Sovereign God, I lie down in peace, ready to sleep for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Through all the rustles and murmurs of the night, you watch over me, so I may close my eyes. In the dangers and uncertainties of the world, you open for me an oasis of restful calm. On your breast I may lay down my head, and release the weight of the day into your care. Into your hands I entrust my family and friends; for, like me, they are precious in your sight. Let me sleep, secure now, and when morning comes may I rise refreshed and strengthened to do your will. In the matchless name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! 5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.
3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place.3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!”5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”
19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord.
“Revelation of the Lord was uncommon” (1 Samuel 3:1)
Up until the mid-1900’s, news was a scarce commodity, and it didn’t travel very fast. For example, when the American colonies declared independence, King George III of England didn’t hear about it for two months! News of the famous “Charge of the Light Brigade,” immortalized by the poet Tennyson, didn’t reach England for nearly a month. But then came the telegraph, the telephone, television, and the Internet. Now almost anyone can get news anytime – including a lot of news that’s unnecessary.
Think of how God communicates with his people. In the time of the Old Testament, he usually spoke through his messengers, the prophets. And so as the writer of 1 Samuel tells us, “revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent” (1 Samuel 3:1). But that changed when Jesus poured out his Spirit on Pentecost. The apostles spread the good news of the gospel throughout the known world in a very short time. Empowered by the Spirit, they became the equivalent of high-speed transmission!
As members of the Church, we have inherited the mission of transmitting the Gospel – and what a revolutionary message it is! We carry the news that death has been vanquished, and that there’s no reason to fear. We are here to let people know it’s not just the next life, but this life, that can be transformed through the power of Christ.
The call to evangelize may seem intimidating, especially if you think it’s all up to you. But you aren’t responsible for converting someone else – just for giving what you have. Today, think about one person you know who needs to know Jesus. Pray about one action you can take that will witness God’s love to that person. Perhaps you’ve known someone for years but have never shared your story. Or perhaps you’ve just met someone who is clearly in need of prayer. Take that one step of faith, and see how far the Spirit will carry it. You can become proof that revelation of the Lord is no longer “uncommon”!
Lord, who needs to hear of your life-saving mercy? How can I share your news with that person? Help me to plant just one seed of love in someone’s life today. Amen.
Welcome to my blog! I know it may not be the most exciting place in the world but it is home. With that please respect this site and what we stand for (which should be evident by the content). Please be respectful and kind to others and do not "trash" my house. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I encourage you to make comments to the posts on this blog - dialog is how we grow. NOTE: if you frequent this blog would you please register as a "follower" so that I know how many people are benefitting from this blog. I would appreciate it. Come in, look around and I hope you enjoy what you see.
Peace
Andy
Daily Prayer
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Feasting On The Word: Daily Bible Reading
Sunday, May 15th:
1 Samuel 17:1-18:4
John 8:21-30
Psalm 111:1-10
Proverbs 15:11
Monday, May 16th:
1 Samuel 18:5-19:24
John 8:31-59
Psalm 112:1-10
Proverbs 15:12-14
Tuesday, May 17th:
1 Samuel 20:1-21:15
John 9:1-41
Psalm 113:1-114:8
Proverbs 15:15-17
Wednesday, May 18th:
1 Samuel 22:1-23:29
John 10:1-21
Psalm 115:1-18
Proverbs 15:18-19
Thursday, May 19th:
1 Samuel 24:1-25:44
John 10:22-42
Psalm 116:1-19
Proverbs 15:20-21
Friday, May 20th:
1 Samuel 26:1-28:25
John 11:1-54
Psalm 117:1-2
Proverbs 15:22-23
Saturday, May 21st:
1 Samuel 29:1-31:13
John 11:55-12:19
Psalm 118:1-18
Proverbs 15:24-26
Sunday, May 22nd:
2 Samuel 1:1-2:11
John 12:20-50
Psalm 118:19-29
Proverbs 15:27-28
Monday, May 23rd:
2 Samuel 2:12-3:39
John 13:1-30
Psalm 119:1-16
Proverbs 15:29-30
Tuesday, May 24th:
2 Samuel 4:1-6:23
John 13:31-14:14
Psalm 119:17-32
Proverbs 15:31-32
Wednesday, May 25th:
2 Samuel 7:1-8:18
John 14:15-31
Psalm 119:33-48
Proverbs 15:33
Thursday, May 26th:
2 Samuel 9:1-11:27
John 15:1-27
Psalm 119:49-64
Proverbs 16:1-3
Friday, May 27th:
2 Samuel 12:1-31
John 16:1-33
Psalm 119:65-80
Proverbs 16:4-5
Saturday, May 28th:
2 Samuel 13:1-39
John 17:1-26
Psalm 119:81-96
Proverbs 16:6-7
Sunday, May 29th:
2 Samuel 14:1-15:22
John 18:1-24
Psalm 119:97-112
Proverbs 16:8-9
Monday, May 30th:
2 Samuel 15:23-16:23
John 18:25-19:22
Psalm 119:113-128
Proverbs 16:10-11
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy catholic church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
Welcome to my blog! I know it may not be the most exciting place in the world but it is home. With that please respect this site and what we stand for (which should be evident by the content). Please be respectful and kind to others and do not "trash" my house. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I encourage you to make comments to the posts on this blog - dialog is how we grow. NOTE: if you frequent this blog would you please register as a "follower" so that I know how many people are benefitting from this blog. I would appreciate it. Come in, look around and I hope you enjoy what you see.
Peace
Andy