Lesson for today in 1 Samuel

 I cannot even begin to tell you all just how awesome it is to have the Word of God, and to have Him speak to me each and every day through it. Today I saw an awesome nugget that opened my eyes to our present time here in the good old USA and to all who are believers.
 In 1 Samuel 12 we read that Samuel is about to leave and giving his 'Farewell' speech. He reminds the people of Israel of their blunders in turning away from God and wanting a different king. Towards the end of the chapter they ask Samuel to pray for them and he assures them that if they serve God with their whole hearts, and chunk their idols, then He would not reject them. Lets see what He tells them that caught my attention:
"As for me, far be it form me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all of your heart; consider what great things He has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."
 Samuel was a truly an awesome man of God even until the end of his life. Samuel's love for God and his people was exactly the kind love we all need today in our lives. Fully devoted and fully comitted. Even though the people of Israel rejected him and God over the years, He still loved them and spoke truth into their lives.
 Let's break this scripture down a bit. When is the last time we considered that failing to 'Pray' for others is a 'Sin?' This was truly an eye opener! So many times I think of someone and in my Spirit know that I should pray for them, but I get distracted and fail to pray for them. Reading Paul's Epistles leaves me speechless also at times. He always shares how much he remembers people and that he prays for them (I don't know how he had the time to preach, write, teach, and so forth with his prayer life).
 Next we see that Samuel commits to continue to teach them the 'Good and Right way.' Today it seems that the 'Good and Right' way gets left behind to Topical preaching and teaching, and not holiness and purity.  The quetion the Word is asking me is "Am I sharing the good and right way, or History and theology?" Today many will say that the love their families and friends, but are afraid to mention the 'Good and Right' way of doing things.
 The lie from the devil is that we serve the Lord faithfully and that love Him and serve Him with all of our heart. "Do we?" If we allow anything else to capture our hearts besides the Lord and His will then we cannot say the we love Him with all of our heart. Our actions depict just how much our heart truly belongs to Him. Another question we must ask of ourselves is "Are we truly faithful to Him?" Truly being faithful has nothing to do with going to Church and everything to do with serving others. "Do we truly love?" A young man in our youth several years ago asked me to define true love is. I found myself blurting out "Going beyond what is expected." What can we say "That we love and serve God with ALL of our hearts?"
 There is no reason for a believer to get down, or out. There is no reason for a believer to not give thanks each and every day for what God has done in our lives. Look back a year, two and even back as far as you can. Has God not brought us through anything we have faced? Has He ever forsaken us? He has been faithful, and we owe Him our all, and not just a trinket. We have the opportunity to serve, to be faithful to, and love an awesome God who has brought us from death to life.
 Last but not least, we need to understand that 'IF' we decide to turn away and practice or partake of anything evil, that we will be swept away. This does have everything to do with eternity,a nd it is our choice. Now take a deep breath and realize this, "He loves us!" Why would we not get rid of anything that hinders are total faithfullness to Him? Good word, good God~