And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. (1 Sam. 7:3-6, 12-13)
When the ark was returned and as it remained in the house of Abinadab of Kirjathjearim for a great while, Samuel called on the people of Israel to return unto the LORD, to repent of their idolatry, and serve God and Him alone. God delivered His people from their enemies when they turned from their sins and to Him for forgiveness and salvation. Israel worshiped God in Mizpeh and Samuel set up the Ebenezer stone as a reminder of God’s deliverance and help. God gave victory over the Philistines to the Israelites all the days of Samuel.
God calls His people to repent, especially from idolatry and worship of other gods which are no gods at all. In the days of Israel, the people were called to return to the LORD both as a nation and as individuals that the nation might be blessed and delivered from their enemies. Samuel reminded the people of where their help came from. It was not the ark which saved them, it was not the stone which helped them, it was the Lord of the covenant who was their Rock of Salvation and deliverance. Only God can save and only He will deliver His people from their enemies. When the Israelites remembered who their God was and served Him alone they were victorious over the Philistines and many other nations whom the LORD subdued before them.
Our enemies are not flesh and blood and our weapons and victory is not of the flesh. We fight with the armor of God against the principalities and powers God has already subdued before us and our victory is in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Our faith in God, repentance of our sins, and worship of Him alone gives us victory over our enemies, not in our own strength or by our power, but through the mighty Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Samuel judged Israel, so our Lord has delivered us from sin, redeemed us from the hand of the enemy, and intercedes for those who surrender to Him on His terms and serve Him. He alone is our Rock of Salvation and He alone is our help in times of trouble. He alone is worthy of worship and praise for He alone is God, our Creator, Redeemer, and King, and He alone can and does save whosoever will come to Him in repentance and faith.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
God calls His people to repent, especially from idolatry and worship of other gods which are no gods at all. In the days of Israel, the people were called to return to the LORD both as a nation and as individuals that the nation might be blessed and delivered from their enemies. Samuel reminded the people of where their help came from. It was not the ark which saved them, it was not the stone which helped them, it was the Lord of the covenant who was their Rock of Salvation and deliverance. Only God can save and only He will deliver His people from their enemies. When the Israelites remembered who their God was and served Him alone they were victorious over the Philistines and many other nations whom the LORD subdued before them.
Our enemies are not flesh and blood and our weapons and victory is not of the flesh. We fight with the armor of God against the principalities and powers God has already subdued before us and our victory is in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Our faith in God, repentance of our sins, and worship of Him alone gives us victory over our enemies, not in our own strength or by our power, but through the mighty Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Samuel judged Israel, so our Lord has delivered us from sin, redeemed us from the hand of the enemy, and intercedes for those who surrender to Him on His terms and serve Him. He alone is our Rock of Salvation and He alone is our help in times of trouble. He alone is worthy of worship and praise for He alone is God, our Creator, Redeemer, and King, and He alone can and does save whosoever will come to Him in repentance and faith.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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