Where Do You Look for Answers? #1

I Samuel 28:1-19 Everyone needs answers to questions and problems and it seems that everyone has an answer for these issues. Answers come from T.V. commercials, friends, neighbors, fertile imaginations. It often seems as though God and His Word are the place we look when all else fails. "I don't know what to do, I've tried everything, I guess I'll just have to pray. Nothing else is working." Prayer should be the place to begin. As one reads through the Word he discovers many times when God's people attempted to find their own answers without seeking God first, long range problems were introduced. Two instances come to mind When the Israelites entered the promised land and defeated Jericho and Ai, there were a group of men who had traveled "from many miles" or so their appearance indicated. Actually, they were nearby neighbors. They came to make a treaty with Israel the problem was that no treaties were to be made, all were to be destroyed. Rather than seek God, they made their own decision, made the treaty and suffered much. The other situation is King Saul in our scripture today. Actually, this move was the last in a string of bad decisions that he had made. Saul went to seek the advice of a witch fortune teller. He had her call Samuel's spirit from the dead. He got his answer, his death, and the defeat of Israel. It makes one wonder if many of the difficulties we face wouldn't be there if we would seek God first. Matt. 6:33 is still good advice. Try it, you'll like the results.