1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Always be joyful, never stop praying Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus

Good verse to really keep me in check with God.It tells me how God views our faith.Persistance and Faith both have to work together followed by discipline.It's funny how God has been emphasizing discipline to me because I haven't been consistent in my QTs, even Eric knows that and has been telling me.I should have reminded myself that God is always present when I was tired because he is always watching over us!

-Jake :)

In the world

How much are you in the world?

Hebrews 4:12
¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.


Gain the whole world and lose your soul?

Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

What good does it do to have your heart in the world? How much are you in the world? We are accustomed to doing things in the world. Listening to secular music, watching secular programmes on TV, doing things of the world. We are secret agents living in a foreign land. Where we are to live like Christ, and share His glory. Not: live like the world and share my glory. People today are increasingly living like the world.

To share glory of Christ, the beginning is to guard your heart. When you guard your heart, everything will go into line. Guarding your heart starts with reading His word, reading every day, mediating on it. Proverbs says Guard your heart ABOVE ALL ELSE. It is the highest calling.

We always hear in the army, that serving the nation is the highest calling, but that is not right, our actual calling is to guard our hearts, for God against the devil.

Why does it determine the course of life?
Because it is taking a step on the right path. Imagine if you are travelling from point A to B, over a long distance, you can only afford a very very slight deviation. So, if you fail to observe that deviation, you would end up not in the point B. The Bible will help you keep to the path.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Keep on reading the word, let God speak to you and through you.

GUARD YOUR HEART.
The Highest Calling.

A curious verse

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil^[a] spirit from the Lord tormented him.

from NIV


¹⁵ And Saul’s servants said unto him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

from KJV

 
¹⁵ Saul’s servants said to him, Behold, an evil spirit from God torments you.

 from AMP


The question is that why God sent an evil spirit to torment Saul? we know that All things work for the good of God. God is always in control. He is in control, has control over everything in this universe. He has control over demons, angels, everything. So evil spirits are under his control, though it was not created by Him. God in this case simply allowed the evil spirit that was wanting to torment Saul to do what it desires. God is always sovereign, regardless of the circumstance. The reason why God allowed it to happen comes from a variety of reasons, but whatever the reason, 

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together hfor good,8 for ithose who are called according to his purpose.

Everything work together for good!

so, just remember

 
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.<sup>[a]

Amen!</sup>

Good Friday and Easter

³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas,^[b] and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

On Friday, God died for our sins on this fateful friday and on the third day rose again. We must be reminded what Christ paid for all our sins, by death. Our sins and paid in full by Christ, and He paid by dying on the cross. We should meditate on that and thank God for that. He died on the cross so that he can say:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever who believes in Him shall not perish but shall receive eternal life. 

Amidst all the celebration that Christ died for us, we share His pain and love for people. The pain that He has being crucified because of something that He did not do, yet He still chose to come down to earth to carry out the divine plan.

Lord I thank you for dying on the cross for me, I thank Jesus for coming down to Earth to die on the cross. Lord, because of that, we all can be blameless and set free from sin. I pray that besides celebration, Christians would share your suffering, for man and for love of man. Lord I thank you once again, i pray in your most glorious name, AMEN.

Obedience above all.

15 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. ² This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. ³ Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy^[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

...

⁷ Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. ⁸ He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. ⁹ But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves^[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

What good is there if we do not obey His commands? Even though our intentions are good, we act good in the wrong time and circumstance is the wrong thing. Just like Saul, God called him to destroy everything, put to death EVERYTHING. and EVERYTHING is absolute. Saul thought he was innovative and decided to change God's commands. Instead of destroying everything, he kept the best of the life-stock and prepared to offer to God. What is better to offer offerings to God or to obey Him? That is the crucial question, there is a time for everything a season for everything under heaven. This pretty much summarizes everything:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
    and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

Obey. Obey. Obey. But today obedience carry an additional dimension, Jesus Christ. We build a relationship with Him on top of obedience. That is crucial.

One good example is that guys seeking out for partners, God wants us to "be fruitful and multiply", but the key is 

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"

Remember your creator in the days of your youth really tells us that we should concentrate on Him and build on our relationship with Him before everything else. That is Key. Obedience over all, above all.

Israel won with no weapons

14 ^1-3 Later that day, Jonathan, Saul’s son, said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the Philistine garrison patrol on the other side of the pass.” But he didn’t tell his father. Meanwhile, Saul was taking it easy under the pomegranate tree at the threshing floor on the edge of town at Geba (Gibeah). There were about six hundred men with him. Ahijah, wearing the priestly Ephod, was also there. (Ahijah was the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli the priest of God at Shiloh.) No one there knew that Jonathan had gone off.

^4-5 The pass that Jonathan was planning to cross over to the Philistine garrison was flanked on either side by sharp rock outcroppings, cliffs named Bozez and Seneh. The cliff to the north faced Micmash; the cliff to the south faced Geba (Gibeah).
⁶ Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on now, let’s go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe God will work for us. There’s no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when he sets his mind to it.”
⁷ His armor bearer said, “Go ahead. Do what you think best. I’m with you all the way.”
^8-10 Jonathan said, “Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll cross over the pass and let the men see we’re there. If they say, ‘Halt! Don’t move until we check you out,’ we’ll stay put and not go up. But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ we’ll go right up—and we’ll know God has given them to us. That will be our sign.”
¹¹ So they did it, the two of them. They stepped into the open where they could be seen by the Philistine garrison. The Philistines shouted out, “Look at that! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!”
¹² Then they yelled down to Jonathan and his armor bearer, “Come on up here! We’ve got a thing or two to show you!”
¹³ Jonathan shouted to his armor bearer, “Up! Follow me! God has turned them over to Israel!” Jonathan scrambled up on all fours, his armor bearer right on his heels. When the Philistines came running up to them, he knocked them flat, his armor bearer right behind finishing them off, bashing their heads in with stones.
^14-15 In this first bloody encounter, Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men. That set off a terrific upheaval in both camp and field, the soldiers in the garrison and the raiding squad badly shaken up, the ground itself shuddering—panic like you’ve never seen before!

Israel won with no weapons!! Saul did not have enough faith to trust God when he was offering the sacrifice. Because Samuel came late, his soldiers started leaving, He is left with some 600 men from 3 000. But, God's plan was not to use the army to defeat the Philistines but to use confusion within the Philistines themselves. we should NEVER limit the way how God can work. Jonathan was faithful enough to say "Maybe GOD will work for us". And that faith moved mountains. We should not limit how God can work and let Him work through our lives, then we are able to move mountains. Have faith trust God and God would do the rest. Just like Israel, if it was not Jonathan and his armour bearer, the situation may not be what it is! I really like it when the author says about Jonathan:


There’s no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when he sets his mind to it.

There is no rule governing what God can/can't do. And no one can stop God's will. 

18/3/2013

Do Not Worry

²² Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life^[a]? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Only through faith can this worry be dealt with because we place our trust in God.No matter what,God povide therefore it is pointless to worry right? it serves no help.However! God will fulfills our needs BUT not necessarily our desires!

19/3/2013

Philippians 2:5-11

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

In summary,we should serve without feeling obliged to do so and do it with love.We should be humble when placed with authority and obey.We should also strive hard to be like Jesus for he is the only righteous one!

Today

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

 Jesus gave the Corinthians milk instead of solid food because he felt that they were not ready.It is the same for us,God does not throw you a problem to make your life worse but to grow you! he will only place apon more task if he feels you are ready.This means in order to do more Godly things,one must adhere to the word otherwise how can we be ready?

 

God's love

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[e] in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.
¹⁹ Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[f] sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[g] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[h] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.

 We see here that Israel was technologically inferior to the Philistines. The Philistines had weapons while the Israelites do not have anything. It was mentioned that there were no blacksmith in Israel, not allowing them to have weapons, enough only to arm the royal family. It was bad, even when Israelites wanted to have farm tools to be sharpened, they have to travel all the way down to enemy territory to have it done. That must have been humilitating, but Israelites have God while the Philistines do not have anyone to watch over them and protect them.

Even though Israelites do not have weapons, they still won over Philistines in some cases. In cases where God helped them. One example is when Samuel was teaching and they realised that philistines were abusing them, they prayed and God sent thunder to protect them. How cool is that?

Now, as long as God is with us, no one can be against us. Israelites reject God and their king, Saul disobeyed orders from God. How can we expect God to love us? But He still does!

Time for everything!

Saul said I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering. The keywords are felt compelled. How many times do we feel certain things and do it? That is a very dangerous thing to do, when we are not led by the spirit but by our own emotions. Or own emotions may seem to have a moral compass: ie. when you see someone dying, you would feel empathic for the person and help him/her. But it really does not. What happens when one day i don't feel like helping someone in need when he really needs it? That is very scary. We all know doing right is important, but doing right at the WRONG time is not good! Or the opposite, doing wrong things with the right intentions would not work either. Similarly we see here that Saul had actually offered the Lord a burnt offering. It is good, offerings to God is holy. But he did it in the wrong time and wrong intention. Firstly, he should have waited for Samuel to come to offer the sacrifice for him. Secondly, he offered it because he "felt compelled" to do it. Those 2 points are the reason why he had violated God's word and commandments to him. Ask ourselves, do we live by the spirit or by our emotions? Today, people get into relationships and get out, so frequently. Under-age and premarital sex is commonplace. I "feel like" you are the one for me, I "feel like" doing it. This is where emotion's lack of a moral compass is evident. Ask ourselves, do we do the right thing at the right time? God says 

Ecc 3:1
There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 A time for everything, use the time God intended to finish doing A, to do A, not B. For it is set apart!  Doing the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. Just remember that! Walk with the spirit!!

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, ¹² I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

1 Samuel 13

“God Is Out Looking for Your Replacement”

 God is searching for your replacement was the title of 1 Samuel 13. This really reminds me of 1 thing. We can be given by God about this task, but if we fail to do it or do it well, God will give that opportunity to someone else! Samuel said that because Saul overstepped his authority. Then you would ask... Isn't Saul the king? No, Saul is in appointment of a king but God is the King. That is a great difference. In

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. ⁸ He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. ⁹ So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
¹¹ “What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, ¹² I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
¹³ “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

 We see that Saul offered the offering though he was not authorized to do so. Take note that this is still in the old testament, where only priests are allowed to present offerings to the Lord. That is why Samuel asked "What have you done?", showing displeasure to what Saul have done. It is important to keep our appointment with God, to do His will, as He had dictated. if we fail to do that, we fail to obey God. Similarly as with Saul, who was not authorised or instructed by God or Samuel to present the offering. Not only that, Saul did not offer remorse, he still claimed that it was alright and reasoned with Samuel. So, God will strip Him of the authority that God had given Saul. God is the final authority, He is our King. Regardless of who said what, God is the omega. AMEN and AMEN.

God empowered Samuel

^13-15 “So here’s the king you wanted, the king you asked for. God has let you have your own way, given you a king. If you fear God, worship and obey him, and don’t rebel against what he tells you. If both you and your king follow God, no problem. God will be sure to save you. But if you don’t obey him and rebel against what he tells you, king or no king, you will fare no better than your fathers.
^16-17 “Pay attention! Watch this wonder that God is going to perform before you now! It’s summer, as you well know, and the rainy season is over. But I’m going to pray to God. He’ll send thunder and rain, a sign to convince you of the great wrong you have done to God by asking for a king.”
¹⁸ Samuel prayed to God, and God sent thunder and rain that same day. The people were greatly afraid and in awe of God and of Samuel.
¹⁹ Then all the people begged Samuel, “Pray to your God for us, your servants. Pray that we won’t die! On top of all our other sins, we’ve piled on one more—asking for a king!”

^20-22 Samuel said to them, “Don’t be fearful. It’s true that you have done something very wrong. All the same, don’t turn your back on God. Worship and serve him heart and soul! Don’t chase after ghost-gods. There’s nothing to them. They can’t help you. They’re nothing but ghost-gods! God, simply because of who he is, is not going to walk off and leave his people. God took delight in making you into his very own people.
^23-25 “And neither will I walk off and leave you. That would be a sin against God! I’m staying right here at my post praying for you and teaching you the good and right way to live. But I beg of you, fear God and worship him honestly and heartily. You’ve seen how greatly he has worked among you! Be warned: If you live badly, both you and your king will be thrown out.”
 
I just love how God works here. Note that at this point, God had  commanded Samuel to appoint Saul as king. And Saul is king. Even said, Samuel is still speaking that he is speaking above everyone else, including the king. It is evident  in the last verse, "If you live badly, both you and your king will be thrown out." He spoke that like he is above everyone and everything else. That is exemplary, and evident that spirit of God was with him. Samuel prayed to God for thunder and rain as a sign of Israel's sins and God sent thunder and rain. 

This goes to the extent of showing the relationship that Samuel enjoys. Samuel was in sync with God. He shares God's vision and God's plan. He also shares God's joy and God's pain. He had an exclusive relationship with God.

We should all aspire to build this close relationship with God! So that we are closer to Him and can do His will!

SFB 16-Mar-2013

Ptr. Mark has put the point across very clearly and effectively. Praise God for that! Storms will come and go, His word will be there forever and ever! I am most surprised by what he taught “shrewd as a serpent, innocent like a dove”  which is from the bible Matthew chapter 10 verse 16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. Is what Jesus told His disciples. That is precisely what we need to do. I have not recognized that, until now. For me, it was as innocent as a dove. And that is the reason why my parents are worried that I can get cheated or taken advantage of in the society. I thought about it as so true. The devil would use many people and things to deceive us. That is where we need to be careful to see what are things that need us to be as shrewd as a serpent. However, it is so true that when we come to the word of God, we ought to be as innocent as dove. Innocence is the most important when we are reading the word of God because we can trust God and His word is final. If we doubt His word we are questioning His authority. We must never stop trusting His word. While we deal with the world with shrewdness, we look to God like a dove. That is really impacted with that word. So we should rally trust God accept the word of God and reject the word of the world. Then we can build our house on God. That is the key! Then our house can withstand the storm!

Saul's first victory

^9-11 Saul instructed the messengers, “Tell this to the folk in Jabesh Gilead: ‘Help is on the way. Expect it by noon tomorrow.’”
The messengers set straight off and delivered their message. Elated, the people of Jabesh Gilead sent word to Nahash: “Tomorrow we’ll give ourselves up. You can deal with us on your terms.” Long before dawn the next day, Saul had strategically placed his army in three groups. At first light they broke into the enemy camp and slaughtered Ammonites until noon. Those who were left ran for their lives, scattering every which way.
¹² The people came to Samuel then and said, “Where are those men who said, ‘Saul is not fit to rule over us’? Hand them over. We’ll kill them!”
^13-14 But Saul said, “Nobody is going to be executed this day. This is the day God saved Israel! Come, let’s go to Gilgal and there reconsecrate the kingship.”
¹⁵ They all trooped out to Gilgal. Before God, they crowned Saul king at Gilgal. And there they worshiped, sacrificing peace offerings. Saul and all Israel celebrated magnificently.

We see that this chapter is that Saul was close to the Holy Spirit. He was a farmer, one that deals with pigs, chicken, cows... How is it that He was in any way experienced in any way to lead Israel into the light? He was led by God. it is very clear that His strength comes from God and God alone. When he heard the news, he tore and ripped a oxen over this matter and demanded that everyone join him. If he was an elder, who had experience in dealing with people and managing people, i would understand that he has the capability. It is really amazing that God chooses His people not by capability but by faithfulness. He will provide the wisdom and direction later.
In the end, Saul won the battle and God is glorified. God always proves that the pundits are wrong! If we do not trust Him, who can we trust?

Spirit of God?

^6-7 The Spirit of God came on Saul when he heard the report and he flew into a rage. He grabbed the yoke of oxen and butchered them on the spot. He sent the messengers throughout Israel distributing the bloody pieces with this message: “Anyone who refuses to join up with Saul and Samuel, let this be the fate of his oxen!”
^7-8 The terror of God seized the people, and they came out, one and all, not a laggard among them. Saul took command of the people at Bezek. There were 300,000 men from Israel, another 30,000 from Judah.

 The verse talks about the spirit of God. The biggest question is why is there? In the new testament, we know that Jesus came down from heaven to die for all our sins. And with His death. "He is in us". And by "He is in us", we receive the holy spirit. But in the old testament, it was exclusive, exclusive to people who had a very close relationship with God . The spirit of God caused them perform prophecy on those selected people. And in the beginning, Genesis:
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Spirit of God was hovering across the waters. We see that it is an entity. And now we all have the entity, Holy Spirit in all of us. We should use it to the maximum! Communicating with God frequently. We have the privilege, so we should make the best out of it.

John 19:10-11

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”


This is the part where Jesus was on the verge  of being crucified.The Soldiers placed a thorn crown on his head to mock Jesus because he claimed he was Song oF God, King of Kings.
From how Jesus answered we can tell how firm he was,how much faith he had In the father above.What we can learn from this ?When task by God, will we turn away from our calling/duties? turn into temptation of simply taking the easy way out?Jesus could have down that when Pilate asked Jesus to make a choice of crucification or freedom.Will you?


Jake.

Saul Annointed by GOD

²³ They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. ²⁴ Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”
Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
²⁵ Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.
²⁶ Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. ²⁷ But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.

Saul was chosen long ago, this would be just a simple ceremony to declare to the people that Saul is king. This verse brings me to something. Recently Andy shared about respecting the authority over us , escpecially in the light of the Small Group leaders. The leaders similar to Saul, were appointed by God. So, if God made the decision, how much do we trust that decision? Are we like some of the people mentioned in this story: despised the leader and brought him no gifts? Or are we like the valiant men who were ready to serve the king for God had chosen. We have to ask ourselves, where do we stand in this? If we are the group who despised and questioned the leadership, ask ourselves do we not trust God's decision? Is Lord our God not the final word of our lives? God is God and He knows all, is it not that His decision is the best? If we truly believe that He is God, we should believe that He makes that best decision. Even though we do not agree with the authority, we should at least have faith to obey and let God show us that the authority is Good and rightful.

John the Baptist

  11“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.12“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

At that time John was baptising people and he was preaching to the people, including the Pharisees and Sadducees. He told the people that although he baptize people with water, he prophesies that there would be a Man who will baptize all man with the holy spirit and fire.
 
Well, we should know what is the significance of baptism. 

Baptism is defined as:

1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) a Christian religious rite consisting of immersion in or sprinkling with water as a sign that the subject is cleansed from sin and constituted as a member of the Church

2. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) the act of baptizing or of undergoing baptism

3. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) any similar experience of initiation, regeneration, or dedication

 

Note the first definition; the subject is cleansed from sin and constituted as a member of the Church. Means its an act of declaration, declaring that one is part of the church. 

The last one is experience of initiation, regeneration or dedication.

initiation: formal declaration of entry

regeneration: renew

dedication: formal declaration of fellowship

So, we see that Baptism is very significant, you die and rise again with Jesus. Its a physical ceremony to mark that day that you officially come to Christ, as opposed to saying the sinner's prayer.

Then there is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It is the act of receiving spiritual gifts through Jesus Christ!

God over world

^17-18 Samuel called the people to assemble before God at Mizpah. He addressed the children of Israel, “This is God’s personal message to you:

^18-19 “I brought Israel up out of Egypt. I delivered you from Egyptian oppression—yes, from all the bullying governments that made your life miserable. And now you want nothing to do with your God, the very God who has a history of getting you out of troubles of all sorts.
“And now you say, ‘No! We want a king; give us a king!’
“Well, if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get! Present yourselves formally before God, ranked in tribes and families.”
^20-21 After Samuel got all the tribes of Israel lined up, the Benjamin tribe was picked. Then he lined up the Benjamin tribe in family groups, and the family of Matri was picked. The family of Matri took its place in the lineup, and the name Saul, son of Kish, was picked. But when they went looking for him, he was nowhere to be found.

I think it is interesting to note that God never intended for us to have worldly kings but to have God as the only King. With that note, the people wanted a king. They really wanted a king to govern them and ward off Israel's enemies. It is like a father saying: "son, i love you, even though i know that is not good for you, i will support you" Which father would do that. Which father would have enough grace and mercy to do that? Most fathers would just blow up and unleash their anger upon their kid. But God, He did not. He still gave what people wanted, a king. The people of Israel rejected spritual authroity for worldly authority. 
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE DONE THAT?
Giving up the things of God for the things of the world?

SFB

Though I really thought that the walls of jewels in heaven are cool. It really tells us that everything we regard as precious here is the normal in heaven. What less can Jesus provide? Jesus can and has the ability to provide all and heaven is such a wonderful place to be in! Whatever we want here so much on earth will be freely available in heaven to the point of excess. It is really true especially the world of today that we hide and bury ourselves with things, people and technology that we forgot about our true purpose; to serve God! Even for non-believers, they work so hard that they forgot about the meaning of life. For us, the meaning of life is God and we should not forget that. The moment we forget that is the moment that we will lose focus and be part of the world. We should always remember that God is always the first and the last, the alpha and the omega. I am greatly revered by the book of revelation. God is going to execute His grand and final plan. We may be part of it, we may be watching it from heaven. Regardless, we will watch or participate in it. I am greatly excited for His plan to come to place. In that all earth will witness His power and will be in awesome fear of Him. And then we will know that He is God and we are not. Then the best is that we will live in heaven for the rest of eternity. That is all that matters. It is foretold in the bible, it will happen. Embrace it not fear of it and always remember it. I think most of us are really stuck in the remember part… We should always remember His works His plans and NOT to be caught up in this world, because ultimately in the end that is not His plan for us and it is not our final resting place. All praises go to Him.

Philipans 3:20-21

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Live like Christ, because that is Good. and that THAT is our true identity.

Annoiting upon Samuel

10 ^1-2 Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, and kissed him. He said, “Do you see what this means? God has anointed you prince over his people.

“This sign will confirm God’s anointing of you as prince over his inheritance: After you leave me today, as you get closer to your home country of Benjamin, you’ll meet two men near Rachel’s Tomb. They’ll say, ‘The donkeys you went to look for are found. Your father has forgotten about the donkeys and is worried about you, wringing his hands—quite beside himself!’

 I find it very ironic that even though the people had rejected God as their king and succumbed to the world, wanting a king, God gave them a king. God wants us to have the free will. In the previous chapter, it is apparent in the conversation with Samuel, God told Samuel to chill though Samuel felt disappointed in people's decision to want to have a king. Despite it, God still anoint Saul as king through Samuel. It really shows how God really loves us and want to give us the free will. Even we have chosen a path that is away from His will, He will provides. Would it not be better if we follow His will? would it be better? Definitely. We would be more blessed.

Saul the king

^19-20 “I’m the Seer,” said Samuel. “Accompany me to the shrine and eat with me. In the morning I’ll tell you all about what’s on your mind, and send you on your way. And by the way, your lost donkeys—the ones you’ve been hunting for the last three days—have been found, so don’t worry about them. At this moment, Israel’s future is in your hands.”
²¹ Saul answered, “But I’m only a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel’s tribes, and from the most insignificant clan in the tribe at that. Why are you talking to me like this?”

This verse is impactful. 
But i am only a Benjaminite...
  
Do this not sound familar?
I am only a student... I am only a ...

We also do this, we limit what we can do or not do by our own strength. It may be true that you are just a 18 year old... just a student.

However, you have God's strength and power residing in you through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Though you are only a child, God can use you to glorify His kingdom. Similarly, God used Saul who is just a farmer to rule over Israel and to be a king. 

Even Saul himself did not have that faith in himself. He answered But i am only a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel's tribes, and from the most insignificant clan in the tribe at that. 

This really tells us, if God can use Saul to be king. He can use us too! Have faith!