Submit, and live in freedom

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Devotions: Ps 5, 6, 10, 11; 1 Sam 15:24-35; Acts 9:32-43; Lk 23:56b-24:11

Hear me, O God; I lay myself before You. I come to Your house through Your abundant love. Make a straight way for me and lead me in Your righteousness. Let all rejoice who take refuge in You; defend them; let them sing for joy forever! You deliver us to righteousness and defend us. Lord, cover me with Your favor as with a shield! Save my life, by Your grace. YHWH has heard my supplications and accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be put to shame. Why hide yourself in times of trouble? God is aware of all that happens. The wicked may gloat for a day, but disaster awaits them. Let God arise and crush His enemies! YHWH hears the meek and strengthens us; He does justice to the orphan and the oppressed, so that earthy men may strike terror no more! He is righteous, and upholds those who seek Him and do His will. I will trust and obey God!

Confronted with his disobedience, Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, transgressing YHWH’s command and your words—because I feared the people and obeyed their will instead of God’s will. I pray you: pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship YHWH.’ Samuel replied, ‘No, I won’t return with you. You rejected YHWH and He has rejected you as king of Israel.’ As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed at him. He caught only the hem of Samuel’s robe, and it tore. Samuel said, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. The Glory of Israel will not lie or repent; God is not a man, that He should repent.’ Saul said, ‘I have sinned; yet, please, honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel; return with me, that I may worship YHWH your God!’ So Samuel turned back with him, and Saul worshiped the Lord. Then Samuel had Agag, king of Amalek, brought before him. Agag came cheerfully, assuming that his time of danger was past. But Samuel confronted him: ‘As your sword has orphaned women, so shall your mother be childless.’ And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Then Samuel returned to his home in Ramah, and Saul to Gibeah. Samuel never again laid eyes on Saul in life, but grieved over him. And YHWH repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Peter was itinerant among the Christian communities throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria. In Lydda, he found Aeneas, a man paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise and make your bed.’ Immediately, he rose and was well. All the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. In Joppa, a woman named Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek) was an active disciple, full of good works and acts of charity. She died, and was prepared for burial; but the disciples sent two men to Peter in Lydda and begged him to come to Joppa. Peter returned with them. They brought him to the upper room where Tabitha’s body lay, surrounded by mourners. Peter cleared the room, knelt, prayed, and turned to the body, saying, ‘Tabitha, arise!’ She opened her eyes, saw Peter and sat up. He helped her to stand and presented her alive to her Christian friends. The news spread through Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Peter remained for many days, staying with Simon, a tanner.

The mourning followers of Jesus rested through the Sabbath after His crucifixion. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, several women went to the tomb with spices for His body. They found the stone rolled away, and tomb empty. Two men in dazzling apparel appeared to them; the women were frightened and bowed to the ground. The men addressed them: ‘Why seek the Living among the dead? Remember how He told you, while still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered to sinful men, be crucified, and on the third day rise.’ And they did recall all this. Returning from the tomb, the women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others—told all this to the eleven apostles and the other disciples with them. However, the hearers gave the women’s story no credence.