Tag: Samuel

The Lord Rejected

The Lord Rejected by Kirk Hunt

But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

1 Samuel 15:26 NKJV
Please also read 1 Samuel 15:1-29

King Saul lost his kingship because our Lord God rejected him. God did not consult with anyone, even His great prophet, Samuel. For the record, Saul’s flagrant disobedience and unrepentant lying cost him his crown.

Leaders are men and women who have been selected by God to fulfill God’s purposes in the affairs of men. I cannot imagine nakedly disobeying an explicit, detailed, and direct order from God. Saul could. Saul did.

A Godly leader is not expected to be infallible, but they are expected to obey God’s commandments. To hear from God, and willfully decide to do something else, is not obedience but rebellion. None of Saul’s lies, excuses, or justifications could exempt him from God’s judgment.

There was no coup d’etat. No one, except Saul, staged a mutiny. Saul’s rebellion was against God, pure and simple. The results were predictable.

Men and women, even leaders, are imperfect. God extends grace to our errors, but not our willful rebellion. If you reject God’s commands, you are rejecting God. Look at Saul’s life to see the results of God rejecting you.

Think: If God rejects it, or them, or me, that is final.

Pray: “Lord, help keep me from anything that would cause you to reject me.”

Copyright © February 2022, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press. You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.

The Lord Rejected

The Lord Rejected by Kirk Hunt

But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

1 Samuel 15:26 NKJV
Please also read 1 Samuel 15:1-29

King Saul lost his kingship because our Lord God rejected him. God did not consult with anyone, even His great prophet, Samuel. For the record, Saul’s flagrant disobedience and unrepentant lying cost him his crown.

Leaders are men and women who have been selected by God to fulfill God’s purposes in the affairs of men. I cannot imagine nakedly disobeying an explicit, detailed, and direct order from God. Saul could. Saul did.

A Godly leader is not expected to be infallible, but they are expected to obey God’s commandments. To hear from God, and willfully decide to do something else, is not obedience but rebellion. None of Saul’s lies, excuses, or justifications could exempt him from God’s judgment.

There was no coup d’etat. No one, except Saul, staged a mutiny. Saul’s rebellion was against God, pure and simple. The results were predictable.

Men and women, even leaders, are imperfect. God extends grace to our errors, but not our willful rebellion. If you reject God’s commands, you are rejecting God. Look at Saul’s life to see the results of God rejecting you.

Think: If God rejects it, or them, or me, that is final.

Pray: “Lord, help keep me from anything that would cause you to reject me.”

Copyright © February 2022, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is brought to you courtesy of CadreMen Press. You can purchase a copy of Blessed and Blessing: Devotionals For Gospel Champions from your favorite bookseller or directly from CadreMen Press.

Obedience At All Ranks

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“Obedience At All Ranks” By Kirk Hunt

 

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

1 Samuel 15:23 NKJV

 

Samuel delivered his somber news to Saul. The king’s (pitiful) excuses and justifications could not negate his responsibility to obey God. King Saul found out the hard way that obedience applies to all ranks.

 

The greedy, lazy, self-centered part of us wants it both ways. We want anyone and every one to do every little thing we say. We even want them to anticipate what we want done.

 

Of course, that part of us wants to be free to ignore or even alter any instruction. “Do as I say, not as I do.” “Rank hath its privileges.”

 

I freely admit I am aggravated when I experience this disobedient attitude in folks. I am more aggravated when I catch the same attitude trying to assert itself in my life. To my regret, it is a weed that grows back far too easily.

 

God expects you to obey Him and His Word. Your rank does not impact your obligation to obey. Not one little bit.

 

Obedience to God does not have rank or importance limits. It applies to me. It applies to you. Without exception.

 

Think:           I owe God my obedience, no matter what rank I hold.

 

Pray:               “Lord, keep my heart focused on obedience to You and Your Word.”

 

 

Copyright © October 2014, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is a ministry of https://devotionals.cadremenpress.com.

Saul’s Hindrance

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“Saul’s Hindrance” By Kirk Hunt

Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.”

1 Samuel 15:10-11a NKJV

 

Saul’s hindrance cost him the throne of Israel. There was no political maneuvering or mutiny. Instead, Saul got in his own way and ended his dynasty, practically before it started.

 

David’s name would appear in the next chapter of Scripture, but not this one. Samuel literally got mad, then grieved over the loss of Saul. The sitting king only had himself to blame for losing his throne.

 

Too often we want to blame others. We want some outside force to be at fault for our losses and problems. Stand still. Be honest.

 

Saul turned away from God. Saul decided to stop being obedient, all on his own. No series of pitiful excuses can fix the real problem.

 

Saul had God’s anointing. All he had to do was live it out. Instead, he caved under the pressure of continuing to be a man of God.

 

Saul’s hindrance was Saul. Not the Amalek nation he defeated. Not David, who was still out with the sheep. Not even Samuel who grieved for his error.

 

Perhaps you have hindrances blocking your way forward with God. Stand still. Be honest. Are you getting in your own way?

 

Think:            Am I the hindrance holding me back?

 

Pray:               “Lord, keep my heart focused on You and Your Word.”

 

 

Copyright © October 2014, Kirk Hunt

This devotional is a ministry of https://devotionals.cadremenpress.com.

Hear For Yourself

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“Hear For Yourself” by Kirk Hunt

 

Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee?   I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

1 Samuel 3:16–17 KJV

Read also 1 Samuel 3: 1–18

 

Scripture (1 Samuel 4:18) describes Eli as physically “heavy.”  I In my mind’s eye, I have the  image of this large, bearded man begging a scrawny little kid to give him a message from God.  Or, worse yet, threatening a scrawny little kid.  Eli, the High Priest who made atonement to God for all of Israel, needed a young boy to tell him God’s Word.

 

In the modern era, under God’s “grace and truth,” you can hear from God directly.  God speaks through your Bible.  God speaks while you spend time in prayer.  His voice is often found because of fasting.

 

Spiritual disciplines are necessary to hear God’s voice but they are not enough.  A heart that wants to hear, and is willing to listen, is also necessary.  Eli as High Priest, was familiar with the things of God.  It plain that Eli heard God, but he did not listen to God.

 

No one can listen for you.  Soft or hard, God will give you the opportunity to hear from Him.  You must deliberately plant yourself before God, then listen for yourself.

 

Think: Am I listening for myself?

 

Pray: “Lord, I am here to truly hear You.”

 

 

Copyright © July 2012, Kirk Hunt

Listen For Yourself

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“Listen For Yourself” by Kirk Hunt

 

For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

1 Samuel 3:13 KJV

Read also 1 Samuel 3: 1–15

Verse 13 is not a promise from God.  It is a statement of certainty.  It is a pronouncement of judgment.

 

God had spoken directly to Eli.  There had been an opportunity to fix the situation.  If Eli heard, he certainly did not act.  God decided Eli needed to get the message by other means.

 

God chose to speak directly to a child.  If nothing else, Hannah’s boy listened.  The coming judgment for Eli and his sons is a tough first audience with the King of creation.

 

God is speaking.  He has a message for you.  He wants you to act in response and obedience to what you hear.  He wants you to listen for yourself.

 

Because He is a loving, gracious God, He gives us a chance to make it right.  Still, we have to exercise our wills in following His commands.  If we choose to continue in disobedience, God may change the route, and content, of what He says to you.

 

Listen, and obey, for yourself.  God will make sure you hear what He has to say.  Listen for yourself, while you can.

 

Think:                        God is speaking.  Am I listening?

 

Pray:              “Lord, I want to listen and act when you speak.”

 

 

Copyright © July 2012, Kirk Hunt