avoiding the traps

It is now the end of Samuel’s life.
Things had not gone well, and that promising young man Saul had disappointed all of God’s people.
As Samuel entered his last years, he fell into the same traps that many seniors fall into.
Grieving for the past and mourning the good old days.
Fearing those whom he never feared before?
Judging people by their appearance?

Do we fall into the same traps that Sam did?
These are common responses for those of advanced years.

Sam had these feelings and fears. Yet he did not give in to them he obeyed the Lord and successfully completed his life’s work.
May we overcome these traps, just as Samuel did.
Don’t lose it now that you are so close to the finish line.

Pastor Wayne

filling in the blanks

To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

It was time for Saul to expand the kingdom of God.
It was time to put an end to the evil raiding of the Amalekites
And Saul was glad to do this for the Lord.

Saul obeyed the Lord
he destroyed the Amalekites
he defeated Agag.
He asked for forgiveness for his sins.
He worshipped the Lord at Gilgal.
Yet, the Lord was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.


Saul obeyed, but for his own glory.
Saul worshiped the Lord
but Sam had to finish Saul’s uncompleted deeds.
Samuel was faithful to God
in his rebuke of Saul
in his oversight of God’s command
in the putting to death of Agag

Will we be faithful when those around us put their comfort and glory ahead of God’s kingdom.

Or will we say I have done my share. I will not pick up the slack of others?
It may bring sadness
it may bring depression and grief.
But will we listen and obey?

Pastor Wayne

The art of waiting

There are times when God says “wait”
we may not know the reason why.
Perhaps it is to reveal that our faith has limits.
Perhaps it reveals a resentment of relying on God.
Perhaps someone else must learn to deal with suspense.

Saul did not wait for Samuel, or the Lord
He forgot Gideon – where God reduced the numbers to 300.
He did not need the help of mercenaries if God was with him.

Saul did not seek the heart of God but he chose to protect himself, and in doing so, he lost.

Who is your king? You or the Lord?
The threats are real - even sometimes by our own hand.
But it is God who chooses the number of defenders and the timing.

Will you trust your king?
If the Lord has promised victory, then wait for him.

Pastor Wayne

Anointing God's Replacement

The people had rejected Samuel and God. They demanded a king -- someone to lead them into battle and fight their battles for them.

Now Samuel is asked to facilitate their sin. To anoint a king.

Sometimes in life God asks us to let, or even help someone choose a different king. What do we do? How much do we protest, and how can we stop them?

The real question ends up -- Is He my king, and will I obey him, even tho I disagree?

God bless,

Pastor Wayne

living with bad decisions

the people had rejected Samuel and God. Even tho Samuel had done nothing wrong, and been faithful in his ministry, yet the people did not want another judge.

Was this the end for Israel? with the new king Saul, did the old true King and Samuel reject them and leave them to their own devices?

Adding a king to our lives only makes our lives more difficult. It does not change reality. We, and our new king, must still live in subjection to Christ. the rules for prosperity are still the same, we have just added a new layer for things to go wrong.

But what about Samuel? the people rejected his entire life's work, and him personally. In his pain, did he walk away?

"far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you and to continue to teach you the way that is good and right. Just because the people we love reject us and hurt us does not mean that we can walk away and not pray.

There is hope for those who have found a new king. There is still a need to care and minister to those who have hurt and rejected us.

What will we do?

Pastor Wayne

looking for a leader

When Samuel was old, the people decided that they wanted a real leader to lead them. Someone who would fight their battles for them, or at least tell them which way to go.

Of course, God was their king and their leader, but that was not the same, not like other people had.

It is easy for us to see where they were wrong in rejecting the kingship of God, but how often do we seek someone else to fight our battle for us?

We come to think that it would be so much better if we relied on someone else, but we never know, or count what it costs us in the long term. Are we guilty of the same things that they were?

Let us continue to make sure the Lord is our King.

Pastor Wayne

With your whole Heart

Twenty years after the Ark returned to Israel, the people finally got tired of serving the Philistines. Why did it take so long before they sought true victory?

It is amazing that we also wait a long time before we are willing to turn to the Lord with our whole heart. We don't like paying the old gods and things that bind us, but we also don't want to empty it all out to the Lord.

My prayer is that we will not continue to hold out like Israel did, but rather let God be our champion and fight for us.

Pastor Wayne