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(07/23/2003) while waiting


Hello prayer warriors, 1. Prayer note: while waiting [1 Samuel 13:11-12] 11 "What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 12 I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering." [NIV] In the King James version, it said .. Samuel said "What have you done?" Have you ever asked yourself that? Sometimes you look back and ask yourself "What have I done?" How many people have trodden down this road of "What have I done?" I think we could have asked the same of Abraham when he took Hagar, Sarah's servant in as a concubine. Sarah was the one who suggested to Abraham to take Hagar in and this was a decision which she clearly regretted later. She would have been one who would have asked herself "What have I done?" [Genesis 21:9-10] 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. Okay, what was the common thing that both Sarah, Abraham and Saul shared? They couldn't wait for God anymore. They were appointed by God, even though Saul was appointed becau se the Israelites asked for a king but as I traced through the history of Saul, he WAS appointed. Saul lost his kingdom because of this one act when Saul offered burnt offering, in place of Samuel, because Saul couldn't wait. Why could they not wait for God? First of all, I think that we set our own expectations. When God promises something, we expect the promises to happen very soon. As what Saul had told Samuel, "you did not come at the SET time". Whose set time? Saul's set time. I am a culprit of this as well. I believe God can do wonders. He is a God of miracles. But sometimes the hand of God does not move when I expect it to. God doesn't follow my schedule. He has His schedule and guess whose schedule is better? Who has better foresight and who knows best? So, the problem is many times in my understanding of God, and in my trusting Him. I don't trust Him enough because I am again looking at the clouds and the wind blowing against me. I am looking at the circumstances and in my perspective, I am doomed. The circumstances are bigger than life. They are real and God is far away. [Ecclesiastes 11:4] He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. When I learn to change my perspective and not let circumstances and emotions rule me and understand that God is still in control and He will deliver me and He has the best of me, I will not be moved so easily into despair and take things into my own hands. You only become bitter when you believe things cannot get better. When I learn to trust while waiting, I will not be like the Israelites who were murmuring and wandering across the wilderness for forty years because the circumstances were pushing them into desperation. If I wait for God's promises with the right attitude, I believe that I will be out of the wilderness faster and not lose out on the promises of God for me because I chose to let my emotions and the circumstances get the better of me. Now, let's go back to Saul. Saul lost his kingdom because he was impatient and for a moment stopped trusting God and decided that he could take things into his own hands. Abraham and Sarah had to live with the consequences of what they have done. God did give them a child later, Isaac, which Sarah conceived but both of them had already taken matters into their own hands. So, what do we learn from this? We have a choice of groaning and murmuring and stepping out of His Will and risk losing the blessing that He has promised us; or wait expectantly with the right attitude until we see the harvest that God has promised us in His Word. 2. Prayer requests: i. We need a child -- guest http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2319 ii. My wife Christy -- dogwood http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2327 iii. marriage restoration -- guest http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2328 iv. unemployment -- guest http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2330 v. my son is angry -- guest http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2333 vi. Relationship needs restoration -- guest http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2338 vii. my 16-year old son -- kjnfemale http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2340 3. Praise report -- guest I want to praise God for His blessings to me over the past year: for healing my mother of depression after 2 years of hell, for giving me somewhere to live over the winter months, for giving me a good job after many years without one, for bringing companionship and love into my life, after I thought it would never come again. http://mydevotion.com/p.asp?tid=2337 4. Number of prayer warriors: 2034 Yes guys, we have grown even though I have not been active in sending out prayer emails. Please forgive me and do pray for me and for the site and this ministry. your sister in Christ, Wai Hun
Wednesday, July 23, 2003 2:16:45 PM waihun
changed on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 2:17:02 PM

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