Wednesday, September 2, 2009

I've LOVED your responses on the two questions:
1. What's your wall of protection around your life?
2. Is there anything in your life that needs a "holy destruction" as described in Deuteronomy chapter 3.

The foundation for a solid wall of protection
around your life
is, of course, a strong
growing
intimate 
relationship with Jesus Christ.
Your parents can also provide a strong wall of protection—
and some of you mentioned that.
Youth group,
Bible study,
and
church
are also great sources that provide
a strong wall of protection.
But the wall begins
with our relationship
with Christ.

Now about that "holy destruction"
we talked about. . . .

We read a sobering story
about a holy destruction 
gone bad
in 1 Samuel 15.
It went bad
because Saul only halfheartedly
attempted the holy destruction.
He didn't carry it through
with 100%.

Here's the recap:
God spoke to Saul through Samuel the prophet saying,
"Destroy the Amalekites—
the people who snuck up behind you
and attacked your weakest
and most feeble when you were
wandering in the wilderness." 
(See Deuteronomy 25:18 for that part of the story).
"Make sure you destroy 
every man,
woman,
child
and
beast.
Leave nothing behind."

So Saul gathered 200,000 footmen
from Israel
and 10,000 footmen
from Judah,
marched on the Amalekites
and utterly destroyed them . . .
all except for one.

He kept Agag, king of the Amalekites,
along with some sheep.

As Saul returned victorious to Israel,
he saw the prophet Samuel in the distance.
"Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Saul said.
"I have obeyed all of His commandments!"

"Really?" Samuel said.
"Then how come I hear the sound of sheep bleating."

"Oh. Well . . . uh . . . we saved the best of the sheep
and the oxen 
to bring back as a sacrifice to Jehovah!" Saul declared.

Samuel looked at Saul and said,
"To obey is better than sacrifice.
Rebellion is as bad as witchcraft and idolatry.
And who's he?"

(Wow. Rebellion—disobeying God—is as bad as
witchcraft and idolatry? Rebellion—disobeying God—
is serious stuff!)

"And who's he?" Samuel asked.

"This is Agag, king of the Amalekites. 
I brought him back as a trophy," Saul answered.

Samuel grabbed a sword and hacked Agag into pieces
right there on the spot,
threw down the sword in utter disgust
and said, 
"Saul! You have disobeyed.
No longer will you be king—neither you, 
nor your descendants.
The kingdom is taken from you."

Pretty harsh, you may be thinking.

Saul was rationalizing.
He was trying to make wrong make sense. 
We do the same thing, don't we?
Instead of completing a holy destructionwith 100% effort . . . 
we only half-heartedly take a whack at it.

 But I can make it make sense! 

Surely God wouldn’t want me to destroy the BEST sheep! 

God doesn’t always make sense. 

He's the One who says:

• The Last shall be First.

• Wanna be great? Learn to Serve!

You see, it's not our job to understand God.

Our job is to simply OBEY Him.

OK, maybe I can understand the need to kill the animals, but what’s wrong with bringing Agag back as a trophy to march in the victory parade?

At the very end of 1 Samuel, and in the first chapter of 2 Samuel, 

we see Saul 20 yrs later on Mount Gilboa fighting the Philistines. 

Wounded in battle, he heard the voice of his attacker behind him.

 “Who are you?” Saul cried out.

 “I am an Amalekite,” came the answer.

 GASP!

You see, the period between the time Saul brought Agag back until the time he talked to Samuel was probably less than a week, but in that time, Agag must have escaped and fathered a son.

Now, 20 years later, he appears and attacks Saul.

We THINK we have sin under control, 

but whenever we keep a little trophy hanging around 

to show how powerful we are, we’re playing with fire.

“R-rated movies used to be a problem” you may say. “Romance novels used to be a problem. Drinking used to be a problem. But I have it under control now. No need to block it completely out of my life. I can turn it off, stop doing it, whenever I want. Partying? I can handle it."

Watch out!

You are not as strong as you think you are.

When God says, "This needs to be destroyed"

DESTROY IT!

 

That’s why a Father who loves you says, “Destroy completely every Amalekite. If something is wrong, if something is tempting, if something is pulling on you carnally, if something is attacking you from behind, annihilate it. Don’t play around with the Amalekites, because if you leave even one, he’ll come back and get you!

I'm asking the question again, Girls:

Is there anything in your life that needs

a holy destruction?

Love you!

Susie Shellenberger

 

23 comments:

  1. Susie,
    I love this! At first, I was kind of thinking, "And WHY do I want to know about God telling us to kill people??" but then it made sense when you explained it further. And I actually did gasp when that guy said, "I'm an Amalekite." lol
    - One Small Voice

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  2. Oh Susie!
    Thank You so Much!
    This blog helped me realize that there IS something that I need to get rid of.
    I'm kinda upset with my parents about something, and now I know I need to just get rid of it and give it to God.

    *Michelle*

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  3. That's a thinker. I love music. Any chance I get I listen to it. But now, I'm thinking, all those chances I get, I should try to spend time with God. Get to know him. But then it's like, but I love music. But hold on, if I love God more, I'd be willing to say no to certain things, to spend more time with Him, even if that means listening to less music. So, I think that I need to stop letting music take over my life, and let God take over my life.

    Thanks for a great question Susie. You've brought up a lot of questions that have made my walk stronger!

    Marisa*

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  4. The need to be acceoted...even when i know I am. I've been having trouble accepting God as Ruler of my life not just someone I worship at church and on trips but in my real day to day life especially as school starts.I need to entrust God with EVERYTHING,especially my deep dark secrets. Pray that he'll help me accept myself and open up to others. Thanks SO much Susie...I really am blessed to be reading all of your blogs. Your an inspriation to girls eveywhere

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  5. and sorry about all the typos

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  6. @Marisa: I listen to a lot of gospel music, actually that's a bulk of my day. I use song as a prayer sometimes, or when I'm distressed, upset, angry, etc. but I also realize now that I need to dialogue, which is the "most important", with God and let music supplement prayer not the other way around.

    And as I rethought about the question, I realized that there are three major aspects that need a holy destruction.
    (1) I have some negative thoughts randomly, which I just have to 'shake off.'
    (2)I compare my "old self" to my "new self" a lot, which is not beneficial to me because I want to get rid of those old thoughts.
    (3)I still watch a few shows that I like the message, but the content of it is really negative. Since re-becoming a devoted Christian I realize how there's not a lot on t.v. that's remotely 'clean.'

    I'll be praying for a holy destruction, and and I'm trying to change the way I think!

    Please pray for me and I'll pray for you.

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  7. wow...very cool...as usual! Hey, susie, is there any way i could submit articles to the mag?? i'm just wondering...
    K
    P.S. so off subject, but if you gals ever get a chance...you must listen to The First Time (Matt Thiessen Remix) by Family Force 5. Very sweet. (And not screamo or hard at all...the exact opposite)

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  8. Amanda: Yeah, that's me too, but you're totally right. Not that listening to music is bad, we just have to make sure we talk to God in our own words. God is avaliable 24/7, so we can talk to Him whenever, hense the name walk with God. It's good just to have quiet time with Him. To meditate.

    I'll totally pray for you and pray for me, that I will make God the biggest part of my day.

    Marisa*

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  9. Yeah, I agree with you Marisa and Amanda. I love music, too, and it can be a great way to praise God, but we also have to talk to him in prayer.
    Love you guys!
    Erin

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  10. Bravo, Susie! Another amazing blog; really creative writing and presentation that isn't BIG AND BLOCK-Y paragraphs, so it's like candy and you eat it up till the very end! Readable, enjoyable, true, true, true! Thanks, again. Happy early Labor Day, everyone!

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  11. Hey Susie! I love the new website! When will we get our membership codes?
    Erin

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  12. Hooray! Today is National Oatmeal Day!
    Join the country in eating a bowl of oatmeal.

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  13. I LOVE THE WEBSITE IT LOOKS SOOOOO AWESOME!!

    Ok, now that that's out of my system, Great job, Susie!!

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  14. Wow, that was an awesome post, Susie. I know there are definently things I need to take care of in my life. Thanks for always encouraging us and keeping us on the right track!

    KK from IA

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  15. Hey Susie love the new website and the posts!!
    I haven't been able to read the blog like at all lately cuz i'm loaded down with school, volleyball, homework, and sleep! I miss talking to you guys!!!!!!!!!!
    When will we get our membership codes for the website?

    Luv u girls,

    ~~Meg ♥♥♥

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  16. I know what you mean, Meg. I haven't been able to read the blog as much recently either because of school, and I miss everyone too! You guys are like family! Can't wait for the sisterhood!

    KK from IA

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  17. Ok, wow, just went to the website to see if you had anything new and saw all the new stuff! That is so cool! I can't wait to look through all of it!

    KK from IA

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  18. Meg: Did you get your Bible?

    Susie Shellenberger

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  19. You know, I think something else that needs destroyed in my life is my pride and the way I treat others sometimes.

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  20. i need to destroy this evil thoughts of myself, and i need to stop putting myself down constently.

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  21. Thanks so much for that article! I am currently reading through 1 Samuel in my devotions, so I thought it was awesome that you picked a story out of there... and, I just got done reading about Samuel hacking Agag to pieces a few days ago (yuck...)!

    Anyway, thanks for all you do! God bless you!

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  22. Hey Susie!
    I was just wondering when the sisterhood is gonna start?
    And when I subscribed to your mag online it sent me a confirmation code and do I use that for the sisterhood?
    Thanks a lot.

    <3 Michelle <3

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  23. I just have a question to anybody that has been on a mission trip.
    How do you convince your parents you want to go on the Susie mission trip?
    and that you can raise the money.
    Thanks.
    There are things in my life I should destroy but every time I try to destroy them. They come back, because I like them.
    They aren't the worst things but not the best.
    But have been listening to all week -Christian music from cds and Tangle.com
    with my favourite playlist.

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