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July 4

Reading 1 - 1Samuel 16

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v.5 - The sanctification process [Ex.19:10-15, Lev.20:7,8, Josh.7:13 ...] was not insignificant. Surely later events make it clear that on this occasion David was not there. He had to be fetched from tending the sheep [v.11]. There is no mention of sanctification later for David either. Samuel goes straight in to the anointing [v.12,13]. Does this suggest that David's heart was such that it did not require sanctification?
Peter Cresswell
v.7 - This principle of God looking on the heart cannot be emphasised enough. We have a responsibility to recognise that the things God seeks are not the things man seeks. Consider these quite vaired passages, which when taken together make quite a powerful picture. Psa.147:11, Prov.31:30, Job 10:4, Isa.55:8,9, Luke 16:15, John 7:24, 2Cor.10:7,10 1Pet.2:4, 3:4
Peter Cresswell
v.13 - David was anointed 'in the midst of his brethren' in contrast to Saul who was anointed in secret when even his servants had been sent away. [1 Samuel 9:27] 'In the midst of his brethren' reflects the status of the priest in Israel. [Exodus 28:1] And answers to the injunction given by Moses regarding the setting of a king over them. [Deuteronomy 17:15]
Peter Forbes
16:1 Notice that Samuel is mourning for Saul because he has been rejected by Yahweh. However we should remember that Samuel warned the people against wanting a king (1 Samuel 8:11). Why is this? Was it that Samuel, on hearing that God would appoint a king threw his efforts behind what God was going to do? Was he mourning for Saul because he was the Lord's anointed, even though he was a rebel?
Peter Forbes
:4-5 That the elders 'trembled' at the coming of Samuel, and the question as to whether he was coming peaceably was asked indicates that Samuel was a force to be reckoned with. Maybe it also indicates that the elders of Bethlehem had guilty consciences about how they ran the town and were fearful that Samuel had found out or suspected what was going on and had come to sort things out.
Peter Forbes
WHEN GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE HE WILL WORK IT OUT
Samuel was sent to anoint David to be king after Saul. When he had been anointed the spirit of the LORTD came upon him with power. It was then, by God's design, that an evil spirit smote Saul. He needed something to lift his spirits so his servants said that harp music might help. It just so happened that David played the harp and had chosen it over the flute _ again by god's design. Also, by God's design, one of Saul's servants had seen David playing and knew of him and his other qualities - his braveness, his warrior qualities, his good speaking and good looks. So David, just like God planned it, ended up in the royal palace, living with the King and learning the ways of the leader of god's people. God was training him to be king over his people.
God has a plan for every one of us. He has prepared in advance good works for us to do. We are quite possibly, through our current circumstances, being trained and prepared to work out the plan that God has for our lives. So let us, like David, do our best in the work we have been given.
Robert Prins

Reading 2 - Isaiah 60

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v.11 - The gates of Zion (and this is surely Zion here - ch.59:20) are now opened to all who believe, that each might walk through those gates, which the Lord loves [Psa.87:2], which represents baptism into Christ, who is the gate - the door to the sheepfold, who is loved of God. And we too are counted through that gate as we enter - Psa.87:5,6. Let us indeed be sure that we seek the safety that is inside those walls [Rev.22:14], because if not ... Rev.22:15.
Peter Cresswell
v1 - Our light is come. The bright and morning star - Rev.22:16 - the light of the gospel of the resurrection. This light, we see here, should make us shine - surely a reference back to Moses face when he came down from the mount. We should be a true reflection of that man we worship.
Peter Cresswell
v.11 - The continually open gates is picked up in Revelation 21:25.
Peter Forbes
The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee
Psalm 102:16
Ephesians 5:14

The echo of the words of Psalm 102 may well be an element of the fellowship that existed between Isaiah and Hezekiah - it seems likely that Hezekiah wrote Psalm 102.
Peter Forbes

:14 The way that the gentiles were to bow themselves at the feet of Israel reflects the conquest of the land under Joshua (10:24).
Peter Forbes

Reading 3 - Matthew 5

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v.35 - Jerusalem is held in the highest honour. What fate will befall those who currently fight for her ownership? We hope and pray that it is not long before the Great King comes to own his own city. 2Chr.6:6, Ps.48:2, Rev.21:2,10.
Peter Cresswell

Psalm 34:18 Mt.5:3 poor in spirit:
Psalm 42:9 Mt.5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn:
Isaiah 61:2 for they shall be comforted
Psalm 37:11 Mt.5:5 the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Psalm 42:1 Mt.5:6 they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
Psalm 41:1 Mt.5:7 the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Psalm 24:4 Mt.5:8 the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Psalm 34:14 Mt.5:9 the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Mt.5:10 they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:

v.1 - Note that Jesus went up into a mountain with the disciples when he saw the multitude, therefore the 'sermon on the mount' was delivered to the disciples - not to the multitude. In the gospels there are a number of times when Jesus took himself away from the crowds up into a mountain. [Matthew 5:1 8:1 14:23 15:29 17:1 24:3 28:16 Mark 3:13 6:46 9:2 13:3 Luke 6:12 9:28 22:39 John 6:3 15 8:1] It seems that this was either for solitude for himself of privacy in order to instruct his disciples. We should note that whilst Jesus went about preaching and teaching and devoting himself to the Father's work he did take time out to fulfil his own personal needs.
Peter Forbes

5:44 Jesus' words 'bless them that curse you.' Are quoted (Romans 12:14) as part of the instruction of how we are to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1)
Peter Forbes
:28 Whilst we may think that Jesus here extends the principles see in the law we should remember that Job understood this principle and his understanding guided his life (Job 31:1)
Peter Forbes
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE
Jesus tells us to let our lights shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and praise you Father in heaven. But the question is, How do we get the light inside us in the first place? Jesus said that he is the light of the world. We are also told that God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. I believe that the way we get the light inside of us in the first place is to get it from the source of light himself - God. Read the Bible, pray and let Jesus live in your life and then, to have a light that shines really brightly, be filled with them all.
The next question is, How do we let it shine?
Psalm 89 v 15 - 17 gives us a great picture of how to let it shine.
"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exalt in your righteousness.
For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favour you exalt our horn."
If we are filled with God's light we will not be able to keep it in! We will be filled with a compelling urge to do what God wants us to do, to praise and worship God and tell other people what awesome things God has done for us.
Some people pretend to be Christians - and you can tell it in the way their light shines because it flickers light and dark. Let us not be one of them.
Remember that no light can shine from you until you let the light in. So pray today to be filled with God's light.

LOVE EVERYONE
God is good to everyone no matter who they are or what they do. He sends the rain on the good and the bad and the sun rises and sets for all of us. God is perfect and he does good things for everyone whether they love him or not. If we want to be perfect and want to be imitators of God we must follow his example in this. Just as he loves everyone and gives his good gifts to all of us, we must love everyone too. This is one of the things that makes a Christian so different from most people in the world. Most people love their friends and they stop there. They speak to people that they like or think they might get on with. If they prayed they would stop before they got to the people that they dislike. But we must aim to be more like God. We must aim to be good to all people whether we like them or not. "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. … Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect."
Robert Prins