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And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord. 1 Samuel 2:21 #coptorthodox #bibleverse #bible #bibleversedaily #dailyverse #coptic #orthodox @coptorthodox #godvisits #godvisiting #godvisitshispeople #godlistens #godsees #godknowseverything #godintervenes #1samuel #1samuel2 #1samuel2v21 https://www.instagram.com/p/CKTGU2Op9iR/?igshid=mrezbctne7uo
Oftentimes we become upset with God because we were praying for something that never manifests. Now as human beings, we become intrigue by what we see versus what we feel. However, if the spirit of God dwells within us, we should FEEL where we going and STOP attempting to duplicate someone else’s GLORY. Ask God for HIS WILL to be done for FAITH is the evidence of things NOT SEEN! 1 Samuel 16:7 states “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” #getyourfaithup #godwillbedone #prayerchangesthings #shiftyourfocus #faith #grace #beinspired #beempowered #beuplifted #biblestudy #1samuel #spiritualawakening #spirituality #spiritualgrowth #faithbloggersc #inspirationalquotes (at South Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCo9wq0lwnh/?igshid=5p5r47oz305w
Se neceitan mas Jonatan... esos que les advierte a los David que hay un plan de muerte sobre su vida, esos que saben que vas camino a un "risco" pero te gritan ALTO, vas a caer... hay personas que saben que hay un plan en tu contra y se quedan calladitos esperando que caigas para ocupar tu lugar! •Mira TU no seas ASI, se como Jonatan que no le importa un puesto sino que le importa mas cuidarte. Si tienes alguien al lado dile: yo te quiero cuidar!!!!!
How To Overcome Your Sinful Desires
We can’t classify all our desires as sinful, but we may have some sinful ones lurking within us. 1 Samuel 12 records one of Israel’s desires so sinful that they begged Samuel to pray for them.
“Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.” 1 Samuel 12:19
After years of God’s faithful leadership through judges and prophets, the people demanded a king. They wanted visible authority and a sense of security that matched the surrounding nations.
That request exposed their hearts, shaped more by desire than by trust. Through Samuel’s instruction, God revealed how His people, and believers today, can overcome sinful desires.
The verse we just read revealed that Israel finally recognized their desired king flowed from spiritual discontent. Instead of living by faith, they wanted a leader like other nations had.
The same temptation confronts us when we put our faith in God. Many Christians live by the philosophy of seeing is believing instead of believing is trusting.
The Israelites thought they knew best. They adopted a phrase we often hear from children, though adults repeat it too. “That’s not fair. How come they have one, and I don’t?”
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Comparison fuels dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction opens the door to sinful desires. The Israelites initiated their request to Samuel by voicing their complaint in chapter eight.
“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” 1 Samuel 8:5
Comparison blinded them to the grace God provided since they left Egypt. They thought they lacked something essential. They forgot the Lord Himself served as their King.
God Exposes the Weight of Sinful Desires
The devil will try convincing us that God has limited power. Israel admitted their sin, but only after Samuel revealed God’s power in a dramatic way.
You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!” So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel. 1 Samuel 12:17–18
The storm didn’t punish Israel; it awakened them. God often uses moments of conviction to expose misplaced cravings. When sinful desires rule our hearts, the Lord graciously interrupts us.
He doesn’t want to destroy us, but to restore us. Samuel taught Israel to overcome their sinful desires through remarkable wisdom. He didn’t excuse their sin, yet he didn’t crush their spirits.
“Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. 1 Samuel 12:20
God calls His people to repentance, not despair. Reverent fear leads to obedience, not avoidance. Samuel directed them toward renewed worship, a decisive turn back to God.
The phrase “with all your heart” defines the cure for sinful desires. Partial devotion leaves room for competing loves. Wholehearted worship reshapes our desires and daily decisions.
Many Christians limit worship to Sunday mornings. Scripture calls for us to take it deeper. Worship becomes a lifestyle marked by surrender and trust. Jesus explained it this way:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33
A Sinful Desire Always Competes for the Heart
Seeking God’s kingdom requires intentional focus. It means placing God’s will above our ambitions and choosing righteousness over convenience. Paul echoed this truth in Romans.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1
True worship involves daily surrender. When believers offer their lives to God, sinful desires lose their power. Samuel also warned the Israelites to turn away from worthless idols.
Those idols promised security, identity, and success apart from God. While modern believers may not bow to carved images, idols still exist.
Anything that competes with God for your devotion can become an idol—your career, comfort, possessions, or control. Sinful desires thrive when something else claims first place in our hearts.
The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people. 1 Samuel 12:22
That statement balances warning with reassurance. God’s faithfulness doesn’t waver when His people stumble. His grace invites repentance and renewal. That same assurance holds true today.
Israel wanted a king they could see. God later provided a greater King through Jesus Christ. Unlike earthly rulers, Jesus reigns with righteousness, mercy, and sacrificial love.
Through Christ’s death and resurrection, redemption stands secure. When you place your faith in Him, you become God’s very own—fully forgiven and eternally held.
Therefore, sinful desires no longer define you. God’s Spirit empowers you to walk in obedience.
Life Application: Overcoming Sinful Desires
- Examine your comparisons. Ask where comparison has fueled dissatisfaction in your heart. - Confess misplaced desires. Bring sinful cravings and desires honestly before the Lord. - Choose wholehearted worship. Surrender daily habits, decisions, and priorities to God. - Remove competing idols. Identify anything hindering your relationship with Christ and take intentional steps to realign your heart. - Trust God’s faithfulness. Rest in the truth that the Lord does not abandon His people.
Lord, like Israel, we often follow our sinful desires instead of trusting you. Forgive us and refocus our hearts to help us live a lifestyle of worship that honors you through Jesus Christ.
Also check out these other related posts dealing with sinful desires.
- An Important Warning About A Rebellious Heart Against God - Sound The Alarm Of Warning - Take Warnings From God Seriously - Who Can Stand Against The Lord? - What Are You Blaming Your Sinful Actions On? - What If The Lord Had Not Been On Our Side?
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Find Strength in the Lord When Rejection Strikes
David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:6
Rejection hurts no matter who it comes from. But it especially cuts deep when our friends, family members, or even coworkers turn against us.
When we experience rejection, it whispers that we have failed, giving us the sense that we no longer matter. We feel all alone, as if everyone has turned their backs on us.
Sometimes we face rejection through no fault of our own. Other times, our choices have led us there. Either way, we must decide how we will respond.
David understood rejection. For years, he lived as a fugitive. King Saul not only rejected him, but he hunted for David like one hunts for prey.
David led a band of men also acquainted with rejection. Many of them came from broken homes or lives scarred by defeat. David transformed them from outcasts to warriors.
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Their unity built courage; their victories created wealth and confidence. Together, they became a brotherhood feared by their enemies. They often rode on the strength provided by the Lord.
But one day, everything collapsed. While David and his men went on a military crusade, the Amalekites raided their town of Ziklag. They stole every possession and burned their homes.
But worse than that, they carried off their wives, children, and the elderly. When David’s army returned, they saw smoke rising from the ashes. Nothing remained. They lost everything.
When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more. 1 Samuel 30:3-4
Who Should We Blame?
Grief soon gave way to anger. David’s loyal men looked for someone to blame, and their eyes landed on their leader. They blamed the very man who led them and provided for their needs.
Bitterness consumed them so completely that they discussed stoning David. Imagine the sting of that moment—his brothers-in-arms, men he had rescued and protected, now ready to kill him.
At that moment, David needed strength from the Lord, but he grieved too. He had also lost his family that day. He felt the same emptiness and broken heartedness as his men felt.
People haven’t changed much through the years. When trouble comes, we often lash out, making rash decisions and often blaming others. Some even direct their frustration toward God.
Like David’s men, we let our emotions override our wisdom. The harsher life becomes, the more we feel the urge to do something—anything—to escape the hurt.
David’s response, however, marked the difference between defeat and victory. Scripture says, “But David found strength in the Lord his God.”
Instead of collapsing under despair, he chose a different path. The turning point in this story came when David decided to gain his strength from the Lord.
In a moment when rejection, fear, and sorrow surrounded him, David drew courage from his relationship with God. He turned inward—not to self-pity, but to prayer.
He didn’t react with anger or blame. Nor argue or defend himself. He turned to the only One who would never reject him. He sought the Lord’s direction by asking Him a simple question.
Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?” And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!” 1 Samuel 30:8
Find Strength in the Lord
When we face rejection or hardship, we must make the same choice. We can sink under the weight of our emotions or rise above them by leaning on God.
Finding strength in the Lord means quieting our panic long enough to hear His instructions. Too often, though, believers today approach God like pulling up to a drive-thru window.
We pray quick prayers by outlining our desired outcome, and then we expect an immediate solution. But God doesn’t serve fast answers. He invites us to sit at His table.
God desires fellowship, not transactions. His timing may not match our urgency, but His wisdom never fails. When we slow down and rest in the presence of the Lord, He renews our strength.
Like David, we find our strength not in our circumstances, but in our connection with the Lord. David led his men to the Amalekite camp, where he witnessed the favor of the Lord.
He won a two-fold victory over his foes. The first came when they retrieved all of their captured loved ones. Plus, they recovered everything that the enemy had taken from them.
David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. 1 Samuel 30:18-19
The second part of David’s victory came when he and his men took spoils for themselves from their defeated enemy.
He also recovered all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock. “This plunder belongs to David!” they said. 1 Samuel 30:20
The Strength of the Lord Gives Us Victory
When we sit with God in prayer, even in tears, His presence strengthens us in ways human solutions can’t. Strength in the Lord doesn’t just happen; instead, it often grows quietly.
It forms when we choose to trust God’s character and not our emotions. It deepens when we rely on His promises. And it flourishes when we obey His directions.
David’s story reminds us that rejection can become the soil for renewal. The same men who once threatened him later followed him again, stronger and wiser.
Through this ordeal, David learned that leadership without the strength of the Lord leads to burnout. On the other hand, leadership through God’s strength leads to victory.
Lord, teach us to find strength in you for times when rejection or loss strikes. Strengthen our hearts with your Word and remind us that you never abandon those who trust you.
Check out these related posts on the strength of the Lord.
- How To Strengthen Your Faith - Experience The Power Of Christ In Your Life - Rejoice In The Strength Of The Lord - The Lord is My Strength and Shield - The Lord Is Our Strength, Whom Shall We Fear
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1 Samuel 17: 42 - 46. HAPPY SABBATH
Victory From God Is Always On Time
The Philistines returned Ark of the Covenant because of fear, but they still oppressed the Israelites. Would God rescue them from their enemy and give them victory? Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, ... Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 1 Samuel 7:3 The Israelites mourned because it seemed like the Lord had abandoned them. Samuel, however, told the people to get rid of their foreign gods and their images of Ashtoreth. Throughout their history, the Israelites often got caught up in distancing themselves from God. We tend to do that as well, only we use different methods, but end up with the same result. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and never robs us of a victory. Neither does He move away from us. Therefore, the people trusted the man of God and did as he instructed them. So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord. 1 Samuel 7:4 Then Samuel told all of Israel to gather in Mizpah so he could pray for them. I’m not sure how many people were included, but they accomplished three things while there. First, they assembled themselves together. The one thing they all had in common was they were children of Abraham and God’s chosen people. Therefore, meeting together has its benefits.
The Israelites Assembled Together
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 Second, once they got together, they began to worship the Lord. What they did seemed to symbolize a pouring out of their hearts in repentance and need. So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. 1 Samuel 7:6 In the New Testament, we must also repent as we worship the Lord. Our victory in God, though, doesn’t come by a ceremony. Jesus told us that we must worship God in Spirit and in truth. The time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24 The Israelites did one more important thing after they assembled together. Along with repenting, they confessed their sins and fasted. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.) 1 Samuel 7:6 The New Testament shines the light on fasting by giving us examples. When Jesus spoke about it, He didn’t say if, but when you fast. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:17-18
The Enemy Always Tries to Interfere
The Philistines heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah. They decided to get their army together and attack their unsuspecting foe. The Israelites found out about it, which caused great fear. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. 1 Samuel 7:7 They begged Samuel to keep pleading with the Lord to save them from the Philistines. Their only hope rested on God giving them victory. Samuel preceded by making an offering to the Lord. So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him. 1 Samuel 7:9 The Philistines arrived to attack Israel just as Samuel offered the sacrifice. The Philistines knew they held the victory in their hands, no matter how much the Israelites worshiped their God. I guess they didn’t know that the God of the Israelites was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He created the world, and none of the gods they had could stand up to Him. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. 1 Samuel 7:10 The Israelites had nowhere to run, so they stood there. But God showed up right on time to give them the victory. God also promises us victory. Therefore, we must stand still and let Him do it.
Wait On God for the Victory
Sometimes, God will give us directions on how to attain the victory. The Israelites didn’t take any action until after God moved. Many scripture verses tell us to stand still and wait for the Lord. - Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. Psalm 46:10 - But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. Exodus 14:13 - So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. James 4:7-8 What mistake do you think most well-meaning Christians make? Instead of waiting on the Lord, we try to do things on our own. We will experience victory each time we let God handle things. Help us, God, to trust you so there’s no delay in getting the victory you had planned for us. Renew our strength, Lord, as we learn to patiently wait on you. Check out these related posts on the Victory of God. - How To Experience Victory, Healing And Life - God Has Given Us The Victory - Victory Comes From The Lord Read the full article
