Tag: 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 Is Calling Your Name?

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments
Sleeping child hears God calling him three times.

Reprint October 24, 2024

How many friends, family members and acquaintances do you know that addresses people not by their given names, but rather by using a euphemism (a mild or indirect word or expression) that in most cases depicts an endearing term that shows hospitality and love?

For example, I often greet family and friends by saying, “Hello Lovie. How are you?” If a conversation pursues, I’m guilty of peppering my sentences with “Lovie” a few more times to make a point. Now, I’m not saying that this is all bad. I’m just saying that this week my eyes were opened to the realization that perhaps I might want to just curtail using the expression of “Lovie” as a substitute for addressing a person by their legitimate name.

Here is why…

A few years ago, my bible study group started reading 1st Samuel, a book in the Bible. A very popular story in that book is the one about the young lad, Samuel, who had a dream while living in a priestly commune (temple) with the prophet Eli. Samuel was awakened from his dream twice by someone calling him. Samuel thought it was Eli so he got up and went to Eli. Since Eli had not been the one who called unto Samuel, Eli instructed Samuel what to say if he heard his named called a third time. Finally, the Lord did call his name again, but this time He called out, “Samuel! Samuel!” and He got Samuel’s attention. Samuel’s response was, “Here I am Lord. Speak, for your servant is listening” (1st Samuel 3:1-10).

I am very familiar with that story as I am sure you are too. But this time Samuel’s encounter with the Lord really got my attention and I wondered how many times was a double salutation used to call somebody in the Old and New Testaments. My research revealed that throughout all sixty-six books in the entire Bible, only nine people and one city were addressed by calling their names twice.

I immediately called upon the Holy Spirit and asked if we could have a little conversation…

In my spirit I began to realize that every time an individual was called by name twice, he or she was elevated to a greater and higher position of importance in the scheme of things in the Bible.

  1. Abraham! Abraham! He became the Father of many Nations . (Genesis 22:11-13)
  2. Jacob! Jacob! He became a great nation siring 12 tribes. And his name was changed to Israel. (Genesis 46:1-4)
  3. Moses! Moses! He was assigned to become a deliverer of God’s people. (Exodus 3:1-10)
  4. Samuel! Samuel! He was young at the time, but God was grooming him to be a priest, prophet, and judge. (1 Samuel 3:1-10)
  5. Martha! Martha! She was the sister to Mary and Lazarus. Martha was taught from being anxious about many things in life. (Luke 10:38-42)
  6. Simon! Simon! Also known as Peter. He learned to rely on Jesus instead of his own self. (Luke 22:31-32)
  7. Saul! Saul! Also known later as Paul. He changed from persecuting Christians to teaching them. (Acts 9:4)
  8. Lord! Lord! This was the title people began to use with their lips but not with their hearts. (Matthew 7:21-22, 25:11: Luke 6:46; 13:25)
  9. Eloi! Eloi! Definition for “My God, My God” that people still call on today. (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34; Psalm 22:1)
  10. Jerusalem! Jerusalem! The name given to the only city in the Bible that was elevated to prominence. (Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34)

This is the conclusion of the matter…

If and when God calls your name TWICE, will you recognize him and answer the call? Will Jesus get your attention? I truly believe that God has a place and an assignment for each and every one of us to perform. He is no respecter of person. What he has done for others, he will do for you! So, for goodness sake…don’t miss it when God calls your name…TWICE!

My prayer for you…

Dear Heavenly Father: First of all, I want to thank You for knowing our names and just where we are at any given moment. We also wish to thank You for Your divine organizational structure, for it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 that “There is timing and purpose for everything in God. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…And a time to heal.” So, dear Jesus, please find all of us in good health, good spirits, good moral living conditions, and good hearts for service in Your vineyards. May we all use good common sense and good judgment and be submissive to the instructions of the Holy Spirit and to always remember that love never fails when carrying out Your decrees and directions for our lives. We humbly come laying these prayers at the feet of Jesus. Amen!

I’ll Be Somewhere Listening For My Name

Scripture Lesson: He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, (2 Timothy 1:9 NIV)

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

GOD IS CALLING YOU…WILL YOU ANSWER?

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized3 Comments

                            https://youtu.be/y7yN6QtedHc (Click to view) (*)

Sometimes when God (Jesus) wants to converse with a person He calls their name twice.  For example, “Moses! Moses!” (Ex 3:4) or “Martha! Martha!” (Lk 10:41), or Simon! Simon! (Lk 22:31) or “Samuel! Samuel!” (1 Samuel 3:10).  Why is that? Could it be because God wants their undivided attention?  Or perhaps it’s because God wants to impart a truth/revelation that impacts the entire universe of people.  OR IS IT BECAUSE OTHERS ARE CALLING OUR NAME, TOO, AND GOD WANTS TO SEE IF WE RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE AND WILL ANSWER HIS CALL?

I, personally believe it is the latter.

Let’s take a closer look at the calling of Moses.  In Exodus 3:4 we read:  “God called to him from the bush and said, Moses, Moses, and Moses said, ‘Here I Am’.”  How does those sentences actually read to you?  Is Moses saying to the ‘voice’ here I am over here OR, over here…I Am!

I bet none of you chose the latter expression.  That’s because when the scriptures were translated from the Greek to the King James Bible the English punctuation marks were incorporated…sometimes mistakenly or in error or not at all.

God, however, rejoiced to hear that Moses recognized just Who it was that was calling him.  Well, maybe not altogether…but at least Moses used God’s real Name…I AM.

Let’s continue with God’s conversation with Moses in Exodus 3:5.  “Do not draw away.  Take your shoes from your feet, for the place were you stand is holy ground.”

Through my in depth conversations with God using scriptures, here is how He has interpreted the above verse for me.  ‘Moses, concentrate on this moment only, fear not.  Remove from your mind all other distracting thoughts.  You have truly recognized Me by the power of the Holy Spirit and your total being is holy ground.’

[As an aside thought, did not Jesus have a similar conversation with Nicodemus one night?  Nick was not born of the Spirit, therefore he could not see God, nor did he know God’s real Name.  Nick addressed Jesus as Rabbi!  The very presence of the burning bush (fire) indicated that Moses was full of the Holy Spirit!!!  Thus Moses knew who God was because he had been drawn from the water and was now communing with Fire!  Jesus had to inform Nick that a man MUST be born of water and the Spirit!  And this feat does not require the womb.]

(I know this is heavy stuff and to some, even far fetched, but I’m led by the Holy Spirit…not man.)

Now please allow me to digress a little bit more.  Many of us have said, ‘When I get to heaven, I’m going to ask God why……..(fill in the blank with your question).  Well, during this conversation between God and Moses, Moses did not have to wait until eternity to question God.  Moses was meeting face to face with God and he was not taking any chances.  Moses knew that lessor gods could also perform supernatural feats and since that bush was not being consumed by fire, Moses wanted to make sure that it was the work of the Almighty.  Moses also wanted his God to proclaim His identify for Himself.

IF YOU, TOO, WILL LOOK AT THIS BIBLICAL INCIDENT THROUGH A NEW LENSE, YOU MIGHT ALSO COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL ETERNITY TO ASK GOD ABOUT THINGS THAT TROUBLE YOU DOWN HERE ON EARTH.  WHENEVER YOU RECOGNIZE THE CALL…HEAR HIS VOICE…BE IN HIS PRESENCE…JUST A-S-K HIM ANYTHING THAT SO EASILY BESETS YOU!!!!

Then answer His Call!

But first, make absolute sure you are communing with the Heavenly Father of all Creation.  Also begin to preference your thoughts with the Names of God.  Not the names that man gives to occupations.  (For God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.  John 4:24)

Don’t take any chances of the enemy slipping in.  Even when you respond to the question of what is your name.  Say, I AM _________ (fill in your name here).   That way you cover yourself with the Blood of Jesus.  Stop saying, ‘My name is ________.’  (This phrase denotes a nomenclature that man gave you.)

My Conversion and Response to the Call

Jesus called my name many, many yeas ago.  I almost missed it.  God called me by a name nobody had ever referred to me as…God called me ‘SOUGHT OUT’.  (Isaiah 62:12).  Like Moses in the video referenced at the beginning of this blog, I rolled my eyes to the left and to the right.  I looked over my shoulder, I glanced upward.  Like Samuel, I went through my house asking everybody and anybody if they had called me.  (1 Samuel 3:8).  Finally I turned to the Great I AM.

“It is I,” the Lord said in my heart…Then I replied, “Speak, Lord, thy servant is listening.”   “You have been Sought Out to do my bidding,” the Father replied.  (The rest is history!)

Yes, I answered the call!  And my fervent prayer is that one day He will say, “Well done, my beloved.  You have been faithful over a few things, now enter through the gates of Glory and take a seat beside Moses, Martha, Simon and Samuel.”  AMEN.

(*) Note:  The book Moses and the Burning Bush can be purchased on Amazon                              The Youtube video is 1:47

Scripture Lesson:  “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

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