| Our verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23 |
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| 1 Samuel 12:23 says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” |
| The COMMITMENT of COMMITMENTS TO OTHERS 1 Samuel 12 is best described as Samuel’s “Family Talk” with Israel. As the “family talk” begins to conclude Samuel makes a commitment to the people of God that HE WILL PRAY FOR THEM AND THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO TEACH THEM WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT!  I, personally, find Samuel’s commitment to be one of the best commitments a servant of the Lord can make to the people God has called them to serve.  It is so good that I want to repeat it here before making a few comments.  Picture Samuel standing before the people and he says, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to PRAY for you; but I will TEACH you the good and the right way.” What a tremendous commitment! He tells them he is going to PRAY FOR THEM! Matter of fact he believes to not pray for God’s people would be a sin. WHOA!!!! To not pray for others is a SIN!  Do you feel that compulsion to pray for fellow believers?  Friends, without doubt or question, one of the greatest things you can do for others is to pray for them. I highly recommend using one of the Apostle Paul’s prayers as a guide. I use Colossians 1:9-11. (Some of you knew that was coming.) It says, For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (pray a person knows God’s Will) 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, (pray they walk worthy/pleasing the Lord) being fruitful in every good work (pray their work for God is productive) and increasing in the knowledge of God; (praying they grow in wisdom/understanding knowledge of God) 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; (pray they withstand trials and temptations by His power!) Not only does he tells them he is going to be praying for them but he commits to TEACHING them.  We could use the word DISCIPLE them. Discipleship is pouring God’s truth into another person so that they can learn and live out the Scriptures. Discipleship is helping another believer BECOME like Christ. As one is discipled they start discipling. Each believer should be found somewhere in 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” As someone teaches/disciples you, you start teaching/discipling someone, and part of the discipleship is teaching them to pass on what they are learning. I take the view that you have not fully discipled a person until they start discipling a person. Samuel makes a commitment, a commitment to PRAY FOR and to DISCIPLE God’s people.  I challenge you to look at 1 Samuel 12:23 as a guide for making your 2023 commitments. Commit to praying for a group of people. Commit to discipling a group of people.  Verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23. It says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” Make the COMMITMENT of I WILL PRAY and I WILL DISCIPLE OTHERS! Continue Strong with a strong COMMITMENT! And remember to DATE THE WORD |