Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Attitudes and Actions

O. T. #589  "Attitudes and Actions"
September 1, 2015
1 Samuel 8-Part 2
... and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.  1 Samuel 8:9b

LET IT GLOW

I'm doing this and I don't care what they say or think. Yep, been there, done that when I was a teenager. More often than not, parents really do know what is best for their children, don't they? There were times they stopped my actions, but not my attitudes. Know what I mean? Israel was determined to do their own thing, no matter what Samuel and God said.

Although Samuel knew about the priest Eli's sons perverting the priesthood, he neglected his own sons' sins of taking bribes as judges in Israel. This resulted in the people requesting for a king to judge them and rule over them. Samuel was the real leader of Israel at this time. Israel was a nation who had God Himself as their King and Ruler. Go assured Samuel that the people's request was not a rejection of him, but they were actually rejecting God's reign over them. (Israel's basic problem was disobedience to God.)

Israel thought this new system of government would bring about a change in the nation. What they needed was a unified faith, not a uniform rule. (Life Application Study Bible)

Samuel did the right thing and prayed to God about this matter. Israel had had a problem of forsaking God and serving other gods since they left Egypt. The Lord told Samuel to give the people what they asked for.

Which standards are we living by-God's or the world's standards?


LET IT GROW

Life Application Study Bible  says:
The Lord warned His people what would happen if they had a king rule over them:
  • He would draft their young men into the army. (14:52)
  • He would have their young men run in front of his chariots. (2 Sam. 15:1)
  • He'd make slaves of them. (2 Chron. 2:17-18)
  • He would take the best their fields and vineyards. (1 Kings 21:5-16)
  • He'd list their property for his personal gain. (1 Kings 9:10-14)
  • This king would demand a tenth of their harvest and flocks. (1 Kings 12:1-16)
As it turned out, Israel had 43 kings who ruled over them for a period of 450 years, of which only 8 followed the Lord.

Israel was called to be a holy nation, separated from and unique among all others. (Lev. 20:26)

David Jeremiah described the words of the Lord in verse 22 as "His resignation as He grants the people's request;" and sometimes God lest people have their way so they will one day recognize their need for Him.

Is this God's permissive will? Did He not warn them of things to come, which came to pass?

Have you ever made a wrong choice because you wanted to be like everyone else? Is being like others sometimes a bad thing?
Do we reject God's laws and reign over us?
Is King Jesus ruling our thoughts, attitudes, and actions?

Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

LET IT GO

Seek God's ways instead of the world's ways.

Obey His rules.

Surrender to God ruling my attitudes and actions.

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