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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">September 25, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
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</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>MAY
25 - 1 SAMUEL 9-15 - SAUL: CHOSEN AND REJECTED</b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>1.
9:16 (9) SAUL: CHOSEN AS KING. <font size="3">“Tomorrow about this
time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you
shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my
people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people,
because their cry has come to me” (ESV). </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">A
seer is a powerful man in Your hands, Father. Grant us such ones
today! </span><b><i>Hallowed be your :name.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>2.
10:1 (10) SAUL: ANOINTED AS KING. <font size="3">“Then Samuel </font><font size="3">took
a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said,
‘Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel?
And you shall reign over the people of the LORD and you will save
them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be
the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you to be prince over his
heritage.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Look </span><span style="font-weight:normal">at
what the true anointing of faith does to a man! Father, you bring
conversion to a man that is truly startling! </span><b><i>Your
:kingdom come.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>3.
11:15 (11) SAUL: AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING. <font size="3"> “</font><font size="3">So
all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before
the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the
LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Surely Your hand was
upon Saul for good in the beginning, Father! </span><span style="font-weight:normal">But
the </span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">end</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
of a matter is better than the beginning. </span></span><span style="font-weight:normal">
</span><b><i>Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b>4.
12:23 (12) SAUL REVEALED BY SAMUEL AS A USURPER. <font size="3">“</font><font size="3">Moreover,
as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by
ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the
right way.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">It was
</span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">not</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
Your perfect will to give a king to Israel at this time, Father.
Israel forced Your hand, and You granted them the desires of their
heart, but sent leanness into their souls. O forgive us that we too,
so often settle for something less than Your perfect will! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">5.
13:14 (13) SAUL: A FOOLISH AND DISOBEDIENT KING. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“But
now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man
after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over
his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
</span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">How
unworthy Saul proved himself by this foolish and presumptuous act!
Our hearts quake at his presumption. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">6.
14:45 (14) SAUL’S FOOLISH OATH. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Then
the people said to Saul, ‘Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this
great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there
shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked
with God this day.’ So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did
not die.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">How
all wisdom and prudence forsook Saul following his presumptuous sin!
Teach us from this, Father. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
bring us not into temptation!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
15:22 (15) SAUL: FLAGRANTLY DISOBEYS - AND IS REJECTED. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“And
Samuel said, ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, and to listen that the fat of rams.’” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">The
fear of man was greater in Saul than Your fear, O Great Jehovah
Father! May we take deep lessons from this. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">one</span><i><span style="text-decoration:none">!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><u><b>NOTE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
15:23 (15) SAUL: REJECTED! </b></span><b><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“For
rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity
and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has
also rejected you from being king.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Judgment
is now final. The die is cast. Rebellion and iniquity has brought
Saul to the point of no return.</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">This
is one of the most sober readings in this survey. And - there are </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">so
many</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
lessons for us to make use of. Would a local church be like Israel,
and insist on a carnal desire contrary to the will of God and the
teaching of His Word? My wife Marie and I have pastored such a
church! God, as He did with Samuel - told us to go along with their
desire. Great church growth came as a result of their granted desire.
But the bars had been lowered - and carnality and worldliness crept
in at a far greater pace. God said - “I wanted you to see what
results when I am rejected and carnal desires of the people are
granted. Now that you have seen it, I will never ask you to yield to
such desires again.” Thank God!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">Probably
the two verses in this passage that stand out for me are 9:15:22-23.
It will pay us to meditate and pray over these two verses a great
deal: both for our own individual lives; and for corporate situations
over which God at times may put us.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Look
at Samuel in all of this. It was </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">not</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
easy for him. Godly leaders can be tested in painful ways.</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">The
Lord be with us in all </span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">-
</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">as
we seek to milk this passage for all the Lord at the time may let us
see!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
Psalm for the day: 145:12-13 GREAT IS THE LORD. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“To
make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious
splendor of your kingdom. </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">13
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures
throughout all generations.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Our
greatest privilege Father, is to know and understand Your Goodness
and Majesty, and to share this knowledge effectively with our fellow
man. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Hallowed
be your :name!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<br>
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