1 Samuel (Larry Crabb’s 9th Love Letter)
We hope God would tell us how we can move through whatever messes show up in our lives in ways that lead us to better times so that we can see the sunrise.Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy; also, only tears from the heart release laughter from the belly.When things go wrong in our lives, we’re more apt to think what will work to make things better rather than what is holy in this situation that will please the Lord.It takes a long time to understand that God is not here for us, but we are here for Him; it takes even longer to enjoy that arrangement.Leaders have a tendency to value efficiency and effectiveness over love and humility as they build their churches.We will understand the central message of this letter when we understand the tragedy of asking for a king other than God.
1 Samuel – David Jeremiah (Understanding the 66 Books of the Bible)
Key thought: The stories of Samuel, Saul, and David remind us that popularity and image will fade away; but those after God’s own heart will leave a legacy of leadership.
Key Verse: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22
Key Action: Don’t judge by first impressions, for God doesn’t look at people as we do; we look at the external appearance, but God looks at the heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7).
1 SAMUEL: The Death of the Flesh: To be completed – From Ray Stedman<-(click here for entire Bible summary)
First Samuel is the story of two men, Saul and David. Saul is the man of the flesh, and David is the man of faith – the carnal believer and the spiritual believer. The mind of sinful man is death but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6).
First it tells us the story of Samuel and Israel’s fall into decay.
Then the entrance of King Saul, the people demand to be given a king like all the other nations. Saul was hiding because he was finding it rather inconvenient to do what God wanted. He wanted to live his own life his own way and he was trying to get away from the call of God. No man can walk in the authority and the freedom that God has intended for his children when he rejects the authority of the Spirit of God in his life. That is primarily the story of Saul.
David was not set on the throne immediately as Saul was, but was tested and proved by struggle and adversity. This is the principle that God often follows with the man who learns to walk by faith. He is put through a time of obscurity, of testing, and of problems.