Episode 15: Chapter 9 & 10 -In chapter nine we are introduced to Saul. He is the son of Kish, who is a wealthy and highly regarded man from the tribe of Benjamin. He is very tall and handsome. Kish asks Saul to go search for three donkeys that have wandered off. Donkeys were used for hauling and also to guard sheep from predators. -Saul didn’t know who Samuel was, which indicates that God was not his top priority. Important lessons from the 3 signs confirming Saul as King: 1) God can solve your problems. He found the donkeys. 2) God can provide you with all your needs. 3) God will empower you to do what you cannot do on your own. - When Samuel anoints Saul, this begins the tradition of anointing Kings in Israel. Before this, only the tabernacle and priest were anointed. Other countries also anointed their kings, but they used animal fat instead of olive oil because they believed the king would take on characteristics of the animal they were anointed with. Samuel separated the tribes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

Hey y’all, welcome to the first episode of 2022! I’ll be going over chapters 7 and 8 of 1st Samuel. This will probably be a shorter episode than usual because the text is very straightforward and speaks for itself. I really struggled with recording this episode, but not because of the material. I kept getting distracted. I would record and edit a little and then remember that I needed to do the laundry, dishes, or sweep the house. Then when I took a break, I looked on social media and I feel like it broke my train of thought. Please  pray for God to give me the focus, clarity, and wisdom to continue to do this podcast. I appreciate your prayers so much! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

In the last episode when we finished chapter 4, the Philistines had defeated the Israelites by killing 34,000 men and taking the ark of God. 1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. Ashadad is located on the coast of Israel. It’s the largest port in the country and it was home to a temple dedicated to the Philistines main god named Dagon. Dagon was the god of agriculture and crop fertility. He was also depicted as half man and fish or what we would call a mermaid. 3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. 6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. 8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither. 9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. 10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. 11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven. “The defeat of God’s people is never a defeat of our God.” In Hebrew, emerods means mound or to swell, --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

In last week's episode, we learned about Hannah and how God heard her cries for a son and blessed her with Samuel. In turn, she gave her son to the Lord for the greater good of Israel  which foreshadows God giving his only son for our sins. Then we learned about Eli and his wicked sons who he was turning a blind eye to. God declares that he will raise up another faithful priest that will do his will . 1 Samuel 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. In the time period that this Scripture takes place, it is rare for people to hear from the Lord. It’s not because God doesn’t have anything to say, but because Eli and the people of Israel aren’t putting God first. They have the appearance of holiness and go through the rituals, but their hearts aren’t after God. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

In this episode we’ll be in 1 Samuel studying the events leading up to the story of David and Goliath. There's a song by Tauren Wells called God's not done with you and it's been stuck in my head for the last 2 weeks now. It’s given me the desire to look into the stories of how God has used people for his glory. The first one that came to mind was the story of David and Goliath and when I started  looking up that story in the book of Samuel I realized that I have never read that book of the Bible. I started at the very beginning and let me tell you it hooked me right away. I've been praying for God to open up my eyes and reveal the word to me so that I can understand it and know him on a deeper level. In the past, I've struggled reading and understanding The Old Testament, but this time has been so easy.I want to encourage you to pray for  God to give you wisdom, /knowledge, and the ability to understand his word.  James chapter 1 verse 5 says “if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him, but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

Scripture read in this episode :Matthew 5: 22-24, Matthew 18: 15-20, & Mark 3: 23-27 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

A lot of Parables in the Bible revolve around agriculture because everyone has to know how to grow their own food in order to stay alive.We are the soil and the condition of our heart determines how we receive God's word. In all of these scenarios, the people hear the word, but they respond differently. In the first scenario, the seed that’s cast by the wayside, trampled on, and picked up by the bird is thrown into the type of soil that’s unwilling to accept God’s word. They’re so buried in their sins that they are deaf to the word's meaning.  In their minds, they don’t want to understand or search for answers because they are content in sin. The Devil has them rocking along in their rocking chairs. When the rocking chair stops moving, then the person notices something isn’t right and they begin to ask questions so his goal is to keep them lost in sin for as long as possible. The next scenario is The Rock. Those people receive the word with joy but their seed is founded upon a rock instead of soil and we all know that we need soil to thrive. That seed can only sprout just a little bit and then the elements will kill it. The prosperity gospel folks fall into this category. They give up in their first encounter of tribulation or resistance. The moment that things start getting difficult they blame the tough circumstances on God and ask why he's letting this happen to them. The Bible says in this life there will be trials and tribulations. The people are only in it for the perks. They want to reap the benefits without the sacrifice. The next type of soil that the seed fell into was full of thorns.  The devil uses the art of distraction as thorns in our lives. When he diverts our attention to the worldly things like making money, our looks, social media, or sports, God gets put on the back burner. The more we focus on the world, the more we become like it. Finally, we get to the good soil. When the seed, God’s word, is planted in an obedient heart, it produces the fruit of the spirit which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When life gets difficult they turn to God and the scripture for guidance to see how they should respond. How can we improve the quality of our soil? We need to pray for God to open and prepare our hearts to accept his word, then we need to study the Bible, and last but certainly not least, we have to put him first. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible, I remember hearing about it in Sunday school as a child. This book of Jonah is only 4 chapters long, but it’s a great lesson about why we shouldn’t run when God asks us to do something out of our comfort zone and why we also should be a snob. Nineveh was a booming city with over 100,000 people and it didn’t have a good reputation.Jonah didn't want to go there because he thought it was filthy and beneath him. God wanted Jonah to warn them that the city would be destroyed in 40 days unless they repented. The number 40 represents trial and tribulation in the Bible. Noah spent 40 days on the ark and God’s people spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness after they were freed from the Pharoah. Jonah doesn’t want to go to Nineveh because he thought NIneveh was filthy and didn’t have a good reputation so he thought it was beneath him. He chooses to ignore God and tries to get as far away from Nineveh as possible. But we all know that we can’t escape from the Lord. He is everywhere and he is all knowing. Did you notice that it said that each sailor called upon their God and the captain tells Jonah to call upon his God instead of call upon God. That indicates that the sailors weren’t believers and they were desperately trying to make the storm stop. The storms we go through in this life show us where we put our faith. Jonah admits that he is running from the Lord and the storm is because God is displeased with him. He tells them to throw him overboard, but the sailors are hesitant because they know being thrown overboard is a death sentence. They desperately try to row the boat to shore, but the wind and waves were too strong. They call upon the Lord and begin begging him not the kill them over Jonah and not to let his blood be on their hands if he dies. As soon they throw Jonah overboard the sea stops. Then it says they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. The Lord works in mysterious ways. God can use any situation to minister to people, those sailors' lives changed forever that day because they caught a glimpse of his power.  They came to know the one true God. Notice that the text says a great fish swallowed Jonah instead of a whale. Many people believe that it is referring to a whale because no other fish were big enough to swallow a man. Could you imagine being stuck fish’s stomach for 3 days? It says his head had seaweed wrapped around it and the depth closed around him.  My husband and I have discussed this a few times. My first thought was “I bet it smelled like a horrible combination of bile and fish” and my husband said he wondered if being in that stomach acid hurt. The three days in the fish represents Jesus’ death and resurrection. Wearing a sackcloth is a sign of grief, death, or repentance. The people of Nineveh turned from their ways. He had compassion on them and we can have that same compassion too if we turn from our sinful ways as well. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

The Ten Commandments are simple and straightforward commands from God on how we should live our lives. These laws need to be the fundamental basics of our moral compass. These are called commandments instead of suggestions because it is what God expects from us. When we pick and choose which laws we want to follow, we begin to see corruption creep into our lives, our homes, and our society. The scripture prefaces the 10 Commandments with verse 1 which says “And God spake all these words saying I am the LORD thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.,” therefor we know that this was directly from God. This wasn’t Moses’ or man’s opinion. 1)Thou shall have no other Gods before me.   2)Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.  3)Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 4)Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 5)Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 6)Thou shall not kill. 7)Thou shall not commit adultery. 8)Thou shall not steal. 9)Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 10)Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support

What the Bible says about false prophets : 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lordleadme/support