Tag: 1-samuel

God Does Not Look On Our Appearances…But On Our ‘EAR’ Flanked By An “H” And A “T”!

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized3 Comments

It’s no secret that the audacity of mankind, when evaluating another person’s performance is laced with shamelessness, boldness or insolence. Why do I make such a strong statement? Because basically people have trouble seeing past other peoples’ flaws.

Others occasionally harbor feelings of distrust towards people who are not like themselves. Find it difficult to see past another person’s flaws. Or basically categorize them as all good or all bad. There is no in between. Many people find it hard to accept people who are not like themselves.

The Lord Jesus has a different approach when deciding whom to appoint someone to become a leader.

And that’s spelled “EAR” with an “H” in front and a “T” at the end!

A prophet named Samuel was a priest and last judge in Israel, who was sent by God to Bethlehem. Samuel’s assignment was to dethrone (replace) the current King Saul and replace him with one of Jessie’s sons. The Bethlehem man made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. None of them pleased God. So, Little David was called from the sheep pasture and he passed before Samuel. After which, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the site of his brothers. David was to become the second future king over Israel.

At another time, God called an insignificant man named Moses. His assignment was to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage of slavery. Moses had to contend with Pharaoh to persuade him to free God’s chosen people out of slavery in Egypt.

There are dozens of other Biblical leaders besides Samuel and David. The above illustration is to prove that God is the One Who chooses leaders. Not ‘want-to-be’ leaders themselves nor mere men. It would be beneficial for those in a leadership position to examine themselves. Become aware of what character traits you look for in a person’s behavior. What motivates them to choose or select certain types of people to become leaders or examples for others. Consult your Maker and follow His example. In other words….use your ears more and put an “H” and a “T” at the end.

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.wordpress.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!


God Has a Sense Of Humor

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Reprint from June 27, 2024

Who woulda thought it! Yes, our God is all-knowing and all-powerful. “But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says: “God is opposed to the proud and those who oppose him, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

And not only does that cause God to smile, it also causes God to laugh.

For example, re-examine the story found in 1st Samuel 5:1-5. There you will find the incident where God’s chosen people, the Israelites, were using the Ark of the Covenant as a good-luck charm as they went into battle with the Philistines. Not only did the Israelites lose the battle, they also lost the Ark of the Covenant. The Philistines placed the Ark in their temple along side Dagon their idol god.

The next morning when the Philistines went into their temple to worship Dagon for their victory over the Israelites they found their god Dagon flat on his face. They re-erected him, but the following morning they found Dagon’s hands and feet completely cut off. God found humor in what he had done as recorded in Psalm 59:7-8: “See what they spew from their mouths—they spew out words from their lips, and they say, “Who can hear us?” But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.

The Ark of God vs Dagon, the Philistine’s god.
NOW FOR A LITTLE HUMOR TO TIE THE STORY TO EVERY DAY LIFE.

A middle-aged woman has a heart attack and is taken to the hospital.  While on the operating table she has a near death experience.  During that experience she sees God and asks if this is it.  God says no and explains that she has another 30 years to live.

Upon her recovery she decides to just stay in the hospital and have a face lift, liposuction, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, etc.  She even has someone come in and change her hair color.  She figures since she's got another 30 years she might as well make the most of it.

She walks out of the hospital after the last operation and is struck and killed by an ambulance speeding by.  She arrives in front of God and complains; "I thought you said I had another 30 years!"

God replies, "I didn't recognize you."

Moral of the story:

Does your appearance reflect your true life style?  Or are you just pretending with God!  Using him as a good luck charm as the Israelites (God's people) and the Philistines (God's enemy) did?

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from the Master’s servant manager…ME!