Joshua Handford

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1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a

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1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a

“The Sunday School version of this, which always has to have a moral of the story and an application, will tell us that we should be like Samuel: Listen for God’s voice and answer. Speak, Lord, I’m listening. But that is not at all the message of this passage. We are meant to see God’s faithfulness to his covenant people despite the rampant sin and rebellion taking place at that spiritually benighted worship center. No priest was ministering before the Lord. They had left a small child to fulfill their duties. One who did not even fulfill the requirements to be a priest on many specific points of OT law, who had been dressed by his mom, and placed there by the will of God and according to Hannah’s oath. A child, of whom it says he ‘did not yet know the Lord(v.7)…We should not see Samuel as doing (or being) anything special here. We should see only that “...God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:27-28)”

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1 Samuel 2:12-36

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1 Samuel 2:12-36

“It is impossible to fear man and fear God. But fear of man doesn’t always mean fear that they will hurt or harm us, but it is also fear of losing their regard. John 12:43 speaks of those who denied Christ because ‘they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.’ In an era of passive parenting, where people seek to become their children’s friend rather than an authority figure, the sin of Eli is prevalent today. And it is not only with our children. When we fear losing relationships with others more than fearing God, we will refuse to obey his clear commandments. Our minds will invent all sorts of excuses and human wisdom that excuse us of strict obedience to the commands of God…God will be first in our lives, or ultimately he will take them from us. ‘We must obey God rather than men.’”

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1 Samuel 1:1-2:11

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1 Samuel 1:1-2:11

“Although passive and dim-sighted, Eli blesses Hannah, although probably just to get her to leave. She, however, takes the word of the high priest as a promise from God. Where in her distress she had begun a fast, upon receiving the blessing she eats and her sadness left her.  Such is her trust that the Lord of Hosts can and will accomplish his will, she is at peace even before her situation changes…The object of Hannah’s delight is neither herself—that she has overcome the disgrace of barrenness—nor her son. Instead it is the Lord, who is the source of both her son and her happy circumstance…”

Israel Needs a King

Israel Needs a King

“Scripture teaches it very clearly: you are a bad judge of what is right. You need a King! No matter who you are, there comes a point when Scripture will gut you — cut you to the core of your flesh. Whether it is what it has to say about your sexuality, or your attitude about money, or your desire for a family.  Whatever it is, in many different ways the Word of God will direct you in the exact opposite direction that you would choose for yourself, even with your best intentions…”

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

“Peace and assurance come from a personal knowledge of the God who rules the times and the seasons. Church: if we have an inordinate desire to know how everything is going to fit together in what the bible is not clear about, then we need to come back to a knowledge of our personal Saviour. Because it is trust in Him that will give us the peace and hope and joy of the Christian life. Not that its wrong to nerd out a little bit and figure out what this might mean — but what will ultimately give us peace is the God of peace.”

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

“May we all join with Paul his prayer in Colossians 1:29: ‘For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.’… And so church: May we each be equipped to walk in such a way that we would be considered worthy of the kingdom of God. May we each desire to experience the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might. May we be strengthened for steadfastness with the knowledge that God’s enemies will be afflicted with eternal destruction, away from all that is God’s goodness. May God make you worthy of his calling and fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

1 Thessalonians 5:23-25

“That God calls here is in the present tense, stressing that God does not merely call Christians once and then leave them on their own. Instead He continues to call the followers of Christ to salvation. But it is important to note that the life of faith is not a striving for more. Rather, it is living more fully in what has already been given, knowing that even efforts to live more appropriately as saints depend upon God who sanctifies. The morality of the Bible is always ‘be who you are’, as we are called to daily work out the reality of our salvation.”

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1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

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1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

“There is no biblical evidence at all for the cessation of prophecy. A fact that has not gone unnoticed by modern biblical scholars. Instead of a biblical basis, many today base their beliefs about modern prophesy on the problematic history of prophesy — its abuse — and arrive at a sort of practical cessationism. Let me remind you, and remind myself this morning, that we are to believe what the Bible says, and not what we think it says. When we look at the NT scriptures and say ‘that is not for today’, we play a very dangerous game…We should recognize that prophesy has always been problematic from the very beginning. Later it was a massive issue in the church or Corinth, but even here in the earliest of Paul’s letters, there is evidence that false prophecy was already taking place in the church. And the apostolic instruction is not some practical application of human wisdom, but a consistent divine command of not to forbid or despise prophesy…”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Now, let me begin by giving praise to God, that his expressed will, the moral requirements to which he calls his people, is as wonderful as rejoicing, thanksgiving, and intimate communication, trusting in the goodness of God towards us in both plan and action. These are commands which reflect the amazing position of grace in which God has placed us through the finished work of Christ Jesus. It is like if someone rich and powerful gave you a credit card with no limit, on the one condition that you enjoy yourself and call on them if you run into any trouble. And that extreme example doesn’t even begin to compare to the joyous position we have in Christ. What God commands is always aligned with your greatest joy and fulfillment, and all of what God forbids is of letting ourselves be sidetracked by seeking contentment in lesser joys.”

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