Abide and overcome

Friday, June 19, 2015
Devotions: Ps 88, 91, 92; 1 Sam 3:1-21; Acts 2:37-47; Lk 21:5-19

YHWH my God, I cry to You day and night.  My soul is troubled and I wilt under the weight of my unholiness  Only You can deliver me from this inner darkness, Lord!  Those who abide in Your shadow are delivered and protected from every deadly pestilence.  So no evil will befall me as I trust in God my Redeemer. Lord, rescue and exalt me by Your grace; show my Your salvation.  It is good to live in gratitude and sing the praises of the Holy One, the Almighty, Most High God.  I sing in praise of the works of Your hands.  Your enemies will surely perish.  So, since you have given me old age, Lord, let me flourish like a tree in Your arbor; let me remain fruitful, full of sap, green and growing, to show that You Are merciful and kind, Lord, my righteous Rock!

Samuel had been weaned and left with YHWH's priest Eli at Shiloh.  It was a period of relative declension spiritually, and visions were rare.  One evening, after Eli and Samuel had retired for the night.  The boy Samuel was lying near the ark of God, and YHWH called to him: 'Samuel!  Samuel!'  The boy said, 'Here I am,' and got up and hurried to Eli, saying, 'Here I am - you called to me.'  But the old priest said, 'I did not call; go and lie down again.'  This happened three times; finally, Eli perceived that YHWH was calling Samuel; he told the boy to go back, lie down, and if God called again, to answer, 'Speak, YHWH, for Your servant hears!'  The Lord told the boy, 'I Am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears tingle of all who hear of it.  I will bring down on Eli and his household all that I have spoken.  I tell him that I Am about to punish his household for ever for the iniquities of his sons; they blaspheme God, and Eli has not restrained them.  So I declare that the iniquity of Eli's household shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.'  Samuel lay in the sanctuary until dawn, then opened the doors to God's house. He was afraid to tell Eli about his vision.  But Eli called Samuel and charged him to tell what he had seen and heard.  Samuel told his story, and Eli replied, 'He Is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to him.'  Samuel grew in stature, wisdom, and in God's favor.  All Israel, from Dan to Beer-Sheba came to know that Samuel was established as a prophet of YHWH; God appeared and spoke to him at Shiloh.

Peter concluded his proclamation on the day of Pentecost:  'God has made Him Whom you crucified both Lord and Messiah--this Jesus!'  And the hearers were cut to the heart; they asked Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'  They answered, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you into the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins.  And then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit  The promise is to you and your children and everyone, even those far away,  to every one whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.'  Peter exhorted them: 'Save yourselves from this crooked and perverse generation.''  About 3000 persons were baptized and added to the number of believers that day.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to the fellowship and the breaking of bread and the prayers.  Holy dread came upon every soul, and many signs and wonders were done through the apostles  All who believed remained together and had all things in common; they sold their possessions and goods and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, attending the temple together and sharing meals in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And God added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Jesus had praised a poor widow whom He saw put her last two lepta into the Temple offering.  Some with Him spoke about the noble stones and rich decorations of the Temple; but He said, 'As for these things you see, the days will surely come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be laid waste and cast down.'  They asked, 'Teacher, when will this be?  What will be the sign that this is about to take place?'  Jesus answered, 'Take heed and don't be misled.  Many will come, claiming to speak in My name, saying 'I am he!' and 'The time is at hand.'  Don't follow them. And when you hear news of wars and tumults, don't be terrified; all this must surely take place, but the end will not be at once.  Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, and various famines and pestilences.  There will be terror and great signs from heaven.  But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and governors for My name's sake.  This will be a time for you to bear your testimony.  So settle it in your minds, not to meditate beforehand concerning how to answer.  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which no adversary will be able to withstand or contradict.  You will be delivered up even by parents, brothers, kindred and friends; and some of you they will put to death  You will be hated by all for My name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish.  By endurance you will gain your lives.'