E-pistle for August 28, 2015
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E-pistle
FreeWay Foundation August 28, 2015
"speak, lord, for your servant hears"
(I Samuel 3:1-21)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Samuel ministered to the Lord by serving Eli; divine revelation
was rare at that time because of the sin of the nation's spiritual
leaders, v. 1.
2. One night God spoke to Samuel, who at first thought the voice
was Eli's; finally at Eli's instruction, Samuel answered the Lord's
voice saying, "Speak, Lord for Your servant hears," vv. 2-10.
3. The Lord told Samuel that Eli and his sons would be removed
from the priesthood, just as the unnamed prophet had prophesied
to Eli earlier (I Samuel 2:27-36), vv. 11-14.
4. At Eli's insistence, Samuel told him God's words; as Samuel
continued to mature spiritually, everything he prophesied came to
pass; all Israel accepted him as a true prophet of the Lord because
God continued to reveal Himself regularly to Samuel at Shiloh,
vv. 15-21.
II. Meditation: on the spiritual truths seen in this chapter
1. In life's darkest hours, God comes and speaks personally to His
faithful servants, giving a vision of His divine purpose . . . of the
destiny He has planned for their lives.
2. God gave Samuel a prophetic word which already had been proclaimed
to Eli by another prophet; this confirmed to Eli that the boy, Samuel,
indeed had heard from the Lord.
3. Samuel bravely spoke the entire prophecy given to him by God, even
though the words foretold God's judgment of punishment and death
upon Eli and his family.
4. God spoke to Samuel not only through a voice in the night and other
visions and revelations; God also spoke to him through His written word,
v. 21.
III. Revelation and Applications: on the implications of these spiritual truths
1. God brings light into the darkness . . . of a nation and of a human soul;
His light is revealed to a faithful servant, and then through that person to
others.
I need to let God's light shine into my heart and then through me to
bless others, Matthew 5:14-16.
2. Words of prophecy from God are to be confirmed by the mouths of two
witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15; I Timothy 5:19).
I need to judge prophetic words based upon the truths of the Holy
Scriptures and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, I John 4:1;
I Corinthians 14:29.
3. True prophets of God speak His words with clarity and with courage.
I need to proclaim God's revealed truths fearlessly; yet I need to speak
always with compassionate love, Ephesians 4:15.
4. God's words, clearly heard and faithfully proclaimed, always are fulfilled.
I need to listen carefully for God's voice and faithfully proclaim it with
confidence . . . like a trumpet sounding "charge," I Corinthians 14:8.
"come before winter"
(II Timothy 4:1-22)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on verse 21
"DO YOUR UTMOST TO COME BEFORE WINTER."
II. Meditation: on "fulfilling your ministry" (v. 5)
1. By what you speak:
(1) Preach the word, v. 2.
(2) Convince, rebuke, exhort, with long-suffering and teaching, v. 2.
(3) Do the work of an evangelist, v. 5.
2. By how you live:
(1) Be ready in season and out of season; always prepared, v. 2.
(2) Be watchful (alert; perceptive) in all things, v. 5.
(3) Endure afflictions, v. 5.
III. Revelation: on the reasons Paul requested Timothy to "come before winter"
1. I am close to end of my life on earth . . . "poured out" . . . "the time of
my departure is at hand," but I have "fought a good fight, finished the
race, and kept the faith," vv. 6-7.
2. I am grieving because a trusted co-worker (Demus) has deserted me,
"having loved this present world," v. 10.
3. I am short-handed . . . come and bring Mark, v. 11.
4. I am suffering physically and emotionally . . . bring cloak, books, and
writing materials, v. 13.
5. I am under attack from a rebellious, former friend (Alexander) vv. 14-15.
6. I am lonely . . . no one has stood by me, except the Lord; and, of course,
Luke, my personal physician, is with me, vv. 11, 16-18.
7. I am concerned about all the churches I've started and delegated to others;
Thessalonica, Galatia, Dalmatia, Ephesus, Troas, Corinth, and Miletus,
vv. 10-13, 20.
(See II Corinthians 11:28 . . . "care of all the churches")
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. "Pour out as a drink offering" . . . give my life in sacrificial service to God.
2. Fight a good fight (I Corinthians 9:26; I Timothy 6:12).
3. Run with endurance the entire race . . . life isn't a 100 yard dash or a sprint;
it a MARATHON!
4. Keep the faith . . . maintaining the truth and integrity of "the faith," keeping
"the faith" by remaining faithful to God and His calling on my life, and, with
integrity, passing along "the faith" to my successor.
"You have the capacity to choose what you think about. If you choose to think
about past hurts, you will continue to feel bad. While it's true you can't
change the effect past influences had on you once, you can
change the effect they have on you now.
--Gary McKay, Ph.D.
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