By Your Patience Possess Your Souls - Day 121 Through the Bible

On my walk this week outside the Fitness Center in our historic hometown of Burnsville, NC

My Time Alone With God in His Word

In Preparation - Hearing From God Through His Prophet - (1 Samuel 3, 4 and 5)  At the end of Chapter 3, Samuel is learning to recognize God's voice, hear Him and obey Him.  We, also, are learning to recognize the Lord's voice as we spend time alone with Him, in His Word and in prayer, during this year through the Bible.  I believe, without a doubt, that these moments are preparing us - just as they were Samuel.  I recall a time about 5 years ago - subsequent to my spending months in daily prayer and Bible study - I experienced a complete change of direction in my life that included tragedy and great loss.  I know God was giving me a time of in-depth moments alone with Him to prepare me.  Samuel's time of preparation was as a prophet for Israel during a time of great loss in battles (34,000 in today's account), servitude to a pagan nation, a priesthood that had become corrupt, and a time when "the word of the LORD had become rare and there was no widespread revelation." (3:1)

In Preparation - Hearing From God Through His Son - (Luke 21)  Jesus is preparing His disciples during this time before the storm - before their worlds and expectations about Him and the kingdom crash.  They are still having trouble understanding the basic tenets he has been telling them all along (as well as the prophets) because the truth does not match their preconceived notions of the kingdom of God - of Christ's First Coming.  These are reminders for us as well:

• It is not our wealth, not the temple, not the ark (1 Sam 4) that saves - only God - only the life and soul dedicated to Him.
• To prepare us, Jesus says...take heed...do not be deceived...We must know His Word, know Him to have discernment, His knowledge, His wisdom.
• First, you will endure personal persecution (possibly collectively as believers)..."they will lay their hands on you...persecute you...deliver you up to the synagogues and prisons...bring you before kings and rulers for My name's sake...you will be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives and friends...some of you will be put to death...you will be hated by all for My name's sake."We may lose our temporal life but not our eternal life.
• This is good because "it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony...Settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." 
• "The end will not come immediately...it is preceded by wars and commotions (nations raging)...earthquakes, famines, pestilences (natural disasters)...fearful sights and great signs (supernatural phenomenon).

By your patience possess your souls.

Luke 21:19