Judges, Ruth, & I Samuel (20 chapters)

Today is Sunday!!  I love Sundays!!  This fine morning, here are a few thoughts from God's Blessed Word: 1) LIKE ANY OTHER MAN- This is what Samson said he would be if his hair was cut in Judges 16:17, and sure enough, he became like any other man.  But, that was not God's plan for him and it is certainly not God's plan for us.  God does not want us to be like "any other man".  We are His special people.  People of the Word.  People of the Kingdom.  People of the Lord.  We are not "like any other man", nor should we ever desire to be.  2) RUTH THE MOABITESS- I did not realize before how many times that phrase was mentioned in these four short chapters of Ruth.  Five times she is called by this title, and once the "Moabitish damsel".  I knew she was from Moab but she was called by that title and I hadn't noticed it before.  The good thing about reading the Bible over and over is that you find phrases and thoughts you had never seen before.  It is a blessing!  God had great plans for this "Moabitess" woman named Ruth.  She was married, her husband died, there was another kinsman redeemer closer than Boaz, but God had that all worked out.  She came into the lineage of Jesus Christ and she is mentioned in Matt. chapter one in the geneology of Jesus Christ.  God has big plans for us too!!  We may not be aware of it, but He does!! 3) THE LOAN WAS REWARDED- In I Sam. 2:20, Hannah lent (dedicated) her son Samuel to the Lord and brought him to Eli the priest to raise.  He was lent to the LORD as long as he lived.  But this loan was rewarded!!  Hannah went on to have three sons and two daughters more!! (verse 21)  You see, you really cannot out give God!  He blesses our sacrifices to Him and His Kingdom.  Let's keep giving! 4) SAMUEL'S SONS- In I Sam. 8:1, Samuel made his sons judges over Israel.  The are named in verse two as Joel and Abiah.  In verse three it tells us the sad truth that his sons "walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment."  Such a good man having such bad sons.  How does it happen??  Well, Eli was his mentor, and Eli's sons were terrible as well.  Now it can happen to the best of fathers and families, but remember this that if your ministry becomes more important than your family, you will lose your family.  I am not willing to lose my family to forward my ministry.  Without a family.... we have no ministry!! 5) THE HEART OF A LEADER- In I Sam. 10:6, God turned Saul, the first king of Israel, into "another man", and in verse 9 "God gave him another heart".  God makes leaders!!  God transforms them and fills them.  It is His work, not mans!!  AND... God gives leaders followers: (vs. 26- "and there went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched." ) Have a blessed Sunday!!  I know I will.  Pastor Mike Mutchler