O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 10:08 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Thursday March 19 >1 Samuel 1-3 (The Message) > > 1 Samuel 1 > > Hannah Pours Out Her Heart to God > 1-2There once was a man who lived in Ramathaim. He was descended from the > old Zuph family in the > Ephraim hills. His name was Elkanah. (He was connected > with the Zuphs from Ephraim through his father Jeroham, his grandfather > Elihu, and his > great-grandfather Tohu.) He had two wives. The first was Hannah; > the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children; Hannah did not. > > 3-7 Every year this man went from his hometown up to Shiloh to worship and > offer a sacrifice to > God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and > Phinehas, served as the priests of God there. When Elkanah sacrificed, he > passed helpings from the > sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all > her children, but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah > because he loved her so > much, and because God had not given her children. But > her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her > forget that God had not > given her children. This went on year after year. Every > time she went to the sanctuary of God she could expect to be taunted. > Hannah was reduced to tears > and had no appetite. > > 8 Her husband Elkanah said, "Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren't > you eating? And why are you > so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?" > > 9-11 So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away > quietly, and entered the > sanctuary. The priest Eli was on duty at the entrance to God's > Temple in the customary seat. Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and > cried and > cried-inconsolably. Then she made a vow: > Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, > If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, > If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me > By giving me a son, > I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. > I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. > > 12-14 It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was > watching her closely. > Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, > but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. > He approached her and said, > "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? > Sober up, woman!" > > 15-16 Hannah said, "Oh no, sir-please! I'm a woman hard used. I haven't > been drinking. Not a drop > of wine or beer. The only thing I've been pouring out > is my heart, pouring it out to God. Don't for a minute think I'm a bad > woman. It's because I'm so > desperately unhappy and in such pain that I've stayed > here so long." > > 17 Eli answered her, "Go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what > you have asked of him." > > 18 "Think well of me-and pray for me!" she said, and went her way. Then > she ate heartily, her face > radiant. > > 19 Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah > slept with Hannah his > wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in > response to what she had asked. > > Dedicating the Child to God > 20 Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. > She named him Samuel, > explaining, "I asked God for him." > > 21-22 When Elkanah next took his family on their annual trip to Shiloh to > worship God, offering > sacrifices and keeping his vow, Hannah didn't go. She told > her husband, "After the child is weaned, I'll bring him myself and present > him before God-and that's > where he'll stay, for good." > > 23-24 Elkanah said to his wife, "Do what you think is best. Stay home > until you have weaned him. > Yes! Let God complete what he has begun!" > > So she did. She stayed home and nursed her son until she had weaned > him. Then she took him up to > Shiloh, bringing also the makings of a generous sacrificial > meal-a prize bull, flour, and wine. The child was so young to be sent off! > > 25-26 They first butchered the bull, then brought the child to Eli. Hannah > said, "Excuse me, sir. > Would you believe that I'm the very woman who was standing > before you at this very spot, praying to God? I prayed for this child, and > God gave me what I asked > for. And now I have dedicated him to God. He's dedicated > to God for life." > > Then and there, they worshiped God. > > 1 Samuel 2 > 1 Hannah prayed: I'm bursting with God-news! I'm walking on air. > I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation. 2-5 Nothing and no > one is holy like God, > no rock mountain like our God. > Don't dare talk pretentiously- > not a word of boasting, ever! > For God knows what's going on. > He takes the measure of everything that happens. > The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces, > while the weak are infused with fresh strength. > The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts, > while the hungry are getting second helpings. > The barren woman has a houseful of children, > while the mother of many is bereft. > 6-10 God brings death and God brings life, > brings down to the grave and raises up. > God brings poverty and God brings wealth; > he lowers, he also lifts up. > He puts poor people on their feet again; > he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, > Restoring dignity and respect to their lives- > a place in the sun! > For the very structures of earth are God's; > he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation. > He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, > but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. > No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! > God's enemies will be blasted out of the sky, > crashed in a heap and burned. > God will set things right all over the earth, > he'll give strength to his king, > he'll set his anointed on top of the world! > > 11 Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy stayed and served God in the > company of Eli the priest. > > Samuel Serves God > 12-17 Eli's own sons were a bad lot. They didn't know God and could not > have cared less about the > customs of priests among the people. Ordinarily, when > someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant was supposed to come up > and, while the meat was > boiling, stab a three-pronged fork into the cooking pot. > The priest then got whatever came up on the fork. But this is how Eli's > sons treated all the > Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to God. > Before they had even burned the fat to God, the priest's servant would > interrupt whoever was > sacrificing and say, "Hand over some of that meat for the > priest to roast. He doesn't like boiled meat; he likes his rare." If the > man objected, "First let > the fat be burned-God's portion!-then take all you want," > the servant would demand, "No, I want it now. If you won't give it, I'll > take it." It was a horrible > sin these young servants were committing-and right > in the presence of God!-desecrating the holy offerings to God. > > 18-20 In the midst of all this, Samuel, a boy dressed in a priestly linen > tunic, served God. > Additionally, every year his mother would make him a little > robe cut to his size and bring it to him when she and her husband came for > the annual sacrifice. Eli > would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, "God give > you children to replace this child you have dedicated to God." Then they > would go home. > > 21 God was most especially kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two > daughters! The boy > Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with God. > > A Hard Life with Many Tears > 22-25 By this time Eli was very old. He kept getting reports on how his > sons were ripping off the > people and sleeping with the women who helped out at the > sanctuary. Eli took them to task: "What's going on here? Why are you doing > these things? I hear > story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. > Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I'm getting, > stories spreading right and > left among God's people! If you sin against another > person, there's help-God's help. But if you sin against God, who is around > to help?" > > 25-26 But they were far gone in disobedience and refused to listen to a > thing their father said. So > God, who was fed up with them, decreed their death. > But the boy Samuel was very much alive, growing up, blessed by God and > popular with the people. > > 27-30 A holy man came to Eli and said: "This is God's message: I revealed > myself openly to your > ancestors when they were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. Out > of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests: to > preside at the Altar, to burn > incense, to wear the priestly robes in my presence. > I put your ancestral family in charge of all the sacrificial offerings of > Israel. So why do you now > treat as mere loot these very sacrificial offerings > that I commanded for my worship? Why do you treat your sons better than > me, turning them loose to > get fat on these offerings, and ignoring me? Therefore-this > is God's word, the God of Israel speaking-I once said that you and your > ancestral family would be my > priests indefinitely, but now-God's word, remember!-there > is no way this can continue. > I honor those who honor me; > those who scorn me I demean. > > 31-36 "Be well warned: It won't be long before I wipe out both your family > and your future family. > No one in your family will make it to old age! You'll > see good things that I'm doing in Israel, but you'll see it and weep, for > no one in your family will > live to enjoy it. I will leave one person to serve > at my Altar, but it will be a hard life, with many tears. Everyone else in > your family will die > before their time. What happens to your two sons, Hophni > and Phinehas, will be the proof: Both will die the same day. Then I'll > establish for myself a true > priest. He'll do what I want him to do, be what I want > him to be. I'll make his position secure and he'll do his work freely in > the service of my anointed > one. Survivors from your family will come to him begging > for handouts, saying, 'Please, give me some priest work, just enough to > put some food on the > table.'" > > 1 Samuel 3 > > "Speak, God. I'm Ready to Listen" > 1-3The boy Samuel was serving God under Eli's direction. This was at a > time when the revelation of > God was rarely heard or seen. One night Eli was sound > asleep (his eyesight was very bad-he could hardly see). It was well before > dawn; the sanctuary lamp > was still burning. Samuel was still in bed in the Temple > of God, where the Chest of God rested. > > 4-5 Then God called out, "Samuel, Samuel!" > > Samuel answered, "Yes? I'm here." Then he ran to Eli saying, "I heard > you call. Here I am." > > Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." And so he did. > > 6-7 God called again, "Samuel, Samuel!" > > Samuel got up and went to Eli, "I heard you call. Here I am." > > Again Eli said, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to bed." (This all > happened before Samuel knew > God for himself. It was before the revelation of God > had been given to him personally.) > > 8-9 God called again, "Samuel!"-the third time! Yet again Samuel got up > and went to Eli, "Yes? I > heard you call me. Here I am." > > That's when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli > directed Samuel, "Go back and > lie down. If the voice calls again, say, 'Speak, God. > I'm your servant, ready to listen.'" Samuel returned to his bed. > > 10 Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, > "Samuel! Samuel!" > > Samuel answered, "Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen." > > 11-14 God said to Samuel, "Listen carefully. I'm getting ready to do > something in Israel that is > going to shake everyone up and get their attention. The > time has come for me to bring down on Eli's family everything I warned him > of, every last word of > it. I'm letting him know that the time's up. I'm bringing > judgment on his family for good. He knew what was going on, that his sons > were desecrating God's > name and God's place, and he did nothing to stop them. > This is my sentence on the family of Eli: The evil of Eli's family can > never be wiped out by > sacrifice or offering." > > 15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then rose early and went about his > duties, opening the doors > of the sanctuary, but he dreaded having to tell the > vision to Eli. > > 16 But then Eli summoned Samuel: "Samuel, my son!" > > Samuel came running: "Yes? What can I do for you?" > > 17 "What did he say? Tell it to me, all of it. Don't suppress or soften > one word, as God is your > judge! I want it all, word for word as he said it to you." > > 18 So Samuel told him, word for word. He held back nothing. > > Eli said, "He is God. Let him do whatever he thinks best." > > 19-21 Samuel grew up. God was with him, and Samuel's prophetic record was > flawless. Everyone in > Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, > recognized that Samuel was the real thing-a true prophet of God. God > continued to show up at Shiloh, > revealed through his word to Samuel at Shiloh. > > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. 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