DCLM Daily Manna Monday 9 October 2023
TOPIC: Call for Prayers
TEXT: 1 Samuel 7:3-8 (KJV)
3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
KEY VERSE
“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
(1 Samuel 7:3)
DCLM Daily Manna Monday 9 October 2023 MESSAGE
According to E.M. Bounds, “What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organisations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use – men of prayer, men mighty in prayer”. It is the men and women of prayer that the Lord needs in every age and in every place.
Prophet Samuel gathered the Israelites together in Mizpeh because the nation was in bondage to sin and the Philistines. Idolatrous worship of Baal and Ashtaroth was rampant. The people heeded the call of Samuel and put away their idols to serve God. They followed this with a time of public fasting and repentance. Samuel judged them and corrected them.
READ DCLM Daily Manna Sunday 8 October 2023 – Handling Leprosy
The Philistines were not happy that the Israelites were sorry for their sins. They, therefore, gathered together to attack them, especially as they did not want to lose the services the Israelites rendered as slaves. On sighting the army of the Philistines, the Israelites pleaded with Samuel to pray to God for their deliverance. Samuel had called the people to prayers repentance but now the people called on Samuel for prayers of deliverance.
Jesus challenged the disciples always to pray and not to faint. Prayer is a vibrant weapon that the believer can wield in our walk of faith. There is always a need for prayer in our lives. It is the duty of leaders to mobilise believers to pray, especially when they are experiencing spiritual coldness and apathy. On the other hand, the congregation must turn to their leaders for prayer if they truly want a change in their spiritual and physical conditions. Believers must not murmur and complain when challenging things happen – but must see every challenge as a call to pray.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Prayer is the key that unlocks the blessings of God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 13-17
