Have you ever wondered how the imperfect can be perfectly chosen? Join me, Stephanie L. Harrison, alongside Savannah Grant, as we unravel the power of humility and transparency guided by biblical narratives. Our heartfelt discussion leads us through the often-misunderstood path of spiritual growth, shedding light on how the flawed figures of the Bible were instruments in God's plan. From the chaos of a leaderless society in Judges to the sincere pleas of Hannah, we explore the deep resonances these tales hold for us today.
Savannah and I share the emotional resonance found in Hannah's story, a tale that transcends time and speaks to the struggle and societal pressures of infertility. The fervor of her prayers and the monumental impact of their divine response illuminate the possibility of miraculous outcomes in our lives. As we trace the journey of young Samuel from a child heeding God's call to a prophet of profound influence, we're reminded of the weight and power of listening for divine guidance.
We don't just stop at listening—we ponder the patience required to truly seek God's will, as seen in the Israelites' hasty desire for a human king. This episode takes us through the pitfalls of impatience and the beauty of a transformed heart, preparing us to delve into Saul's anointment and the divine intricacies of his meeting with Samuel in the times to come. Embrace this invitation to reflect on your own heart's intentions, and ready yourself for the exciting journey of new beginnings and progress shared right here on Inside Beauty Inspires.
Have you ever wondered how the imperfect can be perfectly chosen? Join me, Stephanie L. Harrison, alongside Savannah Grant, as we unravel the power of humility and transparency guided by biblical narratives. Our heartfelt discussion leads us through the often-misunderstood path of spiritual growth, shedding light on how the flawed figures of the Bible were instruments in God's plan. From the chaos of a leaderless society in Judges to the sincere pleas of Hannah, we explore the deep resonances these tales hold for us today.
Savannah and I share the emotional resonance found in Hannah's story, a tale that transcends time and speaks to the struggle and societal pressures of infertility. The fervor of her prayers and the monumental impact of their divine response illuminate the possibility of miraculous outcomes in our lives. As we trace the journey of young Samuel from a child heeding God's call to a prophet of profound influence, we're reminded of the weight and power of listening for divine guidance.
We don't just stop at listening—we ponder the patience required to truly seek God's will, as seen in the Israelites' hasty desire for a human king. This episode takes us through the pitfalls of impatience and the beauty of a transformed heart, preparing us to delve into Saul's anointment and the divine intricacies of his meeting with Samuel in the times to come. Embrace this invitation to reflect on your own heart's intentions, and ready yourself for the exciting journey of new beginnings and progress shared right here on Inside Beauty Inspires.
New, new, new, everything new. New, new, new, new, new, everything new. I'm ready to go ready for more.
Speaker 2:Hello, hello, it is Stephanie L Harrison and you are now listening in to Inside Beauty Inspires, where we motivate, encourage and inspire through biblical principles. I also have my friend, my sis, with me on today's Savannah Grant. Savannah, tell the people what's up.
Speaker 3:Hello, how is everybody?
Speaker 2:I am so happy to tell you, savannah. Everybody's been talking about the show. We've been getting a lot of good feedback from it, you know, because we've been transparent. They're able to see themselves in different situations and they're learning how to apply the word. Have you got any um, any reviews on? You know, on the show?
Speaker 3:as far as what you've been talking about because I know you've been talking about your life, you've been talking about ups and downs, where you are now so well people do like the transparency of it all, and I feel like you have to be transparent, you have to open yourself up, and I think I said that in, if not the last show, the show before. You have to completely open yourself up and be transparent in order to reach people, otherwise they won't be able to relate. I feel like they won't.
Speaker 2:They won't. You know, I'm always telling people that they need to get into their word, get into the Bible, and the reason why I'm always like screaming read your Bible is because I'm getting so much insight. You know, god talked to me and he told me that you know he was going to give me insight on his side. And so, since I've been in the word like consistently, I think that makes a difference. And then, like you stated before the trials and tribulations that you've been through, you were able to apply the word to it. So that's why you don't look like what you've been through so many people listen, we hear this all the time. I hear it all the time. Savannah don't look like what she's been through. She don't look because she really doesn't. I mean, all of the things that were meant to break you actually ended up being your footstool. Isn't that what the Bible says?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, and a big. The major part of that is, I feel like, because I do and I always have had a relationship with God, and people sometimes get that misconstrued it, um, because you've done a thing in your past or your relationship and how you live doesn't add, isn't what they feel like it should look like right, right, so they have their have their own opinions based off of on the outside, looking in.
Speaker 2:Yes, and you know, I'm so glad you said that, because that's what one of the biggest issues is. People don't know you or know a lot about you, but they'll judge you based off of what they've heard about you or what they see, and a lot of times it's a false narrative. A lot of times it is. When you said that, it reminded me of what I've been reading daily on the prayer call and shout out to the ladies of ISI. I always want to shout you guys out because it wouldn't be Inside Beauty Inspires if it wasn't Iron Sharpens, iron Proverbs, 27,. 17 is a real thing. So within us, sharpening one another. I want to read this to you, just based off of what you said.
Speaker 2:The bible says in john 7, verse 24 stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly. And when I first read that, I'm like, well, we're not supposed to be judging anyway. Right, but I went a little deeper, okay, because we were in the book of Judges last week and I'm realizing that that's when everything took place, that's when everything, that's when there was a change. You know, they're in the promised land and they're dividing the lands against the different tribes and then you know, like there are certain tribes that do different things, and we learned more about the Levites. You know these were the priests and they were the judges. God raises up people in that manner, but most people don't really have that type of anointing. You know, and you start judging, not knowing who somebody is Right. It's a real thing, it is. You know. The Bible says touch not my anointing, do my prophet no harm.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And most prophets aren't walking around with a label on saying hey, and look at the major hitters in the Bible Girl.
Speaker 3:Look at them. Look at them. Noah was a drunk, david was a murderer.
Speaker 2:Yes, and he you know, and he was adul murderer, yes, and.
Speaker 3:Anna and he, you know, and he was adultery. Yes, all of the things that people shun in the world. These were the people that God called.
Speaker 2:Girl, and here's the thing they were born with it.
Speaker 3:Yes, they were born with it. The calling was already on their life. God already knew that they were going to do those things. Yes, they were born with it. The calling was already on their life. God already knew that they were going to do those things, girl. He already knew he, but the call was still there, even in the midst of everything that they did and they don't realize that that's what.
Speaker 2:That's the eye opener for me, Because even okay, so, like we're in the book of Judges and we're watching the rise and fall of the Israelites, because they won't listen, and at this point, when the last one, I want to say Jehoshaphat, dies, they were all by themselves. They were a people without a kingdom, a king without a leader. They didn't have a leader because God had just, you know, he pretty much had abandoned them. They didn't have a leader. So everybody did what they thought was right in that day. And you know, the more that we get into it, the more we find out that, girl, they really they did some things. Yes, they did.
Speaker 3:I mean, they did because we are a imperfect people.
Speaker 2:Yes, then, and still today and that's why he sent his son. But I'm gonna tell you what the problem is. The problem is people don't listen yeah people don't listen.
Speaker 3:We that's what we've been talking about. You have to follow instructions, girl.
Speaker 2:If you don't, there's a price to pay for everything that we do every, every decision every thing, everything, and it's like people you know don't know that part of God they don't. But when you get into the word you'd be like oh, oh, oh, daddy is about that life. He don't play them type of games, like when I say shut it down, he shuts it down. I'm going to read this for you guys, because I know that there's somebody out there that's facing a false Goliath. And I said a false Goliath because that's just what it is it's a false Goliath.
Speaker 2:It says remember the story of David and Goliath? That was a personal battle, not because the two knew each other or were close friends, but because they were in close proximity to each other. The battle was about something larger than both of them. However, the unique thing God shows us is how close the two were in terms of space and physical proximity. Sometimes it is those closest to us that can seem to hurt us the most Betrayal rejection, disappointment, it all stings. Know that God doesn't bless a mess, he doesn't bless messy objectives and he doesn't bless your need or someone else's need to be right and prove someone wrong. The battle isn't about the battle. It's about something bigger. Goliath was called a giant because of his size, but he was easily taken out because he lacked substance.
Speaker 2:Don't let something that seems big cause you to forget who you are and whose you are, and the spiritual DNA that you possess. To be a physical giant is far less important than being a spiritual giant. A spiritual giant is someone in whom God's might and power lives. Spiritual giants are extensions of God's hands and heart. No one is immune from the trouble. In fact, we are guaranteed to have it. But we must also remember that God has already overcome every obstacle we face. Don't let a visible giant stop you from seeing the unseen hand of God at work in your life.
Speaker 2:Things aren't always as they seem, and you know, when I think about that, I think about the ways of the world, and I'm thinking about that's what people get their knowledge from. They don't really know. They go off of secondhand information and then, when we get into the word, we find out oh, but wait, there's more. We all have Goliaths in our lives. But how do you fight your Goliaths? I fight my Goliaths with the word Based off of scripture. The word will not return void. Now.
Speaker 2:I wanted to read this because you know you had said about people judging from the outer appearance, and I want to talk about 1 Samuel because I feel like this is a very important story and we're going to get up into that until chapter 9. But I want to talk about you know just the beginning in the beginning verses of 1 Samuel. First of all, I want to talk about Hannah. Know just the beginning in the beginning verses of 1 Samuel. First of all, I want to talk about Hannah, hannah, hannah, hannah. You know the fact that he had two wives.
Speaker 2:Hannah was one of them and she didn't have a child. She didn't have any children. But what did she do? She cried out to the Lord. She cried out to the Lord.
Speaker 2:I want this to be a takeaway from what we're reading and what we're discussing today. Because Hannah cried out to the Lord. God granted Hannah her wish. She wanted a child and she wanted a son, and when God did this, a son was born and his name is Samuel. I didn't know this when I was getting into the book of 1 Samuel, you know, because all of the books they don't actually tell how everybody came to right, but this one does, and I think it's so interesting too, because they didn't have a king. They didn't have a king during this time. So the fact that 1 Samuel was Hannah's boy, she says she was dedicating him back to the church, do you want to weigh in on that on? You know just the beginning stages of what we learned about panana and hannah, because there were two, but one mocked the other and it was a real thing. You know how people are like petty. They're petty today. They were petty back then. Talk about it. Still are. So then talk about it and and see.
Speaker 3:That's where the problem comes in at, and I can so relate to this story Really For real, well, kind of to a degree Okay let's talk about it. And I say that because, no, I wasn't married. I wasn't married. But if you want to just be real about the whole situation, women, men, sometimes we get involved in relationships and there's a second party involved.
Speaker 2:Girl. I didn't even look at the story, but that was this other girl. See what I'm talking about. See, I just went over my head. You're right, that was the other woman.
Speaker 3:The other woman, you know. So it happens so much in life in relationships, and it's still true today. You know, we get ourselves in situations that we're not supposed to be in Okay, situations that we're not supposed to be in okay, and when we get into that situation it's totally out of hand. For whatever reason we choose to get in those situations for Hannah, um, she, she wanted this child, you know, and she had to seek God. She had to seek God, she had to seek God. That was the only way that it was going to come about. And in life we sometimes try to do things in our own way.
Speaker 2:Well, we do and we mess it up. Well, that's the problem. We try to fix it and it's not for us to fix Girl. That's about the next chapter. But that's what I'm saying. All of this is in this book, what you're saying.
Speaker 2:And I didn't realize that. If you go to first Samuel, chapter one, go to verse five, it says and though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. So Panana would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year, it was the same. Panana would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year, it was the same. Panana would taunt Hannah as they went to the tabernacle. Each time, hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. She was depressed. She was depressed. She made her feel like she wasn't anything you know. And her husband asked her why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? Why be downhearted? Just because you have no children? You have me. Isn't that better than having 10 sons?
Speaker 3:So he's trying to appease her, but this is her heart's desire To have a child, and I think it's most women's heart's desire to have a child For the most part.
Speaker 2:But the majority as women.
Speaker 3:we want to have a child. We want to have that experience. Yes, and that's what Hannah wanted.
Speaker 2:She did. She did Because here's Panana, she's the one making fun of her, and I just had to pause right there for a minute, because God has a way of looking at people. That you sit there and you point the finger at People don't realize that you know when you're like mocking and picking and making fun of people, you know you're causing God's face to shine upon those people in a sense. And I mean, just keep an energy, because that's what we see happening here. Right, what do you? What do you see? Okay, so, like in verse, go ahead and read first Samuel, verse 9. Uh, yeah, the commentary, the commentary. Yeah, read the commentary.
Speaker 3:So first samuel, verse nine, says finally, hannah couldn't take the heart heartache any longer and went to the tabernacle to pray. Deeply hurt, she poured out her heart to God with great anguish. She vowed that if God would give her a son, she would dedicate him back to God all of his life. Bow, by promising that his hair would never be cut, hannah was offering to raise him in accordance with the Nezralites. I think I pronounced that right.
Speaker 3:Correct me if I'm wrong, or girl the way I be messing people's names up in this Bible so it says, which includes abstinence from alcohol and untrimmed hair as signs of a person's dedication to God. While observing Hannah's intense prayer, eli mistakenly assumed she was drunk, but when Hannah explained her situation, eli confronted her with a blessing and Hannah received it with great gratitude. The phrase the Lord remembered Hannah is important. Why? Because the Lord had kept her from conceiving. Conclusion of these parallel truths signals to us that if God causes a problem, only God can fix it. Girl, and I'm going to say that again, I was going to say say it again.
Speaker 3:I'm going to read that again for the people in the back.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:In conclusion of this parallel truth signals to us that if God causes a problem, only God can fix it. The prayer wasn't answered when there was a kingdom purpose for the ministry connected to it. The birth of Samuel gave Hannah reason to put away her grief, and his arrival also a gift of inconsolable value to Israel. Samuel would be the last of the judges, as well as the prophet and priest. He would serve as a great transitional figure from the lawless days of the judges and the relatives, structured and order lines associates with Israel's monarchy. The latter period that would last from coronations of Saul in about 1050 BC to the Babylonians' captivity in 587 to 586 BC. Okay, and I'm going to go forward with 21 to 28.
Speaker 2:Or do you want me to stop right there? Yeah, I want you to pause right there, because here's the thing I want people to realize what just took place. Okay, what just took place is an act of God. This was a miracle and you know, hannah cried out to the Lord.
Speaker 2:Hannah's prayer echoed the longing of God's people. They were waiting for a king who would reign with power and bring stability and safety to Israel. Hannah's prayer demonstrated the characteristics of a world under the rule and reign of God. It would be a whole world where God delivers his people, silences enemy and brings justice to the entire world. The longing for a king like this expressed in final words of Hannah's prayer. She prayed with anticipation for a king that would be strengthened and anointed by God. Hannah directed the readers towards a mesetic figure, a savior of God's people who would bring justice and peace to the world. Years later, we will have Jesus come on the scene. Now I don't find it a coincidence that this woman prays the God for a son at a time that they needed a king, and that lets you know that the world can be filled with all kinds of people, but only the ones that reference him, only ones that really believe that he's real. He's going to answer them. Hannah was getting picked at, but she wanted a child.
Speaker 3:Yes, and you got to even look at it a little deeper. At least I did. Okay, hannah wasn't his wife, she was the other woman, but his wife kept picking at hannah girl. No, the act wasn't right, but look who he chose girl I mean to carry the child of the king.
Speaker 2:It's in the word. You're not, you're speaking. This is 1 Samuel, chapter 1. It's in the word Read your word. That's what I'm saying when people don't read. It's amazing to me to know that you say so much but you don't even know what you're saying. Right, when you read the word it's light. Right, it's light. Right it it, it's light.
Speaker 2:He chose, he chose that. That he said I choose the foolish things of the world, foolish things. Why does God do that? Because only God knows his people. That's right.
Speaker 2:See, let me tell you something. He knew conversations that have been had seen things that the other person didn't see. In reality, the reality of this is God knows, who knows who. God sees, who sees who. God knows how you feel about the people that you see, and he knows the heart of man. Carl, you took the words right out of my mouth. The heart, see. The heart will reveal a lot. The heart will reveal a lot and in this case, hannah's heart revealed that she knew God. That's right. God gave her Samuel. What to me, a girl, my mind was like, because you know, we know about Samuel.
Speaker 2:See, there's bits and pieces of the Bible that we all know, right, we know David and Goliath's story, we know that Saul was anointed king. But do you know how Saul got anointed king? I don't think a lot of people know that part. Because, see, here's the thing I want you guys to understand. When she said that she wanted to have a son, she said that she was going to give him back to God. She dedicated him back to God. And when I say she dedicated him back to God, I mean she physically took her son and gave him to Eli. Eli at the time was the priest. So Eli is grooming this young boy, young boy. That lets me know another thing, savannah, people are chosen when they're kids. I mean well, from birth, from birth, from birth. So here we are. You have Samuel, he's in there with Eli and I believe it's in chapter three. Let's go to chapter three first, samuel, chapter three. And we're just we're. We're skipping around because I want you guys to get into your word so that you will know it. But the Lord called Samuel, and there was a part in this where the Lord speaks to Samuel. I'm gonna read this here. It's the verse one. It says meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli.
Speaker 2:Now, in those days, messengers from the Lord were very rare and visions were quite uncommon. One night, eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed, the lamp of God had not yet gone out and Samuel was sleeping in the tabernacle near the ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out Samuel, yes. Samuel replied what is it? He got up and ran to Eli here I am, did you call me? I didn't call you. Eli replied Go back to bed. So he did. Then the Lord called out again Samuel. And again Samuel got up and went to Eli here I am, did you call me? I didn't call you my son. Eli said Go back to bed.
Speaker 2:Samuel did not not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli here I am, did you call me? Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel go and lay down again and if someone calls again, say speak, lord, your servant is listening. So Samuel went back to bed and the Lord came and called as before Samuel, samuel and Samuel replied speak, your servant is listening. Speak, your servant is listening. Man, listen, god still speaks. Y'all, I just want y'all to know that he still speaks today. He still speaks today. Have you said Lord, I'm listening. Speak, your servant is listening, because that's what we need to be saying. But, savannah, I want you to go to first Samuel, chapter three, verse 11. And I want you to read the commentary of what the Lord told Samuel, chapter three yeah, chapter three, what verse Verse?
Speaker 3:11. God called again, and this time Samuel responded. He was given his first charge to deliver a message as God's prophet. The message message was one of judgment on Eli and his family for his son's sins and for Eli's failure to stop them. Flag on the play.
Speaker 2:Flag on the play y'all. Let me tell you Was Eli ready for that? Now, come on, no, he wasn't. Now, listen, this is so big to me because, first of all, you put him in the care of a priest. He's a priest, but he had two sons and he didn't correct his sons, he let them disrespect. He just he, actually I'm going to say he just popped them on the hand. He didn't give them any consequences for the disrespect, Right, you know? And the people seen that God don't, god don't play them. So you're going to just let them do what they're going to. So you're going to be held accountable. Listen, in the book of Jeremiah, he told Jeremiah the same thing. He said if you don't do what I say, I'm going to make you look crazy in front of the people.
Speaker 3:And he will and he's staying on it. Man, go ahead and read. You know what the people be saying. Now I'm going to stand on it, Find out.
Speaker 2:Faith it out. Faith it out and find out he been doing it, man from the beginning of time From the beginning of time.
Speaker 3:He plays no games, none. And then he used the word Samuel, samuel.
Speaker 2:He used the boy, the boy, the child, to tell the old man that was almost blind. See, we can't miss these things.
Speaker 3:So it doesn't matter about age either.
Speaker 3:Girl we can't miss it. You don't know who he's going to choose or who he's going to use man. Go ahead and tell him, because this is the kicker. It's understandable that Samuel was afraid to tell Eli his visions, and rightfully so. But Eli insisted that he do so anyway, and when he heard this terrible prophecy, there was nothing Eli could do but resign himself to God's will. Samuel's life and ministry, however, were just getting started. He continued to grow in spiritual power as God fulfilled everything. Samuel prophesied Everything. Samuels prophet prophesied. Samuels authority became known throughout Israel as he ministered faithful at Shalai, and God revealed himself to Samuel there.
Speaker 2:Man, listen, listen and listen and listen. Now God sends people into your life and usually when he sends a prophet or prophetess, they're there to give you direction or to call judgment on what you got going on. Either or they're going to either say, hey, you need to stop, or you're doing a good job. They're going to either tell you, hey, don't fight, don't argue, because there's consequences.
Speaker 3:There's consequences to everything we do in life, everything. So you better choose right If you don't know how to choose.
Speaker 2:You better seek God, come on now. Well, that's what we're gonna get at seeking God, because that's what happened. Now they don't have no king, that you know. God done took the boys out, he done. You know we're gonna skip it, we're gonna skip past some stuff because I want you guys to get it in so you can see it, for you know, eli end up dying, and his children did too, because they didn't listen. You know they. They treated it. They didn't have the anointing. Ain't no other way around it. They didn't have it. They didn't have the anointing. So they can't, you can't really do a whole lot if you're not choosing to. Anyway. They had a choice in the matter and they didn't choose the right way. So God called judgment through the boy.
Speaker 2:Now let's fast forward y'all, because they need a king. They want a king. Let's go. Let's go to first Samuel, chapter. I want to say it's chapter nine, no, chapter eight, chapter eight. Listen, y'all, listen at this. As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest son, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money, they accepted bribes and perverted justice. Now, these are Samuel's boys, right? So they didn't have the same anointing that Samuel had. He's telling this for a reason. I want you guys to make sure that you catch it.
Speaker 2:Verse 4 says Finally, all the elders of Israel met Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. Look, they told him you are now old. Your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us, like all the other nations have. Give us a king to judge us, like all the other nations have. Give us a king to judge us, like all the other nations have. Verse 6.
Speaker 2:Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. Do everything they say to you, the Lord replied. For they are rejecting me, not you. Do everything they say to you, for they are rejecting me, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt, they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods, and now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them now, savannah, I want you to to to read the commentary of from verses 10. From verses 10 to 15. 10 to 15 or, right, maybe 10 to 16 or do 8 to 18. I want these people to understand, because you gonna, it's gonna. Y'all gonna get a revelation too okay.
Speaker 3:so it says. Samuel must have been speechless at God's response, knowing that Israel was standing on thin ground with his sinful requests. Nevertheless, god told Samuel to anoint a king, provided that he explained to the nation the rights of the king who would reign over them. Samuel did all that the Lord commanded him and communicated everything to the people and communicated everything to the people. Importantly, it wasn't the request for a king per se that was wrong. A king was in God's sovereign plan for his people. The issue, then, was more that they were merely wanted a human ruler rather than being set apart as God's own. They wanted to be like all the other nations, but it was not the time of God's perfect choosing, nor were these the right circumstances for the next season of Israel's development. Yet his people were impatient and unwilling to wait for the Lord's will. The irony is huge. See, that's the thing we as a people want. What we want right then, and there Don't want to wait. Slow and steady is the race.
Speaker 2:Girl, I'm the tortoise in the race, I'm the turtle and I don't have a problem being it Okay, and we have to be patient, like the word says.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, here's the thing. At the end of the day, when it's all said and done, samuel let these people know the consequences to their request. He was in disbelief in a sense, because here I am and I talked to God about everything. You mean to tell me that y'all didn't have sense enough to go to God and talk to him about it. But y'all came to me and I'm over here appalled because I'm going to God, like y'all should have went to God.
Speaker 3:And see, that's the thing we as a people and I thank God for a relationship with him I do too. We as a people would love to go to someone else rather than seeking our father.
Speaker 2:That's the problem.
Speaker 2:That's the problem. And people wonder why they can't get ahead. They can't get ahead because you don't have the wording. There's no light there, you know he. He said I came to my people, but they love darkness. His people is all of his people. He made us all, yes, but they love darkness. Only the ones that carried the light recognized who he was. You got to have a light on the inside of you, yeah, but because the people were full of darkness, here's Samuel. Well, okay, god, that's what you said we're going to do. So that's what we're doing. That's what it is. Yeah, because it was a setup.
Speaker 2:God already knew how they was going to respond, but he wanted them to see. That's why he gave stipulations. He gave hey, listen, you know, this is how it's going to be. This is what it says in the Bible, y'all, and I'm going to read it in the Bible the way that it is. I'm going to start at verse 10.
Speaker 2:So Samuel passed on the Lord's warning to the people who were asking him for a king. This is how the king will reign over you. The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army. Some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers in attendance. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use.
Speaker 2:He will demand a tenth of your flocks and you will be his slaves. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you. But then the Lord will not help you. But the people, savannah say the people, the people, the people refuse to listen to Samuel's warning. Even so, we still want a king. They said. We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle. So Samuel repeated to the Lord the people had said, and the Lord replied do as they say and give them a king. And Samuel agreed and sent the people home see, they already had a king.
Speaker 3:They had the king and wasn't satisfied with that because they wanted a physical being you know it, just it, it does hang on.
Speaker 2:I'm just in shock because, you know, the more that we get into the words around, the more I realized that god is who. He says nothing throws him off. He did it on purpose. Yes, because he had to. He had to in order for things to go back in order. He knew that's how David came. Because of Saul. You know Samuel done.
Speaker 2:Okay, y'all, I'm going ahead, but we're going to touch back on that next week. We're going to touch back on it Because what I want y'all to know is that in verse, in chapter was it chapter 9? In chapter 9, saul meets Samuel. Saul meets Samuel, and really I can paraphrase this, but I'm going to do it because next week we're going to talk about it. But when Saul meets Samuel, I want you guys to know that Saul did not have the right heart for the job. God had to give him a new heart. When you read the word, you'll start to see.
Speaker 2:The only reason why he ran into Samuel to begin with is because three donkeys had wandered off and they were trying to find the donkeys, and him and another guy said let's go look for them. And the guy that was with him said hey, there's a man of God in town that can tell us. I want us to read that part, girl, because people don't be realizing when is it at. It's in here, it is here. It is verse 6, 1 Samuel, chapter 9. Chapter 9, it says verse 6, but the servant said I've just thought of something. When we have an aha moment, I just thought of something. There is a man of God who lives here in town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let's go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go. And we're going to stop right there. And the reason why we're going to stop right there is because I want you guys to. I'm going to leave this little cliffhanger because I want you to get into your word. I want you to see what happened when he met saul. Samuel is the true prophet.
Speaker 2:Saul was good, looking too tall. Talk to them about the all of them, about the appearance of, because people love the appearance, people love the way things look. They don't try to get inner in intellect, they don't. They don't know what's on the inside. But you know, when we were younger we did it. We all been there.
Speaker 2:I told my daughter, I said, listen, they just look good. I said you know, little boys, they're cute, they look good. You can look at them. They're cute to look at, that's about it. But you don't know what's inside. You have to get to know a person. But how do you get to know a person? Really, savannah, by inquiring of the Lord. Yes, did you want to leave any takeaways? Yes, savannah, matthew 6.33 says See first the kingdom of God and all of his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. And if you do it that way, you seek God, you'll be able to get answers, you'll be able to know which way is which, and he will lead you and he will guide you. I know you have a devotional, so I want to give you the opportunity to read that and give the people a word before we leave the show.
Speaker 3:Yes, a humble heart. You will no longer be named Abram, because I am changing your name to Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. That's Genesis 17 and 5. When we finally recognize our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord, our life takes a radical turn. This is what happened to Abram. It was when he came to the end of himself and was completely dependent upon the Lord that God entrusted him with a blessing that would have previously crushed him With his face to the ground. He gained perspective and a new name. No longer would he be Abram, exalted father, but Abraham, fathers of a multitude.
Speaker 3:It takes absolute surrender, holding no part of our lives back from the Lord, for God entrusted us with the hearts of others. We no longer seek ourselves through the eyes of exhaustion and fame, but fresh perspective. We understand our positions of partnership with God. For Abram to become Abraham, he needed to carry a father's heart instead of a self-indigent one. Father, show us our hearts. Reveal tainted motives, self-seeking or any other mindsets that keeps us from walking in the fullness of you, of what you have for us. I may, I won't, I won't my desires to be in line with yours. I long for a pure heart, god, I'm beginning to understand that the talents, favor and anointing you've entrusted me with are gifts for others that must be tended with a humble heart.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen. Listen. Does your heart reflect his? Can God see himself in you? That's something to consider. That's something to reflect. Thank you so much, savannah, for reading that word. Listen, we will be back with you on next week with the word from the Lord. We're talking about Saul. When Saul meets Samuel, when Samuel met Saul. Amen, you guys have an amazing day on purpose.
Speaker 1:Peace, everything new. I'm ready to go, ready for more, I'm ready for new, like a straight up start. You already know I'm ready to flow, I'm ready to move. The hold is through. I'm in public's new bag and it's still got the time, so you know that it's new.