The temptation to seek after the visible and temporal rather than the invisible and eternal is not new. Looking at 1 Samuel, we see that the Israelites struggled with this temptation in regard to their rulers.
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1 Samuel 8: Hope for the Future
Have you ever wished you could change the ending of a story?
First Samuel 8 recounts one of those stories we wish we could change; it is not a story that goes well. Samuel’s sons have forsaken the way of the Lord, and, as a result, the people of Israel reject them as judges. But instead of remembering God is their King, the people demand a physical, visible monarch like those of the other nations, rejecting God.
1 Samuel 3: When God Speaks
How do we hear God when He speaks? First Samuel 3 shows us a picture of God’s faithfulness to speak to us even when we have ignored Him in the past.
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1 Samuel 2: A Humble Honor
First Samuel 2 contains one of the great prayers of the Bible. The prayer of a humble womangives us a picture of the honor and glory and praise due to God.
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1 Samuel 1: Presenting Our Prayers to God
First Samuel is a book of new beginnings, a transition from the old ways of the judges to the new ways of the kings. It begins with a story of prayer in which one childless woman, Hannah, begs God for a son. Her example teaches us key principles about presenting our prayers to God.
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Ruth 4: The Backstory of a King
“Does God have my best interests at heart?” Naomi learned that the answer to this question is always “yes”—God is working out His plan in all circumstances.
Read MoreRuth 3: Behind the Scenes
Appearances can be deceiving. A man and a woman meeting in a secluded location after dark—an outsider may jump to immediate conclusions. But the story of Ruth shows the virtuous character of Ruth and Boaz as they seek to honor the Lord with their obedience, coming to know Him as they recognize Him at work behind the scenes.
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Ruth 2: A Cameo of Grace and Goodness
Ruth 2 is a cameo of God’s grace and goodness. In the midst of the wicked period of the judges, Boaz stood out as a shining light, showing God’s grace to the least, last, and lost. We too are called to be agents of light in this present darkness. We are called to have a different vision and not to be defined by the things of this world.
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Ruth 1: A Faithful Remnant
The story of Ruth and Boaz takes place during the days of the judges and is a shining light amidst the darkness. It is a beautiful cameo of character, courage, and commitment, in which two people—Ruth and Boaz—sought what was right in the Lord’s eyes rather than their own.
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Judges 16: The Consequences of Disobedience
Samson’s story reveals a sad but common pattern: instead of celebrating the One who gave him his gifts, he preened his ego and applauded himself. Listen in to learn from the consequences of his disobedience and avoid his mistakes.
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