👉🏼 (Reading: 1 Samuel 7:3-10)

📜 ""Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, "If you are really serious about wanting to return to the LORD, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the LORD; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.""
1 Samuel 7:3 (NLT)

📋 Sometimes Satan takes us far away from godliness such that we feel God can never accept us again. All we need to do is to stop sinning and turn to God with a sincere heart. If we desire God's blessings, we must be willing to do God's will. In our texts, the Prophet Samuel grants divine amnesty to the idol worshipping Israelites.

Sadly, they wanted to keep their idols while enjoying God's grace and mercies. We cannot serve both Satan and God at the same time. God should not be just one of the additional helps or powers to acquire. Samuel's word in our text speaks to us today as well. If we are serious about being Christ's disciples, then we must forsake our idols and follow him.

When Israel obeyed, they received help from God. Maybe you are also facing many challenges but you are holding on to your old ways, yet looking forward to God's help. A disciple must be loyal to his master. A servant of God must serve God in truth and in spirit.

True repentance is a key to revolutionizing your life.

🔑 Key Lesson: God cannot be worshiped together with idols.

🛐 Meditation and Prayer: Lord, I denounce all my own plans and ways which contradict your ways and will. Help me to follow you with all my heart in Jesus' name.

📚 Further Reading: Hosea 14:3; Joel 2:10-12.

◼️ The Bible in One Year: Luke 13-15.