Rise Up with Devotion to Christ

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “‘You acted foolishly,’ Samuel said, ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.’ (1 Samuel 13:13-14)
       Passage: Matthew 22:34-40

         The first king of Israel was a man named Saul. He was an impressive young man physically and, from the scriptural record, he began his kingship with a strong commitment to God. However, 1 Samuel 13, recounts how Saul began to do things in his own way and not God’s way. describes The Philistine army had assembled to fight Israel. Saul knew that Samuel had told him to wait seven days for Samuel to arrive to offer an offering to God for His favor in battle. While Saul was waiting, his army began to scatter, so Saul offered up the offering on his own. Samuel arrived just as he was finishing, and our passage today was his response to Saul. The man after God’s own heart was a boy named David.
        God wants all His children to have a heart like His. 2 Chronicles 16 records when King Asa tried to deal with a threat in his own power instead of seeking God. The prophet, Hanani said to him, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those who hearts are fully committed to Him.” (v. 9) Rise up with devotion to Christ. Love God and love people and watch God use you in many ways.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)