Verse: 1 Samuel 12: 16-25 (NIV)
16 “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the Lord to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

18 Then Samuel called on the Lord, and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.”

Title: Useless Idols

Message: Believe in the real God and serve Him faithfully.

Promise to Claim: God did not and will never reject us. He's pleased to make us his own.

Command to Obey: Cease doing evil. Abandon the idols that are useless and are incapable of rescuing us. Let us be reminded of God's greatness and mercy. Let us follow Him for us to be worthy of His promises.

Warning to Heed:  "... if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish” (v. 25).

Application: I will always believe in one real God. I will keep my faith in Him. There will be no other master in my mind and heart but Him.