Topic(s): Speech, Tongue, Youth

To help us see how young people can be “examples of the believers” in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith and purity, we’ll see how the prophet Samuel behaved as a boy.

In 1 Samuel 3, God called the young Samuel, who was a servant of Eli the High Priest in the tabernacle. It was during the night that Samuel heard God’s voice, and Samuel thought it was Eli that called him, so Samuel went to Eli and asked Eli, “Here I am, for you called me.” After Eli told Samuel to go back to bed, God called again. Once again, Samuel asked Eli what he wanted, and again Eli sent Samuel back to bed. After the third time God called and Samuel went to Eli, Eli figured out that it must have been God calling the boy. Eli told Samuel that if God called again, Samuel should answer “speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.”

Samuel did just that. When God spoke to Samuel the fourth time, Samuel said, “speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.” God told Samuel some very important news. We’ll focus on God’s message to Samuel in a later article in this series. For now, let’s think about the way Samuel spoke to Eli and God.

Samuel used very humble and respectful terms when he spoke to Eli and to God. Samuel loved Eli and honored Eli’s position as High Priest of Israel. Samuel loved God and never spoke disrespectfully to God. Instead, he showed reverence and humility to God. Samuel was an example in word.

Have you noticed that people who use humble and respectful words when they talk to God and to humans in authority generally have little trouble controlling their tongue at all times? Colossians 4:6 says that our speech is to be “seasoned with salt” (sweet), and James 3:2 tells us that we are to control our speech at all times. If God spoke about how you talk to Him, could He say that your speech is sweet?

Don’t ever say ugly things about the elders. 1 Peter 5:5 says that we are to submit ourselves to the elders, so speak kindly about them. Show respect for the fact that they are the church’s shepherds.

You’ve probably also observed that people who have a hard time controlling the way they talk about God (sometimes people speak loosely or joke about God) or about the elders (some people can’t seem to say anything nice about elders) also have a hard time making sure their speech is “sweet” at other times.

If we’re going to be examples of the believers, we’ll need to follow Samuel’s example in word.

The Day the Cricket Attended

Topic(s): Christian Life, Worship

AS A YOUTH, I squirmed through many a worship service. This particular Sunday was to have an added distraction. As soon as the preacher got up to deliver his sermon, a cricket walked out onto the stage. He probably came from one of the cracks that was to be found most anywhere in that old building. Everyone in the first three rows saw the cricket. He looked dazed, and stumbled near the edge of the pulpit area, and our eyes followed his every step. We could see that he had come to the other edge again, and so we internally shouted to ourselves, “Jump! Jump!” But alas, the cricket did not jump. Time after time he walked back and forth. I didn’t know if the sermon was any good that day, but the cricket was sure fun to watch.

When the invitation song began, we all stood up and watched the cricket run. He almost got stepped on when the song leader walked toward the microphone, and we all laughed. Then my laughter turned to amazement. Someone had gone forward! My Dad. He wasn’t a Christian and my mom and I had been trying for years to get him to come to church with us, to no avail until today. Now the preacher was taking him back to baptize him.

“Dad,” I asked later. “What made you want to be baptized today?” Dad said, “Didn’t you hear how Jesus gave His life for us so that we could be saved?” I hung my head in shame. The beautiful message of the Bible did not reach me that day. I was watching the cricket.

THOUGHT: A lot of things will tend to distract a person from worshipping God. But I learned my lesson. God is more important than anything. —KneEmail, #575

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24; cf. Mal. 1:7ff).

A Disciple of His

Topic(s): Jesus, Salvation

The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is hopeful.

I’m finished and I’m done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarf goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotion, platitudes, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by His presence, learn by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is Heaven. My road is narrow. My way is rough. My companions few. My God reliable. My mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, returned, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go until He comes. Give till I drop. Preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. —Author Unknown

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” —Luke 14:26