See,
the eyes of the lord are upon those who fear
him, upon those who hope for his kindness, to deliver them from death and
preserve them in spite of famine.
1 SAMUEL, Chapter
15, Verse 24
Saul admitted to Samuel: “I have sinned,
for I have transgressed the command of the LORD
and your instructions. I feared the
people and obeyed them.
There are three lessons we can learn
from the life of King Saul.
First, obey the Lord and seek to do His will. From the very start of his
reign, Saul had the perfect opportunity to be the benchmark by which all future
kings could be measured. All he had to do was to seek the Lord wholeheartedly,
obey His commandments and align his will with that of God’s, and his rule would
have been a God-honoring one. However, like so many others, Saul chose a
different path and strayed away from God. We find a perfect example of his
disobedience in the incident where God commanded him to kill all the
Amalekites, but Saul kept the king and some of the spoils of war. Saul
compounded his troubles by lying to Samuel over the incident. He claimed that
it was the people that saved all of the animals (1 Samuel 15). This act, plus
many others over the course of his rule, emphasized the fact that he could not
be trusted to be an instrument of God’s will.
The
second lesson we learn is not to
misuse the power given to us. There is no question that King Saul abused
the power God had entrusted to him. The over-riding reason for this is the
pride often creeps into our hearts when people are serving and honoring us. In
time, this type of “star treatment” can make us believe that we really are
something special and worthy of praise. When this happens, we forget that God
is the one who is really in control and that He alone rules over all. God may
have chosen Saul because he was humble, but over time that humility was
replaced by a self-serving and destructive pride that destroyed his rule.
The
third lesson for us is to lead the
way God wants us to lead. First Peter 5:2-10 is the ultimate guide for
leading the people that God has placed in our charge: “Be shepherds of God's
flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as
God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it
over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the
Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never
fade away. Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All
of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God
opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore,
under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your
anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your
enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your
brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And
the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you
have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong,
firm and steadfast.” How much different Saul’s life would have turned out had
he obeyed these principles. King Saul would have had no shortage of wise
counsel available to him. By ignoring God and His wise counsel, Saul allowed
the spiritual health of his people to deteriorate further, alienating them from
God.[1]
Easter Tuesday[2]
Why does Jesus greet His disciples with the words, “Peace be to you?”
1. Because He came to restore to men that peace with God, with themselves, with
their neighbor, which sin had destroyed. 2. Because peace is a mark of the
children of God, as discord is of sinners. 3. Because peace is the greatest of
all goods. Therefore it is that He will have His apostles, after His example,
give the greeting of peace on entering a house. 4. Finally, Because He desired
to encourage His disciples to confidence by His friendliness.
Why did Our Savior retain the marks of His wounds after His
resurrection? 1. To show that it was the same body which had been wounded
during His passion, and to show that He was really risen from the dead. 2. To
teach us that we too shall, in like manner, rise with our bodies. 3. To make
known to us the greatness of His love, through which He has graven us, as it were,
on His hands and feet, and in His heart (Isaias xlix. 16). 4. To impart to us
confidence in His endless mercy, and to encourage us to combat against the
world, the flesh, and the devil. 5. To prepare a place of refuge, and an
inexhaustible fountain of consolation for all the miserable, afflicted, and
tempted. 6. To terrify the impenitent, whom, on the Day of Judgment, He will
show how much He has suffered for them, and that they have been the cause of
their own destruction. Oh, let us endeavor to think often on the wounds of
Jesus, that we may thereby be encouraged to lead pious lives acceptable to God.
Aspiration
O Jesus, grant that the
precious blood which flowed from Thy wounds for me and all sinners may not be
lost.
Instruction on what we ought to
believe concerning the Holy Scriptures.
“He opened their understanding, that they might understand the
Scriptures.” Luke xxiv. 45.
Is it free to everyone to read and explain Holy Scripture according to
his own opinion? No; that must be done with submission and conformity to the
teaching of the Church. Questions of faith cannot be settled by appealing to
the Holy Scriptures alone, since they themselves are liable to be
misunderstood. For this reason the Church has done wisely in making the
printing, reading, and explaining of Holy Scripture depend upon the permission
of lawful spiritual superiors.
What, therefore, must one do who desires to read the Holy Scriptures? 1.
He must read them, only with the permission of the ecclesiastical superiors. 2.
with the subjection of his own opinion to the decisions of the Church, and the
interpretation of the holy fathers. 3. with suitable preparation, by prayer and
fasting, as St. Thomas of Aquinas did, and with devotion and care.
Tax Day (Taxes Due)[3]
Tax Day marks the last
day to file income taxes in the United States. The history of US Income
Tax dates back to the Civil War and the Revenue Act of 1861. This tax was
imposed to help pay the costs of the war. After several repeals, new
taxes, and subsequent repeals, the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution was
ratified and went into law in 1913. This established the right of
Congress to impose a Federal Income tax. The Income Tax remains the primary way
that the US Government finances itself. To ensure that all monies due for the
prior year are paid, a Tax Day was created. All US taxpayers are required to
file taxes based on prior year’s earnings by this date. Traditionally
this date has been on April 15 of each year. If this day falls on a
weekend, the due date is extended to the following Monday. This date is
also impacted by the Emancipation Day Holiday in Washington DC.
Tax Day (Taxes Due) Facts &
Quotes
·
The date of Tuesday April 17, 2017 represents
the filing deadline to submit 2016 tax returns. The date doesn't fall on
Monday, because it is the District of Columbia Emancipation Day, which is
regarded as federal holidays when it comes to federal income taxes.
·
In 1913, the original US income tax rates were
1% for incomes over $3,000; 6% for incomes over $500,000.
·
During World War I, around 1918, the highest
income tax rate was over 77%.
·
The power of taxing people and their property is essential to the very existence of government.- James Madison, U.S. President
·
A tax loophole is something that benefits the other guy. If it benefits you, it is tax reform.- Russell B. Long, U.S. Senator
Tax Day (Taxes Due) Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Be sure to mail your Tax Return before the
midnight of the designated tax day.
·
File for an extension before midnight, if
needed.
·
Visit Office Depot and shred your old documents
for Free.
·
Take advantage of Tax Day Freebies at local
restaurants.
·
Watch a movie that deals with taxes and the
consequences of unpaid taxes. Our picks: Stranger Than Fiction
(2006), Catch Me If You Can (2012), The Firm (1993), The
Mating Game (1959)
Today bring to me the soul's of separated brethren.
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