INTRODUCTION

Thoughts do not have to be wicked in order to be troublesome. Any thought that is contrary to faith will eventually cause a man to stumble. In Genesis 20:11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
See All..., Abraham’s thoughts hindered his faith. He perceived that the fear of God was not in Gerar and decided to lie about the identity of his wife in order to insure his safety. Rather than trusting God, he trusted his thoughts. Naaman refused to wash in the Jordan River because he thought that the prophet should have recovered his leprosy by coming out, calling upon the name of the Lord, and striking his hand over the place of leprosy (2 Kings 5:11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
See All...). When a man trusts in his own thoughts over the words of God, that man is a fool.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Read 1 Samuel 13:8-14 [8] And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. [9] And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. [10] And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. [11] And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; [12] Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. [13] And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. [14] But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
  See All.... Saul did not trust God's timing. He thought his enemies would come and defeat him before Samuel could offer prayers and an offering to God, so he offered it without Samuel being present. Because of this, his sons never got to be kings. 
• How do your thoughts hinder your faith? How is trusting your own thoughts over the written words of God akin to idolatry?  How does the Lord feel about idolatry?
• What are some examples of people who give more validity to their own thoughts than to the words of God? What dangers do those people face? Are you guilty of the same sin?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to build your faith.
• Ask God to help you have a proper perspective on your thoughts.

HYMN

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

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