The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2–8; 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (day six) 

“…you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel.” 1 Samuel 2:29 (NLT)

Their hearts are fat and gross, but I delight in your law. Psalm 119:70 (NRSV)

Eli. What was it about Eli that was so grave?  1 Samuel 2:29 gives us two reasons.  He honored his sons more than he honored God, and he got fat off the portions of meat his sons took from the people’s offerings. Furthermore, he did not take their desecration of the Lord’s offerings and the tabernacle seriously. While Eli knew the extent of his sons’ sins, he did very little to stop them. He issued them a warning, but no more.

Although Eli was nearly blind, he enabled his sons sin with his eyes wide open. His heart had become fat and gross; rather than being jealous for God’s holiness and glory, he minimized their sin.

This account gives me pause. Do I minimize my sin? Do I enjoy the promises of my sin, more than the promises of God? Have I grown fat from the glut of my own sin?

Invite the Holy Spirit to examine your own heart.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2–8; 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (day five)

“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.”

God is about to reveal Himself to the next generation. Whether Samuel is a child or teen, we don’t really know.  What we do know is that Samuel was in the right place at the right time.

Parents, it is worth the effort to have your children in places where they are near the Lord’s presence. At home- prayer times, family devotionals, modeled service and ministry to others. At church- worship, Bible Study, VBS, Camp.

Grandparents/seniors, it’s no small task to champion and encourage kids, teens, and their parents in the same kinds of ways.  Take time to pray daily and be intentional to have spiritual conversations.

The Kingdom potential and possibilities in these young hearts and lives is as limitless as the Lord Himself.

Will you pray, will you encourage, will you speak truth into their hearts? Will you create opportunities (times and places) for the next generation to “know the Lord”?

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2–8; 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (day four)

What have we learned from the Judges?  Every good bible study needs to answer one question…”So what?”  “Now that I have studied this passage, so what…what does it mean to me today?’  What we learn from a study, we have to apply to our lives.  Looking back in review of our past 12 weeks in Judges, what have we learned and what am I going to change in my life?  Have I seen examples that I can follow or maybe to avoid?  Will I respond in faith to an assignment from God…even if it seems to be impossible?  Will I listen for the voice of God speaking to me?  “The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2–8; 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (day three)

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Crucial to this circumstance was Samuel’s own curiosity. It was Samuel’s yearning to know coupled with his prayer inviting God to speak that resulted in a moment of growth and transformation for Samuel as a prophet who would one day carry the word of God to an entire people. Later, Jesus would evoke the spirit of this story when he set a child in the midst of his hearers, telling them that unless they became like children, they would not enter into life with the Lord. The world needs a child-like Samuel kind of wonder to emanate from the church. That’s what will represent God’s kingdom on this earth so that people will turn to Christ.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 2–8; 1 Samuel 3:1-11 (day two)

And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. vs. 1b

I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.
I believe in love, even though I don’t feel it.
I believe in God, even when he is silent. Anonymous

There are several periods in the Bible where God remains silent, or is perceived as being far away. Do you even feel like that? What are we to do in those times? It can be so difficult to maintain a trajectory when you feel like you are on your own. There is always a reason for the silence of God. It can be disconcerting, for sure, but our call must continue forward. It is also important during those times to remember that we have the Word of God to help shape the next steps. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t “heard” from the Lord in a while. Trust your call, continue in prayer, don’t give up seeking after him. He is nearer than you realize.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day seven)

His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. vs 31

The Bible is Divinely inspired and written over thousands of years. Throughout that time, various authors use many different genres to communicate God’s Word. Judges falls into the category of historical narrative. What is the point of a narrative? To tell the story. There is no fluff, no frills, no beating around the bush. It is “straight to the facts.” In narrative we don’t get to hear the author tell us point blank, “Gideon made some poor choices.” That wasn’t his point. He was just stating the facts. However, if we catch the context clues, we can see that the author is foreshadowing the consequences that come from Gideon’s poor choices. The son of a concubine, Abimelech, is going to be a thorn in this family tree. Sometimes it may seem like the Bible doesn’t condemn our heroes for their sinful behavior, but the narrative is just showing us the facts. It’s our job to interpret the facts in context of what else we know to be true about God. Isn’t the Bible cool?

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day six)

I don’t know Gideon’s intentions in commissioning the making of the ephod, or how it was used, but its affect was clear. Rather than seek God, the people coveted this religious garment. It was a step down the road towards full blown idolatry.

Sometimes a thing or practice can have the appearance of godliness, but really only serves to boost our own own ego and self-reliance. This usually happens when we fail to obey God’s Word, and take matters in our own hands (like Gideon).

Even the best intentions, if not led by godly wisdom and discernment, can result in destructive outcomes. Real godliness doesn’t come from looking the part, but by looking to him.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day five) “Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;”  One of the issues I encountered most from as a Youth Minister was teenagers saying, “I am doubting my salvation and if God is even real, Can you help?”

My first question to them was always, “When was the last time you were reading God’s Word and praying daily?”  The answer almost always was something like “Well, it’s been a while”.

A daily time with God in His Word and in prayer, helps us remember (in moments of thanksgiving, praise, and petition) God’s strength, love, and faithfulness, to name a few. Paul says to pay close attention and  constantly listen to the Lord. Here’s how he illustrates it.  “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

‭‭Galatians 5.  Moment by moment. The Holy Spirit will call out the cadence, set the gate of each step.  He has the path and pace chosen, will we walk with Him?  Daily in His Word, Weekly with His body, moment by moment in prayer.  When we do, we remember, we stay in step, our doubts or struggles find peace and power.

How’s your daily time with God in His Word  and in prayer?

Here’s extra reading/worship (if you have time). A prayer of confession and dedication. A reminder of how easy it is to “forget” and a reminder of who God is.

Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise 

Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of God’s unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day four)

It was a sad commendation of Israel.  Verse 33 says that as soon as Gideon had died, Israel played the harlot with the Baals.  Verse 34 says the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God.  God had brought Israel out of Egypt, out of slavery; He had delivered them from the Egyptian army; He had brought them to the Promised Land after feeding them in the wilderness for forty years; He had displaced the people in the cities and the lands before them; and had now delivered them from their enemies and given them peace.  With all this history, Israel just walks away.  Where was their relationship with God?

We can easily fall into the same trap.  If we fail to maintain our personal relationship with God…fail to read His Word daily…fail to pray and worship…fail to keep fellowship with other believers…we will not have a relationship to sustain us when temptation comes.  (Make no mistake…Satan knows exactly when we are most vulnerable.)  God’s love and grace are always available…we just have to be in a position to receive it!