“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” v.7
Saul was tall and handsome: he was an impressive looking man. Samuel may have been trying to find someone who looked like Saul to be Israel’s next king, but God warned him against judging by appearance alone. When people judge by outward appearance, they may overlook quality individuals who lack the particular physical qualities society currently admires. Appearance doesn’t reveal what people are really like or what their true value is.

Fortunately, God judges by faith and character, not by appearance. And because only God can see the inside, only He can accurately judge people. Most people spend hours each week maintaining their outward appearance: they should do even more to develop their inner character. While everyone can see your face, only you and God know what your heart really looks like. What steps am I taking to improve your heart’s attitude?

Taken from the NLT LIfe Application Study Bible

“‘Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,’ Jonathan said to his armor bearer. ‘Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!’” v.6
Jonathan and his armor bearer weren’t much of a force to attack the huge Phillistine army. But while everyone else was afraid, they trusted God, knowing that the size of the enemy army would not restrict God’s ability to help them. God honored the faith and brave action of these two men with tremendous victory.

Have you ever felt surround by the “enemy” or faced overwhelming odds? God is never intimidated by the size of the enemy or the complexity of a problem. With him, there are always enough resources to resist the pressures and win the battle. If God has called you to action, then bravely commit what resources you have to God, and rely upon him to lead you to victory.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the LORD at Mizpah. And he said, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by tribes and clans.’” v.17-19
Israel’s true king was God, but the nation demanded another. Imagine wanting a human being instead of God as a guide and leader! Throughout history, men and women have rejected God, and they continue to do it today. Are you rejecting God by pushing him aside and acknowledging someone or something as your “king” or top priority? Learn from these stories of Israel’s kings, and don’t push God aside.

Taken for the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“Saul replied, ‘But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?’” v.21
“Why are you talking to me like this?” Saul’s outburst reveals a problem he would face repeatedly – feeling inferior. Like a leaf tossed about by the wind. Saul vacillated between his feelings and his convictions. Everything he said and did was selfish. For example, Saul said his clan was “the least important” in the smallest tribe in Israel. But in v. 1 it says his father was “a wealthy, influential man.”

Although Saul had been called by God and had a mission in life, he struggled constantly with jealousy, insecurity, arrogance, impulsiveness, and deceit. He did not decide to be wholeheartedly committed to God. Because Saul would not let God’s love give rest to his heart, he never became God’s man.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. ‘Even so, we still want a king,’ they said. ‘We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.’” v.19-20
Samuel carefully explained all the negative consequences of having a king, but the israelites refused to listen. Israel was called to be a holy nation, separate from and unique among all others. The Israelites’ motive in asking for a king was to be like the nations around them. This was in total opposition to God’s original plan. It was not their desire for a king that was wrong, but their reason for wanting a king.

Often we let others’ values and actions dictate our attitudes and behavior. Have you ever made a wrong choice because you wanted to be like everyone else? Be careful that the values of your friends or “heroes” don’t pull you away from what God sys is right. When God’s people want to be like unbelievers, they are heading for spiritual disaster.

When you have an important decision to make, weigh the positives and negatives carefully, considering everyone who might be affected by your choice. When you want something badly enough, it is difficult to see the potential problems. But don’t discount the negatives. Unless you have a plan to handle each one, they will cause you great difficulty later.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ‘Look,’ they told him, ‘you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.’” v.1-5

As an old man, Samuel appointed his sons to be judges over Israel in his place. But they turned out to be corrupt, much like Eli’s sons (2:12). We don’t know why Samuel’s sons went wrong, but we do know that Eli was help was held responsible for his own sons’ corruption.

It is impossible to know if Samuel was a bad parent. His children were old enough to be on their own. We must be careful not to blame ourselves for the sins of our children. On the other hand, parenthood is an awesome responsibility, and nothing is more important than molding and shaping our children’s lives.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. ‘Here I am. Did you call me?’
Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, ‘Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’ So Samuel went back to bed.” v.7-9

Although God had spoken directly and audibly with Moses and Joshua, his word became rare during the three centuries of rule by judges. By Eli’s time, no prophets were speaking God’s messages to Israel. Why? Look at the attitude of Eli’s sons. They either refused to listen to God or allowed greed to get in the way of any communication with them.

Eli had spent his entire life in service to God. His responsibility was to oversee all the worship in Israel. But in pursuing this great mission he neglected the responsibilities in his own home. Don’t let your desire to do God’s work cause you to neglect your family. If you do, your mission may degenerate into a quest for personal importance, and your family will suffer the consequences of your neglect.

Listening and responding is vital in a relationship with God. Although God does not always use the sound of a human voice, he always speaks through his Word! To receive his messages, we must be ready to say, “Here I am” when God calls us to action!

Taken for the NLT Life Application Study Bible!

“Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. 11And she made this vow: ‘O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut.’” v.10-11
Be careful what you promise in prayer because God may take you up on it. Hannah so desperately wanted a child that she was willing to strike a bargain with God. God took her up on her promise, and to Hannah’s credit, she did her part, even though it was painful.

Although we are not in a position to barter with God, He may still choose to answer a prayer that has an attached promise. When you pray, ask yourself, will I follow through on any promises I make to God if He grants my request? It is dishonest and dangerous to ignore a promise, especially to God. God keeps his promises, and He expects us to keep ours.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible