PHall | October 16, 2013
Success. Few words in the English language have more power and allure than “success.” In sports, success is often narrowly defined as defeating an opponent. Success means winning. Winning means someone loses. Success also means teamwork. Golf, of course is a team of one, oh, except professional golfers don’t carry their bags, do they? Coaches […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 30 – Praying through the Bible #97 – A Prayer for Success
Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible
PHall | October 10, 2013
Ignored by God, terrified by life, left all alone, Saul turns to a witch. Feeling powerless, panicked, and lonely is dangerous; often leading to despair and desperate acts. “I would never” often and sadly means, “I haven’t yet.” Regret leads to regret. How many have done what we promised we never would, committed acts formerly […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 28 – Praying through the Bible #96 – A Prayer to a Witch
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PHall | October 8, 2013
How good are you at making the right decisions? To become good requires surrounding yourself with those smarter than you, and who you respect, resulting in a willingness to follow their advice. A recurring theme in David’s life is one all should incorporate into their decision making process, realizing we are poor sources of ultimate […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 23:1-14 – Praying through the Bible #95 – A Prayer to Make Good Decisions
Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible
PHall | October 8, 2013
The massacre of the innocents is not just a story of Herod and Jesus, nor Pharaoh and Moses. It is the story of Saul and David, made even more sad since Saul too was God’s anointed, unlike Herod and Pharaoh. A paranoid king Saul orders the death of innocents, this time priests, because he suspected […]
Category: Matthew, Exodus, I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 21-22 – The Massacre of the Innocents
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PHall | October 4, 2013
I do not want to serve the purpose of God. I want to be special. Now, few would say that. However, is that our unspoken attitude spoken in whining, “That’s not fair?” Do we look around and think, “Why not me, God?” Is this modification more palatable: I do want to serve the purpose of […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 21-22 – Praying though the Bible #94 – A Prayer of Nobody Special
Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible
PHall | October 3, 2013
What happens when we stop praying? What happens if no prays? Few stories are more popular and personally claimed in troubling times than David and Goliath. So ingrained in common culture, “David versus Goliath” is part of sport’s jargon and business competition. It is the classic story of the underdog, the little guy, the everyman. […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 17 – Praying through the Bible #93 – A Prayer When No One Prays
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PHall | October 1, 2013
My wife and I received an invitation from friends to join them in traveling to a foreign country to preach and teach. Having traveled to Jamaica, South America, and the Philippines, this would not be my first evangelistic trip overseas. This time though, was different. Preaching the gospel is illegal. Christians there meet secretively. Applying […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 16:1-13 – Praying through the Bible #92 – A Prayer that Leads to Deception
Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible
PHall | September 26, 2013
Are we so tuned in to God, that God’s pain fills our prayers? Such is Samuel in his connection with His creator. Such is our goal, even when the result is anger. Again Saul disobeys and disappoints. I pause to self-reflect. God’s order to Saul I would find difficult to obey; but the difficult part […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 15 – Praying through the Bible #91 – A Prayer that Feels God’s Pain
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PHall | September 25, 2013
Arrogance blinds so that everything good is about us, and nothing bad ever is. Blame is the name of the game, and the finger always points outwardly. Saul’s story is abrupt and kinetic at the beginning, and as incoherent as his mind. One mistake of Saul is he makes everyone abide by his rash vow […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 14 – Praying through the Bible #90 – A Prayer to Find Someone to Blame
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PHall | September 17, 2013
I confess, reading 1 Samuel 12 makes me uncomfortable. I wonder if my first reaction, a natural reaction, even a spiritual reaction, is not God’s reaction. It makes me question what I think is black and white; and makes me wonder if I am too easily judgmental. Samuel is “retiring.” So he asks all of […]
Category: I Samuel |
Comments Off on 1 Samuel 12 – Praying through the Bible #89 – A Prayer of Non-judgmental Judgment
Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible