we need to know that He is WORKING right now! 

    Every now and then it is good to sit quietly and reflect on the GREAT THINGS the LORD has done for you and others!!  It is good to review the past, bringing up precious memories and it is good to reflect on the present, staying aware of what God is doing today!

    BTW – Our calendar here in America provides this by offering us at the end of November a day to reflect and give thanks.  Then we have Christmas and New Year’s Day.   I have found that the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a great time to sit quietly and reflect and give thanks for all that God has done over the past year.  Of course, it is a great time to write out resolutions and dreams for the coming year but it should be a time to look back over the past year before looking forward to a new year.  I recommend that this is both personal and with family. 

    Maybe it is possible that today you look ahead and schedule some time for a “family talk” before the end of the year!  

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 7 (12/7) is I Samuel 12:7. It says “Now stand here quietly before the LORD as I remind you of all the great things the LORD has done for you and your ancestors.”

    Continue Strong by remembering the GREAT things God has done and is doing!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD